Hello Thomas:
I've been very interested to read your comments (and also Klaus's) about
teaching cinema in Germany. Not too long ago, I was the guest of the
University of Bielefeld for a year, and although my duties did not
include teaching during that time, my many conversations with German
students made clear to me just how different is the ambiance in even a
provincial school like Bielefeld and my own provincial school (University
of Iowa). German students unquestionably are more grown
up and far less conservative in the visual materials to which they are
exposed from childhood than the majority of my students would be.
That said, the key to choosing films (or any texts) for my students seems
to be creating an appropriate context for pieces that might seem extreme
to those with a variety of strongly held beliefs (political, religious,
etc.) Our students have to feel that their belief-systems are respected
and at least virtually taken into account in classroom conversations even
if I don't personally agree with whatever their issue or belief may be.
What's shown is less at issue than how it's framed discursively.
This conversation about what's OK to teach to whom has to take into
account different cultural traditions in academic life. At international
conferences, we've all witnessed differing styles of conducting academic
conversations, even different ideas of what such conversations are for.
These distinctions are clear in many instances even when comparing
British academic discourse and American academic discourse -- a
supposedly shared language but vastly different discursive practices may
prevail -- varying tolerances of intellectual bullying, for instance. It
seems clear to me that an instructor's presentational style clearly
affects students' reception of the texts in question.
Cheryl Herr
At 01:22 PM 8/18/00 +0100, you wrote:
>Dear all,
>
>as a teacher at a german university, it is interesting for me to
follow
>this discussion and to learn about the differences concerning
teaching.
>Actually, I was surprised by the fact, that american teachers have to
>take such issues into consideration while planning a course.
>Concerning this issue I would take a strong stand for academic
freedom.
>No one is forced to join my courses and all students ar grown-ups - so
I
>see no reason to restrict my choice of films to PG-rated movies.
>Especially, this would make impossible to teach anything about
>pornography, horror or similar genres. And it would also exclude films
by
>Carolee Schneeman, Kenneth Anger, Nagisa Oshima, etc.
>
>Actually, a student who complains about including films into a course
>that display graphic violence, nudity or that contain explicit
language
>(the majority of movies beloning to one category or the other) seems
to
>be the equivalent to a medical student who refuses to treat burnt
>victims, because it is "too gross". This would be ridiculous.
>
>This may sound a bit naive and it certainly shows that, up to now, I
have
>been largely unconcerned with this issue. But I would like to hear
other
>opinions advocating a greater sensibility concerning these issues.
>
>Thomas Morsch
>Film Dept.
>Freie Universitaet Berlin
>Germany
>
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