Morten, The area of film studies to which you refer is often generally called "image studies", since obviously there is no exact science in cinematic representation. There have been numerous books on the "image of" various social groups, although many of these studies are challenged by the complexity of issues in representation (e.g., politics, psychology, and history, just to name a few). I've recently published a book on the image of youth in contemporary American cinema, "Generation Multiplex", in which I tried to grapple with the methodological dilemma of labeling and studying teen images while at the same time examining films about fictional teens. In my first chapter I discuss some of these methodological issues which, by the way, often intersect with genre studies. You'd do well to search for books on certain groups in film and see how they handle the sociological aspect of the issue. I think you might find the most voluminous literature in women's representation, and then in racial representation. Best wishes-- Timothy Shary Dr. Timothy Shary Assistant Professor of Screen Studies Traina Center for the Arts Clark University Worcester, MA 01610 508-793-7285 on 2/3/03 8:44 AM, Ender, M. DR BS&L at [log in to unmask] wrote: > Hello folks > > Morten G. Ender > Associate Professor of Sociology > Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership > Thayer Hall 282E > United States Military Academy > West Point, New York, 10996 > U.S.A. > > 845.938.5638 > 845.938.2236 (fax) > [log in to unmask] > http://www.dean.usma.edu/bsl/faculty/ender.htm > > This may be the best thing to happen in the history of history. > > Sponge Bob Square Pants > > Hi folks, > > I'm trying to get my mind theoretically around how films frame different > groups in American society. In other words, how are groups stereotyped and > de-stereotyped through films...for example, how are Asian-American men > represented or how are women in the military or how Germans represented > across films...can anyone recommend some good reading that has a social > science (meaning empirical sociology) slant for a new comer to film > analysis? > > Thanks, morten > > ---- > To sign off Screen-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF Screen-L > in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask] > ---- To sign off Screen-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF Screen-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]