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COGR 280: Media & Social Movements (Winter 2017)

Roland Barthes, "The Photographic Message"

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Course Schedule
* Note that readings and lesson plans are subject to change depending on developments during Trump's first 100 days in office and events taking place on campus. Expectations for the course will always remain within reason, and dramatic changes will only be made with the collective consent of all students. Evaluation of any work will always take these changes into account.
Week 1, Jan 12: Introduction to the Course + Tour of Media Lab
Concepts: Defining “Media” & “Social Movements”
Media Exercise 1: Brief Reflection on the Power of Imagery
Read: Barthes, "The Photographic Message" / Godrej, “Neoliberalism, Militarization and the Price of Dissent” / Fuentes, “Performance, Politics, and Protest"

Week 2, Jan 19: Visual Politics of Protest // Student Movements
Concepts: Breaking Down the Image / Building Visual Narrative
Workshop: Prepare for Graduate T.A. Walk-Out/Teach-In
Media Exercise 2: Document Graduate Student Walk-Out + Written Reflection
Read: Smith, Scientific Propaganda / Cole, "The Superhero Photographs of the Black Lives Matter Movement"
Cabinet Profile: Stephen Bannon (Senior Advisor) + Betsy DeVos (Secretary of Education)

** Sat, Jan. 21: Spirits of Rebellion: Black Cinema from UCLA (Zeinabu Irene Davis, 2016) | San Diego Museum of Photographic Arts, 2pm

Week 3, Jan 26: The Politics of Portraiture // #BlackLivesMatter
Concepts: Politics of the Gaze / Capturing the Documentary Subject
Workshop: Using the Canon 80D DSLR
Media Exercise 3: Photo Essay About Classmate
Read: “How Can We Elicit Good Stories from an Interview?” (Working Narratives) / Ganz, “Public Narrative”
Cabinet Profile: Jess Sessions (Attorney General) + Stephen Bannon (Senior Advisor)

Week 4, Feb 2: Moving Images, Moving Stories // #UndocumentedandUnafraid, #not1more
Concepts: Public Narrative and Collective Action / The Call-to-Action Video
Workshop: Recording On-Location Sound + Dual Audio Video Production
Media Exercise 4: Group Assignment – Shoot Interview Using Public Narrative Template
Read: “Storytelling and Social Change: A Strategy Guide” (Working Narratives) / Lim, “Want to Know How to Build a Progressive Movement Under Trump? Look to Standing Rock”
Cabinet Profile: Gen. John Kelly (Secretary of Homeland Security)

Week 5, Feb 9: Calls to Action & the Vision of Solidarity // #NoDAPL, Standing Rock
Concepts: Montage
Workshop: 9:30-11:30am, Editing in Adobe Premiere, Pt. 1 / 12-1pm, Media Lab Workshop on Video Compression
Media Exercise 5: Finish 1-min rough cut of CTA video piece
Read: Chion, "AudioVision" / Folkenflik, "Manipulative Editing Reflects Poorly On Katie Couric, Gun Documentary” (NPR)
Cabinet Profile: Rex Tillerson (Secretary of State) + Rick Perry (Secretary of Energy)

** Media Lab Workshop – After Effects Titles (MCC 251) / Fri, Feb 10, 2pm

Week 6, Feb 16: Calls–to-Action Cont'd // Prompt for Project 1 Distributed
Workshop: Editing in Adobe Premiere, Pt. 2
Media Exercise 6: Polish 1-Min Rough Cut of CTA Video Piece
Read: No readings / Work on Project 1
Cabinet Profile: Scott Pruitt (Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency)

** Media Lab Workshop: Video Compression (MCC 251) Fri, Feb 17, 3pm

Week 7, Feb 23: Building a Survivor-Centered Media Campaign from the Ground Up // #StandWithNanHui
Concepts: Digital Organizing / Social Media Messaging / Finding Your Audience
Workshop: Open Lab Time – Work on Project 1
Read: None, work on Project 1

Week 8, Mar 2: Media Surveillance After 9-11 // Project 1 Due // Prompt for Project 2 Distributed
In-Class Presentations of Project 1 - CTA Videos
Workshop: Safe & Secure Communications Practices w/ ACLU San Diego (TBD)

Week 9, Mar 9: Flex Day

Week 10, Mar 16: Flex Day