This module will explore audiovisual representations as signifying systems which use images and sounds to create complex and richly suggestive meanings that shape our understanding of the wider world. It aims to develop students' understanding of the aesthetic, social, and cultural power of these representations through close analysis of key examples drawn from the cinema and other art forms. Viewing cinema and visual culture as embedded in history, society, and politics, the course will explore how ideological concepts are embodied in cultural forms, and investigate how these forms can also offer counterpoints to dominant ways of thinking.
The module will begin with a series of lectures/seminars in the first half of Teaching Block 1 which are designed to introduce students to the idea of representation by examining a range of theoretical and philosophical approaches, building on prior learning at L4, but with greater attention paid to textual detail and the critical history of these ideas. These classes aim to provide a theoretical ‘toolkit' that students can then deploy in exploring the examples in the rest of the module.
The module will then be structured around three sequential case studies, each lasting half a Teaching Block. These case studies will allow for a closer investigation of a specific topic or area of interest. These may include discussions of gender, race, and sexuality, as well as case studies focused around specific moments in cultural history. The course is designed so as to accommodate changes to individual case studies, and to allow the module to be taught by several members of the teaching team.
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Delivery will be through lectures/seminars with accompanying screenings and tutorials.
The module will make use of the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Canvas for communication and dissemination of information between students and staff as well as making online learning materials available to all.
All courses based in the Kingston School of Art offer students free access to the online video tutorial platform Lynda.com. This provides a wide range of subjects to choose from, many with downloadable exercise files, including software tutorials covering photography, graphics, web design, audio and music, CAD and Microsoft Office software, as well as courses on Business and Management skills. Some of these are embedded in the curriculum and offer additional self-paced learning, others may be taken at will by students wishing to broaden their employability skills in other areas.
| Definitive UNISTATS Category | Indicative Description | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled learning and teaching | Lectures, seminars, workshops, screenings | 88 |
| Guided independent study | 212 | |
| Total (number of credits x 10) | 300 | |
The assessment strategy for this module consists of a portfolio of tasks totalling approximately 4,000 words. The content of the portfolio will necessarily vary year on year in line with changes of case study, but may include critical analyses, essays, presentations, and other forms of creative and critical responses to the material covered in the module. It will also include a shorter piece of assessed work, of approximately 1,000-1,500 words, at the end of TB1 which is designed to test comprehension and understanding of key ideas, and will provide the opportunity for formative feedback prior to the submission of the rest of the portfolio. Seminars and tutorials will offer opportunities for formative feedback prior to final submission.
| Learning Outcome | Assessment Strategy |
|---|---|
| Investigate the philosophical, ideological, and political forces that shape the understanding of visual culture | A1 |
| Analyse a variety of examples from film and visual culture | A1 |
| Understand and interpret key ideas from a range of theoretical texts | A1 |
| Apply these ideas to case studies from film and visual culture | A1 |
| Description of Assessment | Definitive UNISTATS Categories | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio (4,000 words) (A1) | Coursework | 100% |
| Total (to equal 100%) | 100% | |
It IS a requirement that the element of assessment is passed in order to achieve an overall pass for the module.
Barthes, Roland (2009) Mythologies, London: Vintage
Benjamin, Walter (1968) Illuminations, New York: Harcourt Brace
Leo Braudy, Marshall Cohen (eds.) (2016) Film Theory and Criticism (8th Edition), New York: Oxford University Press
During, Simon (ed.) (2008) The Cultural Studies Reader (Third Edition), London: Routledge, London
Hall, Stuart (ed.) (1997) Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices, Milton Keynes: Open University Press
McGowan, Kate, Easthope, Anthony (eds) (2005) A Critical and Cultural Theory Reader, Milton Keynes: Open University Press
To be confirmed once case studies have been decided.