This repository collects most of my course materials for Lights, Camera, Activism, a semester long seminar that was offered by the Marquette University Honors Program in the Fall of 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2018.
Students were encouraged to add their completed projects to Marquette's Institutional Repository.
Please feel free to utilize any of the materials in this repository and add any additional resources, assignment tweaks/suggestions.
Contact me if you have any questions or comments.
Kony 2012 is one example of how video can empower people and effect social change. This course will provide an introduction to the history, practice, and application of video as a tool of social expression, advocacy, and activism. By understanding the basic history of the video medium as a tool for social change, expression and examining various examples of activist filmmaking, students will develop the needed skill set to produce and screen a 5-minute issue-based video in hopes of fostering community engagement regarding the subject matter of the video.
The course has been taught as 2 credit pass/fail or 3 credit graded. The difference for the 3 credit graded are:
- Additional weekly readings. These are identified under the Additional heading of the Resources section for each week.
- For weeks 2 through 6 a weekly reaction paper on the resource(s) for that class is added.
- A Movie Reaction Paper is due during Week 9.
Regardless of whether it is a 2 or 3 credits, the course is broken down into the following 3 Units:
- Unit 1 (weeks 1-5) establishes a foundation to build on for the remainder of the course by defining and explaining the terms social justice, story and documentary activism. Students examine various examples of social justice activities and documentaries to provide context as they begin to decide what social justice issue you would like to highlight for with the lens.
- Unit 2 (weeks 6-9), students are exposed to the tools and techniques of digital storytelling and create a few short videos offering a low stakes hands on experience with the digital storytelling process.
- Unit 3 (weeks 10-14) belongs to the students: it is their time to complete a self-designed video project on a social justice issue.
Items with the file name prefix Course_Information include the Syllabus and major assignments such as the Final Project.
Each of the Week files contain the learning objectives, resources, discussion questions, in class activities and homework assignments (if any).