30214

SoSe 21: European society and film analysis: Sociological explorations of the series Chernobyl

Sebastian Büttner

Kommentar

“Movies embody cultural values; those of class, gender, ethnicity, region, and nation (…) They also reflect deeper civilizational assumptions” (Bergesen 2016). In this seminar, we will take this assumption of proponents of film analysis serious. Hence, we will discuss major paradigms and methods of film analysis, and we will reflect the potential of films and movies in stipulating our sociological imagination. At the example of the HBO series Chernobyl, we will explore major sociological implications of one of the most dramatic events in more recent European history. We will discuss major political developments during Europe’s political division, and we will analyse the crisis management of the former Soviet regime in the face of an unconceivable and highly endangering nuclear catastrophe. Thus, at the example of film material we will discuss numerous classical themes and topics of sociological thinking, such as rules of bureaucracy, logics of politics vs. logics of other social systems, the social organization of ignorance, contemporary expert cultures, conflicts between politics and expertise, or characteristics of modern risk society. All participants of this seminar are expected to conduct an own film analysis (within smaller groups or on an individual basis). A particular interest in the topic of the seminar and in qualitative methods is expected. Moreover, please be aware that some elements that are watched and discussed during the seminar contain explicit descriptions of diseases, injuries, pain and death and depictions of burnings. Only register for this seminar please if you do not have difficulties with this. Schließen

Literaturhinweise

Albert Bergesen (2016) How to Sociologically Read a Movie, The Sociological Quarterly, 57:4, 585-596, DOI: 10.1111/tsq.12151 Jean-Anne Sutherland & Kathryn Feltey (2012): Cinematic Sociology: Social Life in Film. Second Edition. London: Sage.
Chernobyl. HBO. 2018 Schließen