Exploring Race in Hollywood Cinema
“We can't just sit back and let other people define our existence.” — Spike Lee
At a glance
- Live online course
- Thursdays 18:00 - 20:00
- 10 weeks: October to December
- Tutor: Gus Subero
- Course not running this term
Course not running this term
On this course we are going to consider historical, social and political interactions in relation to ethnic minorities as evidenced in contemporary Hollywood cinema. Our focus will be on the productive relationship between film practices in the endeavours of filmmakers to understand and represent minority communities and their lived experiences on screen.
We will reflect on the ways in which filmmakers, critics and academics have looked at race relations in the US, especially since the advent of the BLM movement, and how this has affected audiences' understandings of race and racial interactions in other societies across the globe.
We will look at the role of cinema in shaping and defining our understanding of race relations and the depiction of racial minorities, and we will question some of the assumptions about perceptions and visions on race and racism that underpin how certain groups are understood.
By the end of the course you will have:
- had an opportunity to develop an understanding of the relationships between race, racism and cinema;
- discussed perceptions of minority groups in the US and how images disseminated by Hollywood impact upon other groups across the globe;
- discovered the vocabulary we use to discuss issues of ethnicity and race relating to film and other forms of visual media.
Attendance Certificate
Successful completion of this course leads to the award of an Imperial College attendance certificate
Terms and conditions apply to all enrolments to this course. Please read them before enrolment
Course Information
Course Programme and Additional Reading
Course Programme
- How to talk about cinema?
- Race and racism in contemporary America: Do the right thing (dir. Spike Lee, 1989)
- Tropes of post-empire: My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding (dir. Joel Zwick, 2002)
- Chicanos in the US: Echo Park LA (dir. Richard Glatzer, 2006)
- Intersectionality and queer black identity: Moonlight (dir. Barry Jenkins, 2016)
- The horrors of race in post-Obama USA: Get Out (dir. Jordan Peele, 2017)
- Afrofuturism and US black culture: Black Panther (dir. Ryan Coogler, 2018)
- The dangers of stereotypes: Crazy Rich Asians (dir. Jon M Chu, 2018)
- The value of film criticism
- Applying film criticism
Additional Reading
There is no compulsory reading required for this course, and there is no set course text. Suggested reading materials will be sent to you by the tutor.
Your Tutor
Dr Gus Subero is an experienced tutor at Imperial College where he teaches a variety of undergraduate and courses in Visual Cultures, Intersectional Studies and Science Humanities.
Gus' academic research focusses mainly on minority representation in contemporary art, film and media, as well as cultures of representation and citizenship in the Global South and diasporic communities. He is currently investigating the ways in which disability and health stigma are represented in the visual cultures of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Course Fees and Rate Categories
| Hours | Weeks | Standard Rate | Internal Rate | Associate Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 10 | Early Bird: £212 (£10.60 p/h) Full price: £235 (£11.75 p/h) |
Early Bird: £126 (£6.30 p/h) Full price: £140 (£7 p/h) |
Early Bird: £166 (£8.30 p/h) Full price: £185 (£9.25 p/h) |
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| All fee rates quoted are for the whole course. Early Bird rates available 1 August to 30 September 2022 only. Part-payments are not possible. Equivalent to hourly rate is shown for comparison guidance only, it is not possible to pay pro-rata hourly rates. | |||||
Rate Categories and Discounts
Standard Rate
- Applicable to all except those who fall under the Internal Rate or Associate Rate category, respectively.
Internal Rate
- Current Imperial College students and staff (incl. Imperial NHS Trust, Imperial Innovations, ancillary & service staff employed on long-term contracts at Imperial College by third-party contractors)
- Individuals enrolling under our Friends & Family scheme
- Staff of the English Chamber Orchestra
- Students, staff and Governors of Woodhouse College and the IC Mathematics School
- Current Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication (CLCC) staff, current CLCC PhD students, Science Communication (Sci Comm) postgraduate students, and students enrolled on an Imperial College 'Language for Science' degree programme should contact eveningclass@imperial.ac.uk before completing the online enrolment form
Associate Rate
- Alumni of Imperial College and predecessor colleges and institutes
- Austrian Cultural Forum staff
- City & Guilds College Association members
- Co-operative College members
- Francis Crick Institute staff, researchers and students
- Friends and Patrons of the English Chamber Orchestra
- Harrods staff
- Historic Royal Palaces staff
- Lycee Charles de Gaulle staff
- Members of the Friends of Imperial College
- Members of the Kennel Club
- Members of the London Zoological Society
- Members of the South London Botanical Institute (SLBI)
- Members of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
- Natural History Museum staff
- National Health Service (NHS) employees
- Residents of postcodes SW3, SW5, SW7, SW10 and W8
- Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council staff
- Royal College of Art and Royal College of Music tutors and other staff
- Royal Geographical Society staff
- Science Museum staff
- Staff of Exhibition Road Cultural Group (Discover South Kensington) organisations
- Students (non-Imperial College)
- Teachers and other staff of UK schools
- Tutors and other staff of institution members of the Association of Colleges
- Tutors and other staff of other universities and higher education institutions
- Victoria and Albert Museum staff
Late enrolment
It is possible to enrol on many of our adult education courses after the course has already started. For non-language courses this is subject entirely to agreement by the tutor. For language courses it is subject to agreement by the language coordinator conducting level assessment. If you want to join a course late do bear in mind there might be work you will need to catch up on, particularly in language courses.
Friends and Family Scheme
This course is eligible for the allowing Imperial College students and staff to share their discount with their friends and family.
Term Dates 2022-23
| Hours | Weeks | Autumn term | Spring term | Summer term | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 10 | Week commencing 10 October to week ending 17 December 2022* | n/a | n/a | |
| *This is a 1-term course | |||||
Enrolment Process
Web enrolment starts 1 August 2022. Early bird discounts are available from 1 August to 30 September 2022.
Enrolment and payment run through the Imperial College eStore. When enrolling:
- Do check on the drop down menu above called "Course Fees and Rate Categories" to see if you are eligible for a discounted rate and also do make sure you select that rate when enrolling on the eStore
- If you are a first-time eStore user you will need to create an account before enrolling. You can do this by entering an email address and password. This account can then be used for any future enrolments via the eStore.
When you have enrolled you will be sent the following email notifications:
| What is sent | When is it sent | What does it contain |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Payment confirmation | Is sent instantaneously following submission of your online application |
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| 2. Enrolment confirmation | Is sent within 10 working days. Please treat your payment confirmation as confirmation that your applicant details and payment have been received |
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| 3. Programme information | Is usually sent on Friday late afternoon the week before term starts |
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| If you need further help with the above information please ring 020 7594 8756 | ||
Any Questions?
If you have any questions about the academic content or teaching of this course please contact the Course Tutor, Dr Gus Subero, g.subero-borjas@imperial.ac.uk
If you have any questions about your enrolment or payment processes please contact the Programme Administrator, Christian Jacobi, eveningclass@imperial.ac.uk