Call for Proposals: Deadline February 26, 2014
“Teaching Film and Media Studies at Liberal Arts Colleges,” Cinema Journal Teaching Dossier at teachingmedia.org
The current economic recession, rising student debt, and high levels of unemployment have put into question the value of a liberal arts education. How are these pressures affecting teaching, curriculum and faculty experience at liberal arts colleges? How is Film and Media Studies responding to these evolving circumstances and expectations?
Film and Media Studies faculty are uniquely positioned to join the debate regarding the value of a liberal arts education. Our discipline, engaging both theory and practice, can be seen as situated between the humanities and a “pre-professional” major. We train students to think critically but also help them acquire technical and other skills deemed “marketable” in the workplace.
- What role should Film and Media Studies play in preparing students to be critical thinking “citizens” as well as skilled “professionals” in the job market? What is the relationship between Film and Media Studies and the Career Center in liberal arts colleges?
- What case can we make to students and parents, understandably anxious about the job market, regarding the value of a liberal arts education and majoring in Film and Media Studies at this moment?
- What is the balance between critical studies and production courses in the Film and Media Studies liberal arts curriculum now?
- What Film and Media Studies curricula, course designs and pedagogical approaches are appropriate to the liberal arts in this moment?
- How do interdisciplinary connections inform Film and Media Studies pedagogy at liberal arts colleges today?
- How are student artistic-creative-technical-collaborative productions valued, evaluated or assessed in your department or program?
- How are Film and Media Studies faculty at liberal arts colleges experiencing and responding to the changing economic, technological, and social landscape (including but not limited to online courses, allocation of resources/facilities, and student demand)?
- How are faculty artistic-creative-technical-collaborative productions evaluated for tenure?
We invite proposals addressing these and other topics relevant to Film and Media Studies teaching, curriculum and faculty experience in the liberal arts college today. Submit a 250-word abstract for a proposed 1500-word essay, briefly describing the essay topic, and a 150-word biography to Elizabeth Nathanson ([email protected]) and Carol Donelan ([email protected]) by February 26, 2014. The completed essay (including all images and links) will be due on March 31, 2014.
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