CINE 4550: Cinema Studies Seminar: Cronenberg and Cinemas of the Posthuman (Spring 2013, CRN: 35871)

Class: TF 9:00am-11:30pm, 009 Snell Library Instructor: Email: Phone: Website: Dr. Drew Ayers d.ayers@neu.edu (617) 373-6178 www.drewayers.com Office: 124A Holmes Office Hours: T 11:30am-1:30pm W 1:30pm-3:30pm By Appointment

N.B. 1) Blackboard will reflect updates to the course, changes in the syllabus, assignments, etc. Be sure to check it regularly. The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course; deviations may be necessary. 2) Your constructive assessment of this course plays an indispensable role in shaping education at Northeastern University. Upon completing the course, please take the time to fill out the TRACE evaluation. Course Description Using the films of Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg (as well as a selection of other fiction and documentary films), this course examines the ways in which a vernacular posthumanism is established through the modes of visuality deployed by posthuman cinema. Primary focus is placed on the work of Cronenberg, as his films provide a coherent lens through which to examine the value that posthuman theory can provide to film studies. This course is designed to develop the skills necessary to write cogently and persuasively about film, provide an appreciation for this cycle of films, and cultivate the skills necessary to do film research. The class is also structured heavily around discussion, and students are expected to contribute their thoughts during every session. This course is a capstone course in the Media and Screen Studies combined major, and it includes an experiential learning component. Course Prerequisites CINE 3500 and junior or senior standing Course Objectives By the end of the course, students will be able to: Demonstrate a grasp of the key terms, concepts, and debates within the field of posthuman theory and how posthuman theory can apply to film studies Identify and analyze the aesthetic and thematic elements of the films of David Cronenberg Effectively read, analyze, critique, and engage with scholarly writing about film Present original ideas through class presentations and discussion Conduct research specific to film studies Write and speak cogently and persuasively about film and film scholarship Reflect on the relationship between cinema studies and the world beyond academia Required Texts 1) Beard, William. The Artist as Monster: The Cinema of David Cronenberg. Rev. and expanded.

2 ed. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2006. 2) Readings on Blackboard 3) Course screenings Screenings Screenings will be held during class time as indicated in the daily schedule. Students are expected to attend all screenings, and absences from screenings will count against the attendance/participation grade. If a student cannot attend a screening, s/he must conduct the screening on his/her own time. Some materials are available through the library, and most materials are available through online rental and streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon, and iTunes. Attendance and Participation Attendance for this course is mandatory. My approach to this class will integrate lectures, class discussions, student presentations, and various exercises and activities in order to explore the principles discussed in the readings and lecturesyou cant participate if youre not there. Attendance will be taken during the first fifteen minutes of each class by using a sign-in sheet. If a student arrives to class after the first fifteen minutes, s/he will be counted as tardy. Each tardy counts as one-half of an absence. Each student will have three personal days during the semester to cover absences from class. These days may be used for any reason you choose and should include time out for illness, emergencies, religious holidays, travel, and family obligations. For each absence after the initial three, the overall attendance grade will be lowered by a full letter grade. If a student has an ongoing situation that requires special consideration, please discuss this with me at the beginning of the semester. Group discussion of course material will comprise a large portion of our in-class activity. It is essential that students have carefully read the assigned material prior to class in order to fulfill their responsibilities as a member of our learning community. Further, students are expected to participate actively in class discussion. Attendance/Participation comprises 10% of the final grade, and the participation grade will be based on both the frequency and quality of a students participation. The default participation grade for the class is a D, so even if you have perfect attendance, if you rarely contribute to class discussions, your grade will be negatively affected. Everyone is expected to participate in class discussions. A Note About Laptops and Technology As a media scholar, I acknowledge the ubiquity and utility of (new) media technologies. Laptops and other communication technologies can serve as useful educational and professional tools, provided they are used effectively and responsibly. However, it is often the case that technologies become distractions rather than learning aids. I leave it to you to decide how best to utilize your technology, but I have consistently found that students who are distracted during class tend to earn lower grades than those who engage with the lectures and discussions. Also keep in mind that if youre emailing friends and chatting on Facebook, youre not participating, and your participation grade will suffer. Think of your time in the classroom as an opportunity to

3 unplug and devote complete focus to a subject. If youre going to email and Tweet the entire class, consider staying home. I also expect laptops to be closed during class screenings. If you want to take notes, please do so in an analog fashion, with paper and pencil. Late Assignment Policy If an assignment is turned in late, one full letter grade will be deducted for each day the assignment is late. If a student is unable to submit the assignment on the day it is due, s/he must contact me prior to the class and make alternative arrangements. Assignments must be uploaded to Blackboard by class time on the day they are due (9:00am). Assignments uploaded after 9:00am will automatically be marked as late. When assignments are due, expect the unexpected. Assume that one (or perhaps all) of the following will happen on exam dates and assignment due dates: Your internet connection suddenly stops working Blackboard crashes or experiences some other kind of technical difficulty Your computer crashes and all your data is lost Your car will not run, your T line is undergoing maintenance, busses will skip your stop, and all of your friends will be out of town Please take whatever steps are necessary to prevent these events from affecting the timely submission of assignments and exams. Additional Sources of Academic Support The University offers a range of support services for students. Among the resources available are: The Writing Center (http://www.northeastern.edu/english/writing-center/)Provides advice and tutoring in composition Office of Academic & Student Support Services (http://www.cps.neu.edu/studentresources/oasss.php)Offers a variety of services, including tutoring, career counseling, and support groups MyNEU Academic Guide (http://www.advising.neu.edu/) Policy for Make-Up Exams Unless we have discussed rescheduling an exam before the exam date, exams may only be madeup in instances of extreme hardship. I will require documentation verifying the hardship, and the option to complete a make-up exam is at my discretion. Special Accommodations Students who wish to request accommodation for a disability may do so by registering with the Disability Resource Center (http://www.northeastern.edu/drc/). Students may only be accommodated upon issuance by the DRC of a signed accommodation plan and are responsible for providing a copy of that plan to instructors of all classes in which accommodations are sought.

4 Assignments There are three primary assignments for the semester. We will talk about each in more detail as the due dates approach. 1) Weekly Blog Posts: By the midnight before each Friday class, students will post questions and responses to the weeks reading and screening to the class blog on Blackboard. The questions/responses should be posted as comments to the weeks blog entry. Each post should be a paragraph or two in length, and it may include questions about the weeks reading, commentary/thoughts about the weeks reading, and/or a response to the connections between the reading and the screening(s). 2) Posthuman Film Program: As part of the courses Experiential Learning Component, students will curate, program and host an on-campus film screening on the theme of posthumanism. The screening will take place on the evening of April 4, and the project, as a whole, is worth 35% of the overall grade. See page 10 of this syllabus for more information. Write-up (20%); Screening (15%). 3) Final Paper Project: Students will write a 2000-2500 word critical analysis of a film of their choosing. This project will include a proposal, a commentary on others proposals, a rough draft, an in-class workshop, and the final product. See pages 11-12 of this syllabus for more details. All materials must be submitted to Blackboard by the beginning of the class for which they are due (9:00am), and papers should be typed in 12-point Times New Roman, 1-inch margins on all sides, and double-spaced. Each page should also include your last name and the page number in the upper right-hand corner. The upper left-hand corner of the first page should include your name, my name, the course name, and the date of submission. Use Chicago or MLA format for your citations and works cited page. Grading Weekly Blog Posts: Posthuman Film Program: Final Paper Project: Attendance/Participation: Grading Breakdown B+ A 94-100% B A90-93% B87-89% 84-86% 80-83% C+ C C10% 35% 45% 10% 77-79% 74-76% 70-73% D+ D D67-69% 64-66% 60-63%

Below 60%

Grading Criteria A indicates truly outstanding work that shows a command of concepts and theories, presenting them in a well-argued and logically structured manner. The work doesnt merely address the questions through a repetition of course material and lectures. It provides fresh, creative, and original perspectives with a unique voice, offering connections between the topic and broader issues and contexts. Superior research skills are demonstrated with relevant citations and quotations advancing the argument. The work is error-free in spelling and grammatical errors. A work significantly surpasses the expectations of the assignment.

5 B indicates above-average work that clearly achieves the goals of the assignment. The work provides smart and solid analyses that I would expect any diligent student to be able to produce. These assignments take on the questions directly, citing specific materials from the texts and lectures to illustrate the points being made. These assignments often offer previously discussed examples illustrating points covered in class. There are usually few typos or spelling errors (if any), sentences are relatively clear, and thoughts are organized into a concise argument. C indicates satisfactorily meeting the course requirements in an adequate fashion. The work addresses the questions but doesnt explicitly cite specific texts and discussion. This work tends to recycle examples from discussion without discussing how they fit with the analysis and repeats information given in class. There are usually typos, spelling errors, and poorly structured sentences that make the argument vague or awkward. D indicates work that is off-topic, poorly written, disorganized, and instead of the course materials, relies on personal experience alone or materials from other classes. In other words, the assignment shows no evidence that the student was paying attention in class and does not incorporate materials used in the readings or in class discussion. Often these assignments seem more like summaries or reviews rather than analyses. These assignments may also fall short or far exceed the page limits or time constraints for the assignment. They do not use appropriate grammar and often are not proofread. F indicates work that dramatically fails to meet course goals and course expectations. It is incoherent, plagiarized, and/or never turned in. Regarding Scholastic Dishonesty: I take this matter very seriously and will report any suspected cases of academic dishonesty to the Office of Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution. For details on the Universitys policy on Academic Integrity, please consult the Offices website at http://www.northeastern.edu/osccr/academicintegrity/index.html. The policy prohibits cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, participation in academically dishonest activities, and facilitating academic dishonesty. The process by which the university handles academic misconduct cases is also very specifically spelled out in the policy. Violation of the policy may result in failing the class as well as disciplinary sanctions. The internet makes it easy to plagiarize, but also easy to track down plagiarismIf you can google it, I can google it. Bottom line: Dont plagiarizeits not worth it. Cite all your sources, put all direct quotations in quotation marks, and clearly note when you are paraphrasing other authors work.

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Northeasterns Academic Integrity Policy http://www.northeastern.edu/osccr/academicintegrity/index.html A commitment to the principles of academic integrity is essential to the mission of Northeatern University. The promotion of independent and original scholarship ensures that students derive the most from their educational experience and their pursuit of knowledge. Academic dishonesty violates the most fundamental values of an intellectual community and undermines the achievements of the entire University. The following is a broad overview, but not an all-encompassing definition, of what constitutes a violation of academic integrity. Cheating: The University defines cheating as intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise. When completing any academic assignment, a student shall rely on his or her own mastery of the subject. Examples: Unauthorized use of notes, text, the Internet, or other aids during an examination. Copying from another students academic work. Unauthorized communication during an examination. Handing in the same paper for more than one course without the explicit permission of the instructor(s). Intentionally viewing a test before it is administered. Storing notes in a portable electronic device for use during an examination.

Fabrication: The University defines fabrication as intentional and unauthorized falsification, misrepresentation, or invention of any information, data, or citation in an academic exercise. Examples: Inventing data or facts for an academic assignment. Altering the results of a lab experiment or survey. Citing a source in a bibliography that was not used. Stating an opinion as a scientifically proven fact.

Plagiarism: The University defines plagiarism as intentionally representing the words, ideas, or data of another as ones own in any academic exercise without providing proper citation. The following sources require citation: Word-for-word quotation from a source, including another students work. Paraphrasing (using the ideas of others in your own words). Unusual or controversial facts not widely recognized. Audio, video, digital, or live exchanges of ideas, dialogue, or information. Students unclear as to whether or not a source requires citation should speak with their professor or consult the Writing Center in 412 Holmes Hall. Unauthorized Collaboration: The University defines unauthorized collaboration as instances when students submit individual academic works that are substantially similar to one another. While several students may have the same source material, the analysis, interpretation, and reporting of the data must be each individual's independent work. Examples: Sharing a take-home examination, case write-up, lab report, or any other assignment with a peer without express permission from the instructor. Completing an academic exercise with the aid of a peer, but unfairly crediting all work to oneself.

Participation in Academically Dishonest Activities: The University defines participation in academically dishonest activities as any action taken by a student with the intent of gaining an unfair advantage. Examples: Misrepresenting oneself or one's circumstances to an instructor. Stealing an examination. Purchasing a pre-written paper. Selling, loaning, or otherwise distributing materials for the purpose of cheating, plagiarism, or other academically dishonest acts. Destroying, altering, stealing, or forging another student's work, library materials, laboratory materials, academic records, course syllabi, or examination/course grades. Intentionally missing an examination or assignment deadline to gain an unfair advantage. Forging information or signatures on official University documents.

Facilitating Academic Dishonesty: The University defines facilitating academic dishonesty as intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to violate any provision of this policy. Examples: Doing academic work for another student. Making available previously used academic work for another individual with the intention of resubmitting the work for credit.

Guidelines All members of the Northeastern University community share a role in upholding the Academic Integrity Policy. Any member of the community who witnesses a violation of this policy should report it to the appropriate faculty member or the Office of Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution. Cases referred to the Office of Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution will be investigated and, if sufficient evidence is presented, the case will be referred to the University's Student Conduct Board. If a student is found responsible for violating any of the preceding items, a minimum sanction of deferred suspension will follow. A second violation will meet with expulsion from the University. Students who violate Northeastern University's Academic Integrity Policy may also be subject to individual course penalties. This can result in, but is not restricted to, failing the course, in addition to any University penalty. All instructors must reference academic integrity in their syllabi. If a student feels that he or she has been wrongly accused of violating the Academic Integrity Policy, the student has the right to appeal the charge to the body that first issued the sanction.

7 Daily Schedule What is Posthumanism? 1/8 Screening: 1/11 Reading: Fast, Cheap & Out of Control (Morris, 1997) Course syllabus Ayers, A Fast, Cheap & Out of Control Approach to Visual Cultures Vernacular Posthumanism Hayles, Toward Embodied Virtuality Wolfe, Introduction Beard, Preface

Materialist Posthumanism 1/15 Screening: Man with a Movie Camera (Vertov, 1929) 1/18 Reading: Marx, pg. 163-177 Benjamin, The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technological Reproducibility Debord, The Society of the Spectacle (selections) Bogost, Materialisms: The Stuff of Things is Many, http://www.bogost.com/blog/materialisms.shtml Shivers (Cronenberg, 1975) Benjamin, Paris, Capital of the 19th Century Bryant, Towards a Finally Subjectless Object Beard, Chapter 3

1/22 1/25

Screening: Reading:

Metapictures and Living Images 1/29 Screening: 300 (Snyder, 2006) 2/1 Reading: Foucault, Las Meninas Mitchell, Metapictures Ayers, Bleeding Synthetic Blood The Brood (Cronenberg, 1979) Mitchell, What Do Pictures Want? Beard, Chapter 5

2/5 2/8

Screening: Reading:

Philosophical Posthumanism, Part I: Questioning the Cogito 2/12 Screening: Scanners (Cronenberg, 1981) 2/15 Reading: Descartes, Meditation Two Merleau-Ponty, Preface Beard, Chapter 6

Technological Posthumanism: Cyborgs and Prosthetics 2/19 Screening: Videodrome (Cronenberg, 1983) Assignment: Final Paper Proposal Due 2/22 Reading: Haraway, A Cyborg Manifesto Beard, Chapter 7

Significant Otherness and The Animal Question 2/26 Screening: The Fly (Cronenberg, 1986) Maria Whiteman short films Assignment: Film Program Selections Due 3/1 Reading: Deleuze and Guattari, Chapter 10, 1730: Becoming-Intense, Becoming-Animal, Becoming-Imperceptible Haraway, When Species Meet: Introductions Beard, Chapter 9 Assignment: Commentary on Classmates Proposals Due NO CLASS NO CLASS

3/5 3/8

Philosophical Posthumanism, Part II: Informationalism and Materialism 3/12 Screening: Dead Ringers (Cronenberg, 1988) 3/15 Reading: Noe, An Astonishing Hypothesis Foucault, pg. 307-312; 322-328 Frank, The Camera and the Speculum Beard, Chapter 10

Posthumanisms Fleshy Thought 3/19 Screening: eXistenZ (Cronenberg, 1999) Assignment: Screening Analysis Due 3/22 Reading: Mitchell, The Work of Art in the Age of Biocybernetic Reproduction Ayers, Humans without Bodies: DNA Portraiture and Biocybernetic Reproduction Beard, Chapter 14 A History of Violence (Cronenberg, 2005)

3/26

Screening:

9 3/29 Reading: Mathijs, Family Affairs: A History of Violence and Eastern Promises Powell, The Good, the Bad, and the American Miller, Chapter 1, Darwins Disgust

4/2

Screening: Eastern Promises (Cronenberg, 2007) Reading: Lowenstein, Promises of Violence Assignment: Rough Draft of Final Paper Due FILM FESTIVAL NO CLASS Screening: Cosmopolis (Cronenberg, 2012)

4/4 4/5 4/9 4/12 4/16 4/21

In-Class Presentations of Final Papers In-Class Presentations of Final Papers Course Wrap-Up and Discussion Final Paper Due

10 Posthuman Film Program 1) As part of the courses Experiential Learning Component, students will curate, program and host an on-campus film screening on the theme of posthumanism. 2) The double-feature screening will take place on the evening of Thursday, April 4. 3) Students will break into two groups, and each group will be responsible for a portion of the planning for the screening. a. Group 1 will be responsible for securing the on-campus location and equipment for the screening. This group will also be responsible for looking into potential departmental funding for refreshments at the event. b. Group 2 will be responsible for publicity and promotion of the screening. 4) Each group is also responsible for selecting and procuring a film for the program. The film should relate to the courses theme/topic of posthumanism. Selections must be made by February 26. After that days screening, each group will meet with me to discuss the selection of the film. Be prepared to offer a justification of why/how the selection functions as a posthuman film. 5) Each student must submit a 3-5-page critical analysis of his/her groups chosen film. This analysis should connect the film to the topics, themes, readings, and screenings of the course, and it should make an argument as to why/how the film functions as a posthuman film. The paper should reference the class readings, lectures, and discussions, and it is due on March 19 at 9:00am. This paper is worth 20% of the overall grade. 6) On the evening of the film program, each group will provide a 10-15 minute lecture before their film. This lecture should introduce the film and the topic of posthumanism to the audience as well as highlight the ways in which the film connects to the themes of posthumanism. This is a public performance, so your lecture should be polished and rehearsed. The lecture is worth 15% of the overall grade. 7) After the conclusion of the screenings, a representative from each group will moderate a Q&A session with the audience.

11 Final Paper Project 1) You have two options for the final paper: a. Choose a Cronenberg film that we did not screen in class and develop an argument on a topic of your choosing. I will leave the exact topic up to you, but you should engage with the issues and concepts that weve discussed in class. That is, the paper should 1) place the film within the larger context of Cronenbergs work; and 2) place the film within the context of the posthuman theory weve discussed in class. b. Alternately, you may choose to analyze a non-Cronenberg film of your choosing. The exact topic is up to you but you should be sure to place your discussion of the film within the context of the posthuman theory weve discussed during the semester. 2) Some questions you should consider when writing your paper include: a. How does the film fit within (or not fit within) the various models of posthumanism covered in class? b. What posthumanist concerns does the film have? c. How does the film critique and/or celebrate posthumanism? d. How does the film visualize posthumanism? e. How can posthuman theory help us to understand the film? 3) At least five peer-reviewed, scholarly sources are required, and these sources must be cited within the text and in a works cited pageremember, any time you use another authors work (either paraphrased or directly quoted), you must cite that author. Plagiarism will result in an automatic zero for the assignment and possible academic sanctions. 4) The sources must be academic in nature, either from scholarly journals or books (Wikipedia or film reviews will not count toward your source total, but you may use them in your paper, provided the information is properly cited). You may use two sources from the class, but the other three must be the product of your own research. Use the librarys research page to help begin your research: http://subjectguides.lib.neu.edu/content.php?pid=30708. 5) This project will consist of five parts: a. An initial proposal b. Commentary on others proposals c. A first draft d. An in-class presentation/workshop e. The final version of the study 6) The proposal is due on February 19 and is worth 5% of the overall course grade. a. The proposal should be 350-400 words in length, and it should state the title of your paper, a thesis statement and/or research question, and a summary/outline of the main points of your argument. Since this proposal is an early stage of the writing process, you should feel free to be speculative here. However, you should try to articulate your thoughts as clearly as possible. b. Submit the proposals on the classs Blackboard blog. This will allow feedback from your classmates. 7) Commentary on classmates proposals is due on March 1 and is worth 5% of the overall course grade.

12 a. Using the comment feature of the blog, students must provide commentary on five of their classmates proposals. This commentary should provide constructive criticism, feedback, and advice as to how the project might be made stronger, what aspects of the project seem most interesting, and suggestions for things to consider. 8) A first draft of the project is due on April 2 and is worth 10% of the overall course grade. Although this is a draft, it should be polished and readable. 9) Each student will present his/her final paper project to the class in a 5 to 7-minute speech. These presentations will take place on April 12 and 16, and the presentation is worth 5% of the overall grade. 10) The final draft of the paper is due on April 21, and it must be uploaded to Blackboard by 5:00pm. Late papers will be deducted one letter grade for each day they are late. The final draft is worth 20% of the overall grade. a. The final draft must be 2000-2500 words in length, and it must include a title page and bibliography (in Chicago or MLA format). The title page should include your name, my name, the course name, the date of submission, and a title for your paper. b. The final draft should expand on the work you did in your proposal and rough draft, and you should expect to do significant rethinking/revising of your initial argument, incorporating any suggestions your classmates and I may have provided you. Failure to take revision suggestions into account will negatively affect your grade on this paper. c. The essay should be typed in 12-point Times New Roman, 1-inch margins on all sides, and double-spaced. Each page should also include your last name and the page number in the upper right-hand corner.