Ithaca College

One credit mini courses are offered as part of the Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival (FLEFF). Courses start right after spring break. Students study a variety of topics and attend screenings during the Festival. Students should sign up on Homer. Course titles, descriptions and CRN numbers are below.

Course Titles

Rhetorical Bodies & Cultural Memories: Histories Preserved Without Words GCOM 10600, CRN 43906

Antibiotic Resistance-from Pharm to Farm HLTH 39902-02,CRN 43892

This Essay Is Successfully Broken: Creative Dissonance in Literary Nonfiction, GCOM 10300-01 CRN 43884

American Dreams, GCOM 10400-01 CRN 43885

Justice: what’s the right thing to do? GCOM 10500-01 CRN 43886

Media & The Environment: Water Issues,  TVR 29302-02  CRN 43851 

The Art of Re-enactment: Competing Claims to the “Real” in Documentary Films,  TVR 29303-01, CRN 43797

FLEFF: Conflict Zones, Public Health, and Human Rights, HLTH 39902 – 01 CRN 43136

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS 

Rhetorical Bodies & Cultural Memories: Histories Preserved Without Words GCOM 10600, CRN 43906

All histories are not preserved in written texts. Voice, beat, and movement are historically important ways of telling and preserving individual and cultural stories of survival, transformation, and transcendence in the face of cultural dissonance. Through selected readings and film, we will explore cultural narratives of love, life, death, rebirth, resistance, and various struggles for human recognition being told along side the performances of diasporic music, beat, and dances of people of African descent. As part of this hybrid course, students will attend FLEFF screening, meet in class and online.

Chris House
Wednesdays 3-5:00 pm March 17-May 12

FLEFF: Antibiotic Resistance- from Pharm to Farm, HLTH 39902-02,CRN 43892

Multiple perspective on this emerging public health treat will be critical examined from a variety of perspectives.  Etiological factors such as global food systems and government subsidies/regulations and population trends will be researched and explored.  Attendance at the International speaker series on antibiotic resistance and at selected FLEFF films will be required with a packet of reading.  Follow up discussions will be both on-line and face to face at designated times.  

7-9:30 pm March 31, April 8, 15, 22, 29th.

This Essay Is Successfully Broken: Creative Dissonance in Literary Nonfiction, GCOM 10300-01 CRN 43884

Typically we evaluate literary nonfiction by judging whether an essay, piece of journalism, or story eventually "adds up." This course will ignore that question. Instead, we will examine essays that straddle the line between poetry and prose and we will consider the potential value of things like fragmentation, suggestion, digression, absence, lyricism, formal play, and the withholding of meaning. Assignments will include readings and writing exercises, as well as attendance at FLEFF films and a workshopped creative essay. 1 cr.    Nick Kowalczyk

Monday 1-2:50 pm, March 17-May 12, 2014 CNS 333

American Dreams, GCOM 10400-01 CRN 43885
The U.S. Declaration of Independence fosters the notion of the American Dream as it proclaims that “all men are created equal” and that they are endowed with “certain inalienable rights” including “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” America has come to represent the land of opportunity and freedom. But for whom? Who is American? And who may live the dream? Through select readings and films dealing with the Latin American and the Latino/a experience (including FLEFF screenings) this class will explore the “American Dream.” 1 cr.    Annette Levine TR 2:35-5:00 March 17-April 13, Park Auditorium

Justice: what’s the right thing to do? GCOM 10500-01 CRN 43886

From price gouging to disaster capitalism, from corruption and waste to repression and genocide, individuals and governments, everyday are guilty of exploitation and inhumanity. Each day we are faced with difficult decisions that challenge our moral compass. In this course we will analyze the nature of justice and what it takes to do the right thing. Students will be presented with real life situations and asked to make their own decisions. We will discuss how different decisions may result in surprising outcomes, and why harmonious decisions based on morality could spark disharmony and conflict, while violent decisions, based on self-interest may allow for peaceful and just outcomes. As part of the course, students will attend FLEFF screenings. 1 cr.    Sonali Samarasinghe

Wednesday 3:00-4:50 March 17-May 12, Williams 222

Media & The Environment: Water Issues,  TVR 29302-02  CRN 43851          

Enter the powerful world of water by viewing engaging documentaries, animations and short films about water issues. We will explore approaches that range from humorous to hard-hitting political pieces, poetic to personal, all created in order to help people understand complex environmental issues and motivate them to change their behavior and outlooks. The only media experience needed is your own film-tv-internet viewing and awareness! As part of the course, students will attend FLEFF screenings.  1 cr.  Mara Alper

Fri., March 28, 3 - 6:15 pm, Sat. March 29, 11 - 4:45 pm, Fri. April 11, 3 - 6:15 pm, Park Communications 184

 The Art of Re-enactment: Competing Claims to the “Real” in Documentary Films,  TVR 29303-01, CRN 43797

Re-enactment isn’t a new phenomenon in documentary films but the styles used in modern documentaries are becoming more and more adventurous. We will look at recent films (including some movies screening in FLEFF) that explore new possibilities for modern documentary re-enactment styles.  In so doing, we will examine how evolving styles force questions of about “truth,” “authenticity” and the “the real.”  Students will be required to do readings and will write reflections on the readings and the films. 1 cr.  John Scott

TR, 7-9:30 March 17-April 13, Park Communications 140

FLEFF: Conflict Zones, Public Health, and Human Rights, HLTH 39902 – 01 CRN 43136  

This FLEFF minicourse considers the intersection of conflicts, public health, and human rights through film, video, websites, and social media. Students will engage FLEFF events on and off campus. 1 cr.  Stewart Auyash

MW 4-5:15 Center for Health Sciences 201, March 17-May 12, 2014