Telling Other People's Stories

This interdisciplinary course explores the different ways that journalists, screenwriters, and comedians depict others in their work. Taught by specialists in journalism, screenwriting, and American studies, the course explores connections between these fields. We will study docuseries, popular nonfiction, stand-up comedy, and fictional movies and TV series. Through readings, screenings, and dialogues with guest artists, students will engage with crucial questions of representation. Who "gets" to tell someone else's story? How can research and data help storytellers to "get it right"? What do we mean by terms like "authenticity" and "cultural appropriation"?