Images of Disability in Film and Literature

3 units

This course will critically examine the portrayal of disabled persons in literature and film, exploring how those images either shape or mimic general public impressions. We will discuss the implications of messages from the media on American responses to people with disabilities, as well as formulating strategies for promoting positive, inclusive messages. Perspectives from social science, health care, communications and other fields will provide frameworks for analysis. Literature will include fiction, biography and autobiography in books, essays, drama, poetry and short stories. Selections from fictional, educational, and documentary films will be reviewed during the semester. We will also investigate images in newspapers, magazines and advertising.