Film, Images & Historical Interpretation in the 20th Century: The Camera Never Lies

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Film, Images & Historical Interpretation in the 20th Century: The Camera Never Lies

Instructors: Dr Emmett Sullivan

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6 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

394 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

2 weeks at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

97%

Most learners liked this course

6 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

394 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

2 weeks at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

97%

Most learners liked this course

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Assessments

6 assignments¹

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Taught in English

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There are 6 modules in this course

This course is a short taster on the topic of the use of Images, Film, and their use in historical interpretation in the 20th century. It is primarily provided for those who have a general interest in history that draws on photojournalism as primary evidence, and films based on historical events.

Once you have completed this course we hope you will be equipped to: Appreciate the significance of photographs as historical evidence in the twentieth century. Understand the limitations of the medium, and how we can attribute meaning to these individual records of 'one moment in time' while taking into account the circumstances in which any particular image was taken. Understand how individuals and institutions have looked to manipulate images to their own ends – through alteration and/or censorship – and what that meant to contemporary interpretation, as well as subsequent historical interpretation. Put individual images into a wider context, and in particular with reference to history written, or portrayed, beyond academia: public history. Do be aware that part of the contents of this course regard images and depiction of war. Real wars and real images.

We will explore the issues associated with the use of images as a source for historical research and consider a number of examples where image manipulation has been uncovered

What's included

7 videos8 readings1 assignment1 discussion prompt

7 videosTotal 40 minutes

Introduction1 minute
Use of Images7 minutes
Manipulation2 minutes
The Image in Politics5 minutes
Advertising5 minutes
Reportage (Reporting the News)5 minutes
Optional Extra Material - other forms of images - Guernica15 minutes

8 readingsTotal 80 minutes

The Camera Never Lies - Course Information10 minutes
Aims and Objectives10 minutes
The Use of Images10 minutes
Manipulation10 minutes
The Image in Politics10 minutes
Advertising10 minutes
Reportage10 minutes
Optional Extra Information - Guernica10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Week 1 Quiz30 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

Week 1 - Reflective Task10 minutes

We will review a number of cases studies where images have either shaped our opinion of events or have been suppressed from the public at the time, to avoid adverse or negative reaction.

What's included

8 videos6 readings1 assignment2 discussion prompts

8 videosTotal 54 minutes

Introduction part 14 minutes
Hitler8 minutes
The Boer War3 minutes
The Civil Rights Movement5 minutes
Vietnam8 minutes
The Blitz part 17 minutes
The Blitz part 29 minutes
Optional Extra Material - The London Riots 201111 minutes

6 readingsTotal 60 minutes

Adolf Hitler10 minutes
The Boer War10 minutes
The US Civil Rights Movement10 minutes
Vietnam10 minutes
The Blitz10 minutes
Optional Extra Reading - The London Riots 201110 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Week 2 Quiz30 minutes

2 discussion promptsTotal 20 minutes

Week 2: Reflective Task 110 minutes
Week 2: Reflective Task 210 minutes

The cause célèbre' of historical manipulation - Joseph Stalin. The 'air brushing' of historical records, and in this case the literal airbrushing of Soviet images in the 1930s and 1940s

What's included

10 videos4 readings1 assignment2 discussion prompts

10 videosTotal 104 minutes

Introduction8 minutes
The Soviet Union13 minutes
Soviet Union under Stalin7 minutes
The Image as Propaganda16 minutes
Falsification13 minutes
Conclusion5 minutes
Optional Extra Material - Films with historical themes8 minutes
Optional Extra Material: Film - The Damned United12 minutes
Optional Extra Material: Film - In the Name of the Father10 minutes
Optional Extra Material: Final Thoughts12 minutes

4 readingsTotal 40 minutes

Introduction10 minutes
The Soviet and Stalin Lectures10 minutes
Falsification10 minutes
Optional Extra Material: Films with historical themes10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Week 3 Quiz30 minutes

2 discussion promptsTotal 20 minutes

Week 3: Reflective Task10 minutes
Conclusion - Reflective Task10 minutes

With respect to Reportage and the use of images as a evidential record, should we condemn Stalin in the last 20th and early 21th century? We use an example from 1993 to illustrate this point.

What's included

12 videos11 readings1 assignment1 peer review3 discussion prompts

12 videosTotal 105 minutes

Introduction5 minutes
Death of Margaret Thatcher8 minutes
Black Hawk Down7 minutes
The Day of the Ranger: Aftermath8 minutes
Black Hawk Down and 9/11 Media Reportage4 minutes
Black Hawk Down - The Website8 minutes
The Image17 minutes
Interview11 minutes
UN and the USA in Somalia: Historical Context7 minutes
The Somalian Civil War: Historical Context8 minutes
Optional Extra Material - Interview with Niko: Real-Time Editorial Decision – The Boston Marathon Bombing13 minutes
Optional Extra Material - Image in the Context of Gender Studies8 minutes

11 readingsTotal 110 minutes

Introduction Information - Photojournalism, Authenticity and Matters of Public Acceptability: The Battle of Mogadishu10 minutes
Death of Margaret Thatcher - Information10 minutes
Black Hawk Down – Information10 minutes
The Day of the Ranger: Aftermath - Information10 minutes
Media Reportage - Images and information10 minutes
Black Hawk Down: The Website - Information10 minutes
The Image - Information10 minutes
Interview - Information10 minutes
The UN and the USA in Somalia: Historical Context10 minutes
The Somalian Civil War: Historical Context - Information10 minutes
Optional Extra Reading: Interview with Niko: Real-Time Editorial Decision: The Boston Marathon Bombing - Information10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Week 4 Quiz30 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 120 minutes

Week 4: Peer Assessment 120 minutes

3 discussion promptsTotal 30 minutes

Week 4: Reflective Task 110 minutes
Reflective Task10 minutes
Week 4: Reflective Task 210 minutes

The photograph of the raising of the flag at Mt. Suribachi was a Pulitzer Prize winning image, and the base of the film 'The Flag of our Fathers'. We will explore the use of the still and the motion picture to influence our opinion.

What's included

11 videos8 readings1 assignment2 discussion prompts

11 videosTotal 99 minutes

Introduction4 minutes
Background to the Battle9 minutes
Loss of Life4 minutes
Importance of Iwo Jima8 minutes
Did you pose that?5 minutes
The Photos5 minutes
The 'Gung-Ho' Shot9 minutes
The 7th War Bond Drive11 minutes
The Stamp and After6 minutes
Ending the Pacific War11 minutes
Interview - Reflections on Iwo Jima26 minutes

8 readingsTotal 80 minutes

Background to the Battle10 minutes
Loss of Life - Information10 minutes
Importance of Iwo Jima - Information10 minutes
The Photos and 5.6 'Did you pose that?'10 minutes
The 'Gung-Ho' shot; and Interpretation of the Main Image - Information Reading10 minutes
The 7th War Bond Drive - Information10 minutes
The Stamp and After - Information10 minutes
Ending the Pacific War - Information10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Week 5 Quiz30 minutes

2 discussion promptsTotal 20 minutes

Week 5: Reflective Task 110 minutes
Week 5: Reflective Task 210 minutes

What is 'Public History'? How do photographs and films with an historical theme shape our awareness of historical events and our memories?

What's included

8 videos2 readings1 assignment1 peer review

8 videosTotal 70 minutes

Introduction4 minutes
Approach to study3 minutes
Flags of Our Fathers: The Book and Film as Public History10 minutes
Letters from Iwo Jima10 minutes
Academic critiques6 minutes
An Honourable Suicide8 minutes
Interview with Julio Etchart: America's Other 9/1124 minutes
Final Thoughts (MOOC wrap up) 5 minutes

2 readingsTotal 20 minutes

Week 6 reading part 1- Reading10 minutes
Flags of Our Fathers: The Book and Film as Public History - Information10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Week 6 Quiz30 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes

Week 6 Peer Assessment60 minutes

Instructors

Instructor ratings

(141 ratings)

Dr Emmett Sullivan

University of London

2 Courses58,983 learners

Dilara Scholz

University of London

1 Course53,124 learners

Offered by

University of London

Royal Holloway, University of London

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Reviewed on May 18, 2021

It is a very informative course for history enthusiasts. It encourages critical thinking and interpretation of history in a unique way. I enjoyed and learned a lot in the 6 weeks.

Reviewed on Jan 11, 2022

This course is informative and important source of historical facts, videos, documents and interviews - I was expressed and inspired to know more about these events and people. Thank you.

Reviewed on Mar 23, 2021

An informative course that made me think about the use of images in everything from newspapers to propaganda shorts to history books. Would highly recommend.

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