Dr Nick Baron, School of History.

This module explores the inter-relations and interactions of film and history in 20th century Europe and the United States (with a few classic films from elsewhere).

It considers how films have appropriated past events as their core subject matter or setting, for purposes of nostalgic entertainment or didactic drama, for social commentary, philosophical enquiry or political protest and examines how historical films have shaped popular knowledge and popular cultures of history, how they have contributed to forming or reforming collective memories and how, at times, they have catalysed social or political change.

This module raises challenging questions about the constitution and role of public and private memories, about the social meaning and significance of history, about the nature of historical evidence and historical representation and, ultimately, about the construction and possibility of historical ‘truth’.

 

Suitable for: Undergraduate Level Three Students