Law in Film Seminar, University of Maryland (Carey)

Students in this seminar will explore the use of storytelling in film, especially documentary films, to influence viewers’ opinions about the function of law in society by examining legal decisions, statutes and legal commentaries in the context of films, including classic, contemporary mainstream, foreign, documentary and independent films. The seminar entails participants viewing a film outside or in-class followed by class discussion. During the discussion session students will critique the film’s plot, narrative and overall persuasiveness in light of assigned reading materials. By analyzing films and preparing short digital videos students will develop analytical skills that can be applied to judge and create filmic evidence (day-in-the-life and clemency videos or taped jailhouse confessions) used increasingly in contemporary litigation. All students must create a three-five minute digital story and a research paper. This information has been collected for the Post-Discipline Online Syllabus Database. The database explores the use of literature by schools of professional education in North America. It forms part of a larger project titled Post-Discipline: Literature, Professionalism, and the Crisis of the Humanities, led by Dr Merve Emre with the assistance of Dr Hayley G. Toth. You can find more information about the project at https://postdiscipline.english.ox.ac.uk/. Data was collected and accurate in 2021/22.