Research paper of American racial films
Research paper of American racial films
Assignment Instructions:
Calling upon assigned readings, class lectures, and your own academic research, develop a thesis
statement that examines a specific concept, question, or concern related to the discussion of race
and ethnicity in American cinema and use this topic to frame a research paper.
You may choose to focus on one of the concepts discussed in lecture, readings, or on discussion
board (such as “white privilege,” “Blaxploitation,” “Afrofuturism,” “cultural globalization,” etc.),
but the thesis statement you develop must present an original idea about the concept, and your
research must enhance our understanding of the topic. For example, if you wanted to talk about
the depiction of black identity in the film Crash , you would need to develop your own argument
about what you think the film’s relationship is to this concept and find sources other than bell
hooks and Gilda L. Sheppard to examine how you see these dynamics playing out in the film.
Your thesis and subsequent research should reflect a comprehensive examination of the
arguments and scholarship that exist on your topic, as well as definitive stance that you are taking
as the author of this project. This thesis can be any number of things, depending upon the topic
of your choosing, but it must present a fully developed argument.
For the research portion for this project you will be required to find 6 academic sources to help
frame your argument. Think of the sources as tools for contextualizing your thesis, ones that
provide the audience with the adequate information needed to legitimize and follow your
argument. While research is a vital component of this assignment, be sure not to “borrow” the
theses or present the arguments found in this sources as your own. Also, be wary that you do not
allow the research to dictate your presentation.
Without a thesis statement and sufficient research, you will NOT pass this assignment! You will
be graded on the engaging nature of your essay, the quality of your research, and the
overall strength of your thesis topic.
Project Specifics:
Research Essay:
Length: 6-8 Pages
Choosing multiple scenes from any of the films assigned for class, analyze some aspect of the
film(s) relationship to race and ethnicity, and construct and argument that connects those scenes
to some deeper reading of the film. Your interpretation should be of your own creation and
should make the case for how the film seems to be representing a particular idea or concept that
may not be obvious to the casual viewer. While you are free to analyze any scenes of your
choosing, the scenes you select cannot be those that have already been highlighted in lecture or
class discussion.
Remember: I am interested in your unique opinion, not how well you can regurgitate what we
have covered in class!
Papers should follow standard formatting:
