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Exploring Social and Ethical Issues Through Film and Print OpenCourseWare: A Free Bachelor Level Expository Writing Class by MIT

Published Feb 03, 2009

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Activism through the arts--such as literature and motion pictures--can have a powerful effect on individual and societal perceptions. 'Expository Writing: Exploring Social and Ethical Issues through Film and Print,' an OpenCourseWare offered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, challenges students to creatively engage with contemporary issues. This self-study course is provided by MIT's Department of Writing and Humanistic Studies and may be particularly applicable for Writing majors.

Expository Writing (Exploring Social and Ethical Issues through Film and Print): Course Specifics

Degree Level Free Audio Video Downloads
Undergraduate Yes No No Yes

Lectures/Notes Study Materials Tests/Quizzes
No Yes No

Expository Writing (Exploring Social and Ethical Issues through Film and Print): Course Description

'Expository Writing: Exploring Social and Ethical Issues through Film and Print' examines writings by Charles Dickens, Martin Luther King, Jr., Barbara Ehrenreich and Rachel Carson, among other authors whose works exposed problems and inspired change. Motion picture adaptations of some of the readings, as well as other relevant feature movies and documentaries, are also considered. Professor Andrea Walsh, who taught this lecture course on the MIT campus, provides a reading list and a film list for OpenCourseWare students. By reading the suggested books and articles, viewing the recommended films and writing personal responses, students explore different perspectives of social ills such as poverty, homelessness and inequality. Throughout the course, students consider how diverse populations--such as different age, ethnic, economic class and religious groups--approach the same problems. This undergraduate course is part of the curriculum for MIT's Department of Writing and Humanistic Studies.

Students may access a reading list, film list and downloadable writing assignments for this OpenCourseWare. If you would like to take this course, visit the writing about social issues course page.

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