Terry Excellent, Spring 2021

Our class 3 discussion began to consider a historical formation of cultural production in the U.S. that was deeply tied to a left-wing “communist” political formation that elevated issues of class and racial injustice as central to building a movement to address the 1930s breakdown of the capitalist system, aka “The Great Depression.”  (Wow; that’s a mighty long sentence.)

Free write responses to the following prompts:

1.  How are issues of socioeconomic class represented by the Hollywood (HW) apparatus?  

• • Note:  We still haven’t defined the boundaries of what is HW, so reference whatever for you, seems to fit.
  • Provide some examples of how class is — or not — represented?
  • In what ways, if any, are issues of class and race seen as intersectional?
  • In what ways, if any, does your class status (positionality) impact how you see “class” portrayed? 

2.  How does socioeconomic class fit in discourses of “diversity and inclusion”?  Here’ some prompts:

• • • In the first half of the term, in this course, how have issues of class and Hollywood been addressed?
    • In other courses in the Dept. of Communication and beyond, how are issues of class (inequality) and representation addressed?
    • How is socioeconomic class and (Hollywood) representation addressed in social media streams that address issues of diversity and inclusion; and/or, how is class part of the discourse in any social media streams you favor?     
    • In these social media streams, in what ways, if any, are intersections of race and class addressed?  
    • What are your thoughts on how class fits into “diversity and inclusion”?

3.  How is activism represented by Hollywood?  Here’s some prompts:

• • • • How are activists represented?
      • Collective activism?  Around class inequality/poverty/capitalism, workers’ rights and the labor movement, housing affordability/homelessness, racism (systemic/interpersonal), sexism/misogyny/rape culture, gender identity/queer culture, ableism, ageism, immigrant rights, climate crisis, what else?
      • In what ways, if any, might these representations impact y/our perspective on activism?  
      • How is collective activism on any of these issues part of the social media streams you follow?  If so, provide some examples.  

Reading questions – post on your rolling Google doc.  Send link to instructor:  jsaxe@umass.edu.  Include date and name of assignment at the top of your response notes.  Single-space, proof-read.  No more than 1-2 pages.

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