The Notion Of National Cinema: Nation, Narrative and Identity

This course will discuss the main industrial, social and cultural conditions/contexts and determinants of national cinema. It will survey the nature and (hi)story of narrative in oral, literary and visual cultures by examining different forms of perception and representation of reality in various cultural formations. Then it will focus on narrative structures of different "national" cinemas such as Classical Hollywood, European art or national cinemas and alternative "national" cinemas of African and Latin American countries. Particular attention will be given to Turkish cinema. In all units, some relevant texts will be used and analysed.

In short, the course will examine (a) how texts are produced; (b) their narrative structures & form and (c) how different audiences make meaning of them.

Main Units

1-Orality, Literacy and Visuality: Perception and representation of reality in various cultural formation

2-Nature and History of Narrative

3-Arguing the concept of national cinema: Two axes of national cinema: The horizontal and vertical.

4-Chracteristics of various national cinemas: Classical Hollywood, Eurepean National Cinemas

5- African & Latin American Cinemas: From Visual cinema to Visionary cinema

6-Turkish Modernisation, Cultural Identity and a quest for national cinema in Turkey.