Honors Seminar: Biology in the Movies: Course Guidelines and Syllabus
Instructor: Dr. Christopher Rose
Office hours: MF 8:30-11 am; if I am
not in my office, check for me in my lab; email me for an appointment outside
of office hours.
Office: Burruss 213 Lab:
Burruss 339
Phone: 568-6666 email: rosecs@jmu.edu
Webpage:
http://csm.jmu.edu/biology/rosecs/HonsBioMovies3.html
Please BE AWARE of the ANNOUNCEMENT PAGE
as this is where you should look to find
out about class cancellations, unplanned changes in scheduling, and any other
"breaking news" that I cannot communicate to you directly.
Registration: The deadline for adding fall classes on E-campus is Tuesday, Sept. 4, and the deadline for adding fall classes with instructor and department head signatures is Thursday, Sept. 13. The last day to drop a fall class without a W grade is Tuesday, September 4. The last day to drop a fall class with a W grade is Thursday, October 25.
Disabilities: Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations to fully participate in course activities and/or meet course requirements must register with the Office of Disability Services (ODS) and contact me to discuss access issues. ODS will provide you with an Access Plan Letter that will verify your need for services and make recommendations for accommodations to be used in my classroom. ODS is located in the Wilson Learning Center, Room 107; Phone: 568-6705
Course description:
Science as
an institution is highly trusted by society, and viewed as the primary means to
improve our daily lives and save us from disasters, disease and old age. At the
same time, scientific theories, breakthroughs, and predictions are often
treated at best with misunderstanding and doubt, and at worst with mistrust and
emotional recoil. Part of this paradox can be attributed to popular culture.
Hollywood has long exploited biology as a source of bankable plot material.
Smart writers and film makers capitalize on the publicity generated by recent
discoveries to produce books and movies with science-based plots that are
timely, engaging, and at some level credible to an increasingly aware public.
Because of their mass appeal, such books and movies play a significant role as
disseminators of scientific information and misinformation. This course uses
Hollywood movies and novels as a starting point for understanding scientific
phenomena from a scientist's point of view and for appreciating the forces that
bias the public understanding and perception of that science.
This
lecture and discussion course will focus on six or more phenomena selected from
the following: cell and gene-level modifications of animals and humans,
cloning, genetic engineering and designer babies, evolution theory,
evolutionary history of life, human evolution, environmental science,
artificial intelligence, human sexuality, alternate conceptions of
life/organism design, and science, health and public policy.
The first
goal is for students to get a deeper scientific understanding of each
phenomenon and to learn how and why the particular science is done or is important
from the scientists' viewpoint. The second goal is to analyze the relationship
between the real world science and the way that science is portrayed in novels
and movies. This means uncovering the additional information necessary to
support or understand the scientific event, theory, process, etc. as portrayed
in a movie, as well as the theoretical flaws or technical limitations that
might make it impossible, and any real world science that parallels the
fictional science.
A third
goal is for students to appreciate how science is portrayed in popular culture
in terms of the amount, accuracy and plausibility of scientific information
conveyed, the objectives of the science, and the net balance between positive
and negative outcomes for society in general. They will also consider how
scientists are portrayed in terms of their character, motivation and value
judgments, their ability to control their science and exploit it for its
intended purposes, and the forces that shape their character development.
The main
part of the course is to have the class work in small groups (3-4), who will
each pick a biological topic, view 4 or more movies that address the topic,
research the topic in both scientific and humanistic contexts, and then write a
group paper and lead a class discussion on the topic and its portrayal in
popular culture. Where appropriate, students will be expected to incorporate
ideas and information from other forms of popular culture (art, novels, comics,
mythology, history) into their discussions. Topics and movies will be chosen in
consultation with the professor, and group presentations will follow a
previously established set of questions. The professor will also help provide
the scientific background needed for all students to understand the relevant
concepts before the class discussions. The professor will demonstrate the
format for class discussions by leading the opening two discussions on the
topics of cell and gene-level manipulations of animals and people. The course
will close with class discussions on the nature of science and scientists as
they are portrayed in movies and literature, and how this portrayal might
influence public opinion of science.
Spring lecture and film schedule
|
Wk |
T, Th |
lecture topic or film on Tuesday |
lecture topic or film on Thursday |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
Aug. 28, 30 |
Introduction to course |
Discussion of questionnaire, Introduction on Genetics and Developmental Biology |
|
2 |
Sept. 4, 6 |
Viewing of 1958 The Fly (questionnaire) |
Discussion: Reconstructing life: cellular chimeras |
|
3 |
Sept. 11, 13 |
Viewing of 1986 The Fly (questionnaire) |
Discussion: Reconstructing life: genetic chimeras |
|
4 |
Sept. 18, 20 |
Class brain-storming of presentation topics and relevant films and novels |
Selection of presentation topics and films |
|
5 |
Sept. 25, 27 |
Groups meet with professor to develop research plans |
Groups meet with professor to develop presentation and essay format and
outline of objectives |
|
6 |
Oct. 2, 4 |
Research period: consultation with professor is optional |
Groups meet with professor to discuss outline.
Deadline for submitting outlines is Friday, Oct. 5. |
|
7 |
Oct. 9, 11 |
Group 1 Film viewing |
Group 1 presentation |
|
8 |
Oct. 16, 18 |
Group 2 Film viewing |
Group 2 presentation |
|
9 |
Oct. 23, 25 |
Group 3 Film viewing |
Group 3 presentation |
|
10 |
Oct. 30, Nov. 1 |
Group 4 Film viewing |
Group 4 presentation |
|
11 |
Nov. 6, 8 |
Group 5 Film viewing |
Group 5 presentation. Deadline for finishing group essays on Wikispace is Friday, Nov. 9. |
|
12 |
Nov. 13, 15 |
Discussion: How is science portrayed in films? Assigned
reading will be given out |
Discussion: How are scientists portrayed in films? Assigned reading
will be given out |
|
13 |
Nov. 20, 22 |
Discussion: How does the public opinion of science matter? |
THANKSGIVING |
|
14 |
Nov. 27, 29 |
View an unidentified movie in class |
Write an in-class essay on unidentified movie |
|
15 |
Dec. 4, 6 |
Discuss unidentified movie and essays |
Summary and Review |
|
|
Dec. |
Exam |
|
Course time and place: Class meets
on Tuesday 2-3:15 if no movie, 2-4 if movie, and Thursday 2-3:15 in Burruss
336.
Questionnaires and readings: For the introductory class and first two films, students are required to complete a questionnaire and hand it in to me before the second class period and immediately following the screenings. Assigned readings will
be handed out on the class day before the day of discussion.
Recommended (but not required) texts:
"From Faust to Strangelove: Representations of the Scientist in Western
Literature," by Roslynn Haynes
"The Science of Jurassic Park" by Rob Desalle and David Lindley
"The Biology of Science Fiction Cinema" by Mark C. Glassy
"Fantastic Voyages: Learning Science Through Science Fiction
Films" by Leroy W. Dubeck, Suzanne E. Mosher, and Judith E. Boss
Grading and exams: Evaluations will
be based on a final exam (25%), a group presentation and essay (50%), an individual in-class essay based on an unidentified film (10%),
and class participation and writing assignments (15%). Exams will test basic
understanding of concepts and ideas raised by the films, class discussions and
readings. Failure to attend two or more classes without valid excuses (see
below) will result in a reduction of your final grade by one letter.
Group presentations and essays: Each student will be required to work with 2-3 other students to lead one 60-minute class discussion on the treatment of a particular scientific topic in films. Groups will also submit a 6-8 page double spaced essay on their presentation topic. The content and format of both presentation and paper will be developed in consultation with the professor. Students will choose one film or a selection
of film excerpts to screen in the class period before their
presentation. Students are strongly encouraged to be creative with their presentation formats,
e.g., have class debates or panel discussions on key issues, and to incorporate
additional interpretations of the science from other forms of popular culture. To allow the professor to monitor student participation in writing the paper, group papers will be written using a website that tracks each student’s individual contributions. The development of the presentation and paper will be graded on the basis of thought and effort in the first 2.5 weeks (5%) , and a presentation/paper outline of topic objectives submitted by Oct. 5 (10%). Final presentations and papers will be additionally graded on the basis of 1/ research effort (10%), 2/ organization and style of communication (10%), and 3/ depth and breadth of coverage of the relevant scientific information and how well the presentation and paper met the objectives established for that topic (10%). Within-group performances will be graded using a within-group peer evaluation (5%).
Final letter grades will be assigned using the standard numerical scale (e.g., > 90 = A, 80-89 = B, etc.). Grades of WP and WF will not be given out in this class.
Missed classes: If you have a valid
excuse (official school business, sickness with doctor’s note, death in family)
for missing a class, contact me by phone or email before the class and your attendance record will not be
affected by your absence. Failure to attend two or more classes without valid
excuses will result in a reduction of your final grade by one letter.
Honor Code: All students are expected to be familiar with and abide by the JMU Honor Code. Work submitted for this course must be your own and written for this course. Direct quotations (which are rarely used in scientific writing) and paraphrased materials must be properly cited in the text and referenced in the bibliography. Forms of academic dishonesty include lending your work to another person to submit it as his or her own, deliberately creating false information on a works cited or reference page; and plagiarism, presenting another person’s writing, ideas or results as your own, whether intentional or not.
Consult the following websites for information on educational rights and privacies:
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974