I have suggested that we should engage and be engaged by those persons who see and understand the world differently from those who sit comfortably within a dominant we society so that we might (re)imagine or discover a new place for democratic politics. And as film-goers who find ourselves more susceptible emotionally to the stimuli presented in a movie theatre, we can at times experience vicariously, yet deeply, the events, the stories, the lives of those who are different from ourselves. As individuals living in a multicultural and diverse society we should consider opening ourselves up to and welcoming such engagement and the possibilities for personal transformation in our individual sensibilities. Such a transformation might occur when one considers and compares the experiences of his or her life and the impact of those experiences on his or her identity next to those raw materials that make-up or construct the identity(ies) of those who are different from them, specifically those who have been marginalized, disregarded, and silenced by a dominant we society. I have suggested that when one truly sees Other, sees and hears the stories of difference crafted and told by the Other in film, one might come to respect the different voices and stories of those lives and thus allow him or herself to see and experience life from a new position, a transformed sensibility, where politics transcend convention. In other words, when we consider our lives next to those who are different from us, when we frame those different human stories next to our own personal human narrative we may come to understand how a particular human uncertainty and vulnerability informs all of our lives. In 300-500 words share whether or not you believe film has the potential to transform one’s political sensibilities.  And if you believe that your personal sensibilities have been (re)shaped or transformed by a particular film, say so.   The objective here is to share your thoughts pertaining to the major thesis presented in Democracy and Difference. Recommended Feature Length Film Texts: Beach Rats, 2017; Directed by Eliza Hittman Boys Don’t  Cry, 1998; Directed by Kimberly Pierce Boyz ‘N the Hood , 1991; Directed by John Singleton  Call Me By Your Name, 2017; Directed by Luca Quadagnino Cesar Chavez: An American Hero , 2014; Directed by Diego Luna Do the Right Thing, 1989; Directed by Spike Lee Get Out, 2017; Directed by Jordan Peele Loving , 2016; Directed by Jeff Nichols Milk, 2008; Directed by Gus Van Sant Moonlight, 2016; Directed by Barry Jenkins My Own Private Idaho, 1991; Directed by Gus Van Sant Selma, 2014; Directed by Ava DuVernay Smoke Signals, 1998; Directed by Chris Eyre Stonewall: Where Pride Began, 2015; Directed by Roland Emmerich Straight Outta Compton, 2015; Directed by F. Gary Gray The Birth of a Nation, 2016; Directed by Nate Parker Twelve Years a Slave, 2013; Directed by Steve McQueen Required Documentary Film Texts (Democracy and ...

1. I have suggested that we should engage and be engaged by those
persons who see and understand the world differently from
those who sit comfortably within a dominant we society so that
we might (re)imagine or discover a new place for democratic
politics. And as film-goers who find ourselves more susceptible
emotionally to the stimuli presented in a movie theatre, we can
at times experience vicariously, yet deeply, the events, the
stories, the lives of those who are different from ourselves. As
individuals living in a multicultural and diverse society we
should consider opening ourselves up to and welcoming such
engagement and the possibilities for personal transformation in
our individual sensibilities. Such a transformation might occur
when one considers and compares the experiences of his or her
life and the impact of those experiences on his or her identity
next to those raw materials that make-up or construct the
identity(ies) of those who are different from them, specifically
those who have been marginalized, disregarded, and silenced by
a dominant we society. I have suggested that when one truly
sees Other, sees and hears the stories of difference crafted and
told by the Other in film, one might come to respect the
different voices and stories of those lives and thus allow him or
herself to see and experience life from a new position, a
transformed sensibility, where politics transcend convention. In
other words, when we consider our lives next to those who are
different from us, when we frame those different human stories
next to our own personal human narrative we may come to
understand how a particular human uncertainty and
vulnerability informs all of our lives.
In 300-500 words share whether or not you believe film has the
potential to transform one’s political sensibilities. And if you
believe that your personal sensibilities have been (re)shaped or
transformed by a particular film, say so. The objective here is
to share your thoughts pertaining to the major thesis presented
in Democracy and Difference.

2. Recommended Feature Length Film Texts:
Beach Rats, 2017; Directed by Eliza Hittman
Boys Don’t Cry, 1998; Directed by Kimberly Pierce
Boyz ‘N the Hood , 1991; Directed by John Singleton
Call Me By Your Name, 2017; Directed by Luca Quadagnino
Cesar Chavez: An American Hero , 2014; Directed by Diego
Luna
Do the Right Thing, 1989; Directed by Spike Lee
Get Out, 2017; Directed by Jordan Peele
Loving , 2016; Directed by Jeff Nichols
Milk, 2008; Directed by Gus Van Sant
Moonlight, 2016; Directed by Barry Jenkins
My Own Private Idaho, 1991; Directed by Gus Van Sant
Selma, 2014; Directed by Ava DuVernay
Smoke Signals, 1998; Directed by Chris Eyre
Stonewall: Where Pride Began, 2015; Directed by Roland
Emmerich
Straight Outta Compton, 2015; Directed by F. Gary Gray

3. The Birth of a Nation, 2016; Directed by Nate Parker
Twelve Years a Slave, 2013; Directed by Steve McQueen
Required Documentary Film Texts (Democracy and Difference
website):
*13th, 2016; Directed by Ava DuVernay
A Place of Rage, 1991; Directed by Pratibha Parmar
America in Black &White: A Question of Identity, 2003; Films
for Humanities and Science
A Family Portrait, 2011; Directed by Melissa Leu and Jeff Haig
(Student Film)
Cultural Criticism & Transformation, 1997; Featuring bell
hooks and Directed by Sut Jhally
Ethnic Notions, 1986; Directed by Marlon Riggs
Exploring Society: Gender, 2005
Exploring Society: Race and Ethnicity, 2005
Exploring Society: Social Class, 2008
Further Off the Straight and Narrow: New Gay Visibility on
Television, 2006; Katherine Sender Generation M:
Misogyny in Media and Culture, 2013; Directed by Thomas
Keith
How Racism Harms White America, 2013; Directed by John

4. Bracey
*
I Am Not Your Negro, 2016; Directed by Raoul Peck
Latinos Beyond Reel: Challenging a Media Stereotype, 2012
Off the Straight andNarrow: Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals &
Television, 1998
On White Privilege, 2008; Featuring Tim Wise
Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People, 2006;
Directed by Sut Jhally
Responding to Diversity; 2011; Directed by Rise Sanders Weir
and Tracy Ullman
Soundtrack for a Revolution, 2009; Directed by Bill Guttentag
The Brandon Teena Story, 1998; Directed by Susan Muska and
Greta Olafsdottir
The Bro Code: How Contemporary Culture Creates Sexist Men,
2011; Directed by Thomas Keith
*
The Celluloid Closet, 1995; Directed by Rob Epstein and
Jeffrey Friedman
The Empathy Gap: Masculinity & The Courage to Change,
2015; Directed by Thomas Keith
The Origins of Cultural Studies, 1989 ; Featuring Stuart Hall

5. *
The Times of Harvey Milk, 1984; Directed by Rob Epstein
White Like Me, 2013; Featuring Tim Wise and Directed by S.
Morris