MEDIA ARTS FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
The Pitzer Media Studies Department has a long history of incorporating community projects into documentary courses. In late nineties as the department began to grow so did its’ commitment to include community media as a formal part of the Media Studies curriculum. In 1999 a think tank of students and faculty met for several months to build curriculum and to research community venues. A new course, Media Arts for Social Justice, came out of these meetings.
In this course, students work in groups to collaborate with social service agencies, nonprofit organizations, and schools developing and implementing media projects that benefit community participants. Projects vary from documentaries that advocate social change, teaching media production and literacy workshops, to producing videos and websites for organizations that increase their capacity. While students develop and implement projects in community, they learn about ethical media practice, strategies for working with diverse populations, and self-evaluative critical teaching/learning. Most importantly, they learn to listen and produce work that is larger than the sum of its’ makers, a work that has resonance in the importance of collaborative process. Taking the MASJ course fulfills both the Social Responsibility requirement of Pitzer College and the Media Studies internship requirement. Since the Spring of 2000 it has been offered 18 times and is currently offered every semester as a regular part of the Pitzer Media Studies curriculum. Media Studies faculty work closely with Pitzer’s Community Engagement Center and the Pitzer In Ontario Program to develop strong relationships with community organizations and to ensure an ongoing commitment and multi-year sustainability of projects. The success of Media Arts for Social Justice can be measured in part by former students that have entered the nonprofit sector after graduation and said that their experience in this course has given them hands-on preparation needed for working effectively in diverse community settings. |
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