DAYTONA BEACH, FL (Feb. 3, 2010) - A colloquium, presented by the Center for Interdisciplinary Writing and Research (CIWR) at Daytona State College, on the topic of "Unmasking the American Way: An Investigation of the Dual Ideological Identity of the New Wave of Superhero Films," will take place Tuesday, Feb. 16, at 6 p.m. in the Madorsky Theater located in the Mori Hosseini Center (Bldg. 1200) on the Daytona Beach Campus at 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd.
Led by Seth Blazer, assistant professor of English, School of Humanities and Communication, this presentation examines the recent explosion of superhero films within American cinema in the past decade. Some critics argue that responsibility for the influx of these films lies in large part to advances in cinematic special effects, while some film scholars write off these films as little more than box office fluff at best and ideological state apparatuses at worst. This presentation, however, posits that this “new wave” within the superhero genre of film stems from America’s current anxieties regarding its national character in the face of the “War on Terror.” This point now seems obvious to most. However, the cultural and ideological meaning behind these films remains debatable. Some film critics claim these films champion conservative ideology, and some left-wing scholars decry them as the same. This presentation seeks to synthesize these views while couching them within a close textual reading of “The Dark Knight” to reveal the dual ideological aspect of this movement—a duality that has been present in our shared conception of what it means to be an American since the nation’s founding and that continues to be purposefully shaped by American myth-makers across mediums to inform our national identity, particularly in times of crisis. The colloquium is free and open to the public, and concludes with a wine and cheese reception.
Mark your calendar for upcoming colloquiums:
Friday, Feb. 26, 11 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. – “Ditch of Dreams,” presented by Steven Noll and David Tegeder.
Tuesday, March 2, 6 – 7:20 p.m. – “Economic Crisis and Focalization in Ellen Glasgow's Vein of Iron,” presented by Dr. Ashley Lear.
Tuesday, April 6, 6 – 7:20 p.m. – A roundtable discussion lead by Dr. Perry Ballard and Chris Whitaker that examines Francis Fukuyama’s shocking pronouncement in 1989 that we had come to “the end of history,” that after the fall of the Berlin wall, the world was destined to become more westernized and questions whether other theories and/or systems of governance have emerged since 1989 that challenges Fukuyama’s hypothesis.
Tuesday, April 20, 6 – 7:20 p.m. – “Marketing Fictions: Product Branding and Late 19th-Century American Literature,” presented by Dr. Ben Graydon.
Colloquiums are co-sponsored by the Southeast Museum of Photography and the Office of Leadership Development. For more information call Dr. Richard Grego, associate professor, School of Behavioral and Social Sciences, at (386) 506-3342.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Glyn Johnston, Vice President - Marketing, Communications & Events, (386) 506-4499, johnstg@DaytonaState.edu
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