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Hi folks,
The paper that constitutes the assessment for this course is due fairly soon. Below, you will
find the general information you need to know, including a reiteration of the five prompts
(remember you only need to respond to one). However, beneath all of this, you will also
find some general pointers about how best to respond to either prompt: the areas of
assessment for each prompt, and below more general advice relevant to all of the prompts.
We will also go over this assessment at the end of our final session on Thursday 14
December. I hope all of this is quite exhaustive, but if you do have any questions, please
reach out to me by email and I will do all I can to help. An emailed response is guaranteed
within 24 hours.
best,
richard
GENERAL INFORMATION
ASSESSMENT
At the end of the course, students are to submit one circa. 1500–2000-word essay written in
response to one of five prompts derived from the topics introduced on the course.
Value: 100% of Final Grade
Due Date: Midnight CET Sunday 14 January 2024
Note: examples screened on this course may NOT be used for final papers.
Advice and Learning Outcomes: Towards the end of the course, an advice sheet will be
issued spotlighting the general qualities graded highly on this course. Time will also be set
aside towards the end of the final session to discuss these matters.
Prompt A
Hollywood of the 1980s is typically presented in supremely cynical terms; as a cold corporate
machine churning out mindless trash. However, as Noel Brown’s work suggests, much of the
most high-profile and enduring output of this decade was assembled to could now be
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considered the Comfort Viewing Mode. Accordingly, consider how an example of ‘80s
Feelgood positions itself as Comfort Viewing.
Targeted Learning Outcomes/Areas of Assessment
1. 1980s Hollywood as soulless corporate machine.
2. Feel-good as a part of 1980s American culture.
3. 1980s feelgood as Comfort Viewing.
Prompt B
While postmodern irony, distance, and apathy are often cited as the preeminent mode of the
last half century, Gry C. Rustad and Kai Hanno Schwind argue that a significant cultural
variant is in fact characterized by oscillations between apparently incompatible ideas,
especially ironic distance with emotional sincerity. Accordingly, consider how an example of
Metamodern entertainment uses this approach to Comfort Viewing in order to raise serious
issues within an audiovisual safe space.
Targeted Learning Outcomes/Areas of Assessment
1. Characteristics of Metamodernism.
2. Metamodernism as coping strategy.
3. Metamodern entertainment as Comfort Viewing
Prompt C
As Christine Quail’s work indicates, the figure of the “nerd” or “geek” is pathologized for a
variety of reasons including its supposedly unhealthy relationship to media products.
However, it is clear that the cultivation of this high-investor audience has incentivized more
flattering portrayals of the nerd. Accordingly, consider how an example of nerd-centered
entertainment uses Comfort Viewing to offer support to the nerd (in all of us).
Targeted Learning Outcomes/Areas of Assessment
1. Characteristics of the nerd/geek.
2. The logics of cultivating nerd consumers.
3. Nerd media as Comfort Viewing.
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Prompt D
Diane Negra’s analysis of 1990s women’s tourist movies, suggests that such films promote
expatriation as a fantasy solution to middle-class problems. However, it is clear that this
format often promotes media depictions of tourism as a preferable alterative to the real thing.
Accordingly, consider how an example of tourist media uses the Comfort Viewing Mode to
invite audiences to reflect on the relative merits of home and abroad.
Targeted Learning Outcomes/Areas of Assessment
1. Tourist movies as fantasies of retreat.
2. Tourist movies as reflexive allegories.
3. Tourist movies as Comfort Viewing.
Prompt E
By reading Geriaction in relation to extremist political rhetoric, Gregory Frame and others
have argued that this format amounts to little more than inflammatory reactionary
propaganda. However, the concept of Comfort Viewing suggests that this format is
oftentimes used to encourage aging conservative American men graciously to accept their
diminishing social and economic status. Accordingly, consider how an example of Geriaction
encourages this target audience to adapt to progressive social changes.
Targeted Learning Outcomes/Areas of Assessment
1. Geriaction as reactionary hate.
2. Geriaction and inclusivity.
3. Geriaction as Comfort Viewing.
All Essays are to be submitted in PDF or word format to MS TEAMS or to
516779@mail.muni.cz. Please include your name and the course title in the name of the
file.
GENERAL ADVICE FOR ALL PROMPTS
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In the case of all prompts, you are being invited to touch upon three main areas:
1. how some scholars have understood the topic in question.
2. how this has been complicated in the corresponding session.
3. how an example film relates to these two positions.
Accordingly, strong papers will consider all of these phenomena to some extent. Strong
papers are therefore likely to include substantial analysis of the example film, but also
significant contextualisation and conceptualisation of the topic, alongside engagement with
the existing scholarly ideas. As a general guide, papers evincing the following qualities stand
to score well, irrespective of which prompt they respond to.
1. A direct, focused, argument-driven response to the prompt. You are being asked to respond
in a particular way; avoid speaking around the topic.
2. A direct, sustained, and overt engagement with the relevant scholarly ideas, referenced
accordingly. The supplied readings suffice for the paper; however, you may include other
scholarship as well, if you see fit to do so. Personally, I advise paraphrasing and referencing
rather than relying exclusively on direct quotes; doing so demonstrates an unambiguous and
deep understanding of the material in a manner cutting and pasting from the scholarship does
not.
3. A solid assertion of argument and your position vis-a-vis the existing scholarship upfront
in the introduction; this imbues all that follows with a clear sense of significance. Oftentimes
it also renders a conclusive summary redundant.
4. Economical use of examples. Try to avoid over-describing the film. Also, avoid including
a separate plot synopsis, as your examples will already spotlight the relevant aspects of the
film (and this is a short paper).
5. Clear and economical writing - if you are unsure of a term, play it safe rather than risk
being misunderstood. Given that many students are writing in a second or even third
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language, significant leeway will be provided. The fact that the group consists of non-native
speakers of English is always taken in to account.
Grading/Evaluation: Grades from A-F will be awarded based on the following criteria,
please be aware that concessions will be made around language, given students will be
writing in a language other than their mother tongue.
Argumentation/Understan
ding
Sources/Evidence Communication
A
90<
Insightful, vigorous, and
demonstrating considerable
depth of understanding and
a significant amount of
original thought; addressing
prompt directly through a
wholly coherent synthesis of
ideas; demonstrating a
degree of mastery over
subject; demonstrating a
deep and thorough
understanding of key
concepts.
Full range of set
resources consulted;
sources employed
with significant
discrimination and
sound judgment;
thorough assessment
of evidence; use of a
broad range of
examples.
Near-Faultless typography
and layout; near-flawless
turns of phrase and
expression; sophisticated
and precise vocabulary;
clear structure; exemplary
citation and bibliography.
B
80 – 89.99
Perceptive and insightful;
some evidence of original
thought; for the most part
addressing prompt directly;
mainly coherent synthesis of
ideas; thorough and
somewhat critical
understanding of key
concepts.
A fairly wide range
of set resources
consulted; solid
assessment of
evidence;
sophisticated use of
a fairly broad range
of examples.
Very Solid typography and
layout; few errors in
grammar; mainly
sophisticated turns of
phrase and expression;
mostly clear structure;
strong citation and
bibliography.
C Solid understanding
addressed, for the most part,
Some sources
consulted; evidence
Good typography and
layout; comprehensible and
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70-
79.99
to the prompt; good
synthesis of ideas;
reasonably solid
understanding of key
concepts; evidence of gaps
in knowledge and some
minor misunderstandings of
key concepts.
of some assessment
of evidence; use of
mostly workable
examples.
largely error-free grammar,
turns of phrase, and
expression; reasonable
clearly structured; some
attempt to provide citation
and bibliography.
D
60 – 69.99
Indirectly addressed to
prompt; no real synthesis of
ideas; mainly descriptive
rather than analytical;
patchy understanding of key
concepts; significant gaps in
knowledge.
Restricted range of
sources consulted;
superficial
understanding of
evidence; limited
range of examples,
many of which are
inappropriate.
Poor typography and
layout; numerous errors of
grammar; limited
vocabulary; ambiguous or
inaccurate turns of phrase;
weak or missing citations
and bibliography.
E
50 – 59.99
Barely addressed to the
prompt; largely
disconnected series of
points; poor understanding
of key concepts; major gaps
in knowledge.
No sources
consulted; poor
understanding of
evidence; few useful
examples.
Poor typography and
layout; numerous errors of
grammar; limited
vocabulary; ambiguous or
inaccurate turns of phrase;
no citations or
bibliography.
F
<50
Not addressed to the
prompt; largely incoherent;
little evidence of an
understanding of key
concepts; demonstrating
little knowledge of subject.
No sources
consulted; poor
understanding of
evidence; no useful
examples.
Poor typography and
layout; numerous errors of
grammar; limited
vocabulary; ambiguous or
inaccurate turns of phrase;
no citations or
bibliography.
ZERO No paper submitted; or paper clearly showing no effort to respond to prompt.