EN 619

This seminar examines key methods, debates, and archival discoveries that have animated the work of film historians over the last half-century, from the “historical turn” of the 1970s through to more recent scholarship on media archaeology. Through weekly film screenings and readings drawn from the disciplines of film studies, philosophy, and history, we will ask questions such as: How do historians analyze and reconstruct the past for contemporary readers? What patterns of narrative, if any, characterize historical writing? Why do some histories enter a discipline’s canon while others remain marginalized or excluded? The first unit, “Principles and Methods,” considers philosophies of history and how film historians have appealed to three rhetorical devices—causation, objectivity, and narrative discourse—as they develop their arguments. The second unit, “Debates,” examines controversies that have arisen in film historiography over the last half-century, including those concerning the emergence of nickelodeon theaters in the 1900s, the consolidation of Hollywood’s studio system in the mid-20th century, and subsequent transitions to “post-classical” and digital cinemas. The third and final unit, titled “Whither Film History?,” introduces examples that expand the boundaries of canonical film historiography. For their final papers, students will develop research projects that engage with primary archival resources. <br> <br><font color="crimson">