Using Films and Podcasts to Teach Africa’s International Relations: A First Assessment

1. Using Films and Podcasts to Teach Africa’s International Relations:A First Assessment Dr Marie Gibert, Nottingham Trent University

2. Film and Podcast Reviews: Why? • Offer an insight into the very wide range of resources available on Africa; • Develop two essential skills: synthesis and critical analysis; • A response to my institution’s new ‘one summative assessment per module’ rule; • A way of showcasing 3rd year students’ work.

3. Film Reviews: How? • Students choose a film on Africa at the beginning of the year (see the list) and are assigned a relevant academic article; • Each student presents an oral review of his/her chosen film during a seminar; • After the presentation, oral peer and tutor feedback is given through a discussion of the film and the review; • The student submits a written 1,000-word review of the film ten days after the presentation; • I provide the student with written feedback and invite him/her to publish a revised version of the piece on the blog; • Following some final revisions and editing, the piece is published on the blog.

4. Podcast Reviews: How? (2/2) • More informal: • Students are invited to listen to the latest programme and take notes; • Notes are shared during a seminar, • Followed by a discussion of the background to the events, the events themselves and the way they are reported by the BBC.

5. A First Assessment

6. The Way Forward The Art of Reviewing • Organise the module around this particular skill and around the material to be reviewed: • A first collective film review; • Book reviews: using seminars as book clubs; • Press reviews, with Focus on Africa podcasts as a starting point for a wider press review. • Reverse the order of seminars and lectures and focus the summative assessment on reviewing. The Art of Blog-Writing • Use of an Intranet platform to involve students in the selection and revision process; • Computer-based and blog-writing sessions.

7. Films for Review (1/2) • S. Pollack (1985), Out of Africa, starring Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, Klaus Maria Brandauer et al. • J. Huston (1951), The African Queen, starring Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn, Robert Morley et al.   • J. Ford (1953), Mogambo, starring Clark Gable, Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly et al. • Z. Korda (1939), The Four Feathers, starring John Clements, June Duprez, Ralph Richardson et al. • C. Endfield (1964), Zulu, starring Stanley Baker, Michael Caine, Jack Hawkins et al. • B. Tavernier (1981), Coup de Torchon, starring Philippe Noiret, Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Pierre Marielle et al. • C. Denis (1988), Chocolat, starring François Cluzet, Isaach De Bankolé, Giulia Boschi et al. • R. Peck (2000), Lumumba, starring EriqEbouaney, Alex Descas, ThéophileSowié et al. • R. Bouchareb (2006), Days of Glory, starring JamelDebbouze, SamyNaceri, Sami Bouajila et al. • D. Roodt (1992), Sarafina! starring LeletiKhumalo, Whoopi Goldberg, Miriam Makeba et al. • M. Kauriskmäki (2011), Mama Africa, starring Harry Belafonte, Kathleen Cleaver, Leopoldo Fleming et al. • R. Attenborough (1987), Cry Freedom, starring Denzel Washington, Kevin Kline, Penelope Wilton et al. • B. August (2007), Goodbye Bafana, starring Dennis Haysbert, Joseph Fiennes, Diane Kruger et al. • A. Fabian (2008), Skin, starring Sophie Okonedo, Sam Neill, Alice Krige et al. • K. MacDonald (2006), The Last King of Scotland, starring Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Gillian Anderson et al. • M. SalehHaroun (2010), A Screaming Man, starring YoussoufDjaoro, DioucKoma, Emile AbossoloM'Bo, et al. • T. George (2004), Hotel Rwanda, starring Don Cheadle, Sophie Okonedo, Joaquin Phoenix et al. • M. Caton-Jones (2005), Shooting Dogs, starring John Hurt, Hugh Dancy, Claire-Hope Ashitey et al. • E. Zwick (2006), Blood Diamond, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly, DjimonHounsou et al.  

8. Films for Review (2/2) • C. Denis (2009), White Material, starring Isabelle Huppert, Christopher Lambert, Nicolas Duvauchelle et al.   • R. Scott (2001), Black Hawk Down, starring Josh Hartnett, Eric Bana, Ewan McGregor et al.   • A. Fuqua (2003), Tears of the Sun, starring Bruce Willis, Monica Bellucci, Cole Hauser et al. • R. Stern and A. Sundberg (2007), The Devil Came on Horseback, starring Nicholas Kristof, Brian Steidle et al. • C. Eastwood (2009), Invictus, starring Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon, Tony Kgoroge et al. • G. Hood (2005), Tsotsi, starring Presley Chweneyagae, MothusiMagano, Kenneth Nkosi et al. • N. Blomkamp (2009), District Nine, starring Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, David James et al. • L. Bailey and A. Thompson (2009), Mugabe and the White African, starring Mike Campbell et al. • A. Minghella (2008-2009), The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, starring Jill Scott, Anika Noni Rose, Lucian Msamati et al. • S. Jacobs (2008), Disgrace, starring EriqEbouaney, Jessica Haines, John Malkovich et al. • S. Pollack (2005), The Interpreter, starring Nicole Kidman, Sean Penn, Catherine Keener et al. • F. Ayisi and K. Longinotto (2005), Sisters in Law: Stories from a Cameroon Court, starring Vera Ngassa, Beatrice Ntuba et al. • G. Reticker (2008), Pray the Devil Back to Hell, starring Janet Johnson Bryant, Etweda Cooper, VaibaFlomo et al. • O. Schmitz (2010), Life Above All, starring KhomotsoManyaka, KeaobakaMakanyane, Harriet Lenabe et al. • F. Mereilles (2005), The Constant Gardener, starring Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Hubert Koundé et al. • A. Sissako (2006), Bamako, starringAïssaMaïga, Tiécoura Traoré et al. • R. Bouchareb (2001), Little Senegal, starring SotiguiKouyaté, Sharon Hope, RoschdyZem et al. • C. Denis (1999), Beau Travail, starring Denis Lavant, Michel Subor, Grégoire Colin et al. • C. Wischmann and M. Baer (2010), Kinshasa Symphony, starring Chantal Ikina, Albert Matubenza, Armand Diangienda et al. • D. Munga (2010), Viva Riva!, starring Patsha Bay, Manie Malone, Hoji Fortuna et al. • M. Brügger (2011), The Ambassador, starring MadsBrügger et al.