Film and Video Collections for Social and Cultural Study
Visual media serves as a powerful tool for documenting history, challenging mainstream narratives, and analyzing the complex social structures of our world. By utilizing curated film and video collections, researchers and students can gain deeper insights into the human experience through a lens of restorative imagery and sociological analysis.
Key Facts
- The Library of African Cinema focuses on films made by Africans to provide a new film language.
- African American Perspectives chronicles the journey from slavery to the present day to contextualize race and prejudice.
- The Globalisation collection analyzes the effects of neo-liberal economic policies on global labor and health.
- The Health and Social Justice series examines how socioeconomic inequities impact health outcomes.
Diverse Perspectives on Global Cinema and History
The Library of African Cinema
The Library of African Cinema is dedicated to films produced within Africa by African filmmakers. This collection is designed to offer restorative images and establish a new film language that reflects authentic African experiences. Recent additions to the library address critical contemporary challenges, including the impacts of war, human rights violations, and the AIDS pandemic.
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African American Perspectives
To understand the current landscape of race and prejudice in the United States, the African American Perspectives collection provides essential video resources. These materials offer historical, cultural, political, and sociological chronicles of the people and events that have shaped America, spanning the era of slavery through to the modern day.
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Analyzing Global Systems and Social Welfare
Globalisation and Economic Impact
The Globalisation collection serves as an analytical educational tool, providing alternative viewpoints to mainstream media coverage of global economic issues. These films specifically examine the impact of neo-liberal economic policies—economic frameworks emphasizing free-market capitalism and deregulation—on trade, labor, culture, health, and the environment.
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Health and Social Justice
This collection focuses on the intersection of health and societal structure. It began with the cornerstone release of UNNATURAL CAUSES: Is Inequality Making Us Sick? (2008), which frames the discussion around social determinants of health—the non-medical factors, such as where people are born, grow, and work, that influence health outcomes. The collection explores how racial and socioeconomic inequities affect health both within the United States and internationally.
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Collection Summary
| Collection Name | Primary Focus | Key Themes |
|---|---|---|
| Library of African Cinema | African-made films | Human rights, war, AIDS pandemic |
| African American Perspectives | US History and Sociology | Slavery to present, race, prejudice |
| Globalisation | Neo-liberal economics | Labor, trade, environment, health |
| Health and Social Justice | Socioeconomic health gaps | Social determinants of health, inequity |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the goal of the Library of African Cinema?
The goal is to provide restorative images and a new film language through films made by Africans about the African experience.
How does the African American Perspectives collection help viewers?
It provides a historical and sociological context for understanding current issues regarding race and prejudice in America.
What specific economic policies are examined in the Globalisation videos?
The videos examine the impact of neo-liberal economic policies on various sectors, including labor, trade, and the environment.
What are social determinants of health?
Social determinants of health are the socioeconomic and racial inequities and conditions that influence health outcomes, as explored in the Health and Social Justice collection.
Which film serves as the cornerstone for the Health and Social Justice collection?
The 2008 release titled "UNNATURAL CAUSES: Is Inequality Making Us Sick?" serves as the cornerstone of this collection.