Media in the Mix

What is the relationship between Egyptian hieroglyphics and the graphic novels we read today? What do the so-called blaxploitation films of the ’70s reveal about currents in the Civil Rights Movement, and in what ways have their effects lingered? How did the streak of rebellion that runs through rock ’n’ roll help to define the youth culture of the 1960s? And how have works by Molière, Shakespeare, Ionesco, and Wilde— as well as the ancient art of mime—influenced generations of comic actors?

These are just a few of the questions explored within several courses that examine the ways in which media and entertainment reflect and shape our culture. There’s a course on comics and graphic novels, a course on the history of rock, one on comedic acting, and another on African American cinema—just a smattering of interesting classes that are part of Vassar’s vast curriculum.