Films in Class

<--------------------------------------------------> This is a posting to ECONHIST.TEACH, a list operated by The Cliometric Society (csociety@cs.muohio.edu). <--------------------------------------------------> I, too, have used _Roger & Me_ in class (with some success) in my Business History class for which it is ideal as an alternative viewpoint. Certainly it prompted my Vanderbilt students into a ferocious debate on whether or not corporations have social responsibility and short v. long run profit maximization. The only troubling scene (certainly from the standpoint of the student) is where the rabbit is killed on camera & skinned by the "Pets or Meat" lady. Many will find the sequence offensive though it is not entirely inappropriate in the context of how some can be rapidly marginalized by economic adversity. Happily the courts seem to have freed us from responsibility for students encountering disturbing material or viewpoints in class. Beyond the commercial cinema, I have also had pretty good experiences (albeit many years ago) with a series sponsored by Phillips Petroleum starring William Shatner that Walton, North et al. consulted on (perhaps someone out there will know whether this is now available on video). The series was aimed at high school students but has some useful scenes and information for undergraduate classes as well. Not as good as commercial cinema but much better than your average educational film. Some of the PBS series (especially on the Great Depression) are to be commended. ******************************************************************************* Jeremy Atack Department of Economics Box 1819 Station B (for U.S. Mail) 211B Calhoun Hall (for Federal Express/UPS/etc.) Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN. 37235 Phone: 615-343-2467 (office) 615-322-2871 (secretary) FAX: 615-343-8495 ****************************************************************************** <----------------------------------------------------------> To post a message, send it to ECONHIST.TEACH@cs.muohio.edu. For more information, send the message "info ECONHIST.TEACH" to lists@cs.muohio.edu. >