DFK 320 ASSIGNMENT BRIEF / DFK 320 TAAKOPDRAG

Date of submission / Inhandigingsdatum: 13 October 20101

Select one of the following assignment options:

Kies een van die volgende taakonderwerpe:

You choice of text must be approved by the lecturer before you commence with the assignment!

Jou tekskeuse moet vooraf deur die dosent goedgekeur word voordat jy met die taak kan begin!

Option 1

With reference to the work of Jean Baudrillard, investigate how (post-)Marxist approaches to the
filmic text succeed in providing critical readings of cinema as a site of constant tension that
attempts to maintain a sense of ‘unified social reality’ in its spectacle. Focus only on one film of
your choice. You must confirm your choice of film with the lecturer before proceeding with the
assignment.

Met verwysing na die werk van Jean Baudrillard, ondersoek hoe (post)Marxistiese benaderings
tot die filmiese teks daarin slaag om kritiese perspektiewe te lewer op film as ‘n area van
konstante spanning waarin daar gepoog word om ‘n idée van ‘n ‘verenigde sosiale realiteit’ in die
visuele aan te voer. Fokus slegs op een film van jou keuse. Jy moet die rolprent van jou keuse
met jou dosent bevestig voordat jy voortgaan met die taak.

Option 2

Derrida argued that the “spectre of Marx” haunts Western thinking. Critically discuss how
(post)Marxist thought has influenced and informed African filmmaking. Present this discussion
from a clearly postcolonial perspective. This discussion should focus on a single ‘African’ film of
your choice. (Caution: do not venture into a discussion of First and Third Cinema, as this is not
what is asked.)

Derrida het aangevoer dat die “gees van Marx” Westerse denke infiltreer. Bespreek krities hoe
(post-)Marxistiese denke Afrika-rolprentproduksie beïnvloed en ingelig het. Jy moet hierdie
bespreking bide in die vorm van ‘n duidelik postkoloniale perspektief. Hierdie bespreking moet ‘n
enkele ‘Afrikarolprent’ van jou keuse. (Versigtig: moenie in ‘n bespreking van Eerste en Derde
Film invaar nie, aangsien dit nie gevra word nie.)

Option 3

Using a text of your choice as central point of reference, investigate how post-colonial discourses
re-maps the landscape of Western filmic/dramatic representation as a site/sight of struggle, and
positions the physical body as agent of subversion and resistance.

Gebruik ‘n teks van jou keuse as sentrale verwysingspunt om ondersoek in te stel na die wyses
waarop postkoloniale diskoerse die landskap van Westerse filmiese/dramatiese weergewing
heruitlê as lokaliteit/aansig van stryd en die liggaam posisioneer as agent van ondermyning en
weerstand.

1
This date is not negotiable / Hierdie datum is nie onderhandelbaar nie.

1
Option 4

Many postmodern films speak of identity that can be invented, constructed and projected. Discuss
this statement with reference to renderings of identity / ideologies of race, class and gender in
selected films. Give concrete examples in each case and refer to the compulsory reading.

Baie postmoderne rolprente getuig daarvan dat identiteit geskep, gekonstrueer en geprojekteer
kan word. Bespreek hierdie stelling met verwysing na uitbeeldings van identiteit / ideologieë van
ras, klas en gender in geselekteerde rolprente. Gee konkrete voorbeelde in elke geval en verwys
deurgaans na die verpligte leeswerk.

----

Specifications:
• 12–15 pages of content;
• Arial or TNR; font size 12;
• 1.5 spacing; assignments handed in in single spacing will be penalised by a deduction of
10% by default as such assignments are difficult to read and to write on2;
• A minimum of ten sources – you may not cite Wikipedia, About.com, Answers. com or
any other random issue generator or search engine as a primary source;
o No more than half of your sources may come from websites (this does not
include the use of electronic journals);
• Please be sure to follow the departmental handout on the preparation of written
assignments (available on ClickUP);
• Assignments should receive a single staple in the top left-hand corner (no files, folders or
the like please);
• Late assignments will be penalised with 5% beginning directly after class and for three
successive day afterwards, weekends and holidays included. No assignment will be
accepted after three (3) days. There will be no negotiation regarding this arrangement.
No hand written, faxed or e-mailed assignments will be accepted;
• In case of illness or personal trauma, you have to present a doctor’s certificate and hand
your assignment in on the day of your return. Should you miss the three-day cut-off, you
must inform the lecturer of your inability to come to campus;
• If you plagiarise in any way, you will receive 0% for the assignment. It is imperative that
you attach a signed plagiarism disclaimer form to your assignment. If this form is not
attached or not signed, the assignment will not be marked. It is not the lecturer’s
responsibility to inform you of the absence of a form or signature after submission.

It is imperative that you realise that the assignment will be a demonstration of your ability to
effectively state an academic argument, and is not simply a statement of facts.

Dis noodsaaklik dat jy besef dat jou taak ‘n demonstrasie moet wees van jou vermoë om effektief
‘n akademiese argument te vorm; dit is nie bloot ‘n weergee van feite nie.

As stated in the DFK 320 study guide:

Assignments are accepted for marking under the following conditions:

• The assignment is accompanied by a signed plagiarism disclaimer form;
• The student personally signs that s/he has submitted the assignment;
• Handwritten assignments will not be accepted unless arranged with the
lecturer a week in advance.

2
Please note that it is not the lecturer’s job to let you know that you’ve handed an assignment
in in single spacing. You’ll find that out once you get your assignment back only.

2
 Please make sure that you (a) back-up your files regularly and (b) print out your
assignment two days before submission, as the following will not be considered valid
excuses for handing an assignment in late: corrupted file; corrupted memory stick;
memory sticks that do not ‘work’ in campus computers; files that were not backed up
and thus lost during a power cut or anything similar to it. To be sure, any excuse
regarding failed technologies will be treated with suspicion.

Please note: any plagiarism whatsoever, regardless of whether it’s a paragraph or a

whole essay, will be severely dealt with. A plagiarised assignment, regardless of the
extent, gets 0% by default.

(Image source: http://cultandpaste.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/man-as-a-machine.jpg)