Sociology of film: Theory and practice.

摘要

My main objectives are methodological. The thesis proposes a theoretical framework and a set of directions for an inquiry into existing interpretations of reality, as they are objectivated and 'carried' by film. It is divided into two parts, and concludes with a three-step guide for future research projects. The mode of exploration I have used consists of engaging in an on-going dialogue between 'theory' and 'practice', between the analytical and the experiential.Operating now at the level of film-in-context, Chapter II begins with a general discussion of the relationships between film meaning and meaning-at-large. From the established film/world-view dialectics, specific guidelines are drawn for selecting and analyzing data the emphasis is placed on the 'textual reading' of films, a skill most likely to pose problems for sociologists.A research guide put forward in the conclusion extrapolates from, rather than summarizes, the discussions in Chapters I and II. It is aimed at any prospective student of world-views through film.In Chapter I, the focus is on film's relationships with society, whose systematic analysis comes to be defined as the sociology of film. A basic paradigm for such a sociology of film is offered, derived from a multi-disciplinary 'discussion panel' composed of theoreticians, as well as practitioners.