MVV406K Film and Literature: Perspectives on Law, Legal, and Ethical Issues

Faculty of Law
Autumn 2024
Extent and Intensity
0/1/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Paul Von Blum (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
prof. JUDr. Ing. Michal Radvan, Ph.D.
Faculty of Law
Contact Person: Mgr. Věra Redrupová, B.A.
Supplier department: Faculty of Law
Timetable of Seminar Groups
MVV406K/01: Mon 23. 9. 10:00–11:40 S125, Tue 24. 9. 8:00–9:40 S125, Wed 25. 9. 12:00–13:40 S125, 14:00–15:40 S125, Thu 26. 9. 12:00–13:40 S125, 14:00–15:40 S125, P. Von Blum
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 24 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 24/24, only registered: 95/24
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 60 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The humanities offer multiple perspectives on law and legal issues. Artists working in several media have dealt with a variety of legal themes. Often, they have used their creative abilities to provide commentary and criticism about judges, courts, and many other legal institutions while providing broader observations about deeper human issues of ethics and morality. This mini-course will examine selected examples of film and literature in various cultures. Throughout our time, we will examine and discuss some powerful issues showing how films and literary works raise serious and troubling issues that have affected millions of people during the past century. We will focus in particular on how traditional humanistic source materials can provide valuable intellectual and ethical stimuli for members and prospective members of the legal profession.
Syllabus
  • 1.THE HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE
  • In this section of the course, the emphasis will be on film and literature. The 20th and 21st centuries have been despoiled by mass and systematic murders. A profound issue is how can the perpetrators be held accountable. We will start with one of the most powerful short films of the Nazi Holocaust, “Night and Fog, “ by Alain Renais.” Then we will consider The Investigation by German playwright Peter Weiss, based on actual trial transcripts of accused Nazi war criminals. Together, these materials address both the gravity of human barbarity and mechanisms and limitations of legal responsibility for crimes against humanity (and their relevance to the present). The film and the play should be seen and should be read outside class so that we can maximize discussion.
  • 2. RESISTANCE TO UNJUST LEGAL AUTHORITY
  • Throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, many feature films and documentaries have also treated legal themes directly and indirectly. These films are directly relevant to the Holocaust specifically and to genocide generally: When should individuals decide to disobey illegal and immoral orders? This time we will discuss the film “The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner,” based on the novella by British author Alan Sillitoe. This should also be seen outside of class. We will examine this prize winning film that raises fundamental issues of ethical and social responsibility for lawyers, judges, and other legal personnel as well as for human beings generally when they confront unjust political circumstances. It also addresses issues of unjust conditions in juvenile prison conditions in the UK and elsewhere.
  • 3. REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS: A MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY EXAMPLE
  • Women’s reproductive rights have been contentious for centuries, including in Europe recently (and now) and in the U.S. at present since the Supreme Court ruled in 2022 that there was no longer a constitutional right to abortion. In this final unit, we will compare a short French literary work with a very short recent American film. Students will read Happening by Nobel-Prize winner Annie Ernaux and “Red, White, and Blue” by Nazrin Choudury (seen in class, 24 minutes). Both narratives chronicle the harrowing attempts to obtain abortions when they are illegal and the accompanying human implications when women and their health care providers must decide to obey or not obey the law.
Literature
  • See Course Contents for full details.
Teaching methods
As in previous classes taught by the instructor, vigorous and regular discussion from students will be the norm. See Teacher's Information for more details.
Assessment methods
Students will write an essay of approximately one/two pages online offering their personal reactions to whichever materials or topics covered in class that they find most important or personally engaging. They will have wide latitude here and they may draw on any of the materials covered, including the films and literary materials or any of the instructor’s presentations.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught only once.
Teacher's information
COURSE DISCUSSIONS:

These comments are based on my previous experience teaching here for many years. It has been an exciting and very satisfying experience.

I would like to encourage maximum student discussion, even if we don’t cover all the material in this short course description. My view is that it’s more educationally valuable for you to take an active role than to “cover” material that you could easily forget soon after the course finishes. Please feel free to ask as many questions as you would like; there really are no “bad” questions. I will try to speak clearly in English and if there are any words or concepts you don’t understand, please let me know immediately. Also, I am available after class for any personal discussion as much as possible and I will do my best to answer emails promptly, as I do at UCLA.

Email: pvonblum@ucla.edu

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