A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

Muslims are a quarter of the human population and the vast majority in many countries in North Africa, Middle East and South Asia. In many of those countires film making has been diverse and prosperous for a long time but in others it is still in its infancy. The film history of these various countries will be detailed and its main themes analysed in the context of their cultural historical background, religions, literatures, politics and academic theories and classifications within the fields of film and religious studies. It is particularly interesting to see how film makers in countries with strict censorship use various symbolic innovations to deliver their message of social criticism when dealing with sensitive issues such as social control, minority groups, social role of women, gender, homosexuality, child brides, polygamy, prostitution, suicides, honor killings, death penalty and different sharia interpretations and legislastions within Islam. Among the most respected film directors in these countries are women, some of whom are widely accepted as pioneers in the field such as Forugh Farrokhzad in Iran and Haifaa al-Mansour in Saudi-Arabia. The spotlight will be on film directors from three countries, Turkey, Egypt and Iran, but many other countries will also be discussed such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Saudi-Arabia, Tunis, Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania. The emphasis is on motion pictures such as thrillers, horror films, comedies, romance, drama and religious films, but with occasional references to documentaries and music videos (i.e. of Haifa Wehbe and Shams al-Aslami). Various influences from Western and Asian films on film makers from the Islamic part of the world will be explored as well as how these same directors have influenced other film makers all over the world. Finally, the question will be discussed to what extent it is possible to find similarities between the image of Muslims in Western films and in their own films. The focus throughout the course will be on the following film directors: Metin Erksam, Yilmaz Güney, Reha Erdem and Nuri Bilge Ceylan from Turkey, Henry Barakat and Youssef Chahine from Egypt and Masud Kimiai, Jafar Panahi, Abbas Kiarostami, Dariush Mehrjui, Asghar Farhadi, Tahmineh Milani and the Makhmalbaf family from Iran.

The media environment has shifted quickly, and streamers have revolutionized the distribution of film. Since 2015 or thereabouts film has been a misnomer as cinema has shed its material base in celluloid and physical media in general has seen a rapid decline. This class looks at various manifestations of this shift and its repercussions, especially in terms of distribution and access. The class will introduce the notion of alignment problems to articulate the manifold problems that now face viewers in terms of general access to films and the mediation of film history. These alignment problems will be discussed in terms of monopolistic tendencies that place the viewer at a disadvantage. We will look at cinephilia as a possible site of resistance and grapple with the notion that cinema has come to an end through theories of the post-cinematic. The class will also reflect on the status of the Icelandic cinematic heritage.

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

“The world of the heterosexual is a sick and boring life.”
– Female Trouble (John Waters, 1974)

The course will explore representations of queerness in 20th and 21st century cinema. The word queer refers to identities and behaviors that do not fit into the heterosexual norm, both of which have been met with censorship in mainstream films. The word also has political connotations—its meaning shifts in different social contexts and is always dependent on a time and place—and the course focuses in particular on filmmakers who undermine heteronormativity in their specific cultural context. Additionally, we will explore the different meanings of queerness and read classical queer theory, as well as recent texts that show the various developments within the queer studies.

Promoting the final installment of his Resident Evil series at a Comic Con panel, director Paul W. S. Anderson noted that, “This movie is made by people who genuinely adored the video game. No one would ever dream of adapting War and Peace without reading the book, but somehow people have the hubris to adapt a video game without having ever played it or knowing what the fans like about it.” Audiences of Anderson’s approach to the Resident Evil universe may have differing opinions on how “well” his works adapt Capcom’s original creation. Yet, one thing is clear: to transition from player to director, as in Anderson’s case, or a viewer offers an array of opportunities, such as exposure, accessibility, and creative additions, and dilemmas like lack of agency, environmental restrictions, and tasteless changes.

Since the dawn of the 1990s, film has pursued play to capture it in motion pictures. Building upon the ludic legacy of a certain mustachioed plumber, cinematic adaptations of video games have steadily increased in numbers. With a quick look over the ever-expanding list of game adaptations, especially live action, throughout the past three decades, the majority typically, not always, serve financially rather than faithfully or favorably. However, in recent years, game adaptations have begun to receive critical acclaim, a change that poses the questions: has Hollywood cracked the code, and what does this future hold for film and its gamic frontier? From painfully pictured pixels and guilty pleasures to dynamic and dedicated film adaptations of beloved ludic titles, this course will provide an overview of adaptation theory, affect theory, film criticism, and game theory to better understand the interplay of cinema and video games. This also includes looking at the way cinema has more subtly incorporated various “gamic” functions and features, and vice versa, how games have increasingly become more cinematic. We will also look into certain foundational precepts in the new academic discipline of game studies. Among works discussed in the class will be films like the recent French horror film MadS, and “classic” action titles such as Hardocre Henry and Gamer, in addition to Tron, Ready Player One and Edge of Tomorrow. In terms of adaptation we will be looking at works such as Arcane/League of Legends, Castlevania, Fallout, The Last of Us, Resident Evil, Super Mario Bros., and Until Dawn.

We will explore several corners of self-help culture and analyze them through the lens of literature and film. We will look at some of the leading influencers who have shaped the discourse surrounding self-help and self-improvement. Authors, leaders, and gurus such as Montaigne, Emerson, Joseph Campbell, Ram Dass, Eckhart Tolle, Walt Whitman, Oprah Winfrey, and Jane Austen will be introduced. Selected literary works and films will be examined in light of this path of improvement, as a route to discipline, and as a means to grow and to learn about oneself. We will read stories that engage with the transformative power and the value of narrative for a person’s spiritual journey or for working through difficult life experiences. Assessment will take place in the form of an in-class lecture and written assignments.  Among fictional writing are: Eat, Pray, Love, The Doors of Perception, Leaves of Grass, Hamlet, A Jane Austen Education. Among films are: Ben–Hur, 101 Reykjavík, Forrest Gump, Emma, Little Women, Barbie.

The course focuses on the fiction of Sjón, with emphasis on novels, poetry and cinema, based on the study Sjónsbók: Ævintýrið um höfundinn, súrrealisma og sýnir (2016) by Úlfhildur Dagsdóttir, and the essay collection Critical Approaches to Sjón : North of the Sun (2025). Theories of surrealism and the avant garde, narrative and cultural studies will be discussed.

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

Muslims are a quarter of the human population and the vast majority in many countries in North Africa, Middle East and South Asia. In many of those countires film making has been diverse and prosperous for a long time but in others it is still in its infancy. The film history of these various countries will be detailed and its main themes analysed in the context of their cultural historical background, religions, literatures, politics and academic theories and classifications within the fields of film and religious studies. It is particularly interesting to see how film makers in countries with strict censorship use various symbolic innovations to deliver their message of social criticism when dealing with sensitive issues such as social control, minority groups, social role of women, gender, homosexuality, child brides, polygamy, prostitution, suicides, honor killings, death penalty and different sharia interpretations and legislastions within Islam. Among the most respected film directors in these countries are women, some of whom are widely accepted as pioneers in the field such as Forugh Farrokhzad in Iran and Haifaa al-Mansour in Saudi-Arabia. The spotlight will be on film directors from three countries, Turkey, Egypt and Iran, but many other countries will also be discussed such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Saudi-Arabia, Tunis, Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania. The emphasis is on motion pictures such as thrillers, horror films, comedies, romance, drama and religious films, but with occasional references to documentaries and music videos (i.e. of Haifa Wehbe and Shams al-Aslami). Various influences from Western and Asian films on film makers from the Islamic part of the world will be explored as well as how these same directors have influenced other film makers all over the world. Finally, the question will be discussed to what extent it is possible to find similarities between the image of Muslims in Western films and in their own films. The focus throughout the course will be on the following film directors: Metin Erksam, Yilmaz Güney, Reha Erdem and Nuri Bilge Ceylan from Turkey, Henry Barakat and Youssef Chahine from Egypt and Masud Kimiai, Jafar Panahi, Abbas Kiarostami, Dariush Mehrjui, Asghar Farhadi, Tahmineh Milani and the Makhmalbaf family from Iran.

The media environment has shifted quickly, and streamers have revolutionized the distribution of film. Since 2015 or thereabouts film has been a misnomer as cinema has shed its material base in celluloid and physical media in general has seen a rapid decline. This class looks at various manifestations of this shift and its repercussions, especially in terms of distribution and access. The class will introduce the notion of alignment problems to articulate the manifold problems that now face viewers in terms of general access to films and the mediation of film history. These alignment problems will be discussed in terms of monopolistic tendencies that place the viewer at a disadvantage. We will look at cinephilia as a possible site of resistance and grapple with the notion that cinema has come to an end through theories of the post-cinematic. The class will also reflect on the status of the Icelandic cinematic heritage.

MA-thesis in Film Studies

In this course, MA students in Comparative literature, Cultural studies and Film studies prepare for their final thesis. The group meets every two weeks during the semester. In the first half of the semester, the focus is on selecting a thesis topic, determining and searching primary sources, formulating a research question and other questions about getting started with a final thesis. Students then turn their attention to the theoretical background for their work and its theoretical basis. This work also involves critical reflection on search methods and approaches to texts. The third part of the course is dedicated to student presentations and discussion, where students and instructors come together to discuss research proposals, give feedback and get constructive criticism. The final product of the course is a report with a research proposal, partial bibliography and commentary on thesis aims, theory and methods. Students are also required to write a working diary describing their preparation process and readings and explaining the relation of different texts to their work. Course evaluation is based on this working diary (20%), class presentation (25%) and final paper (55%).

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

“The world of the heterosexual is a sick and boring life.”
– Female Trouble (John Waters, 1974)

The course will explore representations of queerness in 20th and 21st century cinema. The word queer refers to identities and behaviors that do not fit into the heterosexual norm, both of which have been met with censorship in mainstream films. The word also has political connotations—its meaning shifts in different social contexts and is always dependent on a time and place—and the course focuses in particular on filmmakers who undermine heteronormativity in their specific cultural context. Additionally, we will explore the different meanings of queerness and read classical queer theory, as well as recent texts that show the various developments within the queer studies.

Promoting the final installment of his Resident Evil series at a Comic Con panel, director Paul W. S. Anderson noted that, “This movie is made by people who genuinely adored the video game. No one would ever dream of adapting War and Peace without reading the book, but somehow people have the hubris to adapt a video game without having ever played it or knowing what the fans like about it.” Audiences of Anderson’s approach to the Resident Evil universe may have differing opinions on how “well” his works adapt Capcom’s original creation. Yet, one thing is clear: to transition from player to director, as in Anderson’s case, or a viewer offers an array of opportunities, such as exposure, accessibility, and creative additions, and dilemmas like lack of agency, environmental restrictions, and tasteless changes.

Since the dawn of the 1990s, film has pursued play to capture it in motion pictures. Building upon the ludic legacy of a certain mustachioed plumber, cinematic adaptations of video games have steadily increased in numbers. With a quick look over the ever-expanding list of game adaptations, especially live action, throughout the past three decades, the majority typically, not always, serve financially rather than faithfully or favorably. However, in recent years, game adaptations have begun to receive critical acclaim, a change that poses the questions: has Hollywood cracked the code, and what does this future hold for film and its gamic frontier? From painfully pictured pixels and guilty pleasures to dynamic and dedicated film adaptations of beloved ludic titles, this course will provide an overview of adaptation theory, affect theory, film criticism, and game theory to better understand the interplay of cinema and video games. This also includes looking at the way cinema has more subtly incorporated various “gamic” functions and features, and vice versa, how games have increasingly become more cinematic. We will also look into certain foundational precepts in the new academic discipline of game studies. Among works discussed in the class will be films like the recent French horror film MadS, and “classic” action titles such as Hardocre Henry and Gamer, in addition to Tron, Ready Player One and Edge of Tomorrow. In terms of adaptation we will be looking at works such as Arcane/League of Legends, Castlevania, Fallout, The Last of Us, Resident Evil, Super Mario Bros., and Until Dawn.

We will explore several corners of self-help culture and analyze them through the lens of literature and film. We will look at some of the leading influencers who have shaped the discourse surrounding self-help and self-improvement. Authors, leaders, and gurus such as Montaigne, Emerson, Joseph Campbell, Ram Dass, Eckhart Tolle, Walt Whitman, Oprah Winfrey, and Jane Austen will be introduced. Selected literary works and films will be examined in light of this path of improvement, as a route to discipline, and as a means to grow and to learn about oneself. We will read stories that engage with the transformative power and the value of narrative for a person’s spiritual journey or for working through difficult life experiences. Assessment will take place in the form of an in-class lecture and written assignments.  Among fictional writing are: Eat, Pray, Love, The Doors of Perception, Leaves of Grass, Hamlet, A Jane Austen Education. Among films are: Ben–Hur, 101 Reykjavík, Forrest Gump, Emma, Little Women, Barbie.

The course focuses on the fiction of Sjón, with emphasis on novels, poetry and cinema, based on the study Sjónsbók: Ævintýrið um höfundinn, súrrealisma og sýnir (2016) by Úlfhildur Dagsdóttir, and the essay collection Critical Approaches to Sjón : North of the Sun (2025). Theories of surrealism and the avant garde, narrative and cultural studies will be discussed.

MA-thesis in Film Studies

Vikings are one of the most recognisable group of people from the past. Often seen as crazed berserker, with horned helmets, battle axes raised and ready, beautiful long hair billowing in the wind, they are thought of jumping out of longboats, running up the shore towards an unexpecting populace. This image crosses cultural barriers: Viking re-enactment societies exist in places with no actual Viking history. People proudly declare themselves Vikings as part of their identity and way of life. There is Viking metal, beers, foods, restaurants, and comic books. A further demonstration of the endurance of the Viking myth is the silver screen: The first Viking film came out in 1907 and are produced to this day. This, in turn, influences the use of Vikings in other areas, including the tourism sector, museum exhibitions, music industry, food and drink production and the video game industry.

This course introduces the various uses of Vikings in society, starting with tracing the history of the modern, popular culture Vikings back to Victorian times, all the way to Iceland during, and after the economic crash 2008-2011. Students will be shown the various uses of Vikings in the cultural sector, discussing the good, the bad and the ugly sides of the Viking imagery and its uses in the present and past. Next, they will gain an insight into Vikings in films related to the image of Iceland. This raises the question: in which films do Vikings appear, and how are they portrayed? The aim is to provide a comprehensive overview of the history of Viking representations in Icelandic cinema, exploring how they have been depicted by Icelandic filmmakers as well as by international directors who have chosen to make films about and/or set in Iceland. Finally, Vikings in video games are explored, introducing how Old Norse literature migrates into gaming, and how the image of Vikings has altered and expanded within the gaming sphere.

 Learning Outcomes: Students – gain knowledge of the history of vikings as mediated through cultural artifacts and images – get a comprehensive overview of the mediation of the Viking image in the 20th century – are able to analyze and discuss the most prominent mediation practices and traditions in the 20th century – can analyze and situate historically the various mediated representations of vikings in contemporary culture.

This course explores the representation of “otherness” and “subalternity” in Latin American cinema.

The main objective of the course is to introduce students to the cinematic productions of this heterogeneous region in order to understand its diversity as complexity, and to reflect on the power relations and the social and cultural dynamics that shape it. Throughout the course, decolonial and identity-based perspectives are incorporated as key tools to analyze how these themes intersect with mechanisms of social discrimination and the representations of marginalized and subaltern groups. After a brief theoretical introduction in which we will explore the selected perspectives, we will apply this framework to a selection of films to examine how these mechanisms operate. In addition to film screenings, students are required to read theoretical and analytical texts to contextualize the sociohistorical background and related issues.

Alongside the general bibliography attached to the syllabus, additional material, specific readings, and guiding questions will be provided throughout the course for each session. These materials will be published in the corresponding Canvas modules.

While the course will be conducted in Spanish, students may be allowed to submit assignments in English depending on individual circumstances and prior arrangement with the instructor.

The course discusses the philosophical and theoretical foundations of gender studies, and the critical and interdisciplinary content of the field. The representation and meaning of sex and gender in language, culture, history, science, and society is explored. The analytical perspective of the field is presented, as is its relationship with methodology. Students are trained in applying theoretical concepts and methods independently and critically.

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

Muslims are a quarter of the human population and the vast majority in many countries in North Africa, Middle East and South Asia. In many of those countires film making has been diverse and prosperous for a long time but in others it is still in its infancy. The film history of these various countries will be detailed and its main themes analysed in the context of their cultural historical background, religions, literatures, politics and academic theories and classifications within the fields of film and religious studies. It is particularly interesting to see how film makers in countries with strict censorship use various symbolic innovations to deliver their message of social criticism when dealing with sensitive issues such as social control, minority groups, social role of women, gender, homosexuality, child brides, polygamy, prostitution, suicides, honor killings, death penalty and different sharia interpretations and legislastions within Islam. Among the most respected film directors in these countries are women, some of whom are widely accepted as pioneers in the field such as Forugh Farrokhzad in Iran and Haifaa al-Mansour in Saudi-Arabia. The spotlight will be on film directors from three countries, Turkey, Egypt and Iran, but many other countries will also be discussed such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Saudi-Arabia, Tunis, Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania. The emphasis is on motion pictures such as thrillers, horror films, comedies, romance, drama and religious films, but with occasional references to documentaries and music videos (i.e. of Haifa Wehbe and Shams al-Aslami). Various influences from Western and Asian films on film makers from the Islamic part of the world will be explored as well as how these same directors have influenced other film makers all over the world. Finally, the question will be discussed to what extent it is possible to find similarities between the image of Muslims in Western films and in their own films. The focus throughout the course will be on the following film directors: Metin Erksam, Yilmaz Güney, Reha Erdem and Nuri Bilge Ceylan from Turkey, Henry Barakat and Youssef Chahine from Egypt and Masud Kimiai, Jafar Panahi, Abbas Kiarostami, Dariush Mehrjui, Asghar Farhadi, Tahmineh Milani and the Makhmalbaf family from Iran.

The media environment has shifted quickly, and streamers have revolutionized the distribution of film. Since 2015 or thereabouts film has been a misnomer as cinema has shed its material base in celluloid and physical media in general has seen a rapid decline. This class looks at various manifestations of this shift and its repercussions, especially in terms of distribution and access. The class will introduce the notion of alignment problems to articulate the manifold problems that now face viewers in terms of general access to films and the mediation of film history. These alignment problems will be discussed in terms of monopolistic tendencies that place the viewer at a disadvantage. We will look at cinephilia as a possible site of resistance and grapple with the notion that cinema has come to an end through theories of the post-cinematic. The class will also reflect on the status of the Icelandic cinematic heritage.

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

“The world of the heterosexual is a sick and boring life.”
– Female Trouble (John Waters, 1974)

The course will explore representations of queerness in 20th and 21st century cinema. The word queer refers to identities and behaviors that do not fit into the heterosexual norm, both of which have been met with censorship in mainstream films. The word also has political connotations—its meaning shifts in different social contexts and is always dependent on a time and place—and the course focuses in particular on filmmakers who undermine heteronormativity in their specific cultural context. Additionally, we will explore the different meanings of queerness and read classical queer theory, as well as recent texts that show the various developments within the queer studies.

Promoting the final installment of his Resident Evil series at a Comic Con panel, director Paul W. S. Anderson noted that, “This movie is made by people who genuinely adored the video game. No one would ever dream of adapting War and Peace without reading the book, but somehow people have the hubris to adapt a video game without having ever played it or knowing what the fans like about it.” Audiences of Anderson’s approach to the Resident Evil universe may have differing opinions on how “well” his works adapt Capcom’s original creation. Yet, one thing is clear: to transition from player to director, as in Anderson’s case, or a viewer offers an array of opportunities, such as exposure, accessibility, and creative additions, and dilemmas like lack of agency, environmental restrictions, and tasteless changes.

Since the dawn of the 1990s, film has pursued play to capture it in motion pictures. Building upon the ludic legacy of a certain mustachioed plumber, cinematic adaptations of video games have steadily increased in numbers. With a quick look over the ever-expanding list of game adaptations, especially live action, throughout the past three decades, the majority typically, not always, serve financially rather than faithfully or favorably. However, in recent years, game adaptations have begun to receive critical acclaim, a change that poses the questions: has Hollywood cracked the code, and what does this future hold for film and its gamic frontier? From painfully pictured pixels and guilty pleasures to dynamic and dedicated film adaptations of beloved ludic titles, this course will provide an overview of adaptation theory, affect theory, film criticism, and game theory to better understand the interplay of cinema and video games. This also includes looking at the way cinema has more subtly incorporated various “gamic” functions and features, and vice versa, how games have increasingly become more cinematic. We will also look into certain foundational precepts in the new academic discipline of game studies. Among works discussed in the class will be films like the recent French horror film MadS, and “classic” action titles such as Hardocre Henry and Gamer, in addition to Tron, Ready Player One and Edge of Tomorrow. In terms of adaptation we will be looking at works such as Arcane/League of Legends, Castlevania, Fallout, The Last of Us, Resident Evil, Super Mario Bros., and Until Dawn.

We will explore several corners of self-help culture and analyze them through the lens of literature and film. We will look at some of the leading influencers who have shaped the discourse surrounding self-help and self-improvement. Authors, leaders, and gurus such as Montaigne, Emerson, Joseph Campbell, Ram Dass, Eckhart Tolle, Walt Whitman, Oprah Winfrey, and Jane Austen will be introduced. Selected literary works and films will be examined in light of this path of improvement, as a route to discipline, and as a means to grow and to learn about oneself. We will read stories that engage with the transformative power and the value of narrative for a person’s spiritual journey or for working through difficult life experiences. Assessment will take place in the form of an in-class lecture and written assignments.  Among fictional writing are: Eat, Pray, Love, The Doors of Perception, Leaves of Grass, Hamlet, A Jane Austen Education. Among films are: Ben–Hur, 101 Reykjavík, Forrest Gump, Emma, Little Women, Barbie.

The course focuses on the fiction of Sjón, with emphasis on novels, poetry and cinema, based on the study Sjónsbók: Ævintýrið um höfundinn, súrrealisma og sýnir (2016) by Úlfhildur Dagsdóttir, and the essay collection Critical Approaches to Sjón : North of the Sun (2025). Theories of surrealism and the avant garde, narrative and cultural studies will be discussed.

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

Muslims are a quarter of the human population and the vast majority in many countries in North Africa, Middle East and South Asia. In many of those countires film making has been diverse and prosperous for a long time but in others it is still in its infancy. The film history of these various countries will be detailed and its main themes analysed in the context of their cultural historical background, religions, literatures, politics and academic theories and classifications within the fields of film and religious studies. It is particularly interesting to see how film makers in countries with strict censorship use various symbolic innovations to deliver their message of social criticism when dealing with sensitive issues such as social control, minority groups, social role of women, gender, homosexuality, child brides, polygamy, prostitution, suicides, honor killings, death penalty and different sharia interpretations and legislastions within Islam. Among the most respected film directors in these countries are women, some of whom are widely accepted as pioneers in the field such as Forugh Farrokhzad in Iran and Haifaa al-Mansour in Saudi-Arabia. The spotlight will be on film directors from three countries, Turkey, Egypt and Iran, but many other countries will also be discussed such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Saudi-Arabia, Tunis, Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania. The emphasis is on motion pictures such as thrillers, horror films, comedies, romance, drama and religious films, but with occasional references to documentaries and music videos (i.e. of Haifa Wehbe and Shams al-Aslami). Various influences from Western and Asian films on film makers from the Islamic part of the world will be explored as well as how these same directors have influenced other film makers all over the world. Finally, the question will be discussed to what extent it is possible to find similarities between the image of Muslims in Western films and in their own films. The focus throughout the course will be on the following film directors: Metin Erksam, Yilmaz Güney, Reha Erdem and Nuri Bilge Ceylan from Turkey, Henry Barakat and Youssef Chahine from Egypt and Masud Kimiai, Jafar Panahi, Abbas Kiarostami, Dariush Mehrjui, Asghar Farhadi, Tahmineh Milani and the Makhmalbaf family from Iran.

The media environment has shifted quickly, and streamers have revolutionized the distribution of film. Since 2015 or thereabouts film has been a misnomer as cinema has shed its material base in celluloid and physical media in general has seen a rapid decline. This class looks at various manifestations of this shift and its repercussions, especially in terms of distribution and access. The class will introduce the notion of alignment problems to articulate the manifold problems that now face viewers in terms of general access to films and the mediation of film history. These alignment problems will be discussed in terms of monopolistic tendencies that place the viewer at a disadvantage. We will look at cinephilia as a possible site of resistance and grapple with the notion that cinema has come to an end through theories of the post-cinematic. The class will also reflect on the status of the Icelandic cinematic heritage.

MA-thesis in Film Studies

In this course, MA students in Comparative literature, Cultural studies and Film studies prepare for their final thesis. The group meets every two weeks during the semester. In the first half of the semester, the focus is on selecting a thesis topic, determining and searching primary sources, formulating a research question and other questions about getting started with a final thesis. Students then turn their attention to the theoretical background for their work and its theoretical basis. This work also involves critical reflection on search methods and approaches to texts. The third part of the course is dedicated to student presentations and discussion, where students and instructors come together to discuss research proposals, give feedback and get constructive criticism. The final product of the course is a report with a research proposal, partial bibliography and commentary on thesis aims, theory and methods. Students are also required to write a working diary describing their preparation process and readings and explaining the relation of different texts to their work. Course evaluation is based on this working diary (20%), class presentation (25%) and final paper (55%).

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

“The world of the heterosexual is a sick and boring life.”
– Female Trouble (John Waters, 1974)

The course will explore representations of queerness in 20th and 21st century cinema. The word queer refers to identities and behaviors that do not fit into the heterosexual norm, both of which have been met with censorship in mainstream films. The word also has political connotations—its meaning shifts in different social contexts and is always dependent on a time and place—and the course focuses in particular on filmmakers who undermine heteronormativity in their specific cultural context. Additionally, we will explore the different meanings of queerness and read classical queer theory, as well as recent texts that show the various developments within the queer studies.

Promoting the final installment of his Resident Evil series at a Comic Con panel, director Paul W. S. Anderson noted that, “This movie is made by people who genuinely adored the video game. No one would ever dream of adapting War and Peace without reading the book, but somehow people have the hubris to adapt a video game without having ever played it or knowing what the fans like about it.” Audiences of Anderson’s approach to the Resident Evil universe may have differing opinions on how “well” his works adapt Capcom’s original creation. Yet, one thing is clear: to transition from player to director, as in Anderson’s case, or a viewer offers an array of opportunities, such as exposure, accessibility, and creative additions, and dilemmas like lack of agency, environmental restrictions, and tasteless changes.

Since the dawn of the 1990s, film has pursued play to capture it in motion pictures. Building upon the ludic legacy of a certain mustachioed plumber, cinematic adaptations of video games have steadily increased in numbers. With a quick look over the ever-expanding list of game adaptations, especially live action, throughout the past three decades, the majority typically, not always, serve financially rather than faithfully or favorably. However, in recent years, game adaptations have begun to receive critical acclaim, a change that poses the questions: has Hollywood cracked the code, and what does this future hold for film and its gamic frontier? From painfully pictured pixels and guilty pleasures to dynamic and dedicated film adaptations of beloved ludic titles, this course will provide an overview of adaptation theory, affect theory, film criticism, and game theory to better understand the interplay of cinema and video games. This also includes looking at the way cinema has more subtly incorporated various “gamic” functions and features, and vice versa, how games have increasingly become more cinematic. We will also look into certain foundational precepts in the new academic discipline of game studies. Among works discussed in the class will be films like the recent French horror film MadS, and “classic” action titles such as Hardocre Henry and Gamer, in addition to Tron, Ready Player One and Edge of Tomorrow. In terms of adaptation we will be looking at works such as Arcane/League of Legends, Castlevania, Fallout, The Last of Us, Resident Evil, Super Mario Bros., and Until Dawn.

We will explore several corners of self-help culture and analyze them through the lens of literature and film. We will look at some of the leading influencers who have shaped the discourse surrounding self-help and self-improvement. Authors, leaders, and gurus such as Montaigne, Emerson, Joseph Campbell, Ram Dass, Eckhart Tolle, Walt Whitman, Oprah Winfrey, and Jane Austen will be introduced. Selected literary works and films will be examined in light of this path of improvement, as a route to discipline, and as a means to grow and to learn about oneself. We will read stories that engage with the transformative power and the value of narrative for a person’s spiritual journey or for working through difficult life experiences. Assessment will take place in the form of an in-class lecture and written assignments.  Among fictional writing are: Eat, Pray, Love, The Doors of Perception, Leaves of Grass, Hamlet, A Jane Austen Education. Among films are: Ben–Hur, 101 Reykjavík, Forrest Gump, Emma, Little Women, Barbie.

The course focuses on the fiction of Sjón, with emphasis on novels, poetry and cinema, based on the study Sjónsbók: Ævintýrið um höfundinn, súrrealisma og sýnir (2016) by Úlfhildur Dagsdóttir, and the essay collection Critical Approaches to Sjón : North of the Sun (2025). Theories of surrealism and the avant garde, narrative and cultural studies will be discussed.

MA-thesis in Film Studies

Vikings are one of the most recognisable group of people from the past. Often seen as crazed berserker, with horned helmets, battle axes raised and ready, beautiful long hair billowing in the wind, they are thought of jumping out of longboats, running up the shore towards an unexpecting populace. This image crosses cultural barriers: Viking re-enactment societies exist in places with no actual Viking history. People proudly declare themselves Vikings as part of their identity and way of life. There is Viking metal, beers, foods, restaurants, and comic books. A further demonstration of the endurance of the Viking myth is the silver screen: The first Viking film came out in 1907 and are produced to this day. This, in turn, influences the use of Vikings in other areas, including the tourism sector, museum exhibitions, music industry, food and drink production and the video game industry.

This course introduces the various uses of Vikings in society, starting with tracing the history of the modern, popular culture Vikings back to Victorian times, all the way to Iceland during, and after the economic crash 2008-2011. Students will be shown the various uses of Vikings in the cultural sector, discussing the good, the bad and the ugly sides of the Viking imagery and its uses in the present and past. Next, they will gain an insight into Vikings in films related to the image of Iceland. This raises the question: in which films do Vikings appear, and how are they portrayed? The aim is to provide a comprehensive overview of the history of Viking representations in Icelandic cinema, exploring how they have been depicted by Icelandic filmmakers as well as by international directors who have chosen to make films about and/or set in Iceland. Finally, Vikings in video games are explored, introducing how Old Norse literature migrates into gaming, and how the image of Vikings has altered and expanded within the gaming sphere.

 Learning Outcomes: Students – gain knowledge of the history of vikings as mediated through cultural artifacts and images – get a comprehensive overview of the mediation of the Viking image in the 20th century – are able to analyze and discuss the most prominent mediation practices and traditions in the 20th century – can analyze and situate historically the various mediated representations of vikings in contemporary culture.

This course explores the representation of “otherness” and “subalternity” in Latin American cinema.

The main objective of the course is to introduce students to the cinematic productions of this heterogeneous region in order to understand its diversity as complexity, and to reflect on the power relations and the social and cultural dynamics that shape it. Throughout the course, decolonial and identity-based perspectives are incorporated as key tools to analyze how these themes intersect with mechanisms of social discrimination and the representations of marginalized and subaltern groups. After a brief theoretical introduction in which we will explore the selected perspectives, we will apply this framework to a selection of films to examine how these mechanisms operate. In addition to film screenings, students are required to read theoretical and analytical texts to contextualize the sociohistorical background and related issues.

Alongside the general bibliography attached to the syllabus, additional material, specific readings, and guiding questions will be provided throughout the course for each session. These materials will be published in the corresponding Canvas modules.

While the course will be conducted in Spanish, students may be allowed to submit assignments in English depending on individual circumstances and prior arrangement with the instructor.

The course discusses the philosophical and theoretical foundations of gender studies, and the critical and interdisciplinary content of the field. The representation and meaning of sex and gender in language, culture, history, science, and society is explored. The analytical perspective of the field is presented, as is its relationship with methodology. Students are trained in applying theoretical concepts and methods independently and critically.

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

Muslims are a quarter of the human population and the vast majority in many countries in North Africa, Middle East and South Asia. In many of those countires film making has been diverse and prosperous for a long time but in others it is still in its infancy. The film history of these various countries will be detailed and its main themes analysed in the context of their cultural historical background, religions, literatures, politics and academic theories and classifications within the fields of film and religious studies. It is particularly interesting to see how film makers in countries with strict censorship use various symbolic innovations to deliver their message of social criticism when dealing with sensitive issues such as social control, minority groups, social role of women, gender, homosexuality, child brides, polygamy, prostitution, suicides, honor killings, death penalty and different sharia interpretations and legislastions within Islam. Among the most respected film directors in these countries are women, some of whom are widely accepted as pioneers in the field such as Forugh Farrokhzad in Iran and Haifaa al-Mansour in Saudi-Arabia. The spotlight will be on film directors from three countries, Turkey, Egypt and Iran, but many other countries will also be discussed such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Saudi-Arabia, Tunis, Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania. The emphasis is on motion pictures such as thrillers, horror films, comedies, romance, drama and religious films, but with occasional references to documentaries and music videos (i.e. of Haifa Wehbe and Shams al-Aslami). Various influences from Western and Asian films on film makers from the Islamic part of the world will be explored as well as how these same directors have influenced other film makers all over the world. Finally, the question will be discussed to what extent it is possible to find similarities between the image of Muslims in Western films and in their own films. The focus throughout the course will be on the following film directors: Metin Erksam, Yilmaz Güney, Reha Erdem and Nuri Bilge Ceylan from Turkey, Henry Barakat and Youssef Chahine from Egypt and Masud Kimiai, Jafar Panahi, Abbas Kiarostami, Dariush Mehrjui, Asghar Farhadi, Tahmineh Milani and the Makhmalbaf family from Iran.

The media environment has shifted quickly, and streamers have revolutionized the distribution of film. Since 2015 or thereabouts film has been a misnomer as cinema has shed its material base in celluloid and physical media in general has seen a rapid decline. This class looks at various manifestations of this shift and its repercussions, especially in terms of distribution and access. The class will introduce the notion of alignment problems to articulate the manifold problems that now face viewers in terms of general access to films and the mediation of film history. These alignment problems will be discussed in terms of monopolistic tendencies that place the viewer at a disadvantage. We will look at cinephilia as a possible site of resistance and grapple with the notion that cinema has come to an end through theories of the post-cinematic. The class will also reflect on the status of the Icelandic cinematic heritage.

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

“The world of the heterosexual is a sick and boring life.”
– Female Trouble (John Waters, 1974)

The course will explore representations of queerness in 20th and 21st century cinema. The word queer refers to identities and behaviors that do not fit into the heterosexual norm, both of which have been met with censorship in mainstream films. The word also has political connotations—its meaning shifts in different social contexts and is always dependent on a time and place—and the course focuses in particular on filmmakers who undermine heteronormativity in their specific cultural context. Additionally, we will explore the different meanings of queerness and read classical queer theory, as well as recent texts that show the various developments within the queer studies.

Promoting the final installment of his Resident Evil series at a Comic Con panel, director Paul W. S. Anderson noted that, “This movie is made by people who genuinely adored the video game. No one would ever dream of adapting War and Peace without reading the book, but somehow people have the hubris to adapt a video game without having ever played it or knowing what the fans like about it.” Audiences of Anderson’s approach to the Resident Evil universe may have differing opinions on how “well” his works adapt Capcom’s original creation. Yet, one thing is clear: to transition from player to director, as in Anderson’s case, or a viewer offers an array of opportunities, such as exposure, accessibility, and creative additions, and dilemmas like lack of agency, environmental restrictions, and tasteless changes.

Since the dawn of the 1990s, film has pursued play to capture it in motion pictures. Building upon the ludic legacy of a certain mustachioed plumber, cinematic adaptations of video games have steadily increased in numbers. With a quick look over the ever-expanding list of game adaptations, especially live action, throughout the past three decades, the majority typically, not always, serve financially rather than faithfully or favorably. However, in recent years, game adaptations have begun to receive critical acclaim, a change that poses the questions: has Hollywood cracked the code, and what does this future hold for film and its gamic frontier? From painfully pictured pixels and guilty pleasures to dynamic and dedicated film adaptations of beloved ludic titles, this course will provide an overview of adaptation theory, affect theory, film criticism, and game theory to better understand the interplay of cinema and video games. This also includes looking at the way cinema has more subtly incorporated various “gamic” functions and features, and vice versa, how games have increasingly become more cinematic. We will also look into certain foundational precepts in the new academic discipline of game studies. Among works discussed in the class will be films like the recent French horror film MadS, and “classic” action titles such as Hardocre Henry and Gamer, in addition to Tron, Ready Player One and Edge of Tomorrow. In terms of adaptation we will be looking at works such as Arcane/League of Legends, Castlevania, Fallout, The Last of Us, Resident Evil, Super Mario Bros., and Until Dawn.

We will explore several corners of self-help culture and analyze them through the lens of literature and film. We will look at some of the leading influencers who have shaped the discourse surrounding self-help and self-improvement. Authors, leaders, and gurus such as Montaigne, Emerson, Joseph Campbell, Ram Dass, Eckhart Tolle, Walt Whitman, Oprah Winfrey, and Jane Austen will be introduced. Selected literary works and films will be examined in light of this path of improvement, as a route to discipline, and as a means to grow and to learn about oneself. We will read stories that engage with the transformative power and the value of narrative for a person’s spiritual journey or for working through difficult life experiences. Assessment will take place in the form of an in-class lecture and written assignments.  Among fictional writing are: Eat, Pray, Love, The Doors of Perception, Leaves of Grass, Hamlet, A Jane Austen Education. Among films are: Ben–Hur, 101 Reykjavík, Forrest Gump, Emma, Little Women, Barbie.

The course focuses on the fiction of Sjón, with emphasis on novels, poetry and cinema, based on the study Sjónsbók: Ævintýrið um höfundinn, súrrealisma og sýnir (2016) by Úlfhildur Dagsdóttir, and the essay collection Critical Approaches to Sjón : North of the Sun (2025). Theories of surrealism and the avant garde, narrative and cultural studies will be discussed.

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

Muslims are a quarter of the human population and the vast majority in many countries in North Africa, Middle East and South Asia. In many of those countires film making has been diverse and prosperous for a long time but in others it is still in its infancy. The film history of these various countries will be detailed and its main themes analysed in the context of their cultural historical background, religions, literatures, politics and academic theories and classifications within the fields of film and religious studies. It is particularly interesting to see how film makers in countries with strict censorship use various symbolic innovations to deliver their message of social criticism when dealing with sensitive issues such as social control, minority groups, social role of women, gender, homosexuality, child brides, polygamy, prostitution, suicides, honor killings, death penalty and different sharia interpretations and legislastions within Islam. Among the most respected film directors in these countries are women, some of whom are widely accepted as pioneers in the field such as Forugh Farrokhzad in Iran and Haifaa al-Mansour in Saudi-Arabia. The spotlight will be on film directors from three countries, Turkey, Egypt and Iran, but many other countries will also be discussed such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Saudi-Arabia, Tunis, Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania. The emphasis is on motion pictures such as thrillers, horror films, comedies, romance, drama and religious films, but with occasional references to documentaries and music videos (i.e. of Haifa Wehbe and Shams al-Aslami). Various influences from Western and Asian films on film makers from the Islamic part of the world will be explored as well as how these same directors have influenced other film makers all over the world. Finally, the question will be discussed to what extent it is possible to find similarities between the image of Muslims in Western films and in their own films. The focus throughout the course will be on the following film directors: Metin Erksam, Yilmaz Güney, Reha Erdem and Nuri Bilge Ceylan from Turkey, Henry Barakat and Youssef Chahine from Egypt and Masud Kimiai, Jafar Panahi, Abbas Kiarostami, Dariush Mehrjui, Asghar Farhadi, Tahmineh Milani and the Makhmalbaf family from Iran.

The media environment has shifted quickly, and streamers have revolutionized the distribution of film. Since 2015 or thereabouts film has been a misnomer as cinema has shed its material base in celluloid and physical media in general has seen a rapid decline. This class looks at various manifestations of this shift and its repercussions, especially in terms of distribution and access. The class will introduce the notion of alignment problems to articulate the manifold problems that now face viewers in terms of general access to films and the mediation of film history. These alignment problems will be discussed in terms of monopolistic tendencies that place the viewer at a disadvantage. We will look at cinephilia as a possible site of resistance and grapple with the notion that cinema has come to an end through theories of the post-cinematic. The class will also reflect on the status of the Icelandic cinematic heritage.

MA-thesis in Film Studies

In this course, MA students in Comparative literature, Cultural studies and Film studies prepare for their final thesis. The group meets every two weeks during the semester. In the first half of the semester, the focus is on selecting a thesis topic, determining and searching primary sources, formulating a research question and other questions about getting started with a final thesis. Students then turn their attention to the theoretical background for their work and its theoretical basis. This work also involves critical reflection on search methods and approaches to texts. The third part of the course is dedicated to student presentations and discussion, where students and instructors come together to discuss research proposals, give feedback and get constructive criticism. The final product of the course is a report with a research proposal, partial bibliography and commentary on thesis aims, theory and methods. Students are also required to write a working diary describing their preparation process and readings and explaining the relation of different texts to their work. Course evaluation is based on this working diary (20%), class presentation (25%) and final paper (55%).

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

A project is selected in consultation with a teacher, and that teacher must approve the student's research plans before she or he is permitted to register for a study of this kind.

“The world of the heterosexual is a sick and boring life.”
– Female Trouble (John Waters, 1974)

The course will explore representations of queerness in 20th and 21st century cinema. The word queer refers to identities and behaviors that do not fit into the heterosexual norm, both of which have been met with censorship in mainstream films. The word also has political connotations—its meaning shifts in different social contexts and is always dependent on a time and place—and the course focuses in particular on filmmakers who undermine heteronormativity in their specific cultural context. Additionally, we will explore the different meanings of queerness and read classical queer theory, as well as recent texts that show the various developments within the queer studies.

Promoting the final installment of his Resident Evil series at a Comic Con panel, director Paul W. S. Anderson noted that, “This movie is made by people who genuinely adored the video game. No one would ever dream of adapting War and Peace without reading the book, but somehow people have the hubris to adapt a video game without having ever played it or knowing what the fans like about it.” Audiences of Anderson’s approach to the Resident Evil universe may have differing opinions on how “well” his works adapt Capcom’s original creation. Yet, one thing is clear: to transition from player to director, as in Anderson’s case, or a viewer offers an array of opportunities, such as exposure, accessibility, and creative additions, and dilemmas like lack of agency, environmental restrictions, and tasteless changes.

Since the dawn of the 1990s, film has pursued play to capture it in motion pictures. Building upon the ludic legacy of a certain mustachioed plumber, cinematic adaptations of video games have steadily increased in numbers. With a quick look over the ever-expanding list of game adaptations, especially live action, throughout the past three decades, the majority typically, not always, serve financially rather than faithfully or favorably. However, in recent years, game adaptations have begun to receive critical acclaim, a change that poses the questions: has Hollywood cracked the code, and what does this future hold for film and its gamic frontier? From painfully pictured pixels and guilty pleasures to dynamic and dedicated film adaptations of beloved ludic titles, this course will provide an overview of adaptation theory, affect theory, film criticism, and game theory to better understand the interplay of cinema and video games. This also includes looking at the way cinema has more subtly incorporated various “gamic” functions and features, and vice versa, how games have increasingly become more cinematic. We will also look into certain foundational precepts in the new academic discipline of game studies. Among works discussed in the class will be films like the recent French horror film MadS, and “classic” action titles such as Hardocre Henry and Gamer, in addition to Tron, Ready Player One and Edge of Tomorrow. In terms of adaptation we will be looking at works such as Arcane/League of Legends, Castlevania, Fallout, The Last of Us, Resident Evil, Super Mario Bros., and Until Dawn.

We will explore several corners of self-help culture and analyze them through the lens of literature and film. We will look at some of the leading influencers who have shaped the discourse surrounding self-help and self-improvement. Authors, leaders, and gurus such as Montaigne, Emerson, Joseph Campbell, Ram Dass, Eckhart Tolle, Walt Whitman, Oprah Winfrey, and Jane Austen will be introduced. Selected literary works and films will be examined in light of this path of improvement, as a route to discipline, and as a means to grow and to learn about oneself. We will read stories that engage with the transformative power and the value of narrative for a person’s spiritual journey or for working through difficult life experiences. Assessment will take place in the form of an in-class lecture and written assignments.  Among fictional writing are: Eat, Pray, Love, The Doors of Perception, Leaves of Grass, Hamlet, A Jane Austen Education. Among films are: Ben–Hur, 101 Reykjavík, Forrest Gump, Emma, Little Women, Barbie.

The course focuses on the fiction of Sjón, with emphasis on novels, poetry and cinema, based on the study Sjónsbók: Ævintýrið um höfundinn, súrrealisma og sýnir (2016) by Úlfhildur Dagsdóttir, and the essay collection Critical Approaches to Sjón : North of the Sun (2025). Theories of surrealism and the avant garde, narrative and cultural studies will be discussed.

MA-thesis in Film Studies

Vikings are one of the most recognisable group of people from the past. Often seen as crazed berserker, with horned helmets, battle axes raised and ready, beautiful long hair billowing in the wind, they are thought of jumping out of longboats, running up the shore towards an unexpecting populace. This image crosses cultural barriers: Viking re-enactment societies exist in places with no actual Viking history. People proudly declare themselves Vikings as part of their identity and way of life. There is Viking metal, beers, foods, restaurants, and comic books. A further demonstration of the endurance of the Viking myth is the silver screen: The first Viking film came out in 1907 and are produced to this day. This, in turn, influences the use of Vikings in other areas, including the tourism sector, museum exhibitions, music industry, food and drink production and the video game industry.

This course introduces the various uses of Vikings in society, starting with tracing the history of the modern, popular culture Vikings back to Victorian times, all the way to Iceland during, and after the economic crash 2008-2011. Students will be shown the various uses of Vikings in the cultural sector, discussing the good, the bad and the ugly sides of the Viking imagery and its uses in the present and past. Next, they will gain an insight into Vikings in films related to the image of Iceland. This raises the question: in which films do Vikings appear, and how are they portrayed? The aim is to provide a comprehensive overview of the history of Viking representations in Icelandic cinema, exploring how they have been depicted by Icelandic filmmakers as well as by international directors who have chosen to make films about and/or set in Iceland. Finally, Vikings in video games are explored, introducing how Old Norse literature migrates into gaming, and how the image of Vikings has altered and expanded within the gaming sphere.

 Learning Outcomes: Students – gain knowledge of the history of vikings as mediated through cultural artifacts and images – get a comprehensive overview of the mediation of the Viking image in the 20th century – are able to analyze and discuss the most prominent mediation practices and traditions in the 20th century – can analyze and situate historically the various mediated representations of vikings in contemporary culture.

This course explores the representation of “otherness” and “subalternity” in Latin American cinema.

The main objective of the course is to introduce students to the cinematic productions of this heterogeneous region in order to understand its diversity as complexity, and to reflect on the power relations and the social and cultural dynamics that shape it. Throughout the course, decolonial and identity-based perspectives are incorporated as key tools to analyze how these themes intersect with mechanisms of social discrimination and the representations of marginalized and subaltern groups. After a brief theoretical introduction in which we will explore the selected perspectives, we will apply this framework to a selection of films to examine how these mechanisms operate. In addition to film screenings, students are required to read theoretical and analytical texts to contextualize the sociohistorical background and related issues.

Alongside the general bibliography attached to the syllabus, additional material, specific readings, and guiding questions will be provided throughout the course for each session. These materials will be published in the corresponding Canvas modules.

While the course will be conducted in Spanish, students may be allowed to submit assignments in English depending on individual circumstances and prior arrangement with the instructor.

The course discusses the philosophical and theoretical foundations of gender studies, and the critical and interdisciplinary content of the field. The representation and meaning of sex and gender in language, culture, history, science, and society is explored. The analytical perspective of the field is presented, as is its relationship with methodology. Students are trained in applying theoretical concepts and methods independently and critically.