In the introduction to "Teen Movies: American Youth on Screen" (2005), Timothy Shary writes that “teen films hold a special place in the hearts of almost all moviegoers, since we have fond and frustrating memories of the films that spoke to us in our adolescence. […] Teen films, like successive generations of teenagers themselves, have grown up and changed with the times, testing their boundaries, exploring their potential and seeking new identities” (3).

These observations speak to the ambiguous nature of American teen film, pointing towards many viewers’ love-hate relationships with the genre as well as its seeming omnipresence in movie theaters and home cinemas alike. Shary’s ideas also raise questions about the significances of the textual representations of youth cultures and how they relate to the complexities of contemporary pop culture at large. What does the term “teen” mean beyond a timespan in every person’s life? Is teen film for, by, or about teens? How is the process of coming-of-age on screen connected to questions of race, class, gender, sexuality, and other identity categories, i.e., in how far does teen film account for and raise awareness of the social diversity of the United States? In how far does teen film enforce or critique experiences surrounding bullying, discrimination, or shaming—especially with regard to Black, queer, plus-sized, or disabled teens—and why are such storylines so common in the genre? And lastly, why does this genre continue to gain such widespread attention and popularity?

In this class, we will discuss a variety of American teen films (e.g. romance, horror, dystopia, comedy) to find potential answers to these and other questions relating to the on-screen representation of adolescence and coming-of-age. Students will be made familiar with the central tenets of American studies, film studies, and teen studies in order to understand the terminology and academic debates at the core of these disciplines before applying them in various written and spoken tasks.

These tasks will be completed portfolio-style. Students are asked to complete 3 mandatory portfolio tasks this semester: (1) a short written essay, (2) a presentation proposal, and (3) the main assignment of the semester, a short presentation (based on the proposal) during a 2-day student conference at the end of the semester (presumably July 28/29, held at U of Passau). An accompanying handout will serve as written documentation of the presentation and will have to be handed in after the conference.

IMPORTANT - Please note the following:

1) There will be no written final paper ( “Hausarbeit”) in this class; writing practice will be covered with the short essay alone.
2) Attendance of the 2-day conference is mandatory. Please only register for this class if you are able to participate on the given dates.
3) This class will rely heavily on active student participation, i.e., discussion. Please be prepared to read all required texts and watch all assigned films in order to be able to partake in and benefit from the exchange with your colleagues.
4) All required films for this class will be available on Netflix, so please have a running subscription by the time the semester starts.
5) The selection of films we will discuss in this class is still to be determined. A syllabus and schedule detailing the requirements for this class, including required reading and watching assignments as well as portfolio tasks, will be uploaded soon.

I look forward to a fruitful class!