< Introduction to Sociology

The following are videos - including fiction movies, non-fiction documentaries and recorded lectures - examining topics in the field of sociology.

TitleDescriptionYearTypeTopicOnline
A Class Divideddocuments Jane Elliott's classroom experiment illustrating discrimination using eye colors1985non-FictionDiscriminationYes
A Dry White SeasonSouth African apartheid1989FictionRace
A map of social theories, 1000-2000 by Alan Macfarlanerecorded lecture on social theories. Lecture 1 in a series of 9.2007LectureTheoryYes
A Passage to IndiaIndian independence from Great Britain and ethnic relations1984FictionEthnicity
A Raisin in the Sundepicts a black family trying to move out of their run-down tenement apartment and into a white neighborhood1961FictionRace
A World ApartSouth African apartheid1988FictionRace
Adam Smith (1733-1790), by Alan Macfarlanerecorded lecture on Smith. Lecture 3 in a series of 9.2007LectureTheoryYes
Alamo Baya despondent Vietnam veteran in danger of losing his livelihood is pushed to the edge when he sees Vietnamese immigrants moving into the fishing industry in a Texas bay town1985FictionEthnicity
Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1850), by Alan Macfarlanerecorded lecture on de Tocqueville. Lecture 4 in a series of 9.2007LectureTheoryYes
Al Qaeda's new frontFRONTLINE documentary on Al Qaeda's evolution: Madrid bombings, ideological base, transatlantic differences. Divided into 4 sections; approx. 1h total?non-Fictionterrorism, Al QaedaYes
Amar Te Duelea variation of the Romeo and Juliet theme with the twist of social class differences between the families2002FictionEconomic Stratification
American History Xracism in the U.S.1998FictionRace
An Inconvenient Truthan American documentary film about global warming by Al Gore.2006Non-FictionEcology
Angels & Insectsmovie about incest and the incest taboo1996FictionSexuality
Avalon (1990 film)tells the story of a family of Eastern European Jews who immigrate to the United States1990FictionMigration
Bad Day at Black Rockillustrates racism and discrimination in a small town in the U.S. post WWII1954FictionRace
The Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755), by Alan Macfarlanerecorded lecture on de Montesquieu. Lecture 2 in a series of 9.2007LectureTheoryYes
Black Like Medescribes Griffin's a six-week experience of a white man disguised as a black man traveling throughout the racially segregated states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia in the 1950s1964FictionRace
The Blonde and Ia short film illustrating the basic concepts of Durkheim's "Suicide"2009FictionTheoryYes & Yes
Blue Eyeddocuments Jane Elliott's classroom experiment illustrating discrimination using eye colors1996non-FictionDiscrimination
Bopha!depicts the life of a black police officer in South Africa during the apartheid era1994FictionRace
Born Yesterdaytells the story of a corrupt tycoon with a underclass girlfriend who requires re-education to be a member of the upper class1958FictionEconomic Stratification
Boys Don’t Crybased on the true story of a young transman who was raped and murdered in 1993 by his male friends after they found out he had female genitalia1999FictionSexuality
Braveheartethnic discrimination and stratification1995FictionEthnicity
Bread and Rosesdeals with the struggle of poorly paid janitorial workers in Los Angeles and their fight for better working conditions and the right to unionize2000FictionUnionizing
Brokeback Mountaintells the story of two gay cowboys who hide their relationship because it is not accepted by those around them2005FictionSexuality
Come Back, Africatells the story of a migrant worker in apartheid South Africa who does not have a work permit and as such is open to exploitation, arbitrary dismissal and sudden arrest1959FictionRace
Come See the Paradisedepicts the treatment of U.S. citizens of Japanese descent following the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the subsequent loss of civil liberties within the framework of a love story1990FictionEthnicity
Conrackfollows a young teacher assigned to an isolated island off the coast of South Carolina populated mostly by poor black families who have been isolated from the rest of the world1974FictionRace
Country Boysfollows two young men in rural Kentucky in the early 2000s growing up with serious disadvantages, both educationally and financially2002Non-FictionEconomic StratificationYes
Cry, the Beloved CountrySouth African apartheid and race relations1951FictionRace
Cry, the Beloved CountrySouth African apartheid and race relations1995FictionRace
Cry Freedomdepicts a charismatic South African Black Consciousness Movement leader in apartheid South Africa and the liberal white editor of a newspaper who exposes police complicity in the death of the movement leader1987FictionRace
Darwin's Nightmaredocuments the exploitation of fishing resources in Africa by European businesses and consumers2004non-FictionGlobalization
Defiant Ones, Thetells the story of two escaped prisoners who are shackled together, one white and one black, who must co-operate in order to survive1958FictionRace
Diary of Anne Frank, Thea motion picture based on the book The Diary of a Young Girl describing the life of Anne Frank while in hiding for two years with her family during the Nazi occupation of The Netherlands1959FictionEthnicity
Digital NomadsThe results of an experiment to share the experiences of people devoted to endless digital communication are presented as online videos by The Economist. Two vidoes: Jonathan Schwartz - 05:25; Jan Chipchase - 09:182008Non-FictionCommunication, InternetYes
Dirty Pretty Thingsdepicts the lives of two illegal immigrants in the U.K.2003FictionMigration
Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, TheThe film is about a group of upper middle-class people attempting to dine together1973FictionEconomic Stratification
Do the Right ThingThe film tells a tale of bigotry and racial conflict in a multi-ethnic community in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, on the hottest day of the year1989FictionRace
Double Happinesstells the story of an artistic young woman struggling to assert her independence from the expectations of her Chinese Canadian family1994FictionGender
Educating Ritaan English working-class girl wants to better herself by studying literature1983FictionEconomic Stratification
Emile Durkheim (1858-1917), by Alan Macfarlanerecorded lecture on Durkheim. Lecture 6 in a series of 9.2007LectureTheoryYes
El Nortedepicts Guatemalan peasants and migrants1983FictionMigration
El Superlooks at life in the U.S. from the perspective of frustrated Cuban exiles1978FictionMigration
Emigrants, Thetells the story of a Swedish group who emigrate to the U.S. in the 19th century1971FictionMigration
Ernest Gellner (1925-1995), by Alan Macfarlanerecorded lecture on Gellner. Lecture 8 in a series of 9.2007LectureTheoryYes
Ethnic Notionstraces deep-rooted stereotypes which have fueled anti-black prejudice1988non-FictionRace
Europa EuropaAntisemitism in Germany1990FictionEthnicity
Far From Heaventells the story of a 1950s housewife living in suburban Hartford as she sees her seemingly perfect life begin to fall apart; deals with complex contemporary issues such as race, sexuality, and class2002FictionSexuality
F.W. Maitland (1850-1906), by Alan Macfarlanerecorded lecture on Maitland. Lecture 9 in a series of 9.2007LectureTheoryYes
Gaijin - Os Caminhos da Liberdadedepicts the struggles of Japanese immigrants who traveled to and settled in Brazil looking for a better life1980FictionMigration
Gandhinon-violent social activism, religion, ethnic relations1982non-FictionSocial Movements
Garden of the Finzi-Continis, Thechronicles the relationships between the narrator, an Italian Jew, and the children of the Finzi-Contini family from the rise of Mussolini until the start of World War II1970FictionEthnicity
Gentleman’s Agreementdescribes the efforts of a journalist who falsely represents himself as a Jew to research antisemitism in New York City in the 1940s1947FictionEthnicity
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinnertells the story of an upper class white woman who becomes engaged to a black doctor then brings him home to meet her parents1967FictionRace
Hester StreetHester Street tells the story of Jewish immigrants who come to the Lower East side of New York City in 1896 from Europe1975FictionMigration
High Hopespro-socialism in the U.K.1988FictionEconomic Systems
Hollywood Shuffledepicts the stereotyping of African Americans in both film and television1987FictionRace
Home of the BraveA paralyzed African-American war veteran begins to walk again only when he confronts his fear of being an "outsider" and minority1949FictionRace
Holy Innocentspoverty in Spain in the 1960s1984FictionEconomic Stratification
How Tasty Was My Little Frenchmantells the story of a Frenchman captured by Brazilian natives who adopt him but constantly threaten to eat him1971FictionCulture
Intruder in the Dustdeals with the trial of a black farmer accused of murdering a white man in the 1940s; he is cleared through the efforts of black and white teenagers and a spinster from a long-established southern family1949FictionRace
Is Wal-Mart Good for America?Documentary on Wal-Mart2005Non-FictionEconomyYes
Jungle Fevercenters on the interracial romance between a successful married African American architect and an Italian-American woman1991FictionRace
Karl Marx (1818-1883), by Alan Macfarlanerecorded lecture on Marx. Lecture 5 in a series of 9.2007LectureTheoryYes
Killing Us Softly 3, by Jean KilbourneA documentary about advertising's image of women. Studyguide. 35m1999Non-fictionGenderYes
Live Nude Girls Unite!documents the efforts of strippers in San Francisco to unionize2000non-FictionUnionizingYes
Losing Isaiahblack motherhood, custody issues, and drug addiction1995FictionRace
Mandeladocumentary of the life of Nelson Mandela1987non-FictionRace
Max Weber (1864-1920), by Alan Macfarlanerecorded lecture on Weber. Lecture 7 in a series of 9.2007LectureTheoryYes
McLibeldocuments the McDonald's Restaurants v Morris & Steel case in the U.K.2005non-FictionCorporations
Metropolitanhaute bourgeoisie culture of New York City1990FictionEconomic Stratification
Mission, Thedepicts the Jesuit Reductions, a programme by which Jesuit missionaries set up missions independent of the Spanish state to teach Christianity to the natives1986FictionCulture
Mississippi Burningracism in the U.S.1988FictionRace
Mississippi Masalainter-racial and inter-ethnic marriage as well as cultural diversity1991FictionRace
Moscow on the Hudsondepicts a Russian circus musician who defects from the Soviet Union while on a visit to the United States and finds that living in America isn't as easy as he thought1984FictionPolitics
My Beautiful Laundretteethnic relations in London1985FictionEthnicity
My Family/Mi Familiatracks three generations of a Mexican-American family that emigrated from Mexico and settled in East Los Angeles1995FictionMigration
No Way Outdepicts an African American doctor tending to slum residents whose ethics are put to the test when confronted with blind racism in patients and community members1950FictionRace
Nothing But a Manrace relations in the U.S. in the 1960s1964FictionRace
PantherBlack Panthers in the U.S.1995FictionRace
Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less, TheBarry Schwartz is a sociology professor at Swarthmore College and author of The Paradox of Choice. In this talk, he explains how and why the abundance of choice in modern society is actually making us miserable (20m)2008lectureYes
Philadelphiatells the story of a Senior Associate at a large corporate law firm in Philadelphia who attempts to hides his homosexuality and his status as an AIDS patient from the other members of the law firm1993FictionSexuality
Pygmaliontells the story of Cockney flower girl becoming a refined society lady as a result of a bet1938FictionEconomic Stratification
Quilombodepicts the conquest of a Brazilian tribe1983FictionEthnicity
Rabbit-Proof Fencetells the story of two young, mixed-race Aboriginal girls who run away from a white settlement in order to return to their Aboriginal families2002FictionEthnicity
Race and Sex - What We Think But Can't SayA documentary on stereotypes, particularly related to race and gender. ABCNews production?2002Non-FictionGender and Race
Room at the Topreflects social class issues in the U.K. in the 1950s1958FictionEconomic Stratification
Rootstells the story of a young African sold into slavery in the 1700s in the U.S.1977FictionRace
Roots: The Next Generationcontinues the story of the African slave in Roots to his eventual descendant, Alex Haley1979FictionRace
Rules of the Game, Thesatire of the French upper classes prior to WWII1939FictionEconomic Stratification
Salaam Bombay!kids in poverty in Mumbai1988FictionEconomic Stratification
Sammy and Rosie Get Laidpoverty and homelessness in the U.K.; also deals with ethnicity and sexuality1987FictionEconomic Stratification
Schindler’s Listtells the story of Oskar Schindler a German businessman who saved the lives of over one thousand Polish Jews during the Holocaust1993FictionEthnicity
Secrets & Liesrace issues in the U.K.1996FictionRace
Shaka Zulutells the story of Shaka, king of the Zulu nation from 1816 to 18281986FictionCulture
The Social Construction of Realitya short film illustrating some of the ideas in Berger and Luckmann's "The Social Construction of Reality2009FictionTheoryYes & Yes
Stand and Delivereducation in predominantly minority schools1988FictionEducation
Swimmer, Thethematic exploration of suburban America, especially the relationship between wealth and happiness1968FictionEconomic Stratification
The Way We Live: Introduction to SociologyAdvertised as "a comprehensive introduction to Sociology on 22 half-hour videos".?non-FictionEconomy (and other offline)Partial: Chapter 14 - 14. Working World: The Economy and Work
The Tank ManFRONTLINE documentary on the Tiananmen Square Massacre, The Tankman, information control in China and so on. Divided into 6 sections; approx. 1h40m total?non-FictionChina, repressions, resistance, informationYes (RM stream may be broken, switch to WMP stream)
The Soldier's HeartFRONTLINE documentary on the psychological impact of warfare, based on the modern War in Iraq. Divided into 4 sections; approx. 45m total?non-Fictionpsychological breakdown, impact of warfare, War in IraqYes
To Kill a Mockingbirdtells the story of the trial of a black man on trial in the South for rape1962FictionRace
Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep Northtells the story of filmmaker Katrina Browne and nine cousins who discover that their New England ancestors were the largest slave-trading family in U.S. history. They retrace the Triangle Trade and gain a powerful new perspective on the black/white divide.2008non-FictionRace
Trading Placessocial class in the U.S.1983FictionEconomic Stratification
Up Seriesdocuments the lives of a dozen or so children over the course of nearly 50 years in the U.K. to illustrate the effects of social class on life outcomes1964-2000non-FictionEconomic Stratification
Wedding, Theinterracial marriage in the U.S.1998FictionRace
Wedding Banquet, Thetells the story of a gay Taiwanese immigrant man who marries a mainland Chinese woman to placate his parents and get her a green card; his plan backfires when his parents arrive in America to plan his wedding banquet1993FictionSexuality
White Man’s Burdenrace in the U.S.1995FictionRace
Zebraheaddescribes an interracial romance between a white man and a black woman and the resulting tensions among the characters1992FictionRace

A new website with video clips in Sociology, The Sociological Cinema, has some video clips available as well: http://www.thesociologicalcinema.com/index.html

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