Week 8 Discussion Guide: Thursday

        What are the theses argued by Harmetz and Robertson, and how scholarly are they?  Look at their use of primary source evidence, reference to other scholars, citation of sources, etc. How would you compare them as scholars?  In class, we will discuss Casablanca and the use of secondary sources, especially these two views of the film's creation. How do Robertson and Harmetz view the film's use of dramatic conventions, type-characters, and audience expectations?  How do they describe the film's illusory views of reality and the real current political situation in which it appealed to its audience?  How do they explain the plot's possible conclusions, the process by which the final version appeared, and what factors brought it about?  Look at the dates of their work—what might more recent scholarship on the film debate about this film and what kinds of theoretical or cultural issues might drive the debate? 

        This web page collects some important information about their disagreement regarding the film's creation and its significance for our interpretation of the actors' performances.   It also has links to a page containing important principles for resolving disagreements among your best sources.  For various reasons, scholars do tend to disagree at various points, while holding a large "centering" set of agreements which keep them within the same discipline.  In upper division study, one of the most important tests you will be assigned is the evaluation and attempted resolution of such scholarly disputes.  That, in turn, is the gateway to the most commonplace activity in graduate studies in many disciplines.