Teaching Mexican American experiences through film: Private issues and public problems

This article focuses on the use of feature films as a pedagogical tool in s ociology classes. Sociological and cinematic representations are used to co ntribute to an understanding of the Mexican American experience. An interpr etive procedure, or hermeneutics, is used as a methodology that provides an encounter between the student's experience, film, and social science texts . As well, the Millsian relation between personal problems and social issue s are developed within the context of the material. The cinematic construct ion of reality is analyzed as the effect of the constraints of the Hollywoo d production system, and the operation of ideology, including representatio ns of ethnicity and gender.