Moonlight in Miami: The Split Sociopolitical Reality of South Florida As Told By Barry Jenkins

Authors

  • Kevin J Greene

Keywords:

Film, Postmodernism, Sociology, Urbanism

Abstract

Abstract: This paper seeks to explore the sociopolitical implications and reflections of the 2016 film Moonlight. By looking at the film with these considerations, and by contextualizing themes and moments from the film with contemporary scholarship and social data, I hope to garner a clearer look both at the film and the city it takes place in—Miami. As sociological literature from the past 30-odd years suggests, Miami has often been the site both of tense racial relations, as well as progressive ideals in the face of mass migration of which Miami has been a key site and apparent model of inclusivity. While this research indicates one sort of social history in Miami, Moonlight provides an additional perspective, from a marginal standpoint that has often been overlooked by academic research. By taking both of these perspectives into account, this paper hopes to illuminate how Miami as the progressive city of the future has so far failed to live up to these expectations, while also illustrating that such expectations are still within the realm of possibility.

Downloads

Published

2020-09-30

Issue

Vol. 8 (2020): Crisis: Predicament and Potential

Section

Articles

License

It is the aim of the journal to promote the free circulation of research and to make all our publications viewable online via the Aigne website. Aigne maintains the first right of publication before reverting the copyright back to the authors.

Publications are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work for non-commercial purposes, without modifying the original work, and with an acknowledgement of the work’s authorship and initial publication in this journal.

Authors may enter into additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal’s published version of the work (e.g. post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book) provided that its initial publication in Aigne is acknowledged.