If I am going to make my students do it...

I am experimenting. I have decided that in lieu of carrying around stacks of papers that kill my shoulders that I am going to get my students to create individual blogs of their media consumption for one quarter. They are going to start an archive of their perceptions of issues of gender, race, and class in cinema history. This experiment is partially due to the fact that I am having issues finding a textbook that specifically addresses issues of gender, race, and class in cinema history. There are books out there that address these issues contemporarily, but not in a historical context and not with the same breadth that general intro to cinema history books do. I also need one that covers American as well as international works, throws in a little documentary, and experimental film and doesn't cost over $50. While typing all that out I realize that my requests are probably an impossibility. However, I would love it if others had ideas and would like to chime in with suggestions. In the meantime, I figure, I will just make my own "text" and then, next quarter, allow my students to chime in with their thoughts as well.