Masters Theses

Date of Award

8-2025

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Major

Sociology

Major Professor

Bill McClanahan

Committee Members

Lois Presser, Robert E. Jones

Abstract

In this thesis, I examine how documentary film may serve as an effective tool for galvanizing attention to environmental harm. Here, I focus on the documentary Fallout (2023), produced by Alyssa Carpenter, which highlights three individuals experiencing illnesses potentially linked to toxic exposures from open burning at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in Southwest Virginia. Using slow violence as my primary theoretical framework, and literature on the use of social cinema and eco-documentaries, I explore how environmental documentaries can make visible the often-invisible impacts of environmental contamination and galvanize attention toward slow violence.

For this study, I employed mixed qualitative methods, including a content analysis of Fallout and focus group discussions with nine participants who viewed the film. Coding and analysis of the focus group responses revealed two complementary dimensions through which the documentary effectively communicates environmental harm. First, the film depicts how toxic exposure disrupts deep connections to place and creates profound experiences of loss, providing emotional entry points for viewers. Second, the documentary employs specific sensory techniques —including strategic sound design, visual imagery, and temporal manipulation— that make slow violence tangible and immediate.

Responses from focus group participants suggest these documentary approaches can help translate slow violence into visceral, relatable experiences. Participants consistently connected the film’s content to environmental threats in their communities and expressed both emotional engagement and increased concern about environmental issues. By examining both the documentary’s content and techniques alongside audience responses, this study revealed how documentary films such as Fallout can help make slow violence visible and meaningful to audiences who might otherwise remain disconnected and unaware of lesser-known environmental harms.

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