Gender, Sexuality, and Race in Popular Culture

Gender, Sexuality, and Race in Popular Culture

Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies 2230

Fall Semester 2012

Class meetings: MWF, 3:00-3:55 pm, University Hall 147

Instructor: Jacqueline Stotlar

Email:

Office: 30 Dulles Hall

Office Hours: By appointment

Accommodation of Students with Disabilities:

Students who have verification from Disability Services are responsible for contacting the instructor as soon as possible. The Office for Disability Services is located in 150 Pomerene Hall, verifies the need for accommodations and assists in the development of accommodation strategies. Contact the ODS at 614.292.3307, TDD 614.292.0901,

Required Text:

All readingsfor the course will be made available on Carmen. When applicable, there will be links to relevant media posted to Carmen as well. As such, please check Carmen before every class period.

Course Description:

This course explores how popular culture generates and articulates our understandings of gender and sexuality and their intersections with race and class. We will study a variety of theories and methods used in contemporary gender/sexual scholarship on popular culture, and we will examine a number of popular media texts.

This course is based on the premise that popular culture is never simply diversion or entertainment. Instead, pop culture provides us with the stories, images, and scripts that enable us to imagine and practice femininities, masculinities, and sexualities. These images and practices, in turn, are imbued with class and racial values and characteristics. The sex and gender norms generated by popular culture are evident in the clothes we buy, the “looks” we aspire to, and the ways we think of love and romance. We absorb these norms from the ads we see, the movies/television we watch, and the celebrity stories we see on the news. This course enables us to do critical thinking about these images, practices, and stories. The point is to enable students to do this thinking on their own.

Fulfillment of GEC requirement:

This course fulfills the GEC requirement for Arts and Literature: Visual/Performing Arts. At the completion of WGSS 2230, students should be able to

• Understand the basic concepts of major critical theories used in studies of popular culture
• Make practical applications of these theories to popular texts
• Critically analyze popular texts through close attention to structure, imagery, and generic components
• Locate, through the above, the text’s treatment of issues of gender, sexuality, and race

How to succeed in this course:

In order to do well on the papers and exams, you should:

• Print out the essays from Carmen and be prepared to discuss the readings in class.
• Bring relevant readings to class every day.
• Print powerpoint presentations before class to use them as a guideline for your notes. Powerpoints will be available by 11 pm the night before class.
• Take notes during class.
• Pay attention during media presentations. We’ll be analyzing multiple media sources throughout the term, some of which you may have seen before. It is still very important that you are in attendance and alert during media presentations.

Course Requirements & Grade Breakdown:

The course will be graded on a point scale, with a maximum possibility of 1000 points. Each assignment will be worth a set number of points determined by the percentage of points assigned to thegrade breakdown.

Don’t want to take the final exam? You don’t have to! There are two “paths” you can take to complete the coursework for the class. The first path is the traditional path, which includes a midterm and final exam, two papers and a final project. The other path requires you to participate in a semester long blog project, which replaces all assignments apart from the midterm. The grade breakdown for the different paths is listed below.

Path 1 Grade Breakdown:

Participation (10%)

Midterm (20%)

Methods of Analysis (30%)

Final Project (15%)

Final Exam (25%)

Path 2 Grade Breakdown:

Participation (10%)

Midterm (20%)

Tumblr Project (70%)

You will be responsible for selecting your “path” by the end of Week 2. Once you select a path you cannot change your mind.

Information about the path components is as follows:

Class Participation (100 points available; 10% of final grade): Come to class prepared with questions and comments on the assigned reading. You are encouraged to take an active role in classroom discussions by bringing relevant questions, concerns, and experiences to the classroom. Points will be awarded based on merit of participation and attendance. You are given two “free” absences. For these two, it doesn’t matter why you cannot attend. Students who have more than two absences will lose 10 points for each additional unexcused absence.

The instructor reserves the right to assign pop quizzes that will affect your participation grade. If you miss a pop quiz, you will not be permitted to make it up.

Note: “Attendance” means being fully present for the whole class, not a portion. You are responsible for making sure that you sign the attendance sheet for every class. If you are more than 10 minutes late, you will be counted as absent.

Midterm (200 points available; 20% of final grade): The midterm will cover Power-Points/lectures, screenings, readings, and class discussions. Itmay consist of multiple-choice questions, matching and short answer. Questions will cover terms, theories, and examples discussed in class. Make-ups will only be granted in the case of a documented emergency.

Methods of Analysis (150 points each; 30% of final grade): These papers are your opportunity to apply the analytical skills and theoretical approaches we have learned throughout the semester. Feel free to discuss with me any questions/ concerns/ ideas for these papers before they are due. Paper guidelines will also be posted on Carmen. Each paper should be 3-4 (full) pages. Late papers will have their final grade reduced by ten percent for each day it is late (e.g. 2 days late will result in a 20% reduction). I am happy to discuss requests for extensions before the paper is due. Guidelines for papers will be distributed at a later date.

Final Project (150 points; 15% of final grade): Each student will be part of a group, which will be responsible for creating a multimedia project further exploring one unit of the class. Guidelines will be distributed at a later date.

Final Exam (250 points; 25% of final grade):The final exam will cover Power-Points/lectures, screenings, readings, and class discussions primarily from the second half of the term. Itmay consist of multiple-choice questions, matching, short answer and essay questions. Questions will cover terms, theories, and examples discussed in class. Make-ups will only be granted in the case of a documented emergency.

Tumblr Project (700 points; 70% of final grade):If you wish to bypass the essays, final project, and final exam, you may participate in this semester long blog project. You will be required to create a Tumblr blog specifically for this class and make academic posts on every unit of study for every week of class, beginning at the start of week 3. Your blog grade will be determined on number and quality of original posts, quality and number of relevant reblogged posts, quality and number of analytical comments on reblogged or posted material and comprehension of course concepts as exemplified by blog posts. More information on the Tumblr Project will be distributed week 2.

Extra Credit: Throughout the quarter, I will announce various events occurring around campus/ Columbus. You may attend one of these events and turn in a short write-up (1 -2 pages) within one week of attending connecting the event with our course material. The amount of extra credit for each event may vary, but I will announce the amount of credit at the time of the event announcement.

OSU Grading scale

94-100% A

90-93% A-

87-89% B+

83-86% B

80-82% B-

77-79% C+

73-76% C

70-72% C-

67-69% D+

63-66% D

60-62% D-

Below 59%F

House Rules:

• Abide by the discussion rules we will construct together
• No cell phones, either silence them or turn them off
• No e-mail or internet usage during class
• I am going to allow you to bring in your devices, such as tablets and laptops, in order to view the readings. If you are caught browsing the internet or using email, your final grade will be docked, regardless of attendance or other grade standing.

Plagiarism:

As defined by University Rule 3335-31-02, plagiarism is “the representation of another’s works or ideas as one’s own; it includes the unacknowledged word for word use and/or paraphrasing of another person’s work, and/or the inappropriate unacknowledged use of another person’s ideas.”Plagiarism is one of the most serious offenses that can be committed in an academic community; as such, it is the obligation of this department and its instructors to report all cases of suspected plagiarism to the Committee on Academic Misconduct. After the report is filed, a hearing takes place and if the student is found guilty, the possible punishment ranges from failing the class to suspension or expulsion from the university. Although the existence of the Internet makes it relatively easy to plagiarize, it also makes it even easier for instructors to find evidence of plagiarism. It is obvious to most teachers when a student turns in work that is not his or her own and plagiarism search engines make documenting the offense very simple.
Always cite your sources. Always ask questions beforeyou turn in an assignment if you are uncertain about what constitutes plagiarism. Always see your instructor if you are having difficulty with an assignment. To preserve the integrity of OSU as an institution of higher learning, to maintain your own integrity, and to avoid jeopardizing your future, do not plagiarize.

Academic Misconduct:

It is the responsibility of the Committee on Academic Misconduct to investigate or establish procedures for the investigation of all reported cases of student academic misconduct. The term “academic misconduct” includes all forms of student academic misconduct wherever committed; illustrated by, but not limited to cases of plagiarism and dishonest practices in connection with examinations. Instructors shall report all instances of alleged academic misconduct to the committee (Faculty Rule 3335-5-487). For additional information, see the Code of Student Conduct:

Questions or Concerns:

Please feel free to e-mail me or speak with me individually if you have questions about the material, or if you have personal concerns that will affect your class performance. I am happy to arrange appointments to discuss issues at greater length.

Fall 2012 Course Schedule

The instructor reserves the right to make changes to the schedule at any time.

Unit 1: Theories of Popular Culture

Week 1

8/22 (W): No Class

8/24 (F): Screening of Miss Representation

[Regular instructor will not be present; attendance still required]

Week 2

8/27 (M): Finish screening Miss Representation, Course Introduction

• Discuss syllabus and course requirements

8/29 (W): Why Study Popular Culture?

• Smith, “It’s Just a Movie”
• Kellner, “Cultural Studies, Multiculturalism, Media Culture”

8/31 (F): Hegemony

• Lull, “Hegemony”
• Warner, “Culture Jamming: The Dissident Humor of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart”
• Media: The Daily Show

Week 3

9/3 (M): Labor Day, No Class

9/5 (W): Hegemony, cont.

• Morris & O’Mara, “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”
• Heller, “Taking the Nation ‘From Drab to Fab’”
• Media: Queer Eye for the Straight Guy

9/7 (F): Theories of Spectatorship

• Berger, excerpt from Ways of Seeing
• hooks, “Oppositional Gaze”
• Mulvey, “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema”
• Media: Dreamworlds III

Week 4

9/10 (M): Theories of Spectatorship, cont.

9/12 (W): Enlightened Sexism

• Douglas, “Introduction” to Enlightened Sexism
• Gerhard, “Sex and the City: Carrie Bradshaw’s Queer Postfeminism”
• Media: TBD

Unit 2: Bodies and Society

9/14 (F): Advertising and Consumption

• Jhally, “Imaged-Based Culture”
• Gill, “Empowerment/Sexism: Figuring Female Sexual Agency in Contemporary Advertising”
• Media: Feminist Frequency, “Retro Sexism and Uber Ironic Advertising”

Week 5

9/17 (M): Advertising and Consumption, cont.

• Media: Killing Us Softy 4

9/19 (W): Picturing the Body: Femininities

• Kilbourne, “The More You Subtract, the More You Add”
• Bordo, “Never Just Pictures”
• Media: Finish Killing Us Softly 4

9/21 (F): Picturing the Body: Masculinities

• Bordo, “Beauty (Re)Discovers the Male Body”
• Agliata & Tantleff-Dunn, “The Impact of Media Exposure on Males’ Body Image”
• Media: The Bro Code

Week 6

9/24 (M): Sporting Bodies

• Cahn, “Mannishness, Lesbianism, and Homophobia in U.S. Women’s Sports”
• Lavelle, “A Critical Discourse Analysis of Black Masculinity in NBA Game Commentary”
• Various authors on sexism and the Olympics
• Media: Not Just a Game, 2012 Summer Olympic Games

9/26 (W): Sporting Bodies, cont.; Wedding & Makeover Stories

• Weber, “Beauty, Desire, and Anxiety: The Economy of Sameness in ABC’s Extreme Makeover”
• Gallagher & Pecot-Hebert, “‘You Need a Makeover!’: The Social Construction of Female Body Image in A Makeover Story, What Not to Wear, and Extreme Makeover”
• Engstrom, “Unraveling the Knot: Political Economy and Cultural Hegemony in Wedding Media”
• Media: Bridalplasty

9/28 (F): Wedding & Makeover Stories, cont.

• Media: Extreme Makeover

Week 7

10/1 (M): Funny Women

• Rowe, chapter from The Unruly Women
• Fey, Bossypants
• Media: Bridesmaids

10/3 (W): Funny Women, cont.

• Media: Bridesmaids

10/5 (F): Funny Women, cont.

• Media: Finish Bridesmaids
• DUE: METHODS OF ANALYSIS # 1

Week 8

10/8 (M): Midterm Review

10/10 (W): MIDTERM

10/12 (F): Flex Day

Unit 3: Visibility and Socialization in Prime Time

Week 9

10/15 (M): LGBTQ Visibility

• Battles & Hilton-Morrow, “Gay Characters in Conventional Spaces”
• Dyer, Essays on Representations
• Miller, “Performing Glee: Gay Resistance to Gay Representations and a New Slumpy Class”
• Raymond, “Popular Culture and Queer Representations”
• Media: Will and Grace, Prop. 8 the Musical

10/17 (W): LGBTQ Visibility, cont.; Picturing Disability & Confronting Stereotypes

• Haller & Ralph, “Current Perspectives on Advertising Images of Disability”
• Goggin and Newell, “Fame and Disability: Christopher Reeves, Super Crips and Infamous Celebrity”
• Clare, “Gawking, Gaping, Staring”
• Media: Glee, Push Girls

10/19 (F): Picturing Disability & Confronting Stereotypes, cont.

Week 10

10/22 (M): Multiculturalism and “Eating the Other”

• hooks, “Eating the Other”
• Sanders & Barnes-Brown, “Eat, Pray, Spend”
• Media: Eat, Pray, Love

10/24 (W): Multiculturalism cont.; Race, Class and the Family

• Tyson, “Marxist Criticism”
• Collins, “It’s All in the Family”
• Media: Modern Family, 19 Kids and Counting

10/26 (F): Race, Class and the Family, cont.

Week 11

10/29 (M): Childhood Socialization and Disney

• Schor, “From Tony the Tiger to Slime Time Live”
• Artz, “Monarchs, Monsters, and Multiculturalism”
• Additional readings TBA
• Media: J. Stotlar, “Problematic Dreams,” Nostalgia Chick, “Disney Princess,”Additional media TBD

10/31 (W): Childhood Socialization and Disney, cont.

Unit 4: Brave New Technological World and the Pop in Pop Culture

11/2 (F): Videogames

• Sanbonmatsu, “Video Games and Machine Dreams of Domination”
• Brookey & Cannon, “Sex Lives in Second Life”
• Additional readings TBA
• Media: Feminist Frequency, “Too Many Dicks on the Dance Floor”

Week 12

11/5 (M): Social Networking, Virtual Spaces and the Internet

• Hall, “The Whites of Their Eyes: Racist Ideologies and the Media”
• Nakamura, “Cybertyping and the Work of Race in the Age of Digital Reproduction”
• Media: The Office, “Dear White People” (Tumblr feed), #whitegirlproblems (twitter feed), The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl

11/7 (W): Fangirls, Fanboys and Fandoms

• Jenkins, “Star Trek Rerun, Reread, Rewritten”
• Erzen, “The Forbidden Fruit Tastes the Sweetest: The Romance of Abstinence and Smut”
• Additional readings TBA
• Media TBD

11/9 (F): Fangirls, Fanboys and Fandoms

• Media: Highlights from SDCC 2012 media coverage

Week 13

11/12 (M): No Class

11/14 (W): Claiming Sexuality

• Articles TBA
• Media: 50 Shades of Grey

11/16 (F): Claiming Sexuality, cont.; The Supernatural and Sexuality: Vampires, Werewolves and More

• Platt, “Cullen Family Values”
• McGeough, “Twilight and Transformations of Flesh: Reading the Body in Contemporary Youth Culture”
• Ander, “Director Bill Condon explains why Twilight: Breaking Dawn is a uniquely female horror movie”
• Media: Twilight: Breaking Dawn part I
• DUE: METHODS OF ANALYSIS # 2

Week 14

11/19 (M): The Supernatural and Sexuality: Vampires, Werewolves and More

• Maerz, “Dirty, Pretty Things”
• Erzen, “The Religion of Twilight”
• Additional readings TBA
• Media: True Blood

11/ 21-11/23 (W, F): No Class, Thanksgiving Break

Week 15

11/26 (M): Teenage Pregnancy & Purity

• Harris, “The ‘Can-Do’ Girl versus the ‘At-Risk’ Girl”
• Douglas & Michaels, “The Mommy Wars: How Media Turned Motherhood into a Catfight”
• Media: 16 and Pregnant,Bristol Palin’s PSA,

11/28 (W): Teenage Pregnancy & Purity, cont.

• Additional readings TBA
• Media: The Purity Myth

11/30 (F): Flex Day

Week 16

12/3 (M): Turn in Final Projects, Final Exam Review Session

12/6 (Th): FINAL EXAM: 4:00-5:45 PM