POPULAR CULTURE 394

SEX, GENDER, AND SEXUALITY IN FILM

INSTRUCTOR:  JIMMIE MANNING, PHD

NORTHERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

Office: 386 Science & Technology

Phone:  572-1329    Mailbox: 134 Landrum

E-mail: manningj1@nku.edu (This is the best way to reach me.)

Office hours: I will be available forty-five minutes after each class period or by appointment.

Course Description

This seminar provides a beginning understanding of sex, gender, and sexuality in film. Through readings, writings, and discussions centered upon a sample of film texts, students will develop analytical skills and cultivate a variety of perspectives about how sex, gender, and sexuality is represented, interpreted, and discussed. Particular units of consideration include teenage sexuality; sexual violence; representations of gay and lesbian individuals; gender (specifically transgender issues); and disruptions of heteronormativity.

Texts

1.      Wilchins, R. (2004). Queer theory, gender theory: An instant primer. New York: Alyson.

2.      Research articles available from Steely Library (as listed in the syllabus).

Course Goals

1. To come to a greater understanding of issues related to sex, gender, and sexuality (demonstrated through a book report of a gender primer and classroom discussions).

2. To identify various perspectives regarding sex, gender, and sexuality in film and to come to a better understanding of why these perspectives may be accepted or rejected on an individual level (demonstrated through class readings, discussions, and daily reflection papers).

3. To examine and analyze the intersections of sex, gender, and sexuality with issues of race, class, ethnicity, age, nationality, and religion (demonstrated through in-class film viewings and discussions regarding these films).

4. To practice understanding and synthesizing one’s own views about sexuality in film (demonstrated through a written film review).

5. To consider how various interpretations of films can compete and co-exist in a diverse, democratic society (demonstrated through the annotative bibliography project).

Grading - Final grades will be assessed from the 500 point total on the following scale:

450-500:          A

400-449:          B

350-399:          C

300-349:          D

Less than 300 points will result in a failing grade for the course.  The instructor does not adjust grades at the end of the semester (in other words, points will not change for people who are one or more points away for a higher grade).  Semester grades are non-negotiable.  If you have a question about how an assignment is graded, the instructor will set up an appointment with you to talk about the grading procedure.  You must, however, do this soon after the graded assignment is returned.

 Individual assignment details are as follow:

BOOK REVIEW (100 points total, or 20%)

Each student will write a three to five page review of the book Queer Theory, Gender Theory: An Instant Primer by Riki Wilchins. This review should provide a brief, chapter-by-chapter summary of what the book covers; explore some of the points brought forth by Wilchins; and provide a thoughtful critique of the text. More details will be provided via an assignment sheet. Please see Blackboard if you would like an example of a book review.

DAILY REFLECTION PAPERS (10 points each, 100 points total, or 20%)

Beginning with the third class period, students are expected to provide two double-spaced pages of essay style comments concerning the film viewed in the prior class period. In writing this short reflection paper, students should consider the film text; any classroom discussion; and the reading assigned for the particular film. Think of these reflections as a journal of sorts where you can outline your scholarly thoughts about the film and discuss the implications of the films, classroom discussions, and readings. Students should keep in mind that they may be sharing these reflections in class. Note that only ten daily reflection papers are required, so if a student misses a class period or is unable to provide a reflection for one of the class periods she or he may do so without penalty.

LESBIAN FILM REVIEW (100 points total, or 20%)

Each student will select one fictive film concerning lesbian issues and write a three to five page paper offering a review of the film. This review should incorporate classroom readings, ideas raised from classroom discussions, and independent research regarding the film or issues presented in the film. More details about this assignment will be provided via an assignment sheet.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY (100 points total, or 20%)

Each student will present an annotated bibliography in APA style for one of the films explored in class. This annotated bibliography will contain ten sources not covered in classroom readings and should represent a variety of viewpoints and sources. Ideally, this assignment will allow for a wider understanding of the various discourses centering upon one of the film texts. More details about this assignment will be provided via an assignment sheet.

 ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION (100 points total, or 20%)

Your Class Participation grade will be based on a combination of your (a) attendance, (b) in-class involvement, and (c) class citizenship, as described below:

(a) Attendance:  Roll will be taken at the beginning of each class session. No attempt will be made to differentiate between excused and unexcused absences; you can miss one class, for any reason, with no attendance penalty.  After ONE absence, your Class Participation score will be affected as follows:

                        2 absences:       Highest possible Class Participation score will be 80

                        3 absences:       Highest possible Class Participation score will be 50

                        4 absences:       Class Participation score will be 0

                        5 or more absences:      Fail the course

(b) In-class involvement:  Your contributions to class discussions are vital.  I want to hear your comments, questions, and examples.  Because this is a course that calls for lots of discussion, if I never hear your voice in class unless I call on you your highest possible Class Participation grade will be 50. 

            (c) Class citizenship:  If you are chronically late to class, tune out regularly during

lectures/activities, or are impolite to your fellow students (or me!), your highest   possible Class Participation grade will be 40.

Tentative Class Schedule

WEEK ONE: Teenage Sexuality in Film

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

• Course introduction and syllabus distributed
• Queer Theory, Gender Theory book review assignment distributed and discussed
• Film screening: Sleepaway Camp (Robert Hiltzik, 1983)
• Discussion of film

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

• Discussion of Wilchens text
• Film screening: Kids (Larry Clark, 1995)
• Discussion of film

Thursday, May 31, 2007

• Daily reflections shared and collected
• Discussion of hooks, b. (1996). Kids: Transgressive subjects. In Reel to real: Race sex and class at the movies. New York: Routledge.
• Film screening: American Pie (Paul Weitz, 1999)
• Discussion of film

 WEEK TWO: Sex and Violence

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

• Daily reflections shared and collected
• Book Review assignment collected
• Discussion of Ashcraft, C. (2003). Adolescent ambiguities in American Pie: Popular culture as a resource for sex education. Youth & Society, 35(1), 37-70
• Film screening: The Accused (Jonathan Kaplan, 1988)
• Discussion of film

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

• Daily reflections shared and collected
• Discussion of Weaver, C. K. (1994). ‘Media effects’, texts and audiences: A re-investigation of The Accused and its interpretation by women viewers. Communication Journal of New Zealand, 5(2), 47-65.
• Film screening: Monster’s Ball (Marc Forster, 2001)
• Discussion of film

Thursday, June 7, 2007

• Daily reflections shared and collected
• Discussion of Mask, M. (2004). Monster’s Ball. Film Quarterly, 58(1), 44-55
• Lesbian film review and annotated bibliography assignments distributed and discussed
• Film screening: Mysterious Skin (Gregg Araki)
• Discussion of film

WEEK THREE: Transgender Considerations

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

• Daily reflections shared and collected
• Discussion of Cullen, S. (2006). Envisioning childhood sexual abuse in Gregg Araki’s Mysterious Skin. Paper presented at the Midwest Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association annual convention, Indianapolis, October 27-29
• Discussion of Esther, J. (2005). Gregg Araki: Tackling the tough ones on film. Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide, 12(5), 44-45.
• Film screening: Boys Don’t Cry (Kimberly Peirce, 1999)
• Discussion of film

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

• Daily reflections shared and collected
• Discussion of Willox, A. (2003). Branding Teena: (Mis)representations in the media. Sexualities, 6(3-4), 407-425.
• Film screening: Hedwig and the Angry Inch (John Cameron Mitchell, 2001)
• Discussion of film

Thursday, June 14, 2007

• Daily reflections shared and collected
• Discussion of Dean, S. G. (2005). “There ain’t much of a difference/Between a bridge and a wall”: Hedwig and the Angry Inch – A bisexual aesthetic for film. Journal of Bisexuality, 5(4), 108-116
• Screening: Transamerica (Duncan Tucker, 2005)
• Discussion of film

WEEK FOUR: Gay Film

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

• Lesbian film reviews shared and collected
• Daily reflections shared and collected
• Discussion of Hill, L. (2005). My tranny valentine. Retrieved March 17, 2007 from http://www.nerve.com
• Screening: The Opposite of Sex (Don Roos, 1998)
• Discussion of film

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

• Daily reflections shared and collected
• Discussion of Cover, R. (2004). Bodies, movements and desires: Lesbian/gay subjectivity and the stereotype. Continuum: Journal of Media & Cultural Studies, 18(1), 81-97.
• Screening: Philadelphia (Jonathan Demme, 1993)
• Discussion of film

Thursday, June 21, 2007

• Daily reflections shared and collected
• Discussion of Manning, J. (2007). Philadelphia and its metaphors. Paper presented at the Central States Communication Association annual convention, Minneapolis, March 28-April 1
• Screening: Brokeback Mountain (Ang Lee, 2005)
• Discussion of film

WEEK FIVE: Disrupting Heteronormativity

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

• Daily reflections shared and collected
• Discussion of Rich, B. R. (2007). Brokering Brokeback: Jokes, backlashes, and other anxieties. Film Quarterly, 60(3), 44-48
• Discussion of Clover, J., & Nealon, C. (2007). Don’t ask, don’t tell me. Film Quarterly, 60(3), 62-67
• Screening: sex, lies, and videotape (Steven Soderbergh, 1989)
• Discussion of film

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

• Daily reflections shared and collected
• Discussion of Templeton, A. (1998). The confessing animal in sex, lies, and videotape. Journal of Film and Video, 50(2), 15-25.
• Screening: Y Tu Mamá También (Alfonso Cuarón, 2001)
• Discussion of film

Thursday, June 28, 2007

• Annotated bibliographies collected
• Daily reflections shared and collected
• Discussion of Acevedo-Muñoz, E. R. (2004). Sex, class, and Mexico in Alfonso Cuarón’s Y Tu Mamá También. Film & History, 34(1), 39-48.
• Screening: Shortbus (John Cameron Mitchell, 2006)
• Discussion of film