VISA 3991: Cultural Theory and Images

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3.0 Credits
Description
This interdisciplinary course offers special topics in cultural theory and images for indepth study. The course examines the ways different theories of culture inform the
processes and practices of visual production, circulation and reception. It focuses on the
ideas of major cultural theorists, such as Gramsci, Althusser, Foucault, Williams, Hall and
Said, whose work on the intersection/interaction of power and meaning has influenced
much current research on representation. Working individually or with a partner, you
select issues or research problems that interest you, conduct literature research, assess
sources of information, and present your findings. During this process, you are able to
interact with an experienced faculty member as well as with other learners from various
backgrounds. Critically engaging with and responding to, the thoughts and opinions of
other participants is one of the most significant activities in this course. Theory is for
thinking, and in this case, it is specifically for thinking about looking. Learning activities
are interactive and designed to take advantage of the image-rich environment of the
World Wide Web.

Costs
Prerequisites
60 credits.

Objectives
After you have completed the work in this course, you should be able to:
Identify and discuss major theoretical models and critical concepts in visual studies,
including theories of representation, strategies of cultural production and
consumption, and theories of power and discourse.
Define and discuss many of the specialized terms that refer to representations and
how they function in society, including image, ideology, truth value, interpellation,
hegemony, discourse, and the Other.
Choose theoretical concepts and vocabulary that are appropriate and/or relevant

and use them to describe and discuss images.

Demonstrate the ability to think critically about visual and textual materials and the
relationship between them. (What makes each distinctive? How do they inform each
other?)
Raise questions and develop arguments about cultural theories that take a variety of
perspectives into account, and communicate these questions and arguments in
various written forms, including web discussion and written assignments.

Course Outline
The course is divided into four units, which are further divided into topics of study:
Unit 1: Theory, Culture, and Images
Topic 1: Theory
Topic 2: Culture
Topic 3: Image
Unit 2: Thinking about Representation
Topic 1: Representation
Topic 2: Ideology and Truth Value
Unit 3: Viewers and Meanings
Topic 1: Hegemony
Topic 2: Interpellation
Topic 3: Viewing Positions and Representational Strategies
Unit 4: Power, Discourse, and the Other
Topic 1: Gender and the Gaze
Topic 2: Discourse
Topic 3: The Other

Maximum Completion
30 weeks.

Required Text and Materials

You will be consulting a variety of resources throughout the course, including books,

articles, and web resources. Links to Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files for
most of the required readings are provided in the course units.
UNIT 1 READINGS
Carter, M. (1990). Why theory? In "Framing art: Introducing theory and the visual
image" (pp. 31-43). Sydney, AU: Hale & Iremonger.
Sewell, W. Jr. (1999). Excerpt from The concept(s) of culture. In V. E. Bonnell & L.
Hunt (Eds.), "Beyond the cultural turn: New directions in the study of society and
culture". (pp. 52-58, notes on p. 61). Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Mitchell, W. J. T. (2003). Word and image. In R. S. Nelson & R. Schiff (Eds.), "Critical
terms for art history" (2nd ed., pp. 51-61). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
UNIT 2 READINGS
Representation, meaning and language. (1997). In S. Hall (Ed.), "Representations:
Cultural representations and signifying practices" (Excerpt from Chapter. 1, The
work of representation, pp. 15-29). London, UK: Sage Publications.
Sturken, M., & Cartwright, L. (2001). Excerpt from Practices of looking: Images,
power, and politics. In "Practices of looking: An introduction to visual culture" (pp.
10-24). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
UNIT 3 READINGS
Hegemony. (2002). In A. Edgar & P. Sedgwick (Eds.), "Cultural theory: The key
concepts" (pp. 164-165). London, UK: Routledge.
Althusser, L. (1970). From 'Ideology and ideological state apparatuses'. In A.
Easthope & K. McGowan (Eds.), "A critical and cultural theory reader" (1992, pp. 5058). Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press.
Sturken, M., & Cartwright, L. (2001). Excerpt from Viewers make meaning. In
"Practices of looking: An introduction to visual culture"(pp. 56-71). Oxford, UK:
Oxford University Press.
UNIT 4 READINGS
Discourse. (2002). In A. Edgar & P. Sedgwick (Eds.), "Cultural theory: The key
concepts" (pp. 116-119). London, UK: Routledge.
Foucault, M. (1978). From "The history of sexuality". In A. Easthope & K. McGowan
(Eds.), "A critical and cultural theory reader" (1992, pp. 90-95). Toronto, ON:
University of Toronto Press.

Other. (2002). In A. Edgar & P. Sedgwick (Eds.), "Cultural theory: The key concepts"
(p. 266). London, UK: Routledge.
Said, E. (1978). From "Orientalism". In A. Easthope & K. McGowan (Eds.), "A critical
and cultural theory reader" (1992, pp. 59-65). Toronto, ON: University of Toronto
Press.
Chandler, D. Notes on "The Gaze."
Mulvey, L. (1975). Visual pleasure and narrative cinema. "Screen", 16(3), 6-18.

Additional Requirements
Computer with Internet is required. Refer to pages 104-105 or the TRU-OL website.

Open Learning Faculty Member Information

An Open Learning Faculty Member is available to assist students. Primary communication
is by phone if you are taking the print version of the course and through Blackboard's
"Mail" tool if you are taking the web version. You will receive the necessary contact
information when you start your course.

Assessment
In order to successfully complete this course, you must obtain at least 50 % on the final
mandatory project exam and 50 % overall. It is strongly recommended that students
complete all assignments in order to achieve the learning objectives of the course. The
total mark will be determined on the following basis:
Assignment 1

10%

Assignment 2

15%

Assignment 3

20%

Assignment 4

25%

Project Exam

30%

Students must pass the final project exam to receive a passing grade in the course.