Gender through Film h m

Sociology 369 er Summe 2012

D Idee Win Dr. nfield
e e-mail: winfie eldi@cofc.edu There is differenc and there i power. And who holds t power e ce is d the decid the meani of differe des ing ence. Jun Jordan, Te ne echnical Diffi iculties e ce, addle. If the world were a logical plac men would ride sidesa Rita Mae Brown a

Welcome to Gender through Film! Gender is a central feat e ! ture of social life yet we o often take it f for granted because it see b ems so "natural." Think abo it, the fir question p out rst people ask after a babys b birth is is it a boy or a gir We take for granted th we are bo female or male, and a rl? f hat orn assume that t these r natural physical diff ferences translate into the social mean e ning of femini and masc ine culine. Gende er, natural." Thin nking about men and wom from a so m men ociological perspective me eans however, is far from "n that we will go beyond taken for gr w d ranted assumptions about biological se and critically examine t ex the social orig gins of femini inity and mas sculinity. Just so there is n confusion, this is not a course about film t no , analysis. Rather, we use films as to ools for examining sociolog gical perspec ctives on gend der, much as we e his e ms e construction o femininity and of would use a text. In th course, we will use film to examine the social c masculinity and the many ways the ideas structure our sen of self, ou relationshi ese nse ur ips, and how we an cognize that w live our lives we work and play. Ultimately, we will come to see that films ca help us rec in specific social and historical environments that structure o experienc and the w c h our ces ways we inter rpret and think about our liv as women and men. ves n

C Course goals s
This will be an exciting and interes b g sting class...IF you are will F ling to do the work. There is a good de of e e eal material. Some of it is short but th hought provok king, and req quires from yo effort to p ou process the id deas and learn what you can from them. Other readings are longe and provid important historical . er de nd. backgroun eeks it is my hope that you will: u In four we 1. Know the main soc ciological the eories and con ncepts in the study of gen nder. 2. Recog gnize the way in which m ys masculinity and femininit are social defined, e a ty lly enforced, neg gotiated & resisted. rstand how major social in m nstitutions such as familie and workplaces can sust es tain dominant gender norm ms 3. Under t but al offer oppo lso ortunities for resistance, negotiation, a change. r n and 4. Appre eciate how th hese processe affect our daily lives and shape our e es d d experiences. 5. Think critically abo gender as represented in films and enacted in s k out s d d society and communicate your ideas in a n clear and thoughtf manner. ful

C Course Struc cture

This is an experimenta online cour al rse. What this means is tha we must sh s at ege how the Colle that it is possible to recreate the amount and quality of interaction and discussio that we typ t a f on pically exper rience in a fac ce-to-face course. Soyou might be surprised to know tha this is a ver discussion intensive cou S t d at ry urse. We may not meet face-to-fa in classro ace oom at the same time, but we will be c t carrying on di iscussions on an almost co ontinuous basis in a virtua classroom space in whic you will ge to know on another qu al s ch et ne uite well. c ) The course has six (6) modules and eight (8) films. e ntroduce you to the topic a raise que and estions for you Each module includes an online PowerPoint lecture to in t bstitute for re eading the articles. to think about. The PowerPoint presentations do not sub

You then have a one or two films paired with a set of readings, websites, and/or YouTube videos. The course calendar tells you what day to complete the readings before viewing the film. You will access the films from a secure server through your OAKS account. You view the film by the due date and BEFORE participating in the Voicethread discussion. The films will be available to view on your computer as a Flash, .flv, file. Any computer, phone, or tablet that will play a Flash video will work. The ipad does not play Flash videos, but there are apps that you can purchase that do allow you to view Flash videos in a special browser. Most of you have a Flash Player plugin in your Internet browser, but if you need to, you can download the Flash Player from http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ After viewing the film, there will be a window of time for you to engage in a discussion with other students in which you show your understanding of the reading in relation to the film. o I will provide discussion questions and you will use the software Voicethread to initiate discussion and reply to others in the class. I will grade you Voicethread contributions based on your ability to link the film to the readings as well as the quality and quantity of your engagement in the discussions. I include on OAKS a video example of a Voicethread discussion from last summer to show you what I am looking for in terms of quantity and quality of your contribution to discussion of the film. Details about how to use Voicethread and FAQs.

Technology requirements. Well, it seems obvious but you need consistent, ongoing access to the Internet so that you can access the resources, view the films, and participate in Voicethread. For Voicethread, you ideally want to have a microphone and webcam. Some of you already have both built into your laptop or home computer. Some of you have an external webcam and headset with a microphone. If you have none of these, you can always use your telephone to make your Voicethread comments (but there are limits on the number of times you can call in). Most importantly, your contribution must be verbal and not text-based.

Patience, Please:
This online sociology course is something new for all of us. Although I have had training and read research about best practices for online education, we have to expect that there will be glitches along the way. Most importantly, you must be willing to take responsibility for learning to use OAKS and the Voicethread software. There are many resources available for you to use and you should turn to those first. The ability to learn to learn is the hallmark of a college-educated person. Lets start this course be recognizing that you will have to do that in order to complete the course. Online courses are best for self-starters. I do not recommend taking this course if you are not willing to read the Voicethread and OAKS documentation, view the tutorials, and work your way through the instructions. Be curious and explore ! I will be online twice a day, most likely in the mid-morning before the noon deadline and then again in the early evening before 9pm. Do not wait to the last minute to complete any assignment because if you run into trouble, there is no guarantee that I will be there to provide a solution at the moment you want it.

I also encourage you to help each other. Ive created a Discussion Forum on OAKS with separate topics for using Voicethread, OAKS, and viewing films. You can post a request for help AND offer help to others. Ill keep track and take this into account when calculating final grades.

Readings:
All required readings for this course are available on OAKS or online via active links in the syllabus.

Listening to PowerPoint lectures:

When you click on the link for the PowerPoint lecture you will see a blank page with this at the top. Click on the second icon to undock the page. It will open in a new tab.

Then click on the center button to start playing the PowerPoint presentation in Adobe Flash Player.

Requirements: Earning Your Grade:

This course is one month long and moves at a fast pace! You will find continual assessment of your learning throughout the four weeks in three ways: your Voicethread discussions, one exam, and one comparative film analysis paper. All three methods for assessing student learning require you to synthesize the readings, relate the readings to the films, and think deeply about the social construction of gender and its consequences for gender inequalities. The course is worth 100 points. Voicethread Discussions: 48 points We will be using innovative software that allows us to see and hear each other. Although many of you are used to texting, text does not convey more subtle meanings in voice and body that we rely on to make sense of what someone says. Voicethread (www.voicethread.com) makes it possible for you to submit a thread in a discussion using the camera and microphone on your computer or phone. There are detailed tutorials for you to read and view on both the Voicethread website and OAKS that show you how to do this. Before each film, you should read the viewing questions on OAKS and use these to guide your viewing of the film. After viewing the film, you have a window to think about the viewing questions and review the discussion questions(s). Your Voicethread discussion has two components that I will grade with a 1 (poor) 2 (good) 3 (excellent) 1. The first part is your thoughtful answer to the question(s) in which you reflect on the film, the readings, and your own experiences. a. A poor, rambling answer demonstrates minimal effort to relate the readings and the film indicating that you have not read carefully, deeply, or at all. b. A good answer shows that you have done all the readings and are working to relate them to the film and your own life. c. An excellent answer shows an ability to go even further and synthesize the readings and the film in such a way that you demonstrate a deep understanding of the issue and concepts.

2. The second part is your thoughtful engagement with others in the class by means of responses to what others have said. This can take the form of helping others understand a concept or connection they are struggling with, or elaborating on a point someone makes to make it even clearer, or disagreeing with a point made by someone by explaining why you disagree and referring to the readings and the film. a. Poor responses demonstrate minimal effort to engage with others in the course. Yeah, I agree. Or I dont agree are pretty much worthless comments that demonstrate no critical thinking. b. Good responses shows that you are paying attention to what others have to say; you reflect on what you can add to clarify or help someone see a different way of thinking about the action in the film and how it relates to the readings. c. Excellent responses show an ability to go even further by synthesizing what others have to say and offering responses that help everyone, or offer accurate insights not yet offered. Exam: 22 points I will post the exam under Quizzes on OAKS for you to complete online. The exam will be open from 1 am until midnight on July 22nd and will include a combination of multiple choice, short answer and essay to test your understanding of the readings, lectures, and their relationship to the films. Film Analysis Papers: 30 points Your film analysis paper is an approximately 5 page double spaced analysis that compares two films and demonstrates your ability to apply the concepts from the readings. I will post the assignment for the paper on OAKS with specifics about the focus of the paper and which films you may use. The paper is due July 3rd in the OAKS dropbox before noon. No late papers accepted.

Grading:

My philosophy on grades is this: They are yours to earn, not mine to give. Therefore, decide now what grade you want to receive and earn it! A=90-100 C+=78 A-=89 B+=88 B=80-87 D=60-68 B-=79 F= <60

C=70-77 C=69

SCHEDULE*
June 4 Welcome Listen: Welcome PowerPoint Read (go to the content section on the OAKS site for this class via the oak leaf on MyCharleston) Instructions for creating a Voicethread account. Instructions for Voicethread Discussions Remaining Voicethread documentation Listen: Example of Voicethread Discussion Do: (go to the content section on OAKS) Create Voicethread Account follow directions on the Assignment. Voicethread Discussion Assignment #1 before 9 pm. Gender at Three Levels: Raise the Red Lantern 5th Read: NPR: Gender is Dead! Long Live Gender! Lorber: Night to His Day, The Social Construction of Gender Johnson: Patriarchy, the System: An It, Not a He, A Them, or an Us. Listen: PowerPoint lecture 6th Read: Viewing Questions Watch Film: Raise the Red Lantern Read: Voicethread Discussion Questions #2, prepare your answers. Do: Voicethread Discussion Assignment #2 part 1 answers before noon. part 2 responses to others before midnight.

June 5-7

7th

June 8-12

Making Sense of Sex, Gender & Sexuality: The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert 8th Read: West and Zimmerman: Doing Gender Lucal: Building Boxes and Policing Boundaries: (De)Constructing Intersexuality, Transgender and Bisexuality. Lorber and Moore: Ambiguous Bodies Optional for those who have never encountered this subject before: o Fausto-Sterling: The Five Sexes Listen: PowerPoint lecture Watch: Full length Preview for Codes of Gender: suggestion: use Ctrl + to enlarge your browser screen and then start the full length preview 11th Read: Viewing Questions Watch Film: The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert Read: Voicethread Discussion Questions #3, prepare your answers. 12th Do: Voicethread Discussion Assignment #3 part 1 answers before noon. part 2 responses to others before midnight.
http://www.mediaed.org/cgibin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=238&template=PDGCommTemplates/HTN/Item_Preview.html

June 13-15, 18, 19 Codes of Gender: Doing and Resisting Emphasized Femininity & Hegemonic Masculinity 13th Read: Kelly, Pomerantz, and Currie: Skater Girlhood and Emphasized Femininity: You Cant Land an Ollie Properly in Heels Kimmel: Kimmel: Masculinity as Homophobia Watch: Promo for Killing Us Softly 4: http://www.youtube.com/user/ChallengingMedia#p/u/16/PTlmho_RovY Promo for Generation M: http://www.mediaed.org/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=234 Hegemonic Masculinity and Emphasized Masculinity in Surf Magazines: Begin skimming (know the issues and trends over time, but dont worry about all the details of the films): Benshoff and Griffin: Women in Classical Hollywood Filmmaking Benshoff and Griffin: Masculinity in Classical Hollywood Filmmaking Benshoff and Griffin: Gender in American Film Since the 1960s Listen: PowerPoint lecture 14th Read: Viewing Questions Watch Film: Whip It Read: Voicethread Discussion Questions #4, prepare your answers. 15th Read: Guyland Chapter 3, Bros Before Hos: The Guy Code Watch: Promo for Tough Guise: http://www.mediaed.org/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=211 Full length Preview for The Bro Code:
http://www.mediaed.org/cgibin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=246&template=PDGCommTemplates/HTN/Item_Preview.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrPrpNTRG5s

suggestion: use Ctrl + to enlarge your browser screen and then start the full length preview

Finish skimming (know the issues and trends over time, but dont worry about all the details of the films): Benshoff and Griffin: Women in Classical Hollywood Filmmaking Benshoff and Griffin: Masculinity in Classical Hollywood Filmmaking Benshoff and Griffin: Gender in American Film Since the 1960s Do: Voicethread Discussion Assignment #4 part 1 answers before noon. part 2 responses to others before midnight. 18th Read: Viewing Questions Watch Film: Fight Club Read: Voicethread Discussion Questions #5, prepare your answers. 19th Do: Voicethread Discussion Assignment #5 part 1 answers before noon. part 2 responses to others before midnight. June 20th Exam open from 1 am until midnight. No late exams accepted.

June 21, 22 Gendered Intimacies: Easy A 21st Read: Kimmel: Guyland Chapter 9, Hooking Up: Sex in Guyland Sprecher and Toro-Morn: Beliefs About Love and Romantic Relationships Karen Owens viral PowerPoint: http://jezebel.com/5652114/college-girls-power-point-fuck-list-goes Viewing Questions Listen: PowerPoint lecture Watch Film: Easy A Read: Voicethread Discussion Questions #6, prepare your answers.
viral-gallery

22nd Do: Voicethread Discussion Assignment #6 part 1 answers before noon. part 2 responses to others before midnight. June 25-27 Doing Gender 9-to-5: Glengarry Glenn Ross and North Country 25th Finish Reading: Pierce: Rambo Litigators: Emotional Labor in a Male-Dominated Occupation. Uggen and Blackstone: Sexual Harassment as a Gendered Expression of Power. Explore: section IV in Korzec: Viewing North Country: Sexual Harassment Goes to the Movies Read: Viewing Questions Watch Film: Glengarry Glenn Ross 26th Read: Viewing Questions Watch Film: North Country Read: Voicethread Discussion Questions #7, prepare your answers. 27th Do: Voicethread Discussion Assignment #7 part 1 answers before noon. part 2 responses to others before midnight. June 28, 29 Gendered Violence: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 28th Read: Hollander: Vulnerability And Dangerousness: The Construction of Gender Through Conversation About Violence. SWS: Gendered Violence Fact Sheet Plot spoiler read before or after viewing the film: Read: Viewing Questions Watch Film: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo WARNING: This film contains scenes of violent sexual assault. Prepare yourself. Although the scenes are central to making sense of the characters behavior, it is up to you to decide whether to watch these scenes. Read: Voicethread Discussion Questions #8, prepare your answers. 29th Do: Voicethread Discussion Assignment #8 part 1 answers before noon. part 2 responses to others before midnight Complete Course Evaluations July 3rd Film Analysis Paper is due in OAKS dropbox before noon. No late papers accepted.
http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2010/04/14/the-rape-of-the-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo/

* The schedule may change. Any changes will be announced via e-mail on OAKS.