Women and Media Fall 2015: Welcome to Women and Media

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Welcome to Women and Media

Barbara Kruger, Untitled (We are not what we seem), 1988

Hello all,

It will be a fast-paced semester. I expect great work and dedication from each of you. I will make the material and the classes engaging and motivating. It is up to all of you to do your part, stay on top of the readings and the assignments and make this class awesome!

I look forward to spending the next semester engaged in great discussions, impressed with your writing and projects and getting to know all of you. Welcome!

Prof. Caçoilo

Barbara Kruger, Untitled (We are astonishingly lifelike), 1985

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FINAL PROJECTS due 12/12

****ALL projects must be on the blog by 12/11 at 8pm

Final project presentations will be on 12/12 and 12/19. I will chose the order in which you will present.

Attendance is mandatory on both days 12/12 and 12/19 and YOU MUST BE IN CLASS ON TIME Please be prepared to stay 30mins later until 5:30pm on 12/12 as needed.

It's a party!! Bring snacks or party supplies to share :)

*if you can.

Be prepared to present your projects to the class in approximately 7 minute presentations. Visuals are a must. Feel free to bring physical props and handouts if appropriate. Remember you are ”pitching” the project to the class. Prepare a succinct and exciting summary of the project that is clear and makes the class want to look further at your project and potentially share the project, promote it and even get involved!

You must create a POST for your final project on the class blog. This is a portion of your final grade. The post must include a link to your project, a clear and well written summary, images and/or videos. You will present from your post. Your project must live in the world (online or not) but all components of your project and presentation must link from the blog post somehow. Your resource list/bibliography must be included in your post or handed in to me on 12/12.

Print projects: papers, zines and pamphlets must be physically handed in to me on the day you present. This is only for print projects. Of course you must create a blog post from which you will present the project as well. Whenever appropriate (for zines and pamphlets especially) print several copies to pass around the class or print enough for distribution.

Quick checklist:

-clear and well written summary on the class blog along with images and any videos

-link to your project (including pdf projects) which lives elsewhere in the world must be clearly included in your post

-presentations (5 minutes) will be from your blog post and must be linked directly from the post PLEASE CHECK YOUR POST and be sure LINKS and images are working BEFORE ARRIVING IN CLASS.

-research must be handed in to me as resource list/bibliography or included in the blog post

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Due 12/5 - last class discussion before final presentations.

Final Projects and Presentations will be on 12/12 and 12/19

READINGS: review of the readings we did not get to discuss from 10/31 and 11/7 - no additional readings.

Post 5 (not mandatory - optional for extra credit)

(*full 6% towards your final grade of extra credit if complete and posted on time!)

Choose and research a female artist or film director/screenwriter and a single work or several works that not only pass the Bechdel Test but that you consider a feminist work. In a short post of approximately two-three paragraphs describe their approach to art and/or film making. Explain the work and the importance of this story(ies). How does the artist or filmmaker explain their work and their process? How are the works and the artist or filmmaker received? Last post! Find someone wonderful that you may have never heard of or share with us your feminist art or film heroes!

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Due 11/21

We will have a visitor in class today 11/21. Sharon de la Cruz is an artist and activist also know as MISS163 or UnoSeisTres. http://unoseistres.com/

No Readings Due - please see the updated syllabus and the information below for what is due on 12/5. These will be the final readings and assignments due for the semester.

Attendance will be taken.

Both remaining group presentations will be on 12/5when I return to class.

Work on your semester projects!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Class cancelled today 11/14!

I am in the hospital. My son, Lucio William #luciowilliam was born last night. We will pick up with readings and return to class next Saturday 11/21. Please watch this sidebar for updates and announcements in the next few days. See you all very soon.

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MIDTERM MEETINGS FOR 11/7 ARE CANCELLED!

I am sorry for the last minute cancellation but I am not feeling well and will not be able to meet with all of you tomorrow to discuss projects. Class will be held as usual from 2:10 - 5pm. We will make up for the meetings by discussing projects as much as possible in class and making appointments as needed.

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Due 11/7

READINGS DUE:

on Blackboard Vickie Nam, from Yell-Oh Girls

and

Payman and Sina Persepolis 2.0

Online: Tempering Rage by Drawing Comics; A Memoir Sketches an Iranian Childhood of Repression and Rebellion

NY Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/21/books/tempering-rage-drawing-comics-memoir-sketches-iranian-childhood-repression.html

WATCH:

clips from Persepolis written by Marjane Satrapi

watch the Entire playlist if possible but especially these:

http://www.nytimes.com/video/movies/100000003363757/persepolis-scene-2.html?playlistId=100000003363727

http://www.nytimes.com/video/movies/100000003363749/persepolis-scene-9.html?playlistId=100000003363727

http://www.nytimes.com/video/movies/100000003363745/persepolis-scene-3.html?playlistId=100000003363727

http://www.nytimes.com/video/movies/100000003363734/persepolis-scene-5.html?playlistId=100000003363727

3 comments on other student project proposal posts

Please leave feedback for 3 other student projects. Help with resources, links to inspirational examples, other projects, articles, books, scholars, and any other resources that might be helpful for various topics. Leave helpful criticism about narrowing of ideas, production direction or tips, distribution ideas and any other help you can provide. Spend time on these!

two tweets #womenmedia

No Group Presents

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Due 10/31

(: costumes highly encouraged :)

READINGS on Blackboard:

Audre Lorde, The Transformation of Silence Into Language and Action from Sister Outsider AND

Melissa Harris Perry Crooked Room from Sister Citizen

Peggy Mcintosh White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack

Read online:

Samina Ali "What You Will Never Hear From the Media About Muslim Women" Huffington Post, 7/2013

Explore the online exhibition extensively:

Muslima http://muslima.imow.org/

Watch:

Chimanda Adiche Ted Talk

http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?language=en#t-283627

Post 4 (edit until 11/7)

Using knowledge from the readings, links, class discussion, and additional research/personal experience develop an essay addressing the policing of women's bodies and the impact it has on the way women are valued in society. What is the goal of these types of legislations/policies/ barriers? What kinds of messages are being sent by the enforcement of these barriers for women? Who is leading these efforts to restrict women's agency over their bodies? How does media impact the way we view these issues and how they are legislated? What is media doing to help combat negative views of women's bodies/sexuality? What does media do to hurt how women's bodies/sexuality are viewed?

*~800 words. Include citations of at least 4 of the readings in your post, at least 2 images, and 2 links to additional resources.

two tweets #womenmedia

Group 4 presents

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Due Saturday 10/24

READINGS:

Roxane Gay The Alienable Rights of Women from Bad Feminist

and

Jennifer Nelson Introduction from Women of Color and the Reproductive Rights Movement

Online article in addition to the pdfs on Blackboard: http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2014/07/10/hobby-lobby-womans-right-sexual-exploration/

Suggested supplemental readings:

Among 38 nations, U.S. is the outlier when it comes to paid parental leave

Sex education in the U.S. is screwing our kids

California Legislature Passes ‘Yes Means Yes’ Bill

Family Leave Laws Need to Include Teen Student Parents

STATE POLICIES ON SEX EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS

WATCH:

Carry That Weight

Transgressive Sexual Practice

Update of semester project proposal - printed and handed in to me and posted on the blog by 10/24 (before class)

Updated project proposal printed and handed in to me. ~2 pages. Be as specific and clear about your research so far, where you are in production, include a project timeline and as clear a description of your final project as possible. What are you making? What is it about? Why are you making this? Who are you making this for? How will you distribute/share this with your audience? Where will it be published? How does this fit into your portfolio of work? How can this grow and progress after the semester is over?

Share your project proposal on the class blog. 3+ paragraphs, images and links to resources. From this post the class will give you feedback in the comments.

two tweets #womenmedia

Group 3 presents

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Due 10/17

READINGS: Susan Bordo -- "Hunger as Ideology" from Unbearable Weight and Maggie Wykes/Barrie Gunter --"Conclusion" from The Media and Body Image

Post 3

Using all of your readings, class discussions and additional research develop a short essay addressing gender, sexuality and advertising images. Analyze the sexism, racism and power hierarchies found in so many of these. What is the purpose of these images? What unintended effects might these pervasive images have or reflect? Is popular culture found in these? Learned? Critiqued? In addition to this analysis find or construct an alternative to these mainstream images and explain why it is different. Carefully draw out advertising strategies and goals and provide alternative paths for the industry or alternative anti-advertising messages.

~800 words. Include citations of several of the readings in your post, 3-4 images and links to relevant resources.

Semester project topic due - printed and handed-in

1-2 paragraphs explaining your semester project idea as well as any research and resources you have already discovered. Printed and handed in to me. See syllabus for semester project description. We will discuss projects extensively in class on 10/17 but it is important to begin the process and make thoughtful decisions about you hope to make and what that will be about.

**Full semester project proposal and resources/bibliography will be due Saturday 10/24.

two tweets #womenmedia

Group 2 presents

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Due 10/10

READINGS: Advertising, Magazines and Women

from Gender Race and Class in Media

-Sex Lies and Advertising - Gloria Steinem Ms. Magazine

-Beauty and the Beast of Advertising - Jean Kilbourne

-Reading Images Critically - Douglas Kellner

-Commodity Lesbianism - Danae Clark

Naomi Wolf , Culture from The Beauty Myth

Online:

FreePress Media Ownership Policy

http://conference.freepress.net/ownership/chart

Media Ownership Fact Sheet - NOW

http://www.now.org/issues/media/women_in_media_facts.html

Diversity in Media Ownership & Employment

http://www.civilrights.org/media/ownership/

WATCH:

Reel Girls Media Consolidation

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=reelgrrls#play/uploads/27/VZ01mj0IdTQ

two tweets #womenmedia

Group 1 presents

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Due 10/3

READINGS(not necessary to include in Post 2):

READINGS:

Judith Butler from Gender Trouble

and

Various authors from Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation (essay compilation)

POST 2 - On Ways of Seeing/Viewing

Please answer the following questions based on your readings and class discussion. Use your own experiences and realizations to help illustrate your understanding of the material - cite from the readings.

What is the male gaze and why is it a pervasive form of vision in popular culture? Give illustrative examples in a variety of media. What is the oppositional gaze and why (as described by bell hooks) has it developed? Give examples. How have you come to understand these structures and in what ways has this understanding changed your views about various media examples and of your own identity and role in these structures?

5-6 paragraphs. Include citations of the readings due 9/12 (Berger "Ways of Seeing", hooks "Understanding Patriarchy" and "The Oppositional Gaze", Mulvey "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema") in your post. Please feel free to also use the additional readings due 9/26 from bell hooks, Michael Kimmel and Jean Kilbourne to help further your argument. Please include at least two images and links.

*links to several relevant videos - some of which we already watched and others not are available on the screenings page to help with your assignment - scroll down to links under "ways of seeing" and "masculinity/patriarchy/pop culture." You do not need to cite from these or use them unless you would like.

Checklist:

-Images should have captions. What is the image? Why is it included? Is it referenced in your text?

-Edit!! grammar, spelling, sentence and paragraph structure.

-Links must link! -please make sure your links LINK. Why is the link included? Think about how the hyperlink is used online. Integrate your links into your writing. They should augment the information provided.

-Images must be sized correctly and should fit in the body of the blog.

-Check your formats in general. Spacing issues, indentations, font sizes, are your images appearing correctly?

-In body CITATIONS of the READINGS (author, pg)

-Include a brief "works cited" at the bottom of the post with the two (or more) readings you are citing from.

two tweets #womenmedia

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Due 9/26

READINGS: ON BLACKBOARD

-Understanding Patriarchy - bell hooks

-"The More You Subtract The More You Add: Cutting Girls Down to Size" by Jean Kilbourne

-Feminist Manhood - bell hooks

-Misframing Men - Michael Kimmel

POST 2 - On ways of seeing/viewing (now only due 0n 10/3)

two tweets #womenmedia

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Due 9/19

Prof. Cacoilo will not be in class.

Desiree Caro will lead a short discussion, take attendance and screen the film Miss Representation.

No new readings or assignments due.

***All students who registered late or missed the first day of class must have their first assignment posted to the blog and must complete the first week's readings (available on Blackboard in a folder "Due 9/12") and the first week's tweets (#womenmedia). See descriptions and details of all assignments due below under "Due 9/12". Please email if you have any problems with the assignments.

two tweets #womenmedia

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*NO CLASS 9/5 Happy Labor Day

Due 9/12

POST 1 on the class blog:
Who do you think you are?
What is your role in media consumption, critique and/or media making. How much of who you are is measured against media examples? How much of our common experience involves shared mass media events? How does the media fit into your life and your identity? Use several media examples to illustrate your description of your relationship to media. Your blog post must be at least 3 paragraphs and you must include at least one link and one image.

READINGS: available as pdfs on the Blackboard Site in "Class Materials" in folder "Due 9/12"

- let me know IMMEDIATELY (via email) if you have trouble accessing the readings.

John Berger - Ways of Seeing
Laura Mulvey - Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema
bell hooks - Understanding Patriarchy/The Oppositional Gaze

two tweets #womenmedia

two tweets #passesbechdeltest

*all 4 tweets can be posted anytime before 9/12

Videos about the Bechdel Test for reference:

http://feministfrequency.com/2009/12/07/the-bechdel-test-for-women-in-movies/

and

http://feministfrequency.com/2012/02/15/the-2012-oscars-and-the-bechdel-test/

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Link to syllabus

Link to class screenings online

Link to our twitter hashtag: #womenmedia

***Readings are on the class Blackboard site.***
Please be sure you have access to the Blackboard site and can see the "Class Materials" folder.

Discussion guidelines

The course material and discussions can often be provocative and challenging. We must therefore be careful to be respectful of each other and all of our viewpoints. No student shall ever be made to feel uncomfortable because of race, gender, sexual orientation or religious beliefs.

We must come to class prepared and ready to discuss the readings!! Please keep discussions focused on the readings and class materials and keep examples relevant and appropriate. If you have not done the readings you are not to participate in the discussion.

Please see this great list of classroom discussion guidelines for more guidance. It is also helpful that everyone in the course reviews several key terms that are crucial to the course material. Please review this important list of terms.