IMAGES OF WOMEN IN POPULAR AMERICAN CULTURE

SPRING, 2007, PROF. NANCY HARRIS, DAMMANN, G-6, X. 5184

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  Images of women are both historically and in today’s society neither benign nor accurate.  This course will examine how women are portrayed by class and race in and in comparison to popular male images.  We will draw from a wide spectrum of American popular culture:  “soaps”, advertising, print media, dance, sports, pornography, and film.

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:  In addition to the required reading and class attendance, there will be a mid term exam and a final paper.  The requirements for the final paper will be discussed in class during the semester.  Graduate students will present their research to the class during the last 3 weeks of class.  Class participation is important and will be considered in grading.

 

REQUIRED READING:

Berger, Ways of Seeing

Cahn (in Politics of Womens’ Bodies), “From the ‘Muscle Moll’ to the ‘Butch’ Ballplayer”, ERES

Giroux, The Mouse That Roared

Hooks, “Selling Hot Pussy”, ERES

Faludi, selections from Backlash, ERES

Kellner, “Theory Wars and Cultural Studies”, ERES

Levy, Female Chauvinist Pigs

Wolf, The Beauty Myth

 

COURSE OUTLINE

I.                    Framing the issues: culture, class, gender and power

Berger, Ways of Seeing

Kellner, “Theory Wars and Cultural Studies”, ERES

 

II.                 Defining beauty:  biological determinism lives

Wolf, The Beauty Myth

Hooks, “Selling Hot Pussy”, ERES

 

III.               Contradictions in transition

Faludi, selections from “Backlash”, ERES

Madonna’s “Boy Toy”

 

IV.              Corporate “innocence”:  Disney’s media culture

Giroux, The Mouse That Roared

Video:  Mickey Mouse Monopoly

 

V.                 Institutionalization of gender roles

Cahn, “From the “Muscle Moll’ to the ‘Butch’ Ballplayer”, ERES

Levy, Female Chauvinist Pigs

Video:  Playing Unfair