School of Humanities  
 
 
FIL-20001 Gender and the Cinematic Gaze  
Co-ordinator: Dr Neil Archer   Tel:33202  
Teaching Team: Mrs Christine  Edge, Miss Jo-Anne  Watts,  Darren  Kerr  
Lecture Time: See Timetable...  
Level: 2 Credits: 15 Study Hours: 150  
School Office: Tel: 01782 733147
 
 
 
Programme/Approved Electives for
English and American Literatures Single Honours (Level 2)
English Dual Honours (Level 2)
English Major (Level 2)
English Minor (Level 2)
English Single Honours (Level 2)
Media, Communications and Culture Dual Honours (Level 2)
Media, Communications and Culture Minor (Level 2)
Available as a Free Standing Elective
Yes
Barred Combinations
None

Prerequisites
None

Description

This module will explore and evaluate the significance of gendered representation in film focusing specifically on theories of gendered spectatorship, voyeurism and the dis/pleasure of looking. Students will be introduced to a number of significant theorists such as Laura Mulvey, Judith Butler, Claire Johnston and Sue Thornham in order to gain an understanding of gender as a cultural and social construction (differentiated from $ůsex&©) and influenced by political movements such as feminism. Students will consider if, how and to what extent notions of gender are culturally determined. In addition, they will consider the complexities associated with representations of gender on-screen and study how filmic audiences have traditionally identified with specific gender positions leading to a consideration of notions of subjectivity and objectivity in film spectatorship. Via analysis of a range of filmic texts that may include 'Rear Window' (Hitchcock, 1954), 'Beauty and the Beast' (Trousdale and Wise, 1991), 'Fight Club' (Fincher, 1999) and 'Caramel' (Labaki, 2007), this module will explore the ways in which gender representations are negotiated in-line with other areas of identity politics such as sexuality, ethnicity, race and class.

Through theoretical and illustrative lectures and contextualised screenings, this module will allow students to explore the ways in which notions of self are linked to social and cultural representations of gender on-screen. Students will question gender identities on-screen as representations that may shape and organise the ways in which we see and find pleasure in seeing.
Aims
to explore how filmic theories relate to constructions and conceptions of gender;
to critically analyse the representation of gender in relation to constructions of identity, sexuality, class and race;
to enable students to explore the ways in which these areas relate to socialisation;
to critically analyse representations of gender through close analysis of specific filmic texts.
Intended Learning Outcomes
explain theoretical concepts in relation to representations of gender on-screen and apply them to selected filmic texts. will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2,2
evaluate how gender discourse, representations and spectatorship relate to social and material practice. will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2, 3
describe and analyse a range of visual texts that represent and negotiate gender identities in various ways. will be achieved by assessments: 1,2,3
apply cross-cultural and inter-textual methods of reading film, taking into account different theoretical and ideological approaches to gender. will be achieved by assessments: 1,2,3,
outline and critically assess at least one model of film spectatorship. will be achieved by assessments: 1,2,3
Study hours
10 hours lectures
12 hours seminars
38 hours seminar preparation
60 hours assessment preparation
30 hours film viewing
Description of Module Assessment
01: Webct weighted 20%
4 x Webct test
4 x 5% webct tests. 2 of 4 webct assessments cover lecture and reading material only. Remaining 2 of 4 Webct assessments require peer-review on an academic web thread related to the teaching topic. All webct tests will take plave via the KLE. All registered module students have full access to the KLE.
02: Essay weighted 40%
Formal essay
a close analysis of a film sequence written as an essay of 1,500-1750 words.
03: 2 Hour Exam weighted 40%
2-hour exam
Students select two essay-style questions from a list of options. The questions will be based on the module contents.
Version: (1.06B) Updated: 03/Oct/2013

This document is the definitive current source of information about this module and supersedes any other information.