Film Studies (FILM) 307 - Lecture 01
Topics in Cinema and Gender Studies: Contemporary Queer Cinema
Fall 2007
 Fridays 09:00-10:50 Screenings: M or W 09:00-12:00

 

Instructor:	Dr. Dawn Johnston
Office Location:	SS 234
Office Phone:	403.220.3199
E-Mail:	debjohns@ucalgary.ca
Office Hours:	Tuesday and Thursday, 10:00 - 10:50 or by appointment

Additional Information

Because this course examines representations of gender and sexuality in film, it is entirely possible - quite likely, in fact - that some of the material will be sexually explicit, and may challenge your comfort level with regards to portrayals of gender roles, sexualities, and sexual orientations.  This material is crucial to the course, so please consider your course selection carefully if you are concerned about your response to the material.

Course Description

The course will cover various incorporations of the queer experience in the context of films from western and non-western cultures. The course engages critical discussions on film as a space for resistance against coercive sexual and gender binarisms. It also alludes to cinema's articulation of sexual identity as a social construct within a complex set of social, historical, and institutional relations.

Objectives of the Course

This course encourages students to consider the performance and representation of queer sexualities in contemporary cinema.  We will examine films from Canada, the United States, Ireland, Spain, China, and Australia, analyzing the rhetoric, performance, and representation of homosexuality, bisexuality, transgender, and queerness in these visual texts.  

The purpose of this course is to develop your skills in critical analysis. You will be expected to critically analyze films within the context of a larger popular cultural environment, as well as the broader rhetorical context of contemporary debates about representations of sexuality in popular media.

In this course you are writing "criticism," not "review." We're not looking at whether you like or dislike the selected films - we're looking at what these films are doing and why it matters. A review expresses a first impression after a single viewing. "Criticism" is the result of careful, considered, analytical thought, and it usually requires multiple viewings. Where a review describes or summarizes a film or television show, criticism analyzes how the specific elements of the text - e.g., its plot, characterization, narrative structure, dialogue, settings, sound, lighting, editing, in fact, anything in or related to the film - work together to advance the theme that you are defining in your work. The strength of your argument will depend upon the "evidence" from the film that you use to support your claims.  For your models of critical writing, do NOT rely on newspaper and magazine reviews. Rather, look to academic books on film and to the specialized film and popular culture journals (e.g., Film Quarterly, Journal of Popular Film/TV, Journal of Popular Culture, Jump Cut, Film Comment, Sight and Sound, Cineaste, etc.).

All written assignments require critical analysis. Assume your reader is familiar with the films and episodes discussed. Do not retell the plot (though it may be necessary to refer to a specific point in the plot) and avoid oversimplified quality assessments, ie: "This was the best episode of the season" or "I didn't like Season Two as much as Season One."

Textbooks and Readings:

Benshoff, Harry and Sean Griffin.  Queer Images: A History of Gay and Lesbian Film in America. Available in the University Bookstore

Online journal readings are posted on Blackboard.  Please note that you will be responsible for downloading and printing those readings for the designated classes.  These are required readings, but have been posted electronically rather than packaged as a custom readings package in order to reduce the cost to students. 

Assignments and Evaluation

Oral Presentation                   Selected Date                                              15%

In-class Essay                       October 5                                                   20%

"Excluded Films" Essay        October 19                                                  15%

Term Paper                           December 7 (Topic by November 9)            40%

Participation                          Ongoing                                                      10%

 

All students will be required to give an in-class oral presentation on one of the films being screened as part of this course.  Presentations will take place during class time in the week that the film is screened.  Presentations should be seven to ten minutes in length, and should provide some contextual background and preliminary analysis of the selected film and specific topic.  A list of topics, films, and dates will be circulated in the first class, and students will select a presentation slot accordingly.  Any students not in attendance at the first class will be assigned a film and topic. 

 

The in-class essay exam will take place during class time on Friday, October 5.  Students will be given a question regarding the films and readings of the course up to that point, and will be expected to answer that question in a focused, well-organized essay format.

 

One of the most commonly asked questions in a topics-based film course is "Why aren't we watching...?"  We all have ideas on which films should be part of a course on contemporary queer cinema, and this is your chance to defend your choice.  You are required to write a short (750-1000 words) essay about which excluded film (of, let's say, the last twenty years) you would have included in this course.  Your essay should include a brief plot description, some background information on the film, and a rationalization of why it would make a significant contribution to a course on contemporary queer cinema. 

 

Your term paper for this course is a research and analysis essay.  This assignment affords students the opportunity to examine a theme or symbol or technical element or directorial style in detail, in context, and in depth. The essay should demonstrate your own critical analysis of your topic, as well as your familiarity and engagement with other scholarly analyses of your subject.  Your essay should be 1750-2000 words in length.  You may select your own topic, but it MUST be submitted to the instructor for approval, via e-mail, no later than November 9.  Essays on unapproved topics will not be accepted.

 

Participation is crucial to your success in this course, and accordingly, is worth 10% of your final grade. You will be judged on your ability and willingness to participate in discussions of the material. The quality, not the quantity, of your contributions to discussions will be considered, as will your attentiveness to others' comments during class discussions.

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.
Note: Please hand in your essays directly to your tutor or instructor if possible. If it is not possible to do so, a daytime drop box is available in SS110; a date stamp is provided for your use. A night drop box is also available for after-hours submission. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date, and placed in the instructor's mailbox. Do NOT slide essays under the instructor's door, as they will not be accepted or graded.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination:  No

Policy for Late Assignments

Assignments submitted after the deadline may be penalized with the loss of a grade (e.g.: A- to B+) for each day late.

Writing Skills Statement

Faculty policy directs that all written assignments (including, although to a lesser extent, written exam responses) will be assessed at least partly on writing skills. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Writing skills include not only surface correctness (grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc) but also general clarity and organization. Research papers must be properly documented.

If you need help with your writing, you are strongly encouraged to use the Writing Centre.  Visit the website for more details: http://www.efwr.ucalgary.ca/.  

Grading System

The following grading system is used in the Faculty of Communication and Culture:

A+ (96-100); A (92-95); A- (86-91); B+ (81-85); B (77-80); B- (71-76);
C+ (65-70); C (62-64); C- (59-61); D+ (55-58); D (50-54); F (0-49)

 

Plagiarism

Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course and possibly suspension or expulsion from the university.

You must document not only direct quotations but also paraphrases and ideas where they appear in your text. A reference list at the end is insufficient by itself. Readers must be able to tell exactly where your words and ideas end and other people's words and ideas begin. This includes assignments submitted in non-traditional formats such as Web pages or visual media, and material taken from such sources.

Please consult your instructor or the Writing Centre (SS 106, efwr.ucalgary.ca) if you have any questions regarding how to document sources.

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability who may require academic accommodation, it is your responsibility to register with the Disability Resource Centre (220-8237) and discuss your needs with your instructor no later than fourteen (14) days after the start of the course.

Students' Union

For details about the current Students' Union contacts for the Faculty of Communication and Culture see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/su

"SAFEWALK" Program -- 220-5333

Campus Security will escort individuals day or night -- call 220-5333 for assistance. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most parking lot booths.

Ethics

Whenever you perform research with human participants (i.e. surveys, interviews, observation) as part of your university studies, you are responsible for following university research ethics guidelines.  Your instructor must review and approve of your research plans and supervise your research.  For more information about your research ethics responsibilities, see the U of C Research Ethics "Information for Applicants," sections 3.0 to 9.0, inclusive: http://www.ucalgary.ca/UofC/research/html/ethics/info_undergrad.html

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

 

To be posted on Blackboard