Course Description

At the core of the course is the question how feminism has become a demonized and ridiculed “F-word” in an age when issues of gender and sexuality are at the center of constant, often explosive political debates. These debates often connect media representation and political representation but tend to do so in simplistic ways that bypass or distort decades of sophisticated feminist theory and practice. We will trace back such representations through the decades around case studies that encompass film, video, television and new media practices. The case studies come from the United States and beyond, taking into full account the global interconnectedness of media production and consumption as well as the transnational travel of feminist ideas. The main goal of the course is to evaluate how useful feminist thinking is to understanding the relays between media and political representation; and to develop a lasting critical apparatus to analyzing the politics of gender and sexuality in the media.


Monday, November 4, 2013

Merida Made Over

While doing some research for our group's teaching project (on Disney Princesses), I came across the controversy that had occurred this past May-- when Merida, the red-headed heroine of the Pixar animated film 'Brave' was officially crowned Disney's 11th princess. 
Having watched the film when it had first come out in 2012, I remember noticing right away that this particular Disney film, unlike past ones, actually sent a decent message to young girls-- one that didn't follow the all-too-well-known clichés of 'just look pretty,' 'find yourself a prince,' 'damsel in distress,' 'happily ever after,' etc. It was refreshing to see such a novel break away from the traditional line of Disney princesses. Sadly, I find out today that Disney's supposed new sense of 'female empowerment' was nothing but a short-lived fantasy. 
I'm a little late joining the band wagon and had not been fully aware of Merida's 'royal induction' until now. But like many others, I'm extremely disappointed to see that Disney has once again copped out-- making a once unique, vibrant, and realistically looking girl over into a flawless plastic looking one with the eyes, hair, and body type of any other ordinary pretty princess. As Brenda Chapman, co-director of the film puts it in her interview with IndieWire, Disney has "betrayed the essence of what [they] were trying to do with Merida -- give young girls and women a stronger role model." The makeover is just another "blatantly sexist move to make money."

Here's a link to one of the many posts on the story:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/08/merida-brave-makeover_n_3238223.html

… Just something to think about.

-- Pamela Chan
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