Introduction to Queer Cinema: Exploring Sexuality and Gender
Course Description:
Queer cinema and queer readings of films offer an alternative to the abundance of heteronormative films in our culture. This course will offer a number of tools to help audiences engage with films. Concepts such as mise-en-scene, film context, themes, genre, motifs, intertextuality, gender, class, and race will help students develop a repertoire of abilities to call upon when engaging actively with a film.
We will be covering select topics regarding queerness, so we will be focusing on multiple races, genders, and nationalities. We will be exploring French, Canadian, and Israeli films among others during this survey. During the course, students will gain basic film terminology and will be able to implement what they have learned through in-class discussions, Twitter, blog posts, and academic writing.
Course Goals:
*Students should develop an “active” viewership with film.
*Students should be able to identify, engage, and express film concepts in a discussion.
*Students should be able to analyze a scene for meaning and depth relying on films concepts and terminology.
*Students should be able to locate, analyze, and synthesis primary and secondary sources using a database.
Required Texts:
We will not be using a textbook for this class; however, I strongly encourage students to store pdfs in an easy access location as we may be referring to older readings throughout the semester.
Course Requirements:
Class Participation (15%)
Active participation is a key component to the course, and students will be expected to add to daily discussions so all students may benefit from multiple perspectives. For this, students who participate 1-2 times during a class will not receive as high a grade as a student who participates 5-6 times per class. All students should come to class having completed the prior class assignment (readings and screenings) and ready to discuss. Students who have speaking anxiety may opt out of in-class participation for additional Twitter participation. I will gift 4 absences (two full class weeks) before your grade is affected (save these for emergencies). 2 instances of arriving late for class or leaving early will count as 1 absence. The only exception to this rule is a documented University excused absence. Regardless of absence, you are responsible for all material covered during class and screenings.
Twitter Participation (15%)
Each week (1-14), students are to post at least 6 (3 per assignment) tweets using the course hashtag. Tweets may regard questions during the reading, outstanding film elements, continuing class discussion, responding to another tweet, or otherwise addresses course related content to that week. Tweets that lack “substance” (i.e. “Wow, this film sure is boring) will not count towards the tweet goal. Twitter is a public forum; you should represent yourself in a professional manner. Professional Twitter users may keep their account private, but if you do that you need to alert me to your Twitter username so that I may send you a follower request. Students who opt out of in-class participation may tweet an additional 4 times per class about topics covered to earn their participation.
Response Blog (30%)
Each week, students are to post a 300-400 word response to a question I ask on the blog. Students are encouraged, but not required, to hyperlink images, videos, and websites related to their post. The blog post is an opportunity to brainstorm ideas and work through difficult concepts found in the course. With that being said, students will be graded for completion sake (i.e. “Did it meet the requirements?”). Posts that are summaries of the film will not receive credit for completion. In addition, students are to write a 100 word response to at least 2 other student posts. Students should use these responses to question or expand on another’s idea. Post resembling “I agree” or “good work” will not suffice. Initial posts regarding the film are due by 5 p.m. each Wednesday, while responses are due Thursday before noon.
Final Paper (40%)
Due during our final exam period, students will submit an 8-10 page paper covering a topic of their choice. Topics must be approved by me, and must contain at least 1 detailed scene analysis. Students will turn in drafts, an annotated bibliography, and markers of their progression throughout the semester as indicated on the schedule so I may provide substantial feedback in a timely manner . Papers will require a minimum of 6 academic sources; however, the paper should not be a research report. Students will be expected to contribute to the conversation using their sources as a foundation. Academic sources are peer-reviewed by other scholars in the field; Wikipedia is not a peer-reviewed source. Students can find additional information on plagiarism below, but regardless of proper citation, no more than 10% of their paper should be direct quotations. Papers are required to be in MLA format with a size 12 professional font. Students are free to work at their own pace (so long as they meet the milestones), but I will grade the paper under the assumption you have spent the semester working on the paper.
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Late Work:
Late work is unacceptable. Students are encouraged to tweet and blog early to avoid last-minute submissions that could be considered late. Saving multiple drafts across clouds, USB drives, and your computer are encouraged to avoid losing your work. Leniency will not be offered as we live in the golden age of technology. Save your work!
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is the direct, or indirect, attempt of passing someone else’s ideas, words, or research off as your own. I have a zero tolerance policy for plagiarism, and any instance of plagiarism will result an immediate failure of the assignment. Instances of plagiarism will be reported to the student judicial system.
Class Policies:
Laptops and tablets are welcomed in the classroom for note taking purposes only. Sites and apps that aren’t class related can become a distraction to yourself and those around you. If you are becoming a distraction to a lecture, or students around you, you may be asked to leave class and receive an absence for that meeting. Please silence cell phones and other electronics to avoid becoming said distraction.
Email:
I use email as my main form of communication outside of class. If you need to reach me regarding an assignment or class topic please allow up to 24 hours to hear a reply from me.
Course Content Note:
Understand that this course will require you to read, write, and discuss explicit material that may be unsettling to some students. If you are uncomfortable viewing images of a certain nature (i.e. rape, drugs, abuse) please alert me ahead of time so we can set up an alternate assignment. These themes may become frequent in discussion, if this might be an issue for you consider dropping the course.
