A2 Feminism and the Media part 1 (2020)
Stereotypes, Male Gaze, Symbolic annihilation, Bechdel Test, Beauty Myth, Objectfication and Dismemberment, Postfeminism
This document provides an overview of feminist perspectives and concepts related to analyzing media through a feminist lens. It discusses key ideas such as the male gaze, patriarchy, and underrepresentation of women. Specifically, it introduces Laura Mulvey's influential theory of the male gaze and how mainstream cinema constructs viewers as male and objects women for the male gaze. It also notes some criticisms of Mulvey's theory, such as its focus on older films and lack of consideration for diverse audience viewpoints. Overall, the document outlines foundational feminist media concepts and theories.
A2Y2 Media Studies Language Theory Postmodernism & HyperrealityKBucket
Postmodernism rejects the notion of objective truth and universal theories, instead believing that there are only individual interpretations of the world. It challenges social constructs and norms by bending and breaking rules. Key characteristics of postmodern works include self-reflexiveness by acknowledging the constructed nature of the medium, intertextuality through references to other works, and genre blending or hybridization. Postmodernism emphasizes style over substance and questions notions of reality through constant simulation and depthlessness.
This document summarizes several theories of representation relating to race and gender:
1. Paul Gilroy and Stuart Hall theorized about representations of race in media, with Gilroy focusing on the "Black Atlantic" culture and Hall discussing strategies to subvert stereotypes like reversing them or making them work against themselves.
2. Liesbet van Zoonen analyzed gender representation in media through a feminist lens, noting how women are often objectified and gender is performatively constructed.
3. bell hooks' intersectional theory examined how media representations reinforce systems like white supremacist capitalist patriarchy through stereotypes based on gender, race, class and sexuality.
This document provides an overview of the concept of "the gaze" in visual media such as television and advertising. It discusses how the gaze refers to how viewers look at images of people, as well as how people are depicted looking in visual texts. Key forms of gaze are identified, such as the spectator's gaze, intra-diegetic gaze, direct address to the viewer, and the look of the camera. Direction of gaze and mutual versus non-mutual gaze are also examined.
The document discusses how to analyze the ideologies present in American superhero films. It explains that ideologies represent the dominant values and attitudes of a social group or culture. Superhero films often promote American ideologies like patriotism and depict American heroes as defending freedom and justice. The narratives, characters, and imagery in superhero films can subtly reinforce values like American exceptionalism and military strength. Analyzing representations, narratives, and binary opposites in films can provide insights into the ideologies they aim to promote or challenge.
Laura Mulvey is a prominent British feminist film theorist best known for her 1975 essay "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema," which introduced the concept of the "male gaze" and analyzed how Hollywood cinema represents women through the heterosexual male perspective and for the visual pleasure of male viewers. Mulvey's influential work inaugurated the intersection of film theory, psychoanalysis, and feminism and analyzed how the symbolic order of society is dominated by the heterosexual male gaze, which objectifies women as representations of male desires.
This document provides a summary of the key themes and conclusions drawn from David Gauntlett's book "Media, Gender & Identity". The summary identifies several themes discussed in the book, including the fluidity of modern identities, the decline of tradition, the active construction of identity through popular media, concepts of masculinity and femininity ("girl power"), and the role of generational differences. It concludes that while gender categories have not been shattered, popular media has created more space for diverse identities and challenged traditional gender norms. Popular media also plays an important role in providing tools and guidance for individuals to construct their own identities and ways of living in modern society.
This document provides an overview of feminist perspectives and concepts related to analyzing media through a feminist lens. It discusses key ideas such as the male gaze, patriarchy, and underrepresentation of women. Specifically, it introduces Laura Mulvey's influential theory of the male gaze and how mainstream cinema constructs viewers as male and objects women for the male gaze. It also notes some criticisms of Mulvey's theory, such as its focus on older films and lack of consideration for diverse audience viewpoints. Overall, the document outlines foundational feminist media concepts and theories.
A2Y2 Media Studies Language Theory Postmodernism & HyperrealityKBucket
Postmodernism rejects the notion of objective truth and universal theories, instead believing that there are only individual interpretations of the world. It challenges social constructs and norms by bending and breaking rules. Key characteristics of postmodern works include self-reflexiveness by acknowledging the constructed nature of the medium, intertextuality through references to other works, and genre blending or hybridization. Postmodernism emphasizes style over substance and questions notions of reality through constant simulation and depthlessness.
This document summarizes several theories of representation relating to race and gender:
1. Paul Gilroy and Stuart Hall theorized about representations of race in media, with Gilroy focusing on the "Black Atlantic" culture and Hall discussing strategies to subvert stereotypes like reversing them or making them work against themselves.
2. Liesbet van Zoonen analyzed gender representation in media through a feminist lens, noting how women are often objectified and gender is performatively constructed.
3. bell hooks' intersectional theory examined how media representations reinforce systems like white supremacist capitalist patriarchy through stereotypes based on gender, race, class and sexuality.
This document provides an overview of the concept of "the gaze" in visual media such as television and advertising. It discusses how the gaze refers to how viewers look at images of people, as well as how people are depicted looking in visual texts. Key forms of gaze are identified, such as the spectator's gaze, intra-diegetic gaze, direct address to the viewer, and the look of the camera. Direction of gaze and mutual versus non-mutual gaze are also examined.
The document discusses how to analyze the ideologies present in American superhero films. It explains that ideologies represent the dominant values and attitudes of a social group or culture. Superhero films often promote American ideologies like patriotism and depict American heroes as defending freedom and justice. The narratives, characters, and imagery in superhero films can subtly reinforce values like American exceptionalism and military strength. Analyzing representations, narratives, and binary opposites in films can provide insights into the ideologies they aim to promote or challenge.
Laura Mulvey is a prominent British feminist film theorist best known for her 1975 essay "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema," which introduced the concept of the "male gaze" and analyzed how Hollywood cinema represents women through the heterosexual male perspective and for the visual pleasure of male viewers. Mulvey's influential work inaugurated the intersection of film theory, psychoanalysis, and feminism and analyzed how the symbolic order of society is dominated by the heterosexual male gaze, which objectifies women as representations of male desires.
This document provides a summary of the key themes and conclusions drawn from David Gauntlett's book "Media, Gender & Identity". The summary identifies several themes discussed in the book, including the fluidity of modern identities, the decline of tradition, the active construction of identity through popular media, concepts of masculinity and femininity ("girl power"), and the role of generational differences. It concludes that while gender categories have not been shattered, popular media has created more space for diverse identities and challenged traditional gender norms. Popular media also plays an important role in providing tools and guidance for individuals to construct their own identities and ways of living in modern society.
No, Emmeline Pankhurst would not be considered an archetypal representation of femininity. Some key reasons:
- She was a political activist and leader who fought aggressively for women's suffrage through militant tactics like hunger strikes, which went against traditional expectations of feminine behavior.
- Her activism and leadership role disrupted traditional gender roles that relegated women to the private sphere of home and family. She took on a very public role advocating for women's rights.
- Images and descriptions of her from the time period often emphasized her defiance of femininity through her strong public speaking, willingness to be arrested and imprisoned for her cause, and other assertive tactics.
- She challenged patriarchal power structures and norms
This document discusses several theories related to audience and representation. It covers key concepts from Uses and Gratifications theory, Stuart Hall's Encoding/Decoding model, Henry Jenkins' work on fans and participatory culture, and theories from Albert Bandura, George Gerbner, and Clay Shirky on media effects and the changing nature of audiences in a digital age. It also examines Stuart Hall, David Gauntlett, Liesbet van Zoonen, bell hooks, Judith Butler, and Paul Gilroy's work on representation, identity construction, gender, feminism, and postcolonial theory.
This document summarizes Richard Dyer's analysis of stereotypes from his work "The Role of Stereotypes". Dyer examines Walter Lippmann's definition of stereotypes as necessary cognitive shortcuts but also notes their tendency to present order as absolute and reflect the power relations of society. Stereotypes invoke a false consensus while expressing the values and traditions of dominant social groups. They make invisible social categories visible and draw firm boundaries where in reality there are none, serving to maintain the status quo.
A2Y2 Media Studies, Media Language theory Postmodernism hyperrealityKBucket
The document provides an overview of postmodernism and some key postmodern concepts. It discusses how postmodernism emerged after modernism and rejected notions of universal truths or grand theories. Some key postmodern ideas discussed include the breakdown of distinctions between high and low art, self-referentiality, intertextuality, pastiche, irony, and the blurring of boundaries between reality and simulation in a hyperreal world dominated by media. Jean Baudrillard's concepts of simulation and the simulacrum are summarized, where mediated experiences become more "real" than reality itself.
The document summarizes several media theorists and their perspectives on representation. It discusses Laura Mulvey's concept of the male gaze and how women are portrayed as passive objects in film. John Berger's theory that women appear for male objectification across media is also mentioned. Theories by Alvarado, Bell Hooks, Stuart Hall, and others address how ethnicity, race, gender, and class are commonly represented and interpreted in Western media through stereotypes, exoticism, and blurred associations. Narrative and audience reception theories are also briefly outlined.
A2 Media Studies: Post colonialist Theory (2020)KBucket
The document discusses the different treatment of Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton in the British press and whether race plays a factor. It notes that Meghan faced more hostile coverage from newspapers, which some critics believe was racially motivated. Harry and Meghan have sued some newspapers and cited the press treatment as one reason they stepped back from royal duties. The document also discusses the legacy of colonialism and how representations of race in media today can still reflect beliefs from the colonial era when Europeans asserted their superiority over non-white populations.
This document provides definitions for various key concepts and theories in media studies, including representation, mediation, situated culture, uses and gratifications theory, ideology, cultural imperialism, hegemony, feminism, post-colonialism, Marxism, stereotypes, Propp's theory, false consciousness, gaze theory, bourgeoisie, Todorov's theory, patriarchy, second wave feminism, binary opposition, and liberal pluralism. Each term is defined in 1-2 sentences.
Theories of Media Representation refers to how media constructs and presents versions of reality to audiences. All representations are constructions that show one perspective, not objective reality. Key thinkers like Marx, the Birmingham School, Hall, and Lacan viewed representation as a process involving power dynamics between media producers and audiences. Representation raises questions about whose perspectives are included or excluded in media and how audiences interpret these encodings.
The document discusses several archetypal representations of femininity throughout history and across cultures. It begins by describing some of the earliest representations in the form of Paleolithic Venus figurines from 28,000-25,000 BCE. It then discusses classical Greek and Roman goddesses associated with love, beauty, and sexuality like Aphrodite and Venus. Examples of feminist interpretations of figures like Medusa are provided. The document also examines historical female figures represented in art and myths, common feminine archetypes and stereotypes, as well as examples of countertypes from modern media and culture.
This document summarizes key concepts from several feminist theorists regarding gender representation:
1) Liesbet van Zoonen argues that gender is socially constructed and represented differently in media, often objectifying women. She disagrees that technology inherently empowers women.
2) Bell hooks introduced intersectionality - how gender, race, class intersect to create systems of oppression dominant in media representations. She advocates an "oppositional gaze" for black audiences.
3) Judith Butler's gender performativity theory holds that gender is created through the repetitive performance of gender roles, not an essential identity. This creates "gender trouble" for those outside heterosexual norms.
This document discusses various representation theories that will be applied in a magazine, including hegemony, stereotypes, and theories of gender and female representation. Hegemony refers to how dominant groups use institutions like media to maintain power by spreading ideologies. Stereotypes are social constructs that are often subverted in indie/rock music. Theories of empowered female representation and gender performance will also be applied to portray independent, active women and a subversion of traditional gender roles in the magazine's representations.
Stuart Hall outlines three strategies for contesting racial stereotypes in media representation:
1) Reversing stereotypes or substituting negative images with positive ones.
2) Attempting to make stereotypes work against themselves through humor or de-familiarization.
3) Celebrating diversity to expand representations beyond reductionist stereotypes.
However, he notes these strategies also risk appropriating difference or avoiding difficult issues.
The document provides exam style questions about analyzing representations of gender in an episode of the 1960s British TV show The Avengers, asking students to discuss how the extract challenges or conforms to traditional gender stereotypes of the era based on analyzing its use of gender representations and drawing conclusions. It also provides context about the historical, social, and cultural norms around gender in 1960s Britain and how the show both reflected and potentially challenged traditional roles and representations through characters like Emma Peel.
David Gauntlett argues that the media plays an important role in how individuals construct their identity. It provides models and representations that people can use to think through questions about their identity, lifestyle, and ways of expressing themselves. However, the process of identity formation is complex, as identities can change depending on circumstances and media messages. Gauntlett also questions whether the idea of individual uniqueness is an illusion, suggesting that people may be more similar than they think.
This document provides an introduction to genre theory and discusses some of the key challenges in defining genres. It notes that while genres are commonly used to categorize different types of texts, there is no consensus on how to define genres or determine their boundaries. Generically classifying texts involves theoretical difficulties as genres often overlap and individual texts can belong to multiple genres. The document examines debates around whether genres exist objectively or are social constructions, and if they are defined by shared content, form, or both. It also explores how genres are not fixed but change over time as new hybrid genres emerge.
Here are some key points about Roland Barthes' concept of mythologies:
- Mythologies refers to the ways in which cultural products and practices come to be regarded as natural and taken-for-granted.
- Barthes was interested in unpacking the unstated assumptions and ideologies behind these cultural myths.
- He analyzed how ordinary objects, gestures, and images come to take on additional layers of meaning and symbolism (their connotations) beyond their literal functions.
- For example, a BMW connotes traits like ambition and success, while a Citroën 2CV implies environmentalism - even though they serve the same functional purpose as vehicles.
- Barthes' goal was to make the implicit
A level media theory knowledge organiser with examMrSouthworth
This document summarizes key concepts and theories from media studies, covering semiotics, narratology, genre theory, structuralism, postmodernism, representation, identity, feminism, audience reception, and media industries. It outlines important ideas from thinkers such as Roland Barthes, Tzvetan Todorov, Steve Neale, Stuart Hall, David Gauntlett, Judith Butler, Paul Gilroy, Albert Bandura, George Gerbner, Henry Jenkins, and David Hesmondhalgh. The concepts discussed include how meaning is constructed through signs and codes, how narratives and genres function, how identity and representation work, how audiences interpret media, and the political and economic contexts of media production and regulation.
Media and Collective Identity: Useful quotesBelinda Raji
The documents discuss how media representations of ethnic and racial groups are shaped by dominant ideologies to control identities. Stuart Hall argued that media produces naturalized representations that construct identities like race as innate rather than politically motivated. Representations in media have power to shape popular attitudes. Research found ethnic minorities often underrepresented or stereotyped in media. Younger black respondents rejected a British identity due to feeling marginalized in society. Mixed race youth assumed a black identity due to appearance and upbringing. Accurate portrayals of communities are needed to avoid wrong impressions.
The document discusses the representation of gender in media. It explains that gender is a social construct that influences how people are expected to behave and think based on whether they are male or female. Traditional media stereotypes present narrow definitions of masculinity and femininity, with imbalances of power. However, feminism challenged these patriarchal representations, leading to more diverse portrayals of gender over time. Modern media both reflects and influences ongoing debates around gender roles and identities.
This document provides an overview of feminist perspectives and concepts that are relevant to analyzing media from a feminist critical lens. It discusses the origins and types of feminism, including first wave, second wave, third wave, Marxist feminism, radical feminism, and others. Key concepts discussed include the male gaze, representations of women in media, and the Bechdel test. The document aims to help readers understand and apply feminist perspectives to analyzing texts.
A2 representation theory feminism and the mediaKBucket
This document provides an overview of feminist perspectives and their application to media studies. It discusses key concepts in feminism such as the oppression and exploitation of women. It outlines the origins and types of feminism, including first, second, and third wave feminism as well as Marxist, radical, liberal, black, and postmodern feminism. The document also examines influential feminist media theories like Laura Mulvey's concept of the male gaze and how it constructs passive representations of women in film. It notes criticisms of Mulvey's work and discusses other types of gazes as well as further feminist readings of media like those of Jean Kilbourne and Naomi Wolf.
No, Emmeline Pankhurst would not be considered an archetypal representation of femininity. Some key reasons:
- She was a political activist and leader who fought aggressively for women's suffrage through militant tactics like hunger strikes, which went against traditional expectations of feminine behavior.
- Her activism and leadership role disrupted traditional gender roles that relegated women to the private sphere of home and family. She took on a very public role advocating for women's rights.
- Images and descriptions of her from the time period often emphasized her defiance of femininity through her strong public speaking, willingness to be arrested and imprisoned for her cause, and other assertive tactics.
- She challenged patriarchal power structures and norms
This document discusses several theories related to audience and representation. It covers key concepts from Uses and Gratifications theory, Stuart Hall's Encoding/Decoding model, Henry Jenkins' work on fans and participatory culture, and theories from Albert Bandura, George Gerbner, and Clay Shirky on media effects and the changing nature of audiences in a digital age. It also examines Stuart Hall, David Gauntlett, Liesbet van Zoonen, bell hooks, Judith Butler, and Paul Gilroy's work on representation, identity construction, gender, feminism, and postcolonial theory.
This document summarizes Richard Dyer's analysis of stereotypes from his work "The Role of Stereotypes". Dyer examines Walter Lippmann's definition of stereotypes as necessary cognitive shortcuts but also notes their tendency to present order as absolute and reflect the power relations of society. Stereotypes invoke a false consensus while expressing the values and traditions of dominant social groups. They make invisible social categories visible and draw firm boundaries where in reality there are none, serving to maintain the status quo.
A2Y2 Media Studies, Media Language theory Postmodernism hyperrealityKBucket
The document provides an overview of postmodernism and some key postmodern concepts. It discusses how postmodernism emerged after modernism and rejected notions of universal truths or grand theories. Some key postmodern ideas discussed include the breakdown of distinctions between high and low art, self-referentiality, intertextuality, pastiche, irony, and the blurring of boundaries between reality and simulation in a hyperreal world dominated by media. Jean Baudrillard's concepts of simulation and the simulacrum are summarized, where mediated experiences become more "real" than reality itself.
The document summarizes several media theorists and their perspectives on representation. It discusses Laura Mulvey's concept of the male gaze and how women are portrayed as passive objects in film. John Berger's theory that women appear for male objectification across media is also mentioned. Theories by Alvarado, Bell Hooks, Stuart Hall, and others address how ethnicity, race, gender, and class are commonly represented and interpreted in Western media through stereotypes, exoticism, and blurred associations. Narrative and audience reception theories are also briefly outlined.
A2 Media Studies: Post colonialist Theory (2020)KBucket
The document discusses the different treatment of Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton in the British press and whether race plays a factor. It notes that Meghan faced more hostile coverage from newspapers, which some critics believe was racially motivated. Harry and Meghan have sued some newspapers and cited the press treatment as one reason they stepped back from royal duties. The document also discusses the legacy of colonialism and how representations of race in media today can still reflect beliefs from the colonial era when Europeans asserted their superiority over non-white populations.
This document provides definitions for various key concepts and theories in media studies, including representation, mediation, situated culture, uses and gratifications theory, ideology, cultural imperialism, hegemony, feminism, post-colonialism, Marxism, stereotypes, Propp's theory, false consciousness, gaze theory, bourgeoisie, Todorov's theory, patriarchy, second wave feminism, binary opposition, and liberal pluralism. Each term is defined in 1-2 sentences.
Theories of Media Representation refers to how media constructs and presents versions of reality to audiences. All representations are constructions that show one perspective, not objective reality. Key thinkers like Marx, the Birmingham School, Hall, and Lacan viewed representation as a process involving power dynamics between media producers and audiences. Representation raises questions about whose perspectives are included or excluded in media and how audiences interpret these encodings.
The document discusses several archetypal representations of femininity throughout history and across cultures. It begins by describing some of the earliest representations in the form of Paleolithic Venus figurines from 28,000-25,000 BCE. It then discusses classical Greek and Roman goddesses associated with love, beauty, and sexuality like Aphrodite and Venus. Examples of feminist interpretations of figures like Medusa are provided. The document also examines historical female figures represented in art and myths, common feminine archetypes and stereotypes, as well as examples of countertypes from modern media and culture.
This document summarizes key concepts from several feminist theorists regarding gender representation:
1) Liesbet van Zoonen argues that gender is socially constructed and represented differently in media, often objectifying women. She disagrees that technology inherently empowers women.
2) Bell hooks introduced intersectionality - how gender, race, class intersect to create systems of oppression dominant in media representations. She advocates an "oppositional gaze" for black audiences.
3) Judith Butler's gender performativity theory holds that gender is created through the repetitive performance of gender roles, not an essential identity. This creates "gender trouble" for those outside heterosexual norms.
This document discusses various representation theories that will be applied in a magazine, including hegemony, stereotypes, and theories of gender and female representation. Hegemony refers to how dominant groups use institutions like media to maintain power by spreading ideologies. Stereotypes are social constructs that are often subverted in indie/rock music. Theories of empowered female representation and gender performance will also be applied to portray independent, active women and a subversion of traditional gender roles in the magazine's representations.
Stuart Hall outlines three strategies for contesting racial stereotypes in media representation:
1) Reversing stereotypes or substituting negative images with positive ones.
2) Attempting to make stereotypes work against themselves through humor or de-familiarization.
3) Celebrating diversity to expand representations beyond reductionist stereotypes.
However, he notes these strategies also risk appropriating difference or avoiding difficult issues.
The document provides exam style questions about analyzing representations of gender in an episode of the 1960s British TV show The Avengers, asking students to discuss how the extract challenges or conforms to traditional gender stereotypes of the era based on analyzing its use of gender representations and drawing conclusions. It also provides context about the historical, social, and cultural norms around gender in 1960s Britain and how the show both reflected and potentially challenged traditional roles and representations through characters like Emma Peel.
David Gauntlett argues that the media plays an important role in how individuals construct their identity. It provides models and representations that people can use to think through questions about their identity, lifestyle, and ways of expressing themselves. However, the process of identity formation is complex, as identities can change depending on circumstances and media messages. Gauntlett also questions whether the idea of individual uniqueness is an illusion, suggesting that people may be more similar than they think.
This document provides an introduction to genre theory and discusses some of the key challenges in defining genres. It notes that while genres are commonly used to categorize different types of texts, there is no consensus on how to define genres or determine their boundaries. Generically classifying texts involves theoretical difficulties as genres often overlap and individual texts can belong to multiple genres. The document examines debates around whether genres exist objectively or are social constructions, and if they are defined by shared content, form, or both. It also explores how genres are not fixed but change over time as new hybrid genres emerge.
Here are some key points about Roland Barthes' concept of mythologies:
- Mythologies refers to the ways in which cultural products and practices come to be regarded as natural and taken-for-granted.
- Barthes was interested in unpacking the unstated assumptions and ideologies behind these cultural myths.
- He analyzed how ordinary objects, gestures, and images come to take on additional layers of meaning and symbolism (their connotations) beyond their literal functions.
- For example, a BMW connotes traits like ambition and success, while a Citroën 2CV implies environmentalism - even though they serve the same functional purpose as vehicles.
- Barthes' goal was to make the implicit
A level media theory knowledge organiser with examMrSouthworth
This document summarizes key concepts and theories from media studies, covering semiotics, narratology, genre theory, structuralism, postmodernism, representation, identity, feminism, audience reception, and media industries. It outlines important ideas from thinkers such as Roland Barthes, Tzvetan Todorov, Steve Neale, Stuart Hall, David Gauntlett, Judith Butler, Paul Gilroy, Albert Bandura, George Gerbner, Henry Jenkins, and David Hesmondhalgh. The concepts discussed include how meaning is constructed through signs and codes, how narratives and genres function, how identity and representation work, how audiences interpret media, and the political and economic contexts of media production and regulation.
Media and Collective Identity: Useful quotesBelinda Raji
The documents discuss how media representations of ethnic and racial groups are shaped by dominant ideologies to control identities. Stuart Hall argued that media produces naturalized representations that construct identities like race as innate rather than politically motivated. Representations in media have power to shape popular attitudes. Research found ethnic minorities often underrepresented or stereotyped in media. Younger black respondents rejected a British identity due to feeling marginalized in society. Mixed race youth assumed a black identity due to appearance and upbringing. Accurate portrayals of communities are needed to avoid wrong impressions.
The document discusses the representation of gender in media. It explains that gender is a social construct that influences how people are expected to behave and think based on whether they are male or female. Traditional media stereotypes present narrow definitions of masculinity and femininity, with imbalances of power. However, feminism challenged these patriarchal representations, leading to more diverse portrayals of gender over time. Modern media both reflects and influences ongoing debates around gender roles and identities.
This document provides an overview of feminist perspectives and concepts that are relevant to analyzing media from a feminist critical lens. It discusses the origins and types of feminism, including first wave, second wave, third wave, Marxist feminism, radical feminism, and others. Key concepts discussed include the male gaze, representations of women in media, and the Bechdel test. The document aims to help readers understand and apply feminist perspectives to analyzing texts.
A2 representation theory feminism and the mediaKBucket
This document provides an overview of feminist perspectives and their application to media studies. It discusses key concepts in feminism such as the oppression and exploitation of women. It outlines the origins and types of feminism, including first, second, and third wave feminism as well as Marxist, radical, liberal, black, and postmodern feminism. The document also examines influential feminist media theories like Laura Mulvey's concept of the male gaze and how it constructs passive representations of women in film. It notes criticisms of Mulvey's work and discusses other types of gazes as well as further feminist readings of media like those of Jean Kilbourne and Naomi Wolf.
Feminist film theory developed from second-wave feminism and women's studies. Early feminist film scholars analyzed how films represented and portrayed women, finding that they often depicted unrealistic stereotypes and were constructed from a male perspective. A key aspect of feminist film theory is the concept of the "male gaze", where films and camerawork objectify women as passive objects of male desire. Theories of representation, spectatorship, and psychoanalysis were applied to understand how cinema reinforced patriarchal social structures by marginalizing women.
Feminism has significantly influenced sociology in two main ways. First, it has brought to light issues that were previously overlooked, such as women's experiences. Second, it has criticized traditional sociological methods for reinforcing hierarchies between researchers and subjects. In response, feminist researchers have advocated more collaborative methods. However, critics argue that feminist methodology does not eliminate power imbalances and early feminism did not consider the experiences of all women.
This document discusses feminism and key feminist theories related to media representation. It covers the history of feminism from first wave to third wave feminism and debates around post-feminism. It outlines several influential feminist theorists and their arguments, including Laura Mulvey's concept of the male gaze and objectification of women in film. It also discusses criticisms of some feminist perspectives and debates around representations of gender in media like soap operas. Feminist theory provides a lens for critically analyzing gender representations and their social impacts across different media forms and texts.
Feminists Family TheoryHistory, Ideas, Postulates and An.docxssuser454af01
Feminists Family Theory
History, Ideas, Postulates and Analyses
Family Feminists Theory essentially has its roots in feminist theory.
It is essential to acknowledge that there are several types of feminism.
Feminism in general is—
The organized movement which promotes equality for men and women in political, economic and social spheres.
Feminists believe that women are oppressed due to their sex—
patriarchy is the system which oppresses women;
ridding society of patriarchy will result in liberation for all.
As an ideology, feminism has existed in at least five waves.Some ideas of early theorists can be seen in some of these developments.1st Wave Early feminism 1700s—1920s2nd Wave Sufferage 1920s—1940s3rd Wave Modern 1950s—1960s4th Wave Reformation 1970s—1980s5th Wave Post Modern 1990s—now
Mary Wollstonecraft (1759—1797) was one of the first women to rebel against the idea of separate spheres.Public—men (finances, legal, politics, industry, struggle)Private—women (home, childcare)She saw these spheres as debilitating and reductionist.Wollstonecraft believe that these spheres kept women pretty, uneducated, and emotionally passiveThis meant that women could never be equal to men.
By the end of the 19th Century feminism started to develop as a major political movement known as women’s sufferage.During the 2nd Wave feminism was strongly supported by Simone de Beauvoir and Virginia Woolf.These two women are often called the “mothers of feminism.”
They were the first to attack and theoretically comment on women’s opporession
Simone de Beauvoir said, “one is not born but rather becomes a woman.”
She made this statement based on her distinctions between sex and gender.
Beauvoir became the first person to apply Hegel’s master—slave dialectic to the power relation between men and women.
In Hegel’s dialectic here is a struggle between self and other. The dependence of the other clashes with each self’s wish to be autonomous.Once self asserts its superiority and imposes recognition of his power of oppression on the other who submits—In other words, the master needs the slave to confirm his power—if he destroyed the other there would be no one to recognize him as master.Feminism in the 3rd Wave (contemporary) is committed to progressive or emancipatory goals of achieving equality for women in direct opposition to the Hegelian Master/Slave dialectic.
Modern feminism began in the 1960s concurrent with the Civil Rights and anti-Vietnam War protests—Issues wereequal pay for womenjob training for womenreproductive choicematernity leavesubsidized childcareend of sex discrimination.
The modern feminists movement generated several types of feminism
Liberal feminism
Marxist (Social) feminism
Radical feminism
Socialist feminismEach perspective examined the issues of subjugation and devaluation of women via male hegemonic systems.Each examined the laws and customs that that served to restrict and/or reduce women’s roles in society.
Libera ...
The document discusses various approaches to feminist criticism of literature. It begins by defining feminism and outlining its three waves. It then discusses feminist literary criticism, including analyzing how literature portrays women and gender roles. It outlines several types of feminist criticism like radical feminism, liberal feminism, and socialist feminism. It also summarizes different methods for critiquing literature from a feminist perspective, such as examining the depiction of women by men or employing the madwoman thesis.
Judith Butler argues that gender is a performance rather than a stable identity. Laura Mulvey's theory of the "male gaze" describes how women are typically objectified in media for the viewing pleasure of male audiences. Queer theory challenges rigid definitions of sexuality and gender identities, arguing they are socially constructed and fluid. Stuart Hall believes cultural identity is an ongoing process shaped by history and power relations, rather than a fixed attribute, and that media can propagate moral panics and manipulate representations of race.
The document discusses several theories related to how women are portrayed in media through a masculine lens, known as the "male gaze". It begins by explaining Laura Mulvey's theory of the male gaze in film and how women are often depicted as sexual objects for male pleasure. It then outlines the three perspectives of the male gaze: that of the creator, characters, and audience. Later sections discuss additional related concepts like the feminist theory of objectification and oppositional gaze. The document provides an overview of feminist theories in communication and media studies, focusing on examining gender and power dynamics in communicative texts.
1. The document discusses key concepts from Marxism, post-colonialism, feminism, and post-feminism as they relate to analyzing media and culture.
2. It addresses Marxist views of how the dominant ideology and institutions like the media subtly control society. Post-colonial theory examines the effects of colonialism on cultures.
3. Feminism challenges patriarchal power structures, while post-feminism believes women have gained equality but still face issues like the "triple burden" of domestic and professional responsibilities. Post-feminist analysis looks at how gender and sexuality are portrayed.
4. The document prompts applying these theoretical lenses to analyze representations in media like films
This document provides an overview of feminism and its significance. It discusses the three waves of feminism, including first wave suffrage movements, second wave focus on social and cultural equality, and third wave emphasis on gender as a social construct. Key feminist concepts are explained like patriarchy, biological determinism, and the personal is political. Visual examples show how feminist artists have challenged gender stereotypes and reclaimed representations of women. The document addresses ongoing debates around feminism and post-feminism, and argues that feminism remains important today given continued gender inequalities.
Feminism seeks to challenge patriarchal power structures and change perceptions of women. Feminists criticize how mass media reinforce patriarchal ideology through gender stereotypes. They view media as contributing to ideas of masculinity and femininity. While gender roles have changed over time, media still presents disempowering stereotypes of women's bodies and sexuality. Various feminist theorists have examined how media objectifies and sexualizes women from the male gaze. Feminism has progressed through several waves focusing on social, political, and cultural equality and empowerment of women.
Feminism has many definitions and variations that have developed over time. Some of the main types discussed in the document include Amazon feminism, which focuses on women's physical strength and equality. Marxist feminism sees women's oppression as tied to capitalism. Socialist feminism agrees women's oppression is universal but takes different forms in different contexts. Liberal feminism argues for equal legal rights and access within existing political and economic systems like capitalism. Radical feminism sees women as an oppressed class and aims to dismantle the system of male domination. The document concludes that views of gender are complex and change over time, so arguments should not be oversimplified.
Feminist perspectives on media focus on analyzing how gender structures society and our experiences. Early feminist media studies highlighted how women were underrepresented or portrayed in stereotypical roles. Liberal feminism aims to achieve equal opportunities, while radical feminism sees patriarchy as oppressing all women. Socialist feminism incorporates class analysis. Cultural studies approaches examine audience interpretations and the social construction of gender through media. Feminist critiques aim to make masculinity and power relations visible and provide alternative communications.
Feminist theory analyzes gender inequality that has historically oppressed women in patriarchal societies. It examines women's social roles and lived experiences to promote women's rights and interests. While feminists agree on addressing gender inequality, they face stereotypes that hinder progress, such as assumptions that feminists hate men or are angry. However, feminist theory and movements have helped increase legal protections and social changes that benefit women over time.
This document provides an overview of various feminist perspectives including liberal, radical, Marxist, cultural, and intersectional feminism. It discusses how each perspective examines issues related to gender, power dynamics, and the social construction of masculinity and femininity. Examples are given of how each perspective could be applied in analyzing popular culture texts. The document also covers waves of feminism and provides guidance on conducting feminist analyses and definitions of relevant terms.
Feminism emerged as a movement and body of ideas that aimed to enhance women’s status and power. Simply put, feminism affirms women’s equality with men, and rejects patriarchy.
Stuart Hall developed reception theory and the theory of encoding and decoding. He argues that audiences do not passively accept media texts, but actively negotiate meaning. Hall believes that culture is a site of social action and intervention where power relations can be established or challenged. He views identity as an ongoing cultural production rather than a fixed attribute, and has discussed how notions of race and ethnicity are socially constructed. Hall's influential work examines how institutions like the media can manipulate representations of issues like crime statistics for political purposes and ignite moral panics.
The document discusses various theories related to the critical tradition of media studies, including Marxist approaches, the Frankfurt School, hegemonic theory, and cultural studies. It also covers feminist media studies and bell hooks's critique of media, which argues that media spreads oppressive ideology and calls for critique and invention through resistance pedagogy and enacting non-dominating ways of being.
R . C l a i r e S n y d e rWhat Is Third-Wave Feminism A .docxmakdul
This document summarizes and analyzes the key claims made about third-wave feminism in popular literature from the 1990s and early 2000s. It finds that while third-wave feminists emphasize having their own approach suited to their generation, much of second-wave feminism also focused on the issues they highlight like cultural critique. It also notes that third-wavers' portrayal of second-wave feminism as antifeminine and antisex oversimplifies the diversity and debates within that movement. Overall, the document argues third-wave feminism is best understood not as entirely separate from second-wave feminism, but as continuing its development while focusing more on inclusion, coalition-building and critique within multiple discur
The document discusses various techniques for editing moving images, including continuity editing and montage editing. Continuity editing aims to smoothly transition between shots through techniques like the 180-degree rule, eyeline matching, and shot reverse shot. Montage editing uses symbolic associations between short shots to condense time, space, and information. Examples of montage include scenes showing the passage of time in films like Rocky and Team America.
This document provides an introduction to media studies, including key concepts and textual analysis. It discusses why media is studied, defines media as the place people inhabit, and lists examples of media like film, television, newspapers, and video games. The document outlines four key concepts for analyzing media: media language, representation, audience, and institutions. It then focuses on media language and how meaning is constructed through codes like visual codes, technical codes, and narrative codes. Semiotics, the study of signs, is introduced, discussing how signs have denotation and connotation. The document provides examples of analyzing signs and media texts through breaking them down into their visual and technical codes.
This document provides the brief for the non-examined assessment component of an A-Level Media Studies course. Students must create a cross-media production for a new factual television program aimed at 18-35 year olds. This includes creating a 2.5-3 minute opening title sequence for a pilot episode, and a website with two pages to promote the program online. The title sequence and website must represent at least one social group and include specific technical and creative elements like characters, locations, sounds, and embedded audiovisual clips.
UAL Creative Media Production L3 Unit 12 Specialist StudyKBucket
This unit allows students to independently research an area of interest in creative media production. Students will conduct in-depth research on a topic of their choosing, using sources to build an argument in a 1500-word essay. They will analyze critical perspectives and contexts to understand principles of their topic. Students will also debate topics and example essay titles are provided to help them develop research questions. A suggested plan of action is given to guide students through the research and writing process.
UAL Creative Media Production L3 Unit 2 research skills KBucket
This document outlines an introductory unit on design and research skills for creative media production. The unit aims to introduce students to a range of design and research activities and skills to support creative media production. Students will learn about different research tools, methods, and skills; primary and secondary research sources; and how to apply design and research to develop ideas. The document discusses learning outcomes, assessment criteria, different types of research such as primary, secondary, qualitative and quantitative, examples of research techniques, and the purpose of research for the media industry.
[/SUMMARY]
Component 3 Non Examined Assessment: TV Brief (for 2022)KBucket
This document provides the brief for the non-examined assessment component of an A-Level Media Studies course. Students must complete a cross-media production for a new television program, including an opening audio-visual sequence and associated online or print promotional materials. The sequence and materials must represent at least one social group and include specific technical and content requirements, such as establishing characters, locations, and narrative; appropriate camerawork; and original images, text, and audio/video.
Component 3 Non Examined Assessment: Overview (for 2022) KBucket
This document provides information and advice for students completing a cross-media production assessment. It outlines that students must create an original cross-media production applying their knowledge of media theory. They must submit a statement of aims and intentions. Research and planning is required in areas like media language, industries, audiences. The production must consist of two interrelated tasks in different forms engaging audiences across platforms. Strict originality rules apply to the creative work.
Asy1 media c2 sc online zoella introduction language and representationKBucket
Zoella is a popular YouTube star and lifestyle blogger from the UK who began her career in 2009. She has grown her brand through her blog, YouTube channel with over 12 million subscribers, bestselling books, and lifestyle product lines. The timeline details her career progression from her first blog post in 2009 to developing mobile apps and becoming one of the most influential online personalities as of 2017.
Eduqas GCE Media Studies AS (Y1) Component 1 Section A Exam Walkthrough Jan 2...KBucket
This document provides guidance on completing the representation question in Section A of an AS level Media Studies exam. It outlines the structure of Section A, which involves analyzing two unseen media texts - one print and one audiovisual. For the representation question, students will compare the representations made in an unseen audiovisual text to one of the set case studies they have previously studied. The document advises students on how to approach the question, including underlining key words, writing relevant theory, and making notes during viewings of the unseen text focused on representations of age. Comparing the representations to contexts is also emphasized.
Late Night Women's Hour is a spin-off of the long-running BBC Radio 4 program Woman's Hour. It was created after Woman's Hour was guest edited by prominent women like J.K. Rowling in 2014. Late Night Women's Hour airs monthly at 11pm and features an all-female panel discussing topics that challenge gender norms. It is produced by BBC Radio 4 as part of their mission to inform, educate, and entertain diverse UK audiences through intelligent speech-based programming.
Late Night Woman's Hour is a monthly spin-off of the popular BBC Radio 4 program Woman's Hour. It is produced by the BBC to complement the daily Woman's Hour program and provide more in-depth discussions of topics relevant to women late at night. Originally launched in 2015 and hosted by Lauren Laverne, it has become a weekly podcast due to its popularity. It now features guests from various backgrounds and explores themes like health, relationships, and entertainment from a female perspective.
UAL L3 Creative Media Production Unit 4 Audience CategoriesKBucket
The document discusses various methods used to categorize target audiences for advertising and marketing purposes, including demographic and psychographic segmentation. Demographic categories include age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, etc. Psychographic models attempt to classify people by motivations and lifestyles, such as Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Young & Rubicam's 4Cs model that divides people into seven types based on core motivations. Understanding the target audience is crucial for effectively promoting and marketing products.
C1SA Newspapers Daily Mirror (2021 onwards) context language representation a...KBucket
This document provides context about a newspaper article from The Mirror, a British tabloid newspaper.
The Mirror targets a mostly working class readership and traditionally takes a left-wing political stance. The article being analyzed covers Theresa May suffering another defeat in Parliament over her Brexit proposals.
The document provides background on The Mirror as a national tabloid established in 1903. It discusses the current political context in the UK regarding Brexit negotiations and the divisions in Parliament over approving a deal. Context is also given on the cultural significance of topics sometimes covered in tabloids like EastEnders and horse racing.
Asy1 media language theory structuralism binary oppositesKBucket
The document discusses key concepts of structuralism and binary oppositions. It explains that structuralism posits that meanings can only be understood within systematic structures and contexts, not in isolation. It introduces Claude Levi-Strauss who emphasized the importance of binary oppositions, or contrasting pairs of concepts, in producing meaning in language through defining things in opposition to their counterpart, such as black/white. The document provides examples of how analyzing the binary oppositions in a media text like Titanic can help determine how it produces meaning.
Sound serves several purposes in moving images, including making scenes more realistic, anchoring meaning, immersing the audience, conveying emotion, and smoothing edits. Sound can be diegetic, originating from within the story world, or non-diegetic, coming from outside it. Music is used to identify characters, themes, and genres through techniques like leitmotifs. Sound bridges smooth transitions by allowing audio to continue over a video cut.
UAL Media Unit 4" Structuralism - NarrativeKBucket
This document discusses narrative structure in media. It begins by defining narrative as a way of organizing spatial and temporal events into a chain of cause-and-effect relationships with a beginning, middle, and end. It then distinguishes between a story, which is the irreducible substance or events, and a narrative, which is how a story is told. Several common narrative structures are described, including Todorov's model of equilibrium being disrupted and restored, and linear vs. non-linear narratives like Pulp Fiction. The document also covers circular narratives and how narratives can manipulate time.
UAL Media Unit 4: Structuralism - binary opposites, genre and narrativeKBucket
The document provides information about media language and structuralism. It discusses how media texts are constructed to create meaning through the use of codes/signs like camerawork, mise-en-scene, and words. It explains that codes can have two levels of meaning - denotation, which is the literal meaning, and connotation, which refers to further implied meanings and associations. The document then discusses how structuralism views media texts and meanings as being determined by underlying social and psychological structures. It provides examples of how binary oppositions and genres are structural elements that help create and organize meaning in media texts.
Gender and Mental Health - Counselling and Family Therapy Applications and In...PsychoTech Services
A proprietary approach developed by bringing together the best of learning theories from Psychology, design principles from the world of visualization, and pedagogical methods from over a decade of training experience, that enables you to: Learn better, faster!
A Visual Guide to 1 Samuel | A Tale of Two HeartsSteve Thomason
These slides walk through the story of 1 Samuel. Samuel is the last judge of Israel. The people reject God and want a king. Saul is anointed as the first king, but he is not a good king. David, the shepherd boy is anointed and Saul is envious of him. David shows honor while Saul continues to self destruct.
This presentation was provided by Racquel Jemison, Ph.D., Christina MacLaughlin, Ph.D., and Paulomi Majumder. Ph.D., all of the American Chemical Society, for the second session of NISO's 2024 Training Series "DEIA in the Scholarly Landscape." Session Two: 'Expanding Pathways to Publishing Careers,' was held June 13, 2024.
Leveraging Generative AI to Drive Nonprofit InnovationTechSoup
In this webinar, participants learned how to utilize Generative AI to streamline operations and elevate member engagement. Amazon Web Service experts provided a customer specific use cases and dived into low/no-code tools that are quick and easy to deploy through Amazon Web Service (AWS.)
Temple of Asclepius in Thrace. Excavation resultsKrassimira Luka
The temple and the sanctuary around were dedicated to Asklepios Zmidrenus. This name has been known since 1875 when an inscription dedicated to him was discovered in Rome. The inscription is dated in 227 AD and was left by soldiers originating from the city of Philippopolis (modern Plovdiv).
This document provides an overview of wound healing, its functions, stages, mechanisms, factors affecting it, and complications.
A wound is a break in the integrity of the skin or tissues, which may be associated with disruption of the structure and function.
Healing is the body’s response to injury in an attempt to restore normal structure and functions.
Healing can occur in two ways: Regeneration and Repair
There are 4 phases of wound healing: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. This document also describes the mechanism of wound healing. Factors that affect healing include infection, uncontrolled diabetes, poor nutrition, age, anemia, the presence of foreign bodies, etc.
Complications of wound healing like infection, hyperpigmentation of scar, contractures, and keloid formation.
Accounting for Restricted Grants When and How To Record Properly
A2 Feminism and the Media part 1
1. << Media Studies >>
Feminist perspectives & the
Media
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
2. Aims/objectives
• Understand relevance to media studies
• Understand key feminist concepts and terms
• Apply some feminist perspectives to set texts
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
3. What is Feminism?
On a post it note, write down 2 words you associate with this term?
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
4. Feminism is concerned with the ‘analysis
of the social/historical position of women
as subordinated, oppressed or exploited
either within dominant modes of
production [such as capitalism] and/or
the social relations of patriarchy or male
domination’.
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
5. Why study it for AL Media?
You will ALL need to understand these concepts to apply them to your A2
exam case studies.
However, it does not only apply to looking at the representation of women in
the media.
For example:
• If you are looking at a particular genre or the narrative in a music video,
you might consider how it chooses to represent women
differently/similarly to men?
• If women are not present, why? Does the text contain any information
about male attitudes to women?
• If you are looking at another area of representation (age, issues,
national identity) are there gender related patterns that could relate to
these ideas?
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
6. In media and cultural studies, the central drive of feminist
perspectives is analysing how representations of women are
constructed in the media: what messages and values
(ideologies) are created, how, why and what their effect is?
Feminist film theories attempt to show how this view of women
is reflected and consolidated by the way they are represented in
film and to try and consider the effects of this on male and
female spectators.
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
7. The Patriarchy
Male dominated society
Most powerful roles in society are occupied by
men: politicians, business owners, media
producers, etc
Therefore male perspectives dominate public
discourse
In other words, the views of men are given most
prominence in discussion and representation of
gender, especially women
8. Representation of Women
Historically, this has meant that women have been represented in the
media in the following ways:
Underrepresentation aka “Symbolic annihilation”: Women are not
represented as often as men
"Representation in the fictional world signifies social existence; absence
means symbolic annihilation."
(Gerbner & Gross, 1976)
In other words, if a minority group is not represented in the media, their
status and power in the real world diminishes
9. Representation of Women
Where women are represented, it is usually in a narrow range of
stereotypes.
Fragile: vulnerable/weak – “Damsel in distress”
Soft
Irrational
Emotional
Dependent (on others, especially men)
Subordinate, passive
Domestic: family/home, housewife, mother
Valued for beauty/appearance
More frequent representations of men allow for a greater diversity of
representations
Campaigning by feminists has led to some changes in the way that women are
represented today. But there are still significant inequalities
10. 51% of population are women, but…
Women are disproportionately under-represented
in Hollywood, both on camera and in the workforce
“behind camera”
In 2018, New York Film Academy produced a
content analysis of gender representation in recent
Hollywood films
https://www.nyfa.edu/img/nyfa-news/headlines/women-in-film-2018.png
19. Origins: First Wave Feminism
• Started in the early1900s
• Concerned with creating equality between men and
women.
• Based upon A Vindication of the Rights of Women by
Mary Wollstonecraft, which was written in 1792.
• Focused on legal inequalities such as voting rights and
property ownership
• Brought to public attention through the suffragette
movement.
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
20. Origins: Second Wave Feminism
Started in the 1960s.
Women now had equal voting rights
Feminists were interested in ensuring equality elsewhere
in women’s lives, such as the workplace and family.
Some second wave feminists were concerned with the
impact of pornography on women since the mass media
was becoming a bigger part of people’s lives.
Associated with the Women’s Liberation Movement.
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
21. Origins: Third Wave Feminism
Began in the 1980s and continues to the present day.
Laws are now supposed to ensure equality for women in the areas
the second wave feminist were concerned about.
Concerned with
• negative stereotypes of women,
• their right to control their own sexuality (including how they
dress) and reproductive issues such as abortion and the
availability of contraception.
The most recent example of third wave feminism can be seen in
the SlutWalk movement.
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
22. Types of
feminism
Marxist feminism takes a Marxist approach to
the study of women and women’s interests, and
emphasises the way in which women are doubly
exploited – both as workers and as women
Radical feminism tends to focus on the
problem of patriarchy – the system where
men dominate in every way in society such
as the family, the workplace and politics.
For radical feminists, the main focus is on
the problem of men and male-dominated
society
Liberal feminism wants to
ensure that women have
equal opportunities with
men, through steps like
changing to law to stop
sex discrimination,
removing obstacles to
women’s full participation
in society, and better
childcare measures to
allow women to be fully
involved in work.
Black Feminism is
primarily concerned with
black and Asian
women’s experiences of
oppression and
exploitation. It combines
ideas about capitalism,
patriarchy and anti-
racism.
Post modern feminism is
associated with third wave
feminists. It acknowledges the
diversity amongst women and
encourages individual women to
find feminist ideas that combine with
their own experiences of life to
create a brand of feminism suitable
for them.
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
23. Early feminist ideas
•Early perspectives suggested that representations of women polarised around two
stereotypes reflecting central cultural values.
•Madonna (as in Mary, the mother of Jesus - not the popstar): saintly, asexual, virgin,
maternal, pure.
•Whore: highly sexual (– sex but not love) dirty, prostitute,
This has roots in Freud’s theory “the Madonna/whore complex”.
It is now seen as reductive by many critics.
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
24. Key feminist ideas
Other perspectives include a study of the representation of women in
specific genres: the way in which women are most often passive in the
narrative with the male characters having most narrative agency.
Stereotypes of women?
Are they “passive” or “active”?
Where women are proactive (film noir being an example) it is usually in
a negative way (femme fatale) and ends in control and punishment.
Horror films may sometimes be read in this way.
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
25. What is ‘The Gaze’?
•A highly influential idea, particularly in feminist film
theory.
•It describes how the viewer gazes upon (views) the
people presented and represented.
•The term ‘The Male Gaze’ was popularised by
Laura Mulvey.
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
26. Who is Laura Mulvey?
A Professor of Media and Film at University of
London.
A successful screenwriter, producer and director,
She has written and edited many books and
articles on contemporary film and feminist theory
and practice.
Her most famous work to date is her seminal essay
‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’ published
1975
It has since been highly influential in film criticism.
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
27. Who is Laura Mulvey?
The theory assesses the representation of gender
and the relationship between the text and the
audience from a feminist perspective.
It is based in a lot of the psychoanalysis work of
individuals such as Sigmund Freud
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
28. The Male Gaze
Dominant cinema’s codes and conventions construct specific ways for women to be
looked at.
Put simply, the typical audience member is assumed to be male.
- or “The Camera is Male”
The typical audience member becomes aligned with the film’s male protagonist, by
identification, admiration or aspiration.
Hollywood cinema organises the spectator into the male position so that the spectator
has little choice but to identify with the male protagonist and become complicit with his
objectification of female characters.
Female spectators can either identify with the passive female role, or more often take
the male view.
In films, men look and women are looked at.
Women in film are simply objects for ‘the gaze’ of the protagonist/male audience.
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
29. The Male Gaze
Examples:
Megan Fox in Transformers (car breakdown scene)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0V8hDBEVPU
Constructed by The Gaze
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GsRK43Td0U
Cameron Diaz in Bad Teacher (Car Wash scene)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYhaRcfCEkI
The Bond Gaze
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfL09c4cw2I
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
30. Criticisms of The Male Gaze
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
Mulvey’s work was based on her own conceptual analysis, rather than
empirical research.
Her work looked at the traditional mainstream films of Hollywood from
1920s-1960s.
Despite being hugely influential, the idea also has many critics. What
problems can you see with the theory?
Critics say it means that female viewers cannot derive any pleasure from
watching Hollywood films.
But critics claim that women can and do enjoy watching films from a male
perspective and Mulvey does not take into account the complex variety of
ways in which audiences consume and enjoy films.
31. Other types of ‘Gaze’
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
Progress has been made since Mulvey’s work in the 1960s and we now
see a much more diverse range of gender representations in the media.
As women have gained more political, social and economic status, media
producers have identified them as a valuable market too, leading to the
development of what some call ‘the female gaze’
Diet Coke Advert: The gardener
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuHV4gwSXn4
Others have gone further to identify a ‘queer gaze’ in some media forms.
32. Kilbourne, Women and Advertising
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
In Killing Us Softly Jean Kilbourne discusses how advertising sells not just
products but also the belief that the most important thing about women is
their appearance. We are shown unattainable images of flawlessness that
are presented as the ‘normal’.
34. Kilbourne, Women and Advertising
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
Kilbourne highlights how adverts and and other media create unrealistic
idealised images of women, overly sexualize women’s bodies and
“objectify” women, turning them into things rather than people, especially
through the use of dismemberment when just the parts of a women are
shown.
35. Kilbourne, Women and Advertising
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
36. Kilbourne, Women and Advertising
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
Kilbourne states that dehumanizing women in this way increases the
chances of emotional and physical violence against them, damages their
self esteem and distorts men’s views of women.
37. Naomi Wolf & The Beauty Myth
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
Naomi Wolf goes further in her book ‘The Beauty Myth’ stating that the
notion of beauty is an entirely patriarchal, social construction. In other
words, men in any given culture set rules about what is considered beautiful
and acceptable.
We can tell that these are constructed because they vary between different
cultures and different times.
She notes that the more social and legal equality women have gained, the
more they appear to be oppressed in other ways, especially body image.
38. Further feminist readings of the media
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
“The more legal and material hindrances women
have broken through, the more strictly and heavily
and cruelly images of female beauty have come to
weigh upon us. During the past decade, women
breached the power structure; meanwhile, eating
disorders rose exponentially and cosmetic surgery
became the fastest-growing specialty. More women
have more money and power and scope and legal
recognition than we have ever had before; but in
terms of how we feel about ourselves physically,
we may actually be worse off than our unliberated
grandmothers.”
The Beauty Myth (Introduction), Naomi Wolf.
39. The Bechdel Test
A way of assessing a female character's "narrative agency"
Started as an ironic joke/social comment in a 1985 comic by Alison
Bechdel - has since become widely used metric because of its
simplicity.
Alison Bechdel
41. The Bechdel Test
For a film or TV show to pass the Bechdel Test, it need to meet 3 criteria:
Have at least two named female characters
The 2 female characters should talk to each other
They must talk to each other about something other than a man.
A surprising number of major Hollywood films do not pass these simple
requirements.
…and the original Star Wars trilogy, entire Lord of The Rings trilogy, most Pixar, all Harry Potter films except
Deathly Hallows Pt 1 and 12 out of entire 22 MCU Infinity Saga films (Iron Man to Endgame) FAIL
42. The Bechdel Test: Criticisms
The test is reductive (over-simplistic) and ignores potemtial nuances in film
A ‘pass’ doesn't guarantee a positive representation of women or a good film
A ‘fail’ does not mean a negative representation or a ‘bad' film.
Look up your
favourite film.
Does it pass?
But used statistically to look across multiple films at the 'bigger picture' it does reveal
a pattern of underrepresentation for women in the media.
Greater awareness in recent years has led to improvement, as seen on the
website http://bechdeltest.com/
43. • Response to Backlash against 60s & 70s fem.
• Recognition of diversity of women black, post-colonial perspectives
• Rejection of dogma (including feminist dogma)
• Gender – less rigid, more fluid; idea that traditional notion of gender is
constructed and imposed by social cultural context
• Empowerment & celebration of femininity
• Women can wield sexual power
• Men have lost essential aspects of masculinity and have become more
vulnerable
• Fuelled by advances in abortion, employment and fertility laws
• Moderation of discourse on oppression
• Traditional feminism perpetuates the idea of women as victims, post-
feminism concentrates on ideas of empowerment and liberation
• Emphasis on choices and freedom of choice
MS3 Research Investigation:
Critical Perspectives - Feminism
Post feminism/Post Modern Feminism
44. Feminism and
Masculinity
More recently, feminists have sought to analyse the way
in which men and masculinity are represented in the
media, the potential negative impact on men and women
and the way in which the two issues are intertwined.
The HeforShe campaign invited men to join the
conversation.
Emma Watson Speech UN 2014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0Dg226G2Z8
Campaign Videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZptgM-jhZo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFHU32WuDzk