MST 325 Gender and Media Culture Overview

Instructor and Course Overview

• Instructor: Paula Damasceno, a multifaceted artist and educator with a focus on intersectionality and space-making.
• Course Title: MST 325 Gender and Media Culture, combining Gender Studies and Media Studies.

Course Structure

• Delivery Platform: Canvas for synchronous and asynchronous lectures, discussions, and screenings.
• Components include Syllabus, Student Form, and Calendar available on Canvas.
• All assessments, including quizzes, are administered through Canvas.

Course Units

• Gender and Media Production
• Themes, Problems, and Ideas in Media and Gender Studies
• Gender and Media Research
• Analysis of Media Texts
• Spectatorship and Gaze
• Audiences and Socialization

Key Topics in Gender Studies

• Gender as a critical structuring factor in society influencing experiences and power dynamics.
• Sex: Biological characteristics determining male or female.
• Gender: Socially constructed characteristics of masculinity or femininity.

Gender Identity Concepts

• Definitions of gender terms such as cisgender, transgender, gender non-conforming, and heteronormative.
• LGBTQ+ defined as encompassing sexual and gender diversities.
• Intersex: Individuals with atypical sex traits that don't fit typical definitions.

Media's Role in Gender Representation

• Examines media's influence on shaping gender roles and societal perceptions.
• Concerns include socialization, stereotypes, and ideological distortions in media production.

Power and Ideology

• Power: The capacity to influence or control social dynamics; not simply oppressor vs. oppressed.
• Ideology constitutes the underlying ideas forming societal beliefs and values.

Feminist Agenda

• Aims to promote consciousness and equitable distribution of power across genders.
• Challenges cultural myths and stereotypes while advocating for ideological change.

Stereotypes in Media

• Media's tendency to categorize individuals, often disregarding individuality and contributing to harmful societal norms.
• Discussion on the effectiveness of reversing stereotypes as a challenge against social norms.

Impact of Pornography

• Differentiates eroticism from pornography based on consent and equality.
• Explores how societal control attempts influence personal expressions of sexuality.

Research Methodologies

• Diverse methods including observation, interviews, textual analysis, and audience studies to understand media's gender dynamics.
• Objectives include raising awareness and facilitating social change through informed citizenry.

Assignments and Goals

• Assignments focus on writing gendered stories, walkthroughs, and visual narratives.
• Aims for students to realize potential while fostering a balanced social structure through research and assignments.

Notable Mention

• Syllabus Quiz: Mandatory quiz for understanding course structure and expectations, due each Sunday before midnight.
• Film Reference: "Cold Mountain" (2003) quote highlights themes of male conflict and responsibility within war narratives.

This quiz explores key concepts and current projects in the MST 325 Gender and Media Culture course. It highlights the intersectionality, transnationality, and space-making themes that are central to the curriculum. Engage with the materials and understand the interplay of gender and media in contemporary contexts.