Issues in Gender Machines
DMS 603/ARC 578 :: 1:00-2:50 M W :: Center for the Arts Room 271
Josephine Anstey jranstey at buffalo, office hrs M 11-12, Th 1:30-2:30
Office Hours TBA
This course examines the machines (ideological, psychological, biopolitical) that produce and reproduce our binary gender systems. It will explore how issues of power, violence, domination, submission, desire, love and sexuality are effected by and understood with reference to gendered humans. It will include texts by feminist, queer, and transgender theorists and activists. "Texts" will include scholarly, fictional, filmic and interactive media works.
Required Texts
- Jessica Benjamin The Bonds of Love, 1988 (library 2 hour reserve)
- Klaus Theweleit Male Fantasies Vol 1, 1987, in German 1977 (library 2 hour reserve)
- Samuel Delaney Tales of Nevèrÿon, 1983 (library 2 hour reserve)
- Julia Serano, Whipping girl : a transsexual woman on sexism and the scapegoating of femininity, 2007 (library 2 hour reserve)
(The) Other Texts
- Stryker, Susan and Whittle Stephen, The Transgender Studies Reader, 2006 (library 2 hour reserve)
- Elaine Morgan, The Descent of Woman, 1972
- Pauline Réage, The Story of O, 1954
- Walter Ong, Orality and Literacy
- Review of Delusions of Gender
- What women want and how not to give it to them.
- Mel Slater, Virtual ...
- Fredric Jameson, Postmodernism or The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism, 1991
- World of Warcraft
- Starship Troopers
- Anne Allison
- Patrick Hopkins, ed. Readings in culture, gender, and technology, 1998
- Center for Women and IT
Requirements and Responsibilities
Reading, note taking and participation: The focus of this course is engaged & analytical reading/playing/viewing. Your primary work is to be prepared to discuss the work in class - please be prepared for each class with three to five points you want clarified or discussed, each point should be explicitly tied to a passage or passages of text. Please have notes or a written text such that you are be prepared to be very orally articulate as you:
- make a quick and concise synopsis of the context of your point
- make your point - a worked out/thorough question, statement, argument
- speak for 2-5 minutes (practice beforehand!)
Related and Networked Texts: Each student will be responsible for introducing a related text to the class, presenting the text and leading discussion on the issues it raises. The text (scholarship or creative work) should be related to the material already in play - a sort of six degrees of Donna Haraway thing.
Paper or Intermedia Performance: Graduate students will write a paper or produce a performance as the major work of the semester. Hybrids are accepted and I may also open to other creative and/or scholarly proposals as long as they are well grounded in the material we read/watch/play. Topics must be proposed in class on October 11th. Please wait for me to OK the proposal before proceeding.
Paper Guidelines:
- Paper length 8-16 pages single sided, 10 pt
- Clear concept in an appropriate scholarly context
- Papers must include a appropriately formatted bibliography
- October 11th: In class proposal
- October 15th: Abstract Deadline
- November 5th: First Draft Deadline (returned by Nov 15th)
- Monday December 13th Paper Final Deadline & Performance Documentation
Intermedia Performance Guidelines:
- Performances must be both tech and concept driven
- Clear concept in appropriate art/media concept
- 10-20 minutes in length
- October 11th: In class proposal
- October 15th: Abstract Deadline
- Nov 1st & 3rd: First Draft of Performance in class
- Dec 6 & 8: Final Performance in class
Attendance:
Attendance for every class is mandatory barring serious emergency. Each student is allowed two unexcused absences for whatever reason (e.g., illness, weather). If extenuating circumstances arise (e.g., serious medical problems, child care), please contact the instructor as soon as possible to address the situation. Barring emergency circumstances, each absence after two will drop lower the final grade by a full grade for each additional absence (i.e.,3 absences = B→C). Punctuality is also expected. For the purposes of grading, three tardies will equal one unexcused absence.
Criteria for Incomplete Grade:
It is the policy of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Media Study to grant incompletes for a semester only under extraordinary circumstances. Under any circumstances, incompletes will be granted only to students currently in good standing (i.e., regular attendance and passing completion of assignments). Requests for a grade of incomplete need to be submitted in writing, and should include a rationale, documentation for the reason, and a proposed schedule for completion.