AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:
- to analyze the portrayal of ethnicity in the media;
- to provide critical evaluation of minority women according to race, class and cultural dimension;
- to demonstrate representation of minority women in the media;
- to seek out and demonstrate the responses of minority women to their portrayal in the media.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
By the end of the course the students will be able to:
- explain and evaluate the relationship between consumers of media images and those in control of its output with special reference to minority women;
- describe the participation and contribution of minority women in the developing media industry;
- summarize and evaluate the emerging responses and challenges to images of minority women.
CONTENT
The course aims to examine and evaluate media images of minority women. It examines issues of sexual politics and representation of black female bodies, responses and views of black females to black and other film makers.
The course analyzes and examines the responses and challenges by black women and how they are attempting to break race barriers and emerging with hybrid identities.
It also examines the role of black women and the burden of representation, from assimilation to “inbetween” to pluralism.
The empowering of black women in the contemporary society is also examined.
ASSESSMENT:
Students are required to submit two pieces of coursework:
a) They are required to watch two films and two T.V. programs of their choice and to critically evaluate and review these in the context of representation of minority women.
The students should demonstrate their ability to examine and evaluate the representation of minority women in the context of social and cultural diversity and modern day environment
b) Compare and contrast two publications covering the representation of minority women in the media. (E.g.: Lola, Young. Race, Gender and Sexuality in the Cinema; Bell Hooks. Race Gender and Culture Politics) This is intended to test students’ organizational and analytical abilities and their capacities to reflect on the issues discussed in the class room sessions and the existing literature. This would enable them to think critically and produce solutions