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120691 PS Proseminar Cultural and Media Studies (2022S)
A Femme Fatale Superheroine? Marvel Comics' Black Widow and Femininity Constructions
Continuous assessment of course work
Labels
Registration/Deregistration
Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).
- Registration is open from Tu 15.02.2022 00:00 to Th 24.02.2022 11:59
- Deregistration possible until Th 31.03.2022 23:59
Details
max. 20 participants
Language: English
Lecturers
Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N
Attendance in the first session is mandatory for all registered students! If you are absent without excuse you lose your place in the proseminar!
Currently this course is planned as an ON-SITE course. If the COVID-19 situation changes this course will move to an ONLINE/DIGITAL Format.- Friday 04.03. 16:15 - 17:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
- Friday 25.03. 16:15 - 17:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
- Friday 01.04. 16:15 - 17:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
- Friday 08.04. 16:15 - 17:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
- Friday 29.04. 16:15 - 17:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
- Friday 06.05. 16:15 - 17:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
- Friday 13.05. 16:15 - 17:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
- Friday 20.05. 16:15 - 17:45 Digital
- Friday 27.05. 16:15 - 17:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
- Friday 03.06. 16:15 - 17:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
- Friday 10.06. 16:15 - 17:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
- Friday 17.06. 16:15 - 17:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
- Friday 24.06. 16:15 - 17:45 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
Information
Aims, contents and method of the course
Assessment and permitted materials
The assessment will be based on in-class and preparatory participation, an expert group session, a research proposal and a proseminar paper.
Minimum requirements and assessment criteria
In-class and preparatory participation (e.g. active in-class participation, group task): 15%
Expert group session: 20%
Research proposal (700 words +/-10%) with annotated bibliography: 15%
Proseminar paper (3500 words +/-10%, word count excluding bibliography): 50%
Overall Score of 100%, pass-mark 60%Scale:
1: 100-90%
2: 89-80%
3: 79-70%
4: 69-60%
5: 59-0%In order to pass, you need to fulfill each individual requirement and complete tasks on time. Late submissions cannot be accepted. You can miss two classes.
The plagiarism detection software Turnitin will be used on most written assignments (research proposal, proseminar paper).
Expert group session: 20%
Research proposal (700 words +/-10%) with annotated bibliography: 15%
Proseminar paper (3500 words +/-10%, word count excluding bibliography): 50%
Overall Score of 100%, pass-mark 60%Scale:
1: 100-90%
2: 89-80%
3: 79-70%
4: 69-60%
5: 59-0%In order to pass, you need to fulfill each individual requirement and complete tasks on time. Late submissions cannot be accepted. You can miss two classes.
The plagiarism detection software Turnitin will be used on most written assignments (research proposal, proseminar paper).
Examination topics
Everything that has been covered in class (primary and secondary readings). For some tasks you will have to do additional research.
There will be no written exam.
There will be no written exam.
Reading list
Reading List: Phillips, Sean and Bill Sienkiewicz. Black Widow: The things they say about her. Marvel Comics, 2006.Movie List: Iron Man 2 (Jon Favreau, 2010). Avengers (Joss Whedon, 2012). Captain America: The Winter Soldier (Anthony and Joe Russo, 2014) Black Widow (Cate Shortland, 2021).
Association in the course directory
Studium: BA 612;
Code/Modul: BA09.1;
Lehrinhalt: 12-4040
Code/Modul: BA09.1;
Lehrinhalt: 12-4040
Last modified: Th 11.05.2023 11:27
Since her debut the character has starred in her own limited comics series and guest- starred in various other Superhero comic books. When the Marvel Cinematic Universe launches in 2008, Black Widow becomes the first female superhero to be featured in this story-world. Since then she has been featured in more than nine MCU movies and is about to star in her first solo movie. Since her inception the character has shouldered numerous tropes of femininity constructions: from vamp, to happy homemaker, to femme fatale and fallen woman. This CMA class takes Black Widow as its object of critical investigation.
Superhero narratives have, at best, a sketchy track-record when it comes to depicting female characters. From girlfriends in fridges to impossible pin-up poses and general over- sexualization, female superheroes face quite the uphill battle when it comes to gender equality in their story lines. Most of the time female superheroes are still just glorified objects of the Male Gaze(Bajac-Carter, 2014; Cocca, 2016).
Taking into consideration recent appearances of the character in both comics and film, how are femme fatale traits negotiated through the figure of Natasha Romanoff? How do fantasies of women as evil seductresses combine with superheroic traits such as being powerful, taking risks and saving the innocent and helpless(Coogan, 2004)? If fantasies of women “are sociohistorically based and thus affected by the position of women in any given historical moment”(Grossman, 2009:3) then what can be said about a fantasy scenario where a femme fatale turns into a superhero?
Utilizing feminist film theory, gender studies and comics theory, this CMA tries to get to the bottom of this question.