Universität Wien

124262 KO Critical Media Analysis (2014S)

Between the tough guy, the new man and the superhero. Masculinities in Comics & Film

6.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 12 - Anglistik
Continuous assessment of course work

REMINDER: attendance at the first session is MANDATORY!
Without giving proper explanation for being absent the first time students will lose their registered place in the class.
Moodle

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).

Details

max. 30 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Tuesday 11.03. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Tuesday 18.03. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Tuesday 25.03. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Thursday 27.03. 20:00 - 22:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Monday 31.03. 20:00 - 22:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Tuesday 01.04. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Thursday 03.04. 20:00 - 22:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Tuesday 08.04. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Tuesday 29.04. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Tuesday 06.05. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Tuesday 13.05. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Tuesday 20.05. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Tuesday 27.05. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Tuesday 03.06. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Tuesday 17.06. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21
  • Tuesday 24.06. 12:00 - 14:00 Helene-Richter-Saal UniCampus Hof 8 3G-EG-21

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Concepts of masculinity can be read as ‘a vague set of ideas, demands, stories and images about being a man’ and it seems that comics and films are busy telling one story over and over again: that of the (super)heroic male individual.

In particular students will look at the kind of heroic and anti-heroic characters that are depicted in films noir, pulp fictions and the superhero narrative.

Is it possible to draw a line between tough guys like Sam Spade and the Batman?
What concepts of masculinity hide behind the ever alluring mask of the Superhero?

Assessment and permitted materials

In addition to the primary texts, students will also be required to read secondary materials. They will be asked to hold short presentations in class, hand in written assignments and take a final written test.
All the articles and excerpts from books will be provided online via MOODLE.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

This course will encourage students to take a critical look at naturalized assumptions about masculinities. The texts addressed in class will be scanned for depictions of masculinity they offer to their audiences, their representations of male bodies, male sexuality and male stereotypes.

Examination topics

Students will work with multi-modal texts that put forward different representations of masculinity on a verbal and visual level. They will receive an introduction to the functional make-up of the two types of media approached in class and will then be asked to use different critical tools to deconstruct the masculinities at work in the texts. This critical reading of masculinities will be based on orientalism, psychoanalytical theory, identity studies and theories of agency and articulation.

Reading list

Comics:
Chris Claremont. X-Men: God loves, Man kills (excerpts)
Alan Moore’. The Killing Joke
Frank Miller’. The Dark Knight Returns (excerpts)
Grant Morrison. Arkham Asylum
Gail Simone. Batgirl: Darkest ReflectionVol.1 (excerpts)
Movies:
The Maltese Falcon
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Association in the course directory

Studium: UF 344, BA 612
Code/Modul: UF 4.2.5-426, BA07.3
Lehrinhalt: 12-4260

Last modified: We 09.09.2020 00:22