Universität Wien

124642 VO BEd 04.2: Cultural Theories and Popular Culture (2023W)

"What kind of a name is Buffy!?!" - Highlighting the legacies of 1990s female action heroines and the ongoing struggle for gender equality in contemporary US popular cultures

3.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 12 - Anglistik

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

Language: English

Examination dates

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

A bit of important info:

This lecture series is planned as an on-site and in-person lecture.

However, every lecture session will be recorded via u:stream - but not live-streamed - and will be uploaded to Moodle after every session.

Please keep in mind that it may take up to 48 hrs or more until the recorded sessions are available via Moodle.

  • Friday 13.10. 15:00 - 16:30 Digital
  • Friday 20.10. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal C1 UniCampus Hof 2 2G-O1-03
  • Friday 27.10. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal C1 UniCampus Hof 2 2G-O1-03
  • Friday 03.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal C1 UniCampus Hof 2 2G-O1-03
  • Friday 10.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal C1 UniCampus Hof 2 2G-O1-03
  • Friday 17.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal C1 UniCampus Hof 2 2G-O1-03
  • Friday 24.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal C1 UniCampus Hof 2 2G-O1-03
  • Friday 01.12. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal C1 UniCampus Hof 2 2G-O1-03
  • Wednesday 06.12. 09:45 - 11:15 Hörsaal C1 UniCampus Hof 2 2G-O1-03
  • Friday 15.12. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal C1 UniCampus Hof 2 2G-O1-03
  • Friday 12.01. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal C1 UniCampus Hof 2 2G-O1-03
  • Friday 19.01. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal C1 UniCampus Hof 2 2G-O1-03
  • Friday 26.01. 15:00 - 16:30 Hörsaal C1 UniCampus Hof 2 2G-O1-03

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

This lecture focuses on female action heroines. A particular focus will be put on Joss Whedon's hit TV show Buffy the Vampireslayer (1997-2003) and Joel Surnow's La Femme Nikita (1997-2001).

Gender Studies will act as the focal lens through which narratives featuring female action heroes are analyzed and discussed. Action heroines enact both femininity and masculinity on the screen and on the page, depending on the medium in which they appear.

Juggling the demands the hetero-patriarchy continues to make on women while also revealing femininity as a masquerade, bestows a unique place within US-American popular cultures on the female action hero. As these characters demand to be seen as active subjects on screen as well as on the page, they both undermine and uphold what traditional film studies concepts like the male gaze demand of female characters.

While film and TV as specific forms of media will be discussed in this lecture series, the medium of comics will also be analyzed.

Bringing gender studies, film, and comics studies together, this format focuses on how female action heroes function as both feminist role models and erotized objects advertised to straight male audiences.

And while the focus is on Buffy and La Femme Nikita, the lecture will also discuss other popular action heroines such as Marvel's Black Widow and Elektra at length.
While looking back to such popular gems like Joss Whedon’s 1997s Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Joel Surnow's La Femme Nikita, connections will be drawn to comic book superheroines/Anti-Heroines like Winder Woman, Catwoman, Batgirl, She-Hulk, Black Widow, Jessica Jones, Captain Marvel and Miss Marvel.

The format sets out to de-naturalize gender constructions that inform current tv shows, comic series and films featuring action-packing females.

Assessment and permitted materials

Written Exam (50% Multiple Choice, 50% essay, ca. 500 words)

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

The benchmark for passing the written exam is at 60%
Grades in %: 1 (very good): 90-100%, 2 (good): 80-89.99%, 3 (satisfactory): 70-79.99%, 4 (pass): 60-69.99%, 5 (fail): 0-59.99%

Examination topics

Entire lecture content incl. lecture slides and obligatory course reading.

Reading list

Besson, Luc. Nikita. Gaumont. 1990.
Surnow, Joel. La Femme Nikita. Warner Brothers.1997-2001.
Whedon, Joss. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. 1997-2001.

Brown, Jeffrey. 2011. Dangerous Curves: Action Heroines, Gender, Fetishism, and Popular Culture. Jackson: University of Mississippi Press.
———. 2015. Beyond Bombshells: The New Action Heroines in Popular Culture. Jackson: University of Mississippi Press.
Cocca, Carolyn. 2016. Superwomen: Gender, Power, and Representation. New York: Bloomsbury Academic.

Association in the course directory

Studium: BEd 046 / 407
Code/Modul: BEd 04.2
Lehrinhalt: 12-4642

Last modified: Tu 05.03.2024 13:46