LFU:online

Familiarize the students with seminal works of feminist and gender studies and apply them to American film and television.

In recent years, perhaps, even decades, the terms 'feminism' and 'feminist' have become somewhat curse words that make even strong independent women deny their identification with them. How is it possible that in 21^st-century America (similar to the rest of the world) women do not only have to still fight for equality in every area of life, such as equal pay for equal work and equal representation in leading positions as well as political offices, but also have to justify these desires and demands?

In this course we will discuss several seminal feminist and gender studies texts and, furthermore, analyze the portrayal of women in fairly recent American film and television.

Works discussed will include (but are not limited to) Pretty Woman, Girl, Interrupted, Shrek, Sex and the City, and Girls.

Lecture inputs, presentations, group discussions

Active class participation, student presentations, reading and writing assignments, term paper

Course materials and selected primary and secondary sources will be posted on OLAT.

Prerequisite for the Bacherlor's Programme (612): positive completion of compulsory module 19, for the Teacher Training Programme (Lehramtsstudium: 344): VO2: Introduction to American Literary Studies

For the Teacher Training Programme (Lehramtsstudium: 344):PS2: American Culture.

Due to substantial differences in the allocation of ECTS-Credits in various curricula (teacher training program - BA/MA English and American Studies), the requirements for this course vary. Information will be provided by the instructor at the beginning of the course.