analysis of chapter readings

WGST 2100 Introduction to Women?s Studies
Chapter Five Assignment
This chapter focuses on the ways culture and artistic forms, both traditional and popular, reflect, maintain, and resist gender and systems of inequality and privilege. These cultural forms provide narratives through and against which individuals live their lives and frame meanings and messages about who we are, how we should live, and how society should be organized. Popular and literary culture, including virtual technologies, are ?meaning making? and inform priorities, expectations, and necessities, creating contemporary myths that shape both society and people?s everyday lives in the U.S. and around the world. In addition, cultural forms perpetuate huge multi-million dollar industries that maintain the corporate control of contemporary U.S. society.
Key concepts (review these to make sure you understand them, and look the terms up if not):
culture, popular culture, literature and the arts, music, print media, pornography, Internet, virtual technologies, Zines, global media, video games, television, movies, music videos and MTV, systems of inequality and privilege, violence against women, misogyny.
The assignment consists of three parts:
1. Read Chapter 5 Introduction and readings
2. Post a response on the discussion board (no media items this time)
3. Respond to one other post
1. Read the following:
Chapter 5 Introduction
Readings in Chapter 5
Reading 40: Rush Limbaugh and the New Networked Feminism
Reading 42: ?Enlightened Sexism?
Reading 44: ?Vampires and Vixens?
Reading 46: ?Beyonc?: Feminist Icon??
Other readings in the chapter as you desire
2. Write and post a response to the discussion board.
Follow the guidelines below.
1. a new document and save it as chap5_lastname.doc.
2. Type a title on line 1 of your Chapter 5 document: Chapter 5 Analysis
3. Type an analysis of the chapter readings, addressing the following issues by referring to the readings above and to your own observations and experiences:
Describe representations of gender in TV, movies, and advertisements that you think challenge traditional concepts of masculinity and femininity. Make specific reference to readings.
How has social media contributed to women voicing their ideas and concerns without ?waiting to be told what to do or which petition to sign?? (279)
Explain the notion of ?female fantasies of power? in your own words. Why, according to Douglas, is this a problem?
What are some of the transgressive elements of Twilight described by Happel and Esposito?
Describe Beyonc?s form of feminism.
You may provide personal commentary in the form of opinion or personal experience or observation after you analyze.