Gender Studies Unit Assignments

Unit 2 Project: Video Ethnography
In this group-authored digital ethnography (powered by iMovie), discuss the construction of gender roles in a 1950s social guidance film such as “Are You Popular?” (See http://www.archive.org/ for other examples.) Targeting an audience of fellow gender studies scholars, include original material and video clips from the film in a digital ethnography of 5 to 8 minutes in length. A successful ethnography will engage with the historical context of the film and gender theory vis a vis cited scholarly sources (such as book chapters or journal articles) and original analysis. Of course, all video enthographies should end with “Credits” citing all material that did not originate with the authors.

Rough edit due: Monday, March 20
Final cut: Wednesday, March 22

2.2 Digital Annotated Bibliography
In this group-authored digital video of unspecified length, capture and/or edit video to serve as an annotated bibliography of three scholarly sources. These sources may be books, book articles, or peer reviewed journal articles that aid your reading of gender in social guidance films. Examples of disciplines that might aid you in this endeavor are women’s studies, sociology, psychology, cultural anthropology, and history. Part of each bibliographic clip should include written citations for all material (and ideas) that did not originate with the authors (i.e. you and your group). Successful digital annotated bibliographies will treat each source as a separate entity. Further, these clips will demonstrate mastery and distillation of the source material for use in the video ethnography.

Rough edit due: Friday, March 10
Final cut due: Monday, March 20

2.1 Analysis of Social Guidance Films
In a three- to four-page individually- authored essay, critically analyze the operation of gender in a 1950s social guidance film (available from the Internet Archive) using the ethnographic techniques of observation discussed in class. A successful essay will discuss explicit and covert expectations, regulations, and expressions of gender in the films. Further, each essay should include thumbnails from the film that act as persuasive and/or mechanical devices.

Draft workshop: Monday, February 27
Final Draft due: Wednesday, March 1