The Final Project: Transforming an Area of Pop Culture!

You will need to narrow your scope of popular culture:

Choose a media format/genre (some examples):

• TV Program
• Radio Show
• Film
• Music Video
• Magazine
• Video Game
• (Aspect of) Athletic Event
• Fashion
• Public Education & Corporation

Choose a subject/audience:

For example, create a satirical cartoon, cable news program, reality show, televised sporting event, parenting magazine, a game show, children’s entertainment (from Scooby Doo to High School Musical), part of the fashion world (runway modeling or the next season’s "Look Book"); if corporate-edu-consumer-training is your interest, think of a revised Chanel One, corporate sponsored events, curriculum, or major capital project-funding , such as the construction of stadiums and theaters, perhaps target one of these areas in a Colbert-Styled "The WØrd" or a set of segments from The Soup.

If you choose to work within movies/films, a "trailer" would be the right length and format
for envisioning this assignment.

Based on your chosen genre/format:

• Give your production/publication a name— be original and creative!
• Identity the assumptions that underlie the messages you want to send.
• Specifically, identify the messages that you see being disseminated by an analogous/similar form of media that relate to gender, sexuality, race, class, etc. (i.e. current fashion magazines send the message that being female involves striving for ‘ideal’ physical beauty.)
• Create visual images and text (whether written or spoken) that accurately work off these assumptions. (What message(s) do you want to send about, sexuality, racism, sexism, and/or classism?)
• Write, enact, portray (in the format suited for the genre you’ve chosen- video, image, etc) that address existing norms, ideals, and messages about gender, either directly or indirectly. (i.e. an article about males and eating disorders addresses gender directly while an article about the CEO of a Fortune 500 company who happens to be a woman addresses it indirectly.)

The Latest from the 27 bloggers

Final Blog Presentations

Final Blog Presentations
Gender & Pop Culture Spring 2007 (WGS 220-05)
April 26 (Alex A-Dan G) &
April 30 (Spencer H-Melissa Z)

· Above any other goal for these presentations, I want you to show off! You've worked hard all semester and here's your chance to show the class your awesome blogs!

· You should have any material needed to illustrate the ''focus'' of your presentation on your blog for the presentation.

· Plan to present for 5-10 minutes. If this length sounds long, don't worry, the blog as your visual aid will take up more time than you may think)

· For everyone's sake (maintaining interest & attention) don't write out your entire presentation word-for-word. 3X5 cards with key words and phrases, or an outline are ideal reference methods for presentations

· Make sure your blog is neat & tidy for your presentation. Don’t worry about your final post being on the blog if it’s due after the date of your presentation (i.e. if you’re presenting on Thursday). Because you will need to have your blog “cleaned up” and readable for your final review as well as your presentation, once you’ve done it for the presentation you’ll be ready for your final review too.

· Citations from course readings are not required for this presentation. However, you should create a separate ‘presentation post’ if any video dips, links to sites, etc are necessary for your presentation.

· Adding this post-element is up to your judgment (whether it’s necessary for the presentation & is completely optional

Notes:
The focus that’s probably most conducive to the presentation is the one that entails an explanation and analysis of the evolution of your understanding of your blog topic (i.e. shifting from watching a show for entertainment to the course’s analytical focus on gender).

You must be in class both days regardless of whether you’re presenting!

Monday is our last class (SOCS is wrong about the existence of a final exam and lists a time and date for this course) - there is no final!!! I’ve requested the exam to be removed several times over the last two months— so please disregard this date/time/location that’s listed for the course on SOCS

"Idol"-ology: Gender and Reality Television: American Idol Season 6 - Ian Benardo

Amanda got a response from Ian (on American Idol) using MySpace!