Women and THE
BODY SC089
Winter/Spring, 2008
SHARLENE HESSEBIBER, Ph.D.
PROFESSOR OF
SOCIOLOGY
DIRECTOR, WOMEN'S
STUDIES Program
All Images are from
Google.com and are
reproduced for education
purposes only.
1
Women and the Body
Sharlene Hesse-Biber Ph.D.
Professor,Dep artment of Sociol ogy
Director, Women's Studies Program
404 McGuinn Hall
x41 39
Tu es day and Thu rsd ay 1:30
Cushing 209
Tea ch in g As si s tan t:
Ch ris K elly
Off ic e Hou r: Tuesd ay 3: 00 - 4: 00 and b y appt
Em ai l: h ess e@bc. edu
No te: All Im a ges in thi s sy llabu s h av e been do wnlo ad ed f rom Go o gle I ma ges a nd
are rep roduc ed h ere fo r edu ca tion al u s e on ly.
Cou rse Desc rip tion: Th is c ours e ad dres ses th e soci o- cultu ra l con s tru c tion o f th e
f ema le an d add ress es th e i ssu e o f “ ana tom y a s d es tin y ” th rou gh an exa min ati on
of bio lo gi ca l and soci olo gica l li tera tu re on th is topi c. W e w ill add ress wo m en ’s
self es teem an d th e f ac to rs tha t s erv e to enh anc e o r d etrac t from wom en f eelin g
goo d abou t th eir p hy sic al bodi es. W e w ill also fo cus on rac e, cla s s, h ealth an d
sexua li ty o f th e f emin in e bod y and d is c uss i ssu es of po w er an d autho ri ty o v er
wo men's bo di es .
W e will emp loy a f em ini s t p eda go gy th at p rovi d es f or s ho rt lec tu re- fo rm a t,
cla ss ro om a nd s ma ll group di scu s sion s a s w ell a s group proj ec ts. W e will en ha nc e
th e cou rs e wi th a va ri ety o f mu lti- m ed iated da ta —fi lm s, vi d eos , You Tu b e clips - to i llu min ate sp eci fic topi cs a dd res s ed th ro ughou t th e rea din gs.
Cou rse Ob jec ti ves:
1. To p rovi de s tud en ts wi th a so cio lo gic al und erstand in g of wo men's bo di es . W e
add res s ho w th e f em ale b ody i s so cia lly and his to ri ca lly con s tru c ted.
a. Breakd ow n id eo lo gi es o f s ex is m, ra cis m , h eteros ex is m, cla s sis m an d
agei s m as th ey p ertain to w om en ’s emb odim en t.
b. Ass es s soc io- bio lo gi ca l a rgum en ts rega rdin g wo m en ’s bodi es.
c. Dev elop a h is to ri ca l u nd ers ta ndin g o f h ow wom en ’s bod i es hav e b een
sh ap ed an d resh ap ed b y th e politica l econom y and ma ss m edi a.
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2. To d ev elop an und ers tand in g of th e w a ys in w hic h bo dy i ma ge is i nc rea sin gly
an exten sio n of wo men’s s elf i d en ti ty.
3. To d ev elop res ea rc h skills in con ten t a nalysi s of multi - m edia ted da ta a s a
method fo r und ers tandi n g th e ob j ec ti fi ca tion o f th e f ema le bod y.
4. To und erstand the etio lo gy o f di so rd erly ea ti n g and ea ti n g dis ord ers.
5. To c ha llen ge s tereo typic al mes sa ges ab out wom en ’ s bodi es by qu es tio nin g
and c ha llen gin g ou r ow n s tan dpoin t th rough d ev elopin g a wid er app rec ia tion
and und ers tandi n g o f “d if f erenc e. ”
6. App ly kno w led ge in th e c la ss ro om to a cti vis m b ey ond a cad emia to wa rd soc ia l
jus ti ce go als.
7. To a ss is t s tud en ts in th ei r w ri tin g skills th rou gh fa culty and p eer
eva lua ti ons o f w ritin g and to enc oura ge und ergra dua te s tud en ts to pub li s h
th ei r wo rk in p eer-rev i ew ed jou rn als.
Cou rse R equi rem ents:
Clas s Pa rtc ipa tion ( 15 p erc en t) .
Y ou r p a rticip ation i s v i tal to ou r cou rs e. Ex cus ed ab senc es a re gi v en only in
cas es of d ocu mented em ergenci es o r si c kness . You mus t a rriv e on ti m e rea dy f or
cla ss , an d p lea s e tu rn o f f you r c ell p h ones. 2 pa rtic ipa tion po ints will b e d ed ucted
fo r eac h mi s sed c las s.
Prep ara tion f o r C las s:
Ou r cou rs e wi ll b e s truc tu red a roun d d iscu ss ion of co re rea din gs fo r th a t day .
Plea s e co me to c la ss wi th you r readi n gs eac h da y. In ad di tion:
Fo r eac h c la ss p eriod you a re requi red to b rin g ONE 3 x 5 i nd ex c a rd on wh ic h
you w ri te:
You r na m e
Three ( 3) sp eci fic dis cus sion qu es tio ns (b e su re to c ite w ha t sp ec if ic readi n g/s
pro mpted tha t qu es tion) .
TW O Quo tes f ro m th e readi ngs —on e y o u pa rticu la rly res ona ted wi th i n a pos itive
wa y, an d on e you di sa greed wi th and b e p rep a red to s ta te you r opini on rega rdin g
th es e two quo tes du rin g clas s di scu ssio n.
W e will co llec t ind ex ca rd s a t th e b egi nnin g of cla s s and c hoo s e s ev era l to s tart
th e d is cus sion o f f. P leas e brin g a dup li ca te ca rd i f you wan t to ref er to you r
info rma tion du rin g ou r clas s di scu ssi on. Po in ts wi ll b e d educ ted fo r mis sin g ca rd s.
Cou rse Ex am s ( 45 p erc en t ) .
Two exa ms —mid term and fina l ( 20 p ercent Mid term ; 25 p erc ent, Fina l)
3
C on tent Ana ly si s Pap er: M as s M ed ia A dverti sin g P ro j ec t ( 25 p erc en t) S ee «
Ass i gn ments»
Book R ev iew
( 15 p erc en t)
La te Assi gn m en ts: 5 p erc en t w ill b e d educted f ro m you r a ssi gnm en t grad e fo r eac h
day th e a ss i gn ment i s la te. No exc ep tio ns, NO ex ten sion s w ill b e gran ted exc ept in
cas es of d ocu mented em ergenci es. A L L PAP ER S M US T BE HA NDED I N DURI NG THE
CL AS S P ERI OD. DO NOT C OM E TO C LA S S LA TE A ND H A ND IN Y OUR P AP ER . DO NOT
GIV E Y OUR PAP ER TO S OM EONE EL SE TO HA ND I N. NO EMAI L A TTA CH M ENTS OF
PAP ER S I S A CC EPTED.
Classroom Env i ron ment:
I would lik e to hav e a plac e th a t is op en to di ff eri n g p oin ts o f vi ew. W h en a peer
is talk in g plea s e lis ten an d do no t en ga ge in o ther a c tivi ti es tha t wi ll tak e a w ay
from yo ur abi li ty to fu lly li s ten to oth ers .
Let’s mak e ou r c la ss a sa f e spa c e of respec t and i ntellectu al crea tivi ty !
Plea s e co me to c la ss o n ti m e an d do no t lea ve b efo re c la ss i s f ini sh ed.
Required Cou rse Re adings: NOTE: I RESE RVE THE RIGHT TO
CHANGE THIS SYLLABUS A S IS NEEDED.
Wei tz , Ro se. 2006. The Po li tic s of Wo men's Bodi es, 2n d Ed i tion. New Yo rk:
Ox fo rd Uni v ersi ty P ress.
Hesse-Bi ber, Sha rlen e Na gy . 2007. The Cu lt of Thinn ess. New Yo rk: Oxf ord
Uni versi ty P ress .
Knapp , Caroli n e. 2003. App eti tes: Why Wo m en Wan t. New York: Coun terpoin t.
Rod ri gu ez , Debo ra h. 2007. K abu l Beau ty Sc hoo l: An A m eric an Wom an Go es Behind
the V eil. New Yo rk: Ran dom H ouse, I nc.
W hi te, Emily. 2003. Fast Gi rls: Teena ge Trib es and the My th of the Slut. Berkeley
Book s, In c.
T. Den ea n Sha rp ley -Whitin g. ( 2007). Pi mps Up, Ho's Do wn: Hip op 's H old o n ou ng
Black Wo m en. New Yo rk Uni versi ty P ress.
Recom m end ed: Sc ho ech, Sam an tha and Lisa Ta gga rt. 2007. The Bi gger, the Better,
the Ti ghter, the Swea ter: On Beau ty, Body Im a ge, an d Other Ha za rd s of Bein g
Fem ale. Em eryvi lle, CA: Sea l P ress.
Requi red A rti cles: Avai la ble on W EBC T fo r our cou rs e.
Vid eo s and film c lip s a re also av ai lab le on W EBCT, in clud in g c lips o f Nip / Tu c k,
Th e Of fic e, and The Si mps ons .
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Fi lm s w e stro n gly u rge you to vi ew in clude “ Lov ely and Am azin g” (i s su es d ea li ng
wi th skin colo r, and cos m etic surgery) and “R ea l Wo m en Hav e Cu rv es ” ( cultu ral
exp ectation s a round body i ma ge a nd si ze i ssu es).
WOMEN AND THE BODY: COURSE SCHEDULE
( note: I reserve the right to make changes in the syllabus
as deemed necessary)
Week of J anua ry 14th
th
In trodu ction
Tu esday and Thu rsd ay Janu a ry 15 th an d Janu a ry 17th:
Introdu c tion to th e Cou rs e: Th e P oli ti c s o f Wo m en ’s Bod ies.
Ros e W ei tz , C hap ters On e & Th ree
Th e Bo dy P ro j ec t (c la ss han dou t: Lo rb er, Ju di th a nd L isa J ean Mo ore. 2007.
Gen d ered Bo di es. Lo s An geles , C A: Rox bury Pub li sh in g Co mpa ny, 249- 250).
W eek of J anua ry 21st Cultu ra l an d S ci en ti fic Con s tru c tion s of the Bo dy Creating
Bod i es. So ci ety, Na tu re an d th e S hap in g of Bo dy I ma ge.
Tu es day , Janu a ry 22nd
W ei tz , C hap ter 2.
Thursd ay , J anua ry 24th
Th e Mak in g of th e Fema le Bo dy: Th e P roces s o f G en dered So cia liz a tion an d
its Con s equ en c es
W ei tz , C hap ter 15 & 16.
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M es sn er, Mic h ael A . 2007. « Barbi e Gi rls V ersu s S ea Mon s ters. » Pp. 64- 68 in
Gen d ered Bo di es: Fem ini st P ersp ec tiv es, edi ted by Jud ith Lo rb er and Li sa
Jea n Moo re. Los An geles, CA: Ro xbu ry Publis hin g Co mpany . ON W EBC T.
CL AS S A C TIV ITY: Wa lk lik e a Ma n, Si t lik e a L ady
Week of J anua ry 28th
: Femin is t Th eo ry a nd th e Bod y: Un d ers tan din g Em bodi ed
Prac tic es.
Tu es day , Janu a ry 29th:
Dav is , K athy . 1997. “ Embod yin g Th eo ry : Beyon d Mod ern is t an d Po st-mo d ernis t
Readin gs o f th e Body .” Pp. 1- 15 in Em b odi ed P ra ctic es: Fem ini st P ersp ec tiv es
on the Bo dy. Lond on: S age. ON W EBC T.
W ei tz , C hap ter 3.
Thursd ay Janu a ry 31s t.
Collin s , Pa tric ia Hi ll. 2007. “ To w ard a New Vi sion: R ac e, C la ss , and G en d er as
Ca tego ri es o f An alysi s an d Co nn ec tion . ” Pp. 76- 84 in Wom en 's Voi c es, Femini st
Visi ons, 3rd edi tion , edi ted b y Su san M . S ha w and J an et L ee. Bos to n, MA:
McG raw Hill. ON W EBC T.
W eek of Feb ru ary 4th: Ho w to condu c t a con ten t an alys is o f ma s s m edi a ted
ima ges of wo men's bo di es a nd th e Cult of THI NNES S
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Tuesday, February 5th
Using Content Analysis to Study MassMediated Images with Examples.
Hesse-Biber, Sharlene and Leavy,
Patricia. 2006. “Chapter 5: Content
Analysis” in The Practice of Qualitative
Research. Sage. ON WEBCT
Bordo, Susan. 1997. «Material Girl: The
Effacements of Postmodern Culture.»
Pp. 335-358 in The Gender Sexuality
Reader, edited by Lancaster, Roger N.
and Micaela di Leonardo. New York:
Routledge. WEBCT.
Thursday: February 7th.
Chapters 1-2 of Hesse-Biber,
Cult of Thinness
W eek of Feb ru ary 11th : Cult o f Thin n es s. Wo m en , W ei gh t, and Bod y Im a ge
and Ea tin g I ssu es and M edi ca liz ation o f th e Fema le Body
Feb rua ry 12th: Fin is h Book: H es s e- Bib er. Th e Cu lt o f Th inn ess
Feb rua ry 14th : Th e M ed ica liz a tion o f th e Fem ale Bod y
W ei tz , C hap ter 4.
Ma rtin , Emi ly . 1999. “ Th e Egg a nd th e Sp erm: Ho w
Sci enc e Ha s Co ns truc ted a Rom anc e Ba s ed on S tereo typic al Ma le- Female
Roles. ” Pp. 179- 189 in Fem ini st Theo ry and the Bod y: A R ea d er, edi ted b y
Pri c e, Ja n et and Ma rgri t S hi ld ri ck . New Yo rk: R outled ge. W EBCT
W eek of Feb ru ary 18th: M ed ica li za tion Con tinu ed …
Feb rua ry 19th:
Pitts, V ic to ria . 2007. “ Th e Su rfa c e and th e Dep th: M edi ca liz ation,
Beau ty , an d Bo dy I ma ge in Cos m etic Su rgery. ” Pp . 99- 103 in G end ered Bod i es,
edi ted by L orb er, Judi th an d Li sa J ean
Moo re. Lo s An geles , C A: Rox bu ry Pub li sh in g Co mpa ny. W EBCT
John ston, D. D. a nd S w ans on, D. H. 2003. “Inv is ib le mo th ers: A con ten t
7
ana lys is o f mo th erho od id eo lo gi es and my th s in ma ga zin es. ”
21- 33.
W EBC T
Sex Roles
46( 1/2):
Vid eo on medic aliza tio n of th e f em ale body .
Feb rua ry 21st Mid - term Exa m W e w ill hav e an essa y exa m on a ll
read in gs up to an d inc ludi n g Thu rs day Feb rua ry 19TH .
W eek of Feb ru ary 25th: A ltera ti on of th e Fem ale Bod y: Co sm eti c Su rgery ,
Ta ttooi n g, an d bod y p i ercin g.
PLA S TI C S URG ER Y PA R TI ES .
w ww .pi erc ema tti e. com /blo gs /plu mpin g_parti es _plas ti c _su. jp g
COME
JOIN
OUR
BOTOX
PARTY!
Tu es day , Feb rua ry 26th
Dav is , K athy . 1999. “ My Bo dy i s my A rt: C os m etic Surgery as Fem ini st
Utopia ? ” Pp.
454- 465 in Fem ini st Theo ry an d the Bo dy: A R ead er, edi ted b y P ric e,
Jan et a nd M a rgri t
Sh ildrick. New Y ork: R outled ge.
Bell, S han non. 2006. “ Ta ttoo ed: A P a rticipan t Obs erv er's Exp lo ra tion o f
M eani n g. ” Pp. 100- 108 in Bod y and Cu lture, ed ited by L yon s, G rego ry T.
New Yo rk: P ea rson Lon gm an.
8
Thursd ay , Feb ru a ry 28th:
Teb b el, C yndi . 2000. “ Cuttin g Ed ge. ” Pp. 29- 54 in The Bod y Sna tc hers:
How the m edi a shap es wo m en , by Teb b el, Cynd i. Sydn ey: Fi nc h Pub li sh in g.
Ros e W ei tz R ead er, Ch ap ters
11 & 12.
Recom m end ed Vid eo: Th e M erc ha nts o f Coo l
Femi ni sm an d Plas ti c su rgery Ex erc is e ( Sh a w and L ee).
Sp rin g V aca ti on:
Ma rc h 3rd to M arc h 7th .
W eek of Ma rch 10th: Th e Bo dy an d Vio lenc e A gain st Wo m en
Tu es day , M a rc h 11th .
Hei s e, Lo ri L . 1997. “ Violenc e, S exu ali ty , and Wo m en 's Liv es . ” Pp. 411433 in The
Gen d er Sexu ali ty R ead er, edi ted by La nca ster, Ro ger N. and Mi ca ela di
Leona rdo . New
Yo rk: Rou tledge.
Ch o, G ra c e M . 2007. “P ro s ti tu ted and Invis ib le Bo di es . ” Pp. 210- 214 in
Gen d ered Bo di es,
edi ted by L orb er, Judi th an d Li sa J ean Moo re. Lo s An geles , C A:
Roxbu ry Pub li sh in g
Comp any . WEBC T
Leu c hta g, A li c e. 2007. “ Hum an Ri gh ts: S ex Tra ffi ckin g a nd
Pro s ti tution. ” Pp . 581- 587 in
Wo m en 's V oic es, Femi nist V isions, edi ted by S h aw , Su sa n M. and Jan et
Lee. Bos ton: McG raw H ill. W EB
9
Thursd ay , Ma rch 13th Vio lenc e A gain st Wo m en on Th e Co llege C ampu s
Gro ss , A lan M. , A. Win s lett, Mi gu el Ro berts, an d C arol Go hn . “ An
Ex ami na tion o f S exua l Vio lenc e A gain s t C ollege W om en . ” Vio lenc e
Again st Wom en , 12/3: 288- 300.
W EBCT
Ka hn, Arnold S . 2007. “ W ha t College Wo m en Do and Do No t
Exp eri en c e as Rap e. ” Pp . 593- 600 i n Wo m en 's V oic es, Femi nist
Visi ons, edi ted b y S ha w , Su san M. a nd Jan et L ee. Bos ton:
McG raw Hill. W EBC T.
T. Den ea n S ha rp ley - Wh itin g. P imp s Up , Ho 's do wn. Ch apters 1- 3
Clas s L ea rn in g Ex erci s e: Ho w S af e i s Yo ur C ampu s (H andou t): P g. 563
of S ha w a nd L ee's Wo m en 's V oic es, Fem inist V isio ns.
W eb si te resou rc es: Vio len ce A gain s t W om en and P rev en ti on:
http: //ww w .nda a.o rg/link s/v iolenc e_a gains t_wo m en _links .h tml
Rape Quiz, http://www.justicewomen.com/cj_rapequiz_intro_en.html
(Take rape quiz)
W eek of Ma rch 17th: V iolenc e A ga ins t Wo m en. .Co ntinu ed
T Tuesd ay , Ma rch 18th
ni
EA S TER BR EA K:
P imp s Up Ho's Do wn
T. Den ea n S ha rp ley - Wh itin g: Fini sh Book
TH URS DAY , M AR CH 20TH.
10
W EEK OF MAR CH 24TH .
IDEOL OGI ES A BOUT
BODY
S HAP E A ND
S I ZE
Tu es day , M a rc h 25th .
Vertin sky , Pa tri cia . 2002. “ Embo dyin g No rm alcy: An th ropo m etry and the
Lon g A rm o f Wi llia m S h eldon ’s Som a to typin g P ro jec t. ” Jou rna l of Spo rt
Histo ry 29/2: 95-133. W EBC T
Urla, Ja cqu elin e a nd A lan C S w ed lund . 1995. “Th e An th ropo m etry of
Ba rbi e: Uns ettli n g Id ea s of th e Fem inin e Body i n Popu la r Cu ltu re. ” Pp.
277- 313 in Devi an t Bo di es: Cri tic al Perspec tiv es o n Differenc e in Sci enc e
and Cu ltu re, edi ted b y Terry, J enni f er and
Jacqu elin e Urla. Indi ana Un iv ersi t y P res s. W EBCT
Rod ri gu ez , Debo ra h . 2007. K abu l Beau ty Sc hoo l: An A m eric an
Wo man Goes Behi nd the V eil . New Y ork: R ando m Hous e.
Ch ap ters 1- 4
Thursd ay , Ma rch 27th
Debo rah Rod ri gu ez Ka bul Beau ty Sc hoo l: An A m eric an Wo man
Goes Behi nd th e V eil: Fini s h th e book
W eek of Ma rch 31s t : Th e Ma rki n g
Rac e on the Bo dy.
Tu es day , Ap ri l ls t Ma rk in g Ra c e on th e
Bod y and Th e Fema le Co loni al and
Pos tco lon ial Bo dy
Ali , Suk i. 2004. “ R ead in g Ra cia li z ed
Bod i es: L earnin g to S ee Di ff eren c e”
11
Pp. 76- 97 in Cultu ra l Bodi es: Ethno grap hy an d Theo ry , edi ted b y Tho ma s, H elen a nd
Jami la h A hm ed. Black w ell Pu bli s hin g L td. W ebC T.
Vertin sky , Pa tri cia a nd G w endo ly n Cap tain. 1998. “M ore My th tha n Hi sto ry:
Am eric an Cu ltu re and R ep res en ta tion s of th e Black Fema le’s A th leti c Ab ility. ”
Journ al o f Spo rt Hi sto ry 25: 532- 561. W EBCT
Thursd ay: Ap ri l 3rd:
Fau sto-Sterlin g, Ann e. 2000. “G en d er, Rac e an d Na tion: Th e
Comp a ra tiv e An a tom y of ‘ Ho tten to t’ W om en in Eu rop e. ” Pp. 203233 in Femin ism and the Body , edi ted b y Sc hi ebin ger, Lond a. New
Yo rk: Oxf ord Univ ers ity
Si lko, L es li e M a rmo n. 1997. “ Y ello w Wo man a nd a Beau ty o f th e
Spi ri t. ” Pp . 60- 72 in Yellow Wo ma n an d a Beau ty of Spi ri t. Si mon
and S c hus ter. W eb C T.
Begin R eadi ng App etites, C hap ters 1-3
Recom m end ed Vid eo s:
W eek of April 7th
Bod y
Ho lly wo od Ha rem s Vid eo
A Qu es tion o f C olo r
Wo m en , Foo d and th e Body /S exua liz in g th e Fema le
Tu es day April 8th
Fini s h App eti tes. W e wi ll d is cus s thi s b ook tod ay.
Thu rsda y: Ap ril 10th :
W eitz, Ch ap ters 5, 6, 7, 8. ( S elec t 2 of th es e c hap ters ).
Also, read any th ree c hap ters f rom: W hi te, Em ily. 2003. Fast Gi rls: Teena ge
Trib es an d the M yth o f the Slu t. Berk eley Books , Inc . ( C hap ters 1- 3).
12
W eek of April 14th: S exua li zin g th e Teena ge Bo dy A ND Wo men's
Rep ro duc tiv e R i gh ts.
Tu es day: Ap ril 15th: Fa st G irls:
Teena ge Trib es an d th e M yth o f
th e S lut. Fi nis h Book . W e wi ll d is cus s
th is book in c la ss tod ay.
Ex c erp ts f ro m: S lut: th e Do cum enta ry
Thursd ay , Ap ril 17 th .
Si lli ma n, Ja el, Ma rlen e G erb er Fri ed, L oretta Ro ss , and Elena R . Gu ti errez.
2007. “ Wo m en of Color a nd Th ei r S tru ggle fo r R ep rodu ctiv e Jus ti ce. ” Pp.
354- 362 in Wo m en 's V oic es, Fem ini st Vi sion s, edi ted by Sh aw , Susa n and
Jan et L ee. Bos ton: McG raw Hill. W EBC T
W eek of April 21s t Cultu ra l R esis tanc e an d th e Fema le Body
13
Tu es day April 22nd:
Clips from th e Movi e: R eal Wo m en Ha ve Cu rv es.
Ma rtin , Emi ly . 1997. “ Th e En d o f th e Bod y? ” Pp . 543- 558 i n The G end er
Sexua li ty Read er, ed ited by Lan cas ter, Ro ger N. an d M ica ela di L eona rdo.
New Yo rk: Rou tled ge. W EBCT
Thursd ay Ap ri l 24th.
Va riou s C lip s f ro m Mov ies Th a t R esi s t Do min an t No rms o f W ei ght and
Bod y Im a ge.
Ros e W ei tz , c hap ter
9
W eek of April 28th
Tu es day and Thu rsd ay, Ap ri l 29th and May 1st.
W rap Up. Clas s P res entation o f Group Pro j ec ts Ev eryo n e is requi red to p res ent
and you wi ll n eed to hand i n an a bs tra ct o f you r pap er by April 24th )
You s hou ld b e p repa red to pres en t 10 minu te talk a bou t you r pap er to th e c lass .
14
Con ten t Ana ly si s P rojec t
P ap er. ( 25%)
M edi a Ana ly si s P roj ect – How do the media, and advertisers, more specifically, portray
women’s bodies? Your task as a group is to chose fou r popular magazines targeted toward
women. You are to select a sample of ads across these magazines ( you will need to decide on
the magazines, how many ads and what type of ads : Hint: This depends on your research
problem. What do you want to find out? How can doing a content analysis answer this question?)
You will conduct a content analysis of your sampling of ads. Be sure to read Hesse-Biber and
Leavy’s chapter on Content analysis and how to do a content analysis and be sure to know how
to “code” ads for content. I will also provide the class with some examples of how to code an
advertisement in class.
Please write up your results in an 8 to 10 page paper. You must include an abstract of your
paper of no more than 250 words.
Be sure to include all ads and your specific analysis work. You must use at least 4 scholarly
articles that support your results and interpretation beyond the class readings.
W ha t i s you r res ea rc h p rob lem:
Sa mple y our sp eci fi c ad s.
W ha t do you w an t to fin d ou t?
Cod e th e a dv ertis em en ts: W ha t sp ec if i c m ean in gs a re you interes ted in id en ti fyin g
in th es e a ds ? W ha t a re you r c od es ? Do th es e cod es s erv e to an sw er y our
res earc h qu es tio n?
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Condu c t an an alysi s of th e da ta . Ho w wi ll y ou get a t m eanin g in you r da ta ?
W ha t a re you r f indi n gs ?
Interp ret th e fin din gs: W h at d o th ey mean ? I ntegra te find in gs wi th th e res earc
li tera ture on thi s top ic.
Up to th ree p eop le c an wo rk o n thi s group p ro jec t.
Reac tion Pap er # 2: S ho rt Bo ok S ho rt Book R ev i ew
Di scu ss ion of th e Book.
( 15 %) an d C la ss roo m
You h av e a c hoi c e o f wh a t book you wo uld like to revi ew.
Ch oic es:
Hess e- Bi ber, Th e Cult o f Thin n es s.
Knapp , App eti tes: W hy Wo men W an t.
Rod ri gu ez , Ka bul Bea uty S cho ol: An Am eric an Wo men Go es Behind th e V ei l.
T. Den ea n S ha rp ley - Wh itin g. P imp s Up , Ho ’s Do w n: Hip Hop ’s H old o n Youn g Black
Wo m en.
Elain e W hi te. Fa st G irls Teen a ge Tri b es an d th e M y th o f th e Slu t
Book R ev i ew s a re du e on th e Da te th ey a re p res en ted in clas s. NO EX C EP TI ONS.
W E will b e a skin g y ou to si gn up fo r th e book you wo uld lik e to rev iew ( you r fi rs t
and s econd c hoi c e) th e b eginnin g o f th e s em es ter. I will hold you to wo rki n g on
th e book revi ew tha t you hav e c ho s en s inc e w e exp ect you to sp eci fi ca lly dis c uss
th e book du rin g c la s sroom d is cus sion a n d y our sp eci fi c id ea s /th esis rega rd in g th is
book w ill b e vi ta l to ou r c la s sroom d is c ussi on.
Con tai n ed w ithi n you r revi ew s hould b e an s w ers to th e f ollo win g gen era l qu es tion s:
1. W ha t i s th e th es is o r gen era l a rgum en t o f thi s book ? I n thi s qu estion ad dres s
th e fo res t, not th e trees . Wh a t la rger i ssu e co nc ern s thi s au tho r?
2. W hy i s thi s is su e relev ant to ou r cou rs e? Be su re to ti e in a t lea s t 2 to 3
cours e readi n gs th a t s ho w a conn ec tion to thi s readin g.
3. How w ell do es th e au tho r suppo rt h er argu m en t?
My s tron g advi c e b efo re do in g thi s a ssi gn m en t is no t to w ai t un til th e la s t mi nute.
You n eed tim e to f ocus o n eac h au th or’s id ea s /a rgum en t. Th erefo re read i n
segm en ts and tak e no tes af ter eac h s egment: W ha t di d you f ind in teres ti n g? How
does th e au tho r m ake h er poin t? ( W rite a s ho rt su mm a ry /m emo a bou t w ha t y ou
read fo r tha t s egm en t th at you can u s e later fo r you r rev i ew ). Be su re to ta ke
notes on th e sp ecif ic in fo rma tion y ou w ill n eed to a ns w er th e book revi ew
ques tion s.
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