Sex and the Media

  Assessment task title: Research Essay Details of task: Write an essay responding to one of the following questions/topics: 1. Select a recent advertising campaign (it may be located across several media and it may be a commercial campaign or a government/community/health campaign) to critically analyse in relation to the socio-cultural construction of gender and/or sexuality. Using the critical frameworks you have developed this semester, deconstruct the campaign and develop a position on how gender and/or sexuality are constructed in the campaign through visual and textual signifiers. 2. Can we say that men are now ‘objectified’ in visual culture in the same way as women? Develop an argument as to why the social/political consequences of ‘objectifying’ images might be different, or that they should be understood as the same, for men and women. Your argument should address why and how the social context of ‘postfeminism’ (Gill, 2007) affects our understandings of images. You can choose from a wide range of media texts to substantiate your argument. 3. Do digital social media provide ‘safe spaces’ for people, especially non-dominant people who experience marginalisation? Or are they 'toxic troll territories'? Develop a position on the notion of safe digital social spaces, potentially comparing and contrasting two or more examples as case studies. You could consider social media like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, Snapchat, or groups, hashtags, subreddits/threads within wider platforms. You could also consider virtual worlds like MMORPGs, MUDs, or MOBAs. 4. There are continuous debates about whether or not people seek empowerment through self-sexualisation and subjectification , and may or may not have autonomy regarding their choices in engaging with beauty and raunch culture. Critically evaluate such claims by developing an informed, research-based stance as to whether people do or do not have such autonomy. Consider the implications and nuances of self-sexualisation and subjectification. Regardless of which option you choose to respond to, each essay must include the following: ● Clear evidence of research beyond the required unit readings. All essays are required to include at least 8 academic sources to pass with at least 5 of those being additional academic sources beyond the set weekly readings. Ideally, most essays should include 8-10 sources (or more), which will include a combination of required readings and at least 5 additional peer-reviewed journal articles, scholarly book chapters or scholarly books. Consult the guide on Moodle and/or your tutors for advice on identifying and evaluating an academic source. A list of recommended readings is provided on Moodle for each essay question/topic, and these do not count as weekly required readings. ● The use of media text case studies . This may include images, stills from videos, lyrics, transcripts from interviews, etc. These should be properly referenced according to the style guide you are using and can be embedded in-text. However, these sources do not count towards your minimum number of 8 academic sources. ● A clear, coherent argument developed logically over the course of your essay. The argument should be identified and sign-posted in the introduction, and built upon drawing on your research, in each subsequent paragraph. The conclusion should neatly summarise the evidence you have gathered and reiterate your argument. ● Clear expression . Try to write in short, sharp, to-the-point sentences and be sure to leave ample time before the due date for proof reading and editing. Read your writing out to yourself to help identify inconsistencies or awkward expressions. ● Proper referencing . Undergraduate writing is about ‘building on the shoulders of giants’ and synthesising ideas and existing research, potentially into new but well-founded forms. You can use APA, ASA, or Harvard referencing, as long as you are consistent and use an in-text author-date system with a complete list of references at the end of your essay. Only include references in your list of references that have been cited in the text.