Gender and Visual Culture

Visual images permeate every aspect of daily life, through social media, advertising, music videos, TV shows, film, art, fashion, video games, and sports. But we are often so accustomed to the constant flow of images that we do not critically examine them. What happens when these visual images intersect with gender? How does visual culture communicate gendered cultural or political norms? How do individuals or social groups push back on dominant norms and construct their own forms of visual meaning and communication? This course focuses how meaning and gender are embedded in images, through theoretical readings paired with contemporary examples. Students will learn how to read and analyze a variety of visual forms, including from popular culture, media, art history, and museums.