Undergraduate Course: Screening Sex: Gender, Sexuality, and Identity on the German Screen and Beyond (ELCG08017)
Course Outline
| School | School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | This option course focuses on the representation of sex, gender, sexuality (as well as other intersections of identity), and the representation or implication of sex acts onscreen.
Students will learn to 'read' film, including close analysis (shot types, editing, sound etc.), to theorise various types of onscreen representation (using, for example, Queer Theory, Gender Theory, Psychoanalysis), and to locate film historically (including key film movements and tends such as New German Cinema, New Queer Cinema, and Transnational Cinema) |
| Course description |
This option course focuses on the representation of sex, gender, sexuality (as well as other intersections of identity), and the representation or implication of sex acts onscreen.
Students will learn to 'read' film, including close analysis (shot types, editing, sound etc.), to theorise various types of onscreen representation, and to locate film historically.
We will look at a range of films, both narrative and documentary, in English and German (with subtitles) by German-speaking filmmakers, such as Monika Treut, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, and Christian Petzold. Please note that this is a research-led course so films and texts can change.
Students will be introduced to a range of theory, from Film Studies and beyond, to use as a lens to read onscreen representation. These include psychoanalysis, Gender Studies, and Queer Theory.
Work will be located socio-politically as well as culturally. We will consider key film movements and trends to which films belong e.g. New Queer Cinema, New German Cinema, the Berlin School, and Transnational Cinema.
Students will explore films through small group discussion and plenary discussion, employing both formal analysis and theory. The course will not only introduce students to a range of film and filmmakers, but also to reading film in a variety of ways, and to considering how identities are represented onscreen. If the School allows it, some of the filmmakers can join us (virtually) for Q&As with students.
Preparatory tasks for each session include: watching the film and completing and thinking about secondary and other reading
The films will be made available to students (Resource Centre, Media Hopper etc.) and set secondary reading will be available on Learn. Weekly activities will engage with both the primary (films) and secondary (theory etc.) texts.
The course will examine one film over approx. two weeks and approx. one related text (e.g. theory or filmic trend overview) per week to develop their skills in reading film formally and theoretically.
The course considers diversity and representation and raises awareness of issues surrounding e.g. LGBTQI+ people and beyond.
The assessment will be 100% coursework. There are two summative assignments: Close Reading (600 words) and Essay (1150 words). The close reading will ask students to do a formal analysis of a scene from a film (shot types, sound, editing, etc) and the essay will be a theoretical reading of theme/s in a film on the course.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | Students MUST also take:
German 2 Language (ELCG08008) AND
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| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | MUST also be taking German 2 Language (ELCG8008) |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 22 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 20,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
78 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
100% Coursework
Of which:
Close Reading (35%, 600 words)
Essay (65%, 1,150 words)
The close reading will ask students to do a formal analysis of a scene from a film (shot types, sound, editing, etc) and the essay will be a theoretical reading of theme/s in a film on the course. |
| Feedback |
Both pieces of assessment will have individual written feedback (in text comments and comments box with overview) as well as individual verbal feedback available for students (via office hours or pre-agreed meeting) as well as general group feedback /forward given after each piece of assessment
Because each piece of assessment requires different skills and knowledge (to ensure students learn a broad range of film analysis) the feedback for the formal analysis won't be used as feed forward for the next exercise in the course but certainly will be useful for other courses (e.g. ELCG10031 From Girls in Uniform to Men in Drag: Gender, Sexuality and Ethnicity on the German Screen) |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of areas of Film Studies, Gender Studies, Queer Studies, Psychoanalysis, including some core theories, concepts, principles, and terminology
- Apply knowledge, skills, and understanding of Film Studies and Gender Studies when interpreting filmic representations of gender and sexuality
- Undertake critical analysis, evaluation and synthesise ideas, concepts, and information
- Exercise autonomy and initiative in some course-related activities; work effectively with others; manage group interactions; practise taking responsibility when carrying out tasks
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Reading List
Please note, this is a research-led course so films and texts can change.
Sample filmography and reading list:
Filmography
Faustrecht der Freiheit (Rainer Werner Fassbinder, 1975)
Gendernauts (Monika Treut,1999)
Gespenster (Christian Petzold, 2005)
Reading List (selected)
Freud. S. (1919) 'The Uncanny' In: James Strachey (ed.) - The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, Volume XVII (1917-1919): An Infantile Neurosis and Other Works.
Higbee, W & Lim, SH (2014) 'Concepts of transnational cinema: towards a critical transnationalism in film studies' In: Transnational Cinemas
Hooks, b. (1992) 'The Oppositional Gaze: Black Female Spectators' In: The Feminism and Visual Culture Reader
Knight, J (2004) 'Introduction' In: New German Cinema: images of a generation
Mulvey, L (1975) 'Visual and other pleasures' In: Visual and Other Pleasures
Rich, BR (2013) 'Introduction' In: New queer cinema: The director's cut
Roy, R & Leweke, A (2013) 'Introduction' In: The Berlin School: Films from the Berliner Schule
Further Reading List (selected)
Butler, J (1990) Gender trouble: feminism and the subversion of identity
Goekturk, D. (2000) Turkish Delight, German Fright
Halberstam, J (2005) In a queer time and place: transgender bodies, subcultural lives
Lewis, R (2012) 'Towards a Transnational Lesbian Cinema' In: Journal of Lesbian Studies |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Cognitive skills:
Critical analysis; evaluation and synthesis of ideas, concepts, information and issues.
Communication:
Convey complex information within the seminars; use a range of subject area library databases.
Autonomy, accountability and working with others:
exercise autonomy and initiative in some activities in the subject area; exercise managerial responsibility in relation to others; take the lead on planning in familiar or defined contexts; practice in ways that show awareness of own and others; roles, responsibilities and contributions when carrying out tasks. |
| Keywords | LGBTQI+,Queer,Film,Sex,Gender,Sexuality,Screen Studies,Narrative Film,Documentary,Transcultural |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Leanne Dawson
Tel: (0131 6)50 3644
Email: Leanne.Dawson@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Hope Hamilton
Tel: (0131 6)50 4167
Email: hope.hamilton@ed.ac.uk |
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