Feminism and the media have a long-standing and often uneasy relationship with each other. Focusing largely, but not entirely, on the U.S., this course examines this relationship from three perspectives:

1. Feminist studies of the mass media;
2. Representations of feminism in the mass media;
3. Feminist media activism and production.

The first half of the course will not only survey critical feminist theories and studies of the media, but will also develop concepts and tools that students will use in their own analyses. The second half of the course will be dedicated to analyzing examples of representations of feminists and feminism and feminists' own use of media for activism, paying particular attention to the possibilities and limits of each. We will spend a good deal of time discussing what constitutes activism. This course is based on an approach to feminism that takes ending oppression for all as its project. This approach posits understanding masculinity, as well as how gender intersects with other identities, such as race, class, and sexuality, as key to this project. Thus, while much of what we discuss will focus on women, we will also explore these other identities and their intersections.