Seminar schedule: term three

Week 1

Thursday 5.5.11

Seminar: Periodicals

Seminar question: research essay to be written by all students

The following topic carries the equivalent of 2 essay marks. One is for research and study of 2 current periodicals, the other for your historical and theoretical understanding of the issues. The required length is 2,500 words.

Women’s (and men’s) magazines have often been analysed in two seemingly conflicting ways – “as vehicles for pleasure or as purveyors of oppressive ideology” (Gill 2007, p.195). What are the strengths and weaknesses of the main positions in this debate? Illustrate your argument with detailed reference to two well-known, current women’s or men’s magazines of your choice, and consider the extent to which your examples represent elements of continuity and change in magazine history.

KEY TEXTS:

• Two modern periodicals of your choice + research on their history, market, etc. (NB this means you choose two titles – you can look at as many issues as you like).

• Gill, Rosalind (2007) Gender and the media. Cambridge: Polity Press.

BACKGROUND READING:

General background: Chapman, Jane (2005) Comparative media history. Cambridge:Polity Press. Conboy, Martin. (2004) Journalism: a critical history. London: Sage. (See also his The press and popular culture). Gough-Yates, Anna (2003), Understanding women’s magazines: publishing, markets and readerships. London, Routledge. Hermes, J (1995) Reading women's magazines: an analysis of everyday media use. Polity. McKay, Jenny (2000) The magazines handbook. Routledge. McLoughlin, L. (2003) The language of magazines. Routledge. McRobbie, Angela (2006) ‘Post-feminism and popular culture: Bridget Jones and the new gender regime’ in Curran, J. and Morley, D. Media and cultural theory. Routledge. Whelehan, Imelda (2000) Overloaded: popular culture and the future of feminism London: Women’s Press Ltd. Whittaker, Jason (2008) Magazine production. Routledge. Wolf, Naomi. (1998)The beauty myth. Vintage.

Women’s magazines:

Beetham, A.(1996) A magazine of her own? Domesticity and desire in the women's magazine, 1800-1914. Routledge.

Ferguson, M. (1983) Forever feminine: women’s magazines and the cult of femininity. London: Heinemann.

Greco, A. (2000) The media and entertainment industries. Allyn & Bacon (Chapter 2).

Leman, Joy (1980) ‘The advice of a real friend: codes of intimacy and oppression in women’s magazines’ in Women’s Studies International Quarterly, Vol.3 , pp. 61-78.

McCracken, E. (1992), Decoding women’s magazines. Basingstoke: MacMillan.

McRobbie, Angela (1996) ‘More! New sexualities in girls' and women's magazines’ in Curran, J., Morley, D. and Walkerdine, V (eds) Cultural studies and communications. Arnold. McRobbie, Angela (1991) Feminism and youth culture from Jackie to Just Seventeen. Macmillan.

Reed, D. (1996) The popular magazine in Britain and America, 1880-1960. British Library Publishing Division. White, Cynthia L. (1970) Women’s magazines, 1939-1968. London: Michael Joseph.

Whitehorn, Oliver (2008) Cosmo woman: the world of women’s magazines. Crescent Moon Publishing

Winship, J. (1987) Inside women's magazines. Pandora.

Men’s magazines:

(see also McKay and Reed above)

Benwell, Bethan (ed) (2003)Masculinity and men's lifestyle magazines. Oxford: Blackwell (Sociological Review Monograph Series).

Hanson, Dian (ed) (2004-5, five volumes) History of men's magazines. Taschen. Jackson, Peter et al (2001) Making sense of men's magazines. Polity Press. Rutherford, J. & Chapman, R. (eds) (1989) Male order: unwrapping masculinity. London: Lawrence and Wishart.

See also cultural studies books dealing with masculinity and male culture in the Media and Cultural Studies section of the LCC library.

Week 2

Thursday 12.5.11

No teaching to allow for exam revision

Week 3

Thursday 19.5.11

No teaching to allow for exam revision

Week 4

Thursday 26.5.11

2-hour timed unseen examination on material from all three terms.

You are required to write two essays, one on questions drawn from term 1 material and one on material from terms 2/3. Bring ruled A4 paper and pens. No textbooks, notes or mobile phones are allowed in the exam.

Details of time and venue will be put on the notice board.

Year 2 Contextual Studies information and reading lists will be distributed by post during the summer.

End of 1^st year CS taught programme.

Term ends on Friday 24 June. Please note that students MUST be available until this date in case of exam re-sits or retrieval work set by the examinations board.

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