Queering British Cinema
| Module title | Queering British Cinema |
|---|---|
| Module code | EAF3517 |
| Academic year | 2019/0 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Dr Benedict Morrison (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
Module description
You will encounter a broad range of dynamic film texts which interrogate key aspects of both identity politics and film form. You will read widely in classic and contemporary queer theory, considering the question of whether ‘the queer must insist on disturbing’ as Lee Edelman insists. You will debate film’s contribution to (reinforcing and) disturbing heteronormative myths, and the radical impact that cinema has had on the political positioning of gay men and women. Far from privileging British cinema as a special case, the module will consider how Britishness has been one of the sites of interrogation. The module will encourage you to build on some of the theoretical insights of earlier modules, as well as developing a precise critical vocabulary for writing on film. It will sit comfortably alongside other modules, including those on twentieth century literature, adaptation, and Shakespeare studies.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The module will:
- assist you in developing a well-defined critical vocabulary and understanding of British cultural (and particularly cinematic) history
- provide you with an introduction to the developing field of queer theory
- enable you to engage confidently and knowledgably with historical and contemporary political debates on aspects of sexual identity
- empower you to interrogate and challenge monolithic notions of identity and totalising readings of unstable cultural texts
- structure and reinforce your consideration of central ethical questions
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate an informed appreciation of specific queer films produced in Britain
- 2. demonstrate a secure understanding of classic and contemporary queer theory
- 3. apply concepts from queer theory to the analysis of film texts
- 4. evaluate the position of the film texts within the wider cultural discourse of queer identity politics
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. analyse film texts with sensitivity and academic rigour, making productive reference to form, theme and genre
- 6. explain and assess the effects of radical and unconventional film forms
- 7. demonstrate a rigorous understanding of Britains cultural history from 1950 to the present
- 8. demonstrate an advanced ability to analyse films of different periods and to relate their concerns and modes of expression to their historical contexts
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 9. develop and demonstrate key communication skills through seminar participation and essay writing
- 10. demonstrate research and bibliographic skills
- 11. explain sensitive political issues with nuance, tact and precision
- 12. demonstrate an ability to work with other students in the production of collective analyses
Syllabus plan
The syllabus will be divided into five key areas, each with specific reading and film texts to focus discussion:
- Queering Life Writing:
- Queering the Self
- Queering the Other
- Queering Canons:
- Shakespeare
- Drama
- Novels
- Queering Times:
- Eccentric Englands
- Queering the 1960s
- Queering AIDS
- Contemporary Queerings
- Queering Race:
- Shifting perspectives on sexuality and race
- Queering Form:
- Film form as a queer site
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 77 | 223 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled | 11 | Lectures |
| Scheduled | 22 | Seminars |
| Scheduled | 44 | Screenings |
| Guided independent | 33 | Study group preperation [and presentation] |
| Guided independent | 70 | Independent seminar presentation |
| Guided independent | 120 | Reading, research, essay preparation |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group sequence analysis OR group video essay | 1000 words OR 5 minutes | 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12 | EBart with opportunity for tutorial follow-up |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 50 | 3000 words | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 | EBart with opportunity for tutorial follow-up |
| Video essay OR extended blog | 30 | 10 minutes OR 1500 words | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 | EBart with opportunity for tutorial follow-up |
| Group presentation (sequence analysis) | 20 | 15 minutes (plus handout) | 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12 | EBart with opportunity for tutorial follow-up |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | Essay | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 | Deferral/referral period |
| Video essay OR extended blog | Extended blog | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 | Deferral/referral period |
| Group presentation (sequence analysis) | Written sequence analysis | 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11 | Deferral/referral period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Basic reading:
- Benshoff, Harry and Sean Griffin (ed). Queer Cinema: The Film Reader. New York: Routledge, 2004
- Edelman, Lee. No Future: Queer Theory and the Death Drive. Durham: Duke University Press, 2004
- Griffiths, Robin (ed). British Queer Cinema. London: Routledge, 2006
Basic Viewing:
- Edward II (Derek Jarman, UK, 1991)
- The Ladykillers (Alexander Mackendrick, UK, 1955)
- Victim (Basil Dearden, UK, 1961)
- Berberian Sound Studio (Peter Strickland, UK, 2012)
- Weekend (Andrew Haigh, UK, 2011)
- Performance (Nicholas Roeg and Donald Cammell, UK, 1970)
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Last revision date | 15/02/2017 |