2024/25 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

COMM5250M Feminism, Identity and Media

30 creditsClass Size: 48

Module manager: Helen Thornham
Email: H.Thornham@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

The module provide students with an informed understanding of the main theoretical and critical debates associated with feminist media studies, covering both the history of the field as well as engaging with contemporary debates and issues. Students will explore questions of identity from a feminist perspective, looking at range of media including television, film, advertising, music and new media. The module will enable students to evaluate and contribute to ongoing public and theoretical debates related to feminism and the media as well as assess the strengths and limitations of the main methodologies of the field.

Objectives

Through a series of ten one-hour lectures, the module aims to cover the key media and communication areas and issues including gender and new media, gender and television, gender and advertising, gender and PR and gender and music. Topics covered include the politics of representation; feminist theories of narrative and identity; the role of women in the media industries and the relationship between feminism and new media.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:

1. outline key theoretical and critical debates concerning feminist media studies
2. analyse and critically evaluate different theories, definitions and practices of gender and feminism
3. apply theories of identity to media outputs
4. critically engage with the main methodologies of feminist media studies and evaluate the strengths and limitations of different conceptual frameworks

Skills Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:

5. Academic writing – the ability to write in a clear, concise, focused and structured manner in response to an essay brief on an area of feminist media studies.
6. Critical thinking – the ability to evaluate different arguments and perspectives on identity and gender, using this scholarship to form arguments, theories and ideas.

Syllabus

Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	11	1.50	16.50
Seminar	11	1.00	11.00
Private study hours			272.50
Total Contact hours			27.50
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			300.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Attendance will be monitored at lectures and seminars. Office hours will be available for students to come and discuss the module and assessment (e.g. essay plans) throughout the semester. Progress will also be monitored by performance in seminars and assessment preparation material.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	3500 words	60.00
Source Analysis	Analysis of a media artefact informed by a feminist perspective – 1500-2000 words	40.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Resit available through original assessment format.

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 09/02/2024

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