Feminist Cultural Activism - WOM00006M

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  • Department: Centre for Women's Studies
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24
    • See module specification for other years: 2022-23

Module summary

This module draws on three main strands: we explore the work of feminist artists, performers and writers; we assess how activists can and do use forms of art for political purposes; and we learn how to produce our own feminist cultural activist material (e.g. pamphlets, photos, slam poetry) for a specific context. No prior artistic skills are necessary.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2023-24

Module aims

This module ranges across cultural production, theory and activism. We will:

  • make - try out a variety of activities, e.g. zines/pamphlets, photographs, performance;
  • imagine - through practicing art and crafts we will challenge our own beliefs and opinions,
  • think - evaluate perspectives on cultural production in various settings and societies;
  • activate - produce our own feminist cultural activist material in response to specific issues. and develop creative ways of effecting political change;

Module learning outcomes

After successfully completing this module, students should:

  • Be able to critically assess the practices of contemporary feminist cultural activism in a variety of national and international contexts.
  • Be familiar with a range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary feminist perspectives connecting activism, art and academic work.
  • Be critically aware of the cultural specificities of and global connections between cultural politics.
  • Have acquired knowledge of a range of cultural methodologies and theoretical models suitable for studying other cultural studies topics.
  • Be well-practiced in seminar presentation, critique and discussion, e-learning, and entry-level skills in a variety of community/ political activities and digital media.
  • Have access to networks with professional, entrepreneurial and political potential.

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Special assessment rules

None

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Module feedback

Provisional feedback (subject to external examiners' confirmation) by week 6 of the summer term.

Indicative reading

  • Firat, Beg¼m Ozden, Kuryel, Aylin. Cultural activism Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2011
  • Garlough, C.L. On the Political Uses of Folklore: Performance and Grassroots Feminist Activism in India Journal of American Folklore, 121, 480, 2008, pp.167-191.
  • Gauntlett, D, Making is connecting: the social meaning of creativity, from DIY and knitting to YouTube and Web 2.0 Cambridge: Polity Press, 2011.
  • Guerrilla Girls website: http://www.guerrillagirls.com
  • Harris, A., ed. Next Wave Cultures: Feminism, Subcultures, Activism London: Routledge, 2008.
  • Miller, K. Iconographies of Gender, Poverty, and Power in Contemporary South African Visual Culture Feminist Formations 19, 1 2007: 118-136.
  • Miner, V. Writing Feminist Fiction: Solitary Genesis or Collective Criticism? Frontiers: 6, 1/2, 1981.
  • Mullin, A. Feminist Art and the Political Imagination Hypatia, 18, 4, 2003, pp 189-213.
  • Piepmeier, A. Girl Zines: Making media, doing feminism New York: New York UP, 2009.
  • Spence, J. & J Solomon What Can a Woman Do With a Camera? London: Scarlet Press, 1995.