Assignments: Batch One: Assignment 2

Compare, contrast and critically discuss the treatment of the theme of homophobia in no more than three films.

Guidance

For general guidance about what is expected in your essays for this module, see the guidelines for writing essays and reports.

What Key Features Do I Look For?

  • Familiarity with relevant texts
  • Evidence - the stronger the better
  • Argument - coherent and balanced
  • Theoretical discussion - relation to relevant theories
  • Understanding of relevant concepts
  • Reflexivity - reflections on methodology
  • Examples - insightfully analysed
  • Style - readability and effective presentation

Please remember to avoid footnotes and to include an alphabetical list of 'References' which have been cited in the text (not a Bibliography of anything you have read for the essay). This list should include author's names, date, book titles (in italics), place of publication and publisher. Within the text always cite author's surname, date and page number. Double-space your text and number your pages.

Guidance for this assignment: This kind of question requires some consideration of how homophobia is (variously) defined, but try to relate this to the argument that follows. Anchor your text in extended discussions of particular examples. Philadelphia are Brokeback Mountain are good examples but do not feel obliged to confine yourself to films shown in the module's screening sessions. You are advised to compare and contrast examples rather than simply to comment on each in turn. To what extent are your chosen films 'about homophobia' (or is homophobia a subsidiary theme)? Are you dealing with an 'issues' film about a 'social problem'? Does there seem to be an agenda? Is it a niche film or a mainstream film and how does this influence the narrative strategies employed? Consider in particular how your chosen films differ in their manipulation of our emotional responses. Can the films themselves be characterised in any way as being homophobic? Remember, of course, that representation is a process involving interpretation rather than the 'content' of a text, so it is appropriate to consider both the public declarations of the film-makers and the differing reactions of audience members (some films can be considered both homophobic and anti-homophobic by different commentators). At all costs, avoid 'moralising' about the subject - about what film-makers or policymakers should or should not do about this - stick to the topic!

Note also that this is an assignment for which the inclusion of relevant pictorial illustrations may be useful. Use these to illustrate particular points. Contrasting one with another can also be productive. Incorporate illustrations electronically into your text (e.g. by scanning or downloading from the Internet) rather than literally cutting and pasting. For guidance on capturing stills, click here.

Some suggested reading

Note: Treat with extreme caution sources labelled with this symbol!


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