Screening (Ab)normal Bodies - CUL322
Our bodies give us a world, and have meaning, both for ourselves and others. We are directed at every level to align our bodies with cultural norms – but what about modes of embodiment that don't conform to what we generally understand as 'normal’? In this unit, we turn our attention to unquestioned assumptions about what constitutes a ‘normal’ body, consider how these norms are created and think through the experiences of people who challenge them. Lectures, tutorials and assessments will draw extensively on screen texts, including documentaries, “selfies” in social media, apps and other digital tools as well as autobiographical video and film, exploring how ideas about “normal” and “abnormal” bodies come to form part of our everyday lives. Our critical examination may cover disability, pregnancy, fatness, ageing, companion animals, surgical interventions and other forms of body modification. The aim of this unit is to think through the ways in which various forms of (ab)normal embodiment are understood in contemporary culture and to explore the social, political and ethical effects of these understandings.
| Credit Points: | 3 |
| When Offered: | S1 Day - Session 1, North Ryde, Day |
| Staff Contact(s): | Dr Nicole Matthews |
| Prerequisites: |
(39cp at 100 level or above) or admission to GDipArts |
| Corequisites: | |
| NCCW(s): | CUL308, MECX322 |
| Unit Designation(s): | |
| Unit Type: | |
| Assessed As: | Graded |
| Offered By: | Department of Media, Music, Communication and Cultural Studies Faculty of Arts |
Course structures, including unit offerings, are subject to change.
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