Overview
This course examines relationships among artistic practice, personal and collective identity, and social structures. Students analyze representation across visual art, performance, music, literature, film, digital media, and public art, with attention to race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, class, disability, nationality, indigeneity, religion, migration, cultural appropriation, social justice, and the politics of visibility.
Drawing on cultural studies, sociology, critical race theory, feminist theory, postcolonial studies, queer theory, and identity politics, the course considers how creative works reproduce and challenge dominant narratives. Students develop skills in close reading, visual and media analysis, contextual interpretation, ethical argument, and comparative analysis. Learning activities include case-study discussions, reflective writing, and a small creative or community-engaged project connecting artistic expression with lived experience, institutions, and questions of identity and belonging.
Learning Outcomes
- Analyze artistic works and cultural productions using appropriate critical and contextual vocabulary.
- Evaluate how artistic choices represent identity, difference, and belonging within specific historical and social contexts.
- Compare perspectives across communities and identify assumptions, power relationships, and institutional interests in cultural representation.
- Interpret the social consequences of visibility, exclusion, appropriation, and resistance in artistic and cultural practices.
- Construct ethically informed arguments supported by relevant scholarly concepts and evidence.
- Create a reflective or community-engaged response that addresses an issue of identity, representation, or social justice.
Timetable
| Type | Length | Frequency | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 2 hours | Weekly | All semester |
| Tutorial | 1 hour | Weekly | All semester |
| Workshop | 2 hours | Fortnightly | All semester |
Assessment Schedule
| Type | Description | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Quiz | Weekly critical response quizzes (6 × 5%) | 30.00% |
| Assignment | Comparative artwork analysis | 20.00% |
| Assignment | Reflective writing portfolio | 15.00% |
| Capstone | Creative or community-engaged project | 20.00% |
| Exam | Final critical essay | 15.00% |
Prerequisites
- Requirement 5 NCEA Level 2 English credits, externally assessed
Teaching Staff & Programs
This course is delivered jointly by faculty from the participating programs listed below. In line with the Douchewater Way, the University of Sexology tailors core instruction directly to each cohort's specific discipline — adapting curriculum to program needs rather than forcing students into a one-size-fits-all model. Learn more about our approach at The Douchewater Way.
