Overview
This course examines how cultural identities are constructed, represented, negotiated, and contested across visual culture, literature, performance, film, journalism, advertising, museums, education, and social media. It introduces theories of representation, discourse, the gaze, stereotyping, othering, authenticity, hybridity, intersectionality, diaspora, and self-representation.
Students analyze how representational choices, omissions, and institutional structures shape cultural narratives. Case studies address harmful, community-led, outsider, and self-authored representations, with attention to historical context, internal diversity, ethical authority, visibility, and the effects of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, class, disability, religion, nationality, and migration. The course develops responsible, community-informed approaches to cultural analysis and storytelling.
Learning Outcomes
- Analyze representational choices, omissions, and narrative authority across diverse cultural texts and media.
- Identify structural patterns of stereotyping, othering, exclusion, and visibility in cultural imagery and discourse.
- Evaluate claims of authenticity without essentializing identity or overlooking differences within cultural groups.
- Compare outsider, institutional, community-led, and self-authored narratives using appropriate theoretical frameworks.
- Interpret how intersectionality, diaspora, migration, and hybridity shape cultural representation and identity formation.
- Design responsible representational practices grounded in contextual research, ethical reflection, and community-informed storytelling.
Timetable
| Type | Length | Frequency | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 2 hours | Weekly | All semester |
| Tutorial | 1 hour | Weekly | All semester |
| Workshop | 2 hours | Fortnightly | First term |
| Seminar | 2 hours | Fortnightly | Second term |
Assessment Schedule
| Type | Description | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Assignment | Close reading of a cultural text or media work | 20.00% |
| Assignment | Comparative media analysis | 25.00% |
| Assignment | Identity and representation reflection | 15.00% |
| Capstone | Collaborative ethical storytelling project | 30.00% |
| Tutorial | Tutorial participation and preparation | 10.00% |
Prerequisites
- Requirement 8 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.
