Discrimination of Black Women in Media
Final Project / Paper (320 points)
For the final project each student is required to write a 3,000 – 5,000 word final paper that addresses a contemporary controversy related to gender. This is an argumentative paper where students are expected to take a stance on a particular issue and find textual support to make their case. In order to complete this assignment, students must first find some kind of rhetorical artifact, social movement, communication process, or individual they find particularly interesting. Once a text or case study is chosen, students should embark on a scholarly research project. In order to make an argument, it is vital to have textual support.
A minimum of EIGHT (8) outside ACADEMIC sources about their particular research project are required. Remember, this is a minimum—to write the best paper it is vital to have a healthy amount of support to help argue the paper’s thesis statement. Students are encouraged to be creative and devise the type of study that fits their interests and academic background. Here are a few different types of papers that can be written.
Please note that students are not limited to these types of paper options. If there is another type of paper you would like to write, please feel free to pitch the idea to me in advance or within the final paper abstract:
1. Close textual analysis of how gender is communicated within a rhetorical artifact (i.e., you may take an advertisement, film, or song and conduct a close textual analysis of its underlying components. For example, let’s say you’re interested in the objectification of women in reality TV. You may want to examine a show like America’s Next Top Model and discuss how the show contributes to gender stereotypes about female bodies).
2. Analysis of communication and gender within a social movement (i.e., you may take a political group or organization and analyze how they form a community and discuss gender related issues. For example, let’s say you are interested in the “It Gets Better” campaign. You may want to write about how the campaign addresses LGBTQ identity and issues related to coming out of the closet in the 21st century).
3. Analysis of gender within a communication process (i.e., you may examine a communication process and how it contributes to gender identity in contemporary society.
For example, let’s say you want to examine the use of gendered pronouns in grade schools.
A final paper could discuss how this contributes to the social construction of gender in childhood).
4. A scholarly activist paper written to a particular individual or organization (i.e., you may write a formal scholarly letter to an individual, organization or government body recommending a response to a contemporary controversy surrounding gender. For example, let’s say you are interested in the ‘War on Women.’ For the final paper you can chose to
Write a formal letter to your member of Congress outlining a particular gender controversy related to communication. In your paper you would both outline the current communication problem, as well as provide at least one or two practical solutions to help address their pressing concern).
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