SYLLABUS FALL 2015

Texas Tech University

School of Art

ART 5364: Feminist Research Methods in the Visual Arts

FALL 2015

Meeting Times: Online

Instructor: Kristi Humphreys          Phone: 806-743-5756

Office Hours: by appointment        Email: kristi.humphreys@ttu.edu

Overview of Course

This course will address how feminist theory has engaged the visual arts. We will explore the ways culture has defined art and artists in gendered terms, and be encouraged to adopt a critical perspective regarding the arts, gender, and culture. This course is largely tailored toward investigating and practicing autobiographical and autoethnographic skills, which essentially means that we will rely heavily on our stories/ autobiographies as a means to reflect on who we are, what we are interested in, what we are doing, and what we are trying to accomplish in our art and/or writing. This will be our primary task this semester: to begin to describe (autobiography) and possibly reflect/assess (autoethnography) the kinds of art or other research we are interested in creating, why this interests us, and where it may lead. Through weekly readings and blog posts, we will consider how gender is relevant to the creation and study of arts and culture, and the socio-cultural factors influencing gender and sexuality in the arts.

We will assume that art is research. (The following books thoroughly investigate that art is research: Leavy, P. (2009). Method meets art: Arts-based research practice. New York: The Guilford Press; Park, C. C. (2010). Creating with reverence: Art, diversity, culture and soul. Tucson, AZ: Sotol Books; and Schneider, A. & Wright, C. (Eds.). (2010). Between art and anthropology: Contemporary ethnographic practice. New York: Berg.) We will be looking at some diverse histories of how artists have created methodological innovations in art and the impact on us as artists and community members. Many of these methods come from non-mainstream places. We will read about visual artists and other artists who are using art as research tools to explore personal, social, political, and community issues. Through these artists, hopefully we can see ourselves in their stories; see our art as relevant; and see our schools, students and communities as part of a broader visual, environmental, and global picture.

Course Outcomes/Assessments

1. Explore issues of research and methods in relation to feminist visual and performing arts. Assessment: Students will create online blog responses to books and each other’s comments demonstrating mastery of content and reflection of core issues.

2. Students will be able to identify, articulate, and reflect critically on feminist issues related to research in personal, professional, and/or civic life from their own perspectives, as well as that of others. Assessment: Students will create an auto-reflective visual essay/blog defining an exhibition or project topic in relation to personal/professional research.

Course Texts (3 texts required)

Chapadjiev, S. (Ed.). (2008). Live through this: On creativity and self-destruction. New York: Seven Stories Press.

Douglas, Susan J. (1994). Where the Girls Are: Growing Up Female with the Mass Media. New York: Three Rivers Press.

Rothfuss, Joan (2014). Topless Cellist: The Improbable Life of Charlotte Moorman. The MIT Press.

Course Requirements

1. Participation: This course is taught as an online seminar so each student is responsible for keeping up with the reading as well as participating in weekly class postings. This is a reading intensive class. I expect you to participate in class postings, contributing your ideas and perspectives on topics. I am expecting you to post a minimum of four times each week. There will be more about this on the actual blog. (60%)

2. Making Art/Blog/Visual Essay (40%)

You are responsible for creating a blog that will function as a visual essay. Referencing the course readings, your assignment is to create a blog/visual essay that explores and examines a theme or subject related to feminist research/art.

Components

Essay (750-1500 words)

The essay component of this assignment should outline the main argument or claim you are making about your topic, and its importance and significance to the concept of feminist research and art. Your argument should be directly informed by the class readings, which in this assignment function as your secondary sources.

In your essay, when referring to the texts, please cite them APA style.

Even when you do not mention or quote an author directly, if you are using their analysis, you are required to cite them nonetheless.

Sources

You have two options. You may make art of your own choosing – remix, painting, sculpting, film, photography, etc. -- and write the essay in response to the art and readings, or you may examine/analyze the works of others.

Visuals

Regardless of whether you make art or examine the works of others, your blog should include visuals.

Each visual will be accompanied by an explanation, no more than 100 words in length, that summarizes its provenance (where it comes from, who wrote or produced it, what it relates, etc.) and its importance and significance to your overall argument.

All visuals need to include a citation, in the following format:

“[NAME OF IMAGE],” [DATE]. Courtesy of [NAME OF SOURCE, if appropriate]. 

Attendance: Online postings are mandatory. Discussion of the content of reading material will occur in class postings. If you miss a week’s postings, you still need to keep up with reading the blog. You might even email other class students for what you missed. You will post missed week’s posts always on the current week’s posts, letting us know you are posting from last week’s readings.

Semester Mapping

*You might note the odd spacing of weeks in that each one begins on a Wednesday and ends on a Tuesday. That is a structural issue. You will always have until 12 Midnight Friday of the current week to post from the previous week. That gives you two extra days if you have a busy week. I will usually post on a Thursday for the upcoming week. (I will shoot for Wednesdays.) If you miss a week of posts, you may post those comments in the current week. This is to accommodate your often, hectic schedules. If you miss more than two weeks of posts, I expect an email explaining why. Your posting during each week keeps our non-synchronous virtual class feeling like a real-time conversation. I encourage you to respond to each other’s comments. I will often start off the blog with questions or comments to facilitate your responses. You do not have to respond to all of my posts. My posts are usually there to facilitate discussion/posts.

Week One: August 24-Sept 1: Introductions

Week Two: September 2-8: Live Through This: Preface to page 90

Week Three: September 9-15: Live Through This: Pages 91-162

Week Four: September 16-22: Live Through This: Pages163-224

Week Five: September 23-29: Topless Cellist: Pages ix - 66

Week Six: September 30-October 6: Topless Cellist: Pages 67-140

Week Seven: October 7-13: Topless Cellist: Pages 141-212

Week Eight: October 14-20: Topless Cellist: Pages 213-281

Week Nine: October 21-27: Topless Cellist: Pages 283 - 361

Week Ten: October 28-November 3: Douglas, Susan Where the Girls Are: Pages 3-60

Week Eleven: November 4-10: Douglas, Susan Where the Girls Are: Pages 61-121

Week Twelve: November 11-17: Douglas, Susan Where the Girls Are: Pages 122-161

Week Thirteen: November 18-24: Douglas, Susan Where the Girls Are: Pages 162-219

Week Fourteen: November 25-December 1: Thanksgiving Holiday 

Week Fifteen: December 2-9: You must post a link to your individual blog on the class blog. All students are required to visit all individual blogs, hopefully, posting comments that reflect on the blogs, either to individual blogs or to the class blog.

Final blogs due no later than noon December 9, 2015

Health and Safety 

The School of Art endeavors to comply with the intent of state laws and the University Health and Safety Program in an effort to maintain a safe working environment. Students are expected to take note of cautions and safety procedures listed in textbooks or covered in class. Accidents should be reported immediately and injuries should receive prompt medical attention. Broken equipment should be reported in order to make timely repairs and avoid hazards. See http://www.depts.ttu.edu/opmanual/OP60.01.pdf.

Integrity 

“It is the aim of the faculty of Texas Tech University to foster a spirit of complete honesty and a high standard of integrity. The attempt of students to present as their own any work that they have not honestly performed is regarded by the faculty and administration as a serious offense and renders the offenders liable to serious consequences, possibly suspension” (2009-2010 Texas Tech Student Handbook, Part II, Section B, page 7). Seehttp://www.depts.ttu.edu/sub/Docs/15790_Handbook03.pdf See Academic Integrity information at http://www.depts.ttu.edu/studentjudicialprograms/IntegrityMatters.

Civility in the Classroom 

“Each Person Has Worth and Dignity”. “It is imperative that students learn to recognize, understand, and celebrate human differences. Colleges can, and indeed must, help their students become open to the differences that surround them: race, religion, age, gender, culture, physical ability, language, nationality, sexual preference, and life style. These matters are learned best in collegiate settings that are rich with diversity, and they must be learned if the ideals of human worth and dignity are to be advanced”(2009-2010 Texas Tech Student Handbook, Assumptions and Beliefs, page 3).

Classroom Conduct 

Students are expected to assist in maintaining a classroom environment that is conducive to learning. In order to assure that all students have an opportunity to gain from time spent in class, unless otherwise approved by the instructor, students are prohibited from using cellular phones or beepers (including texting), eating or drinking in class, making offensive remarks, reading newspapers, sleeping or engaging in any other form of distraction. Inappropriate behavior in the classroom shall result in, minimally, a request to leave class and an absence for that session. Unless the instructor requires it, you may not surf the Internet or check your email during class time. If a student is found doing either of these things, you will be asked to leave the class and earn an absence for that session. Seehttp://www.depts.ttu.edu/sub/Docs/15790_Handbook03.pdf

Academic Integrity 

“It is the aim of the faculty of Texas Tech University to foster a spirit of complete honesty and high standard of integrity. The attempt of students to present as their own any work not honestly performed is regarded by the faculty and administration as a most serious offense and renders the offenders liable to serious consequences, possibly suspension” (2009-2010 Texas Tech Student Handbook, Part II, Section B, page 7). Seehttp://www.depts.ttu.edu/sub/Docs/15790_Handbook03.pdf  “Academic dishonesty” includes, but it not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, collusion, falsifying academic records, misrepresenting facts, and any act designed to give unfair academic advantage to the student.” (For the specific definitions of Academic Misconduct, see 2009-2010 Texas Tech Student Handbook, Part IX , Section B, Number 3, a through e, page 20; and to Part IX, Section D, Number  22, C, page 23).See http://www.depts.ttu.edu/sub/Docs/15790_Handbook03.pdf This includes, but is not limited to, submission of essentially the same written assignment for two courses without the prior permission of the instructor or the attempt to commit such an act. See Academic Integrity information at http://www.depts.ttu.edu/studentjudicialprograms/IntegrityMatters.

Conflict Resolution 

The Office of the Ombudsman is available to assist students with any conflict or problem that has to do with being a student at Texas Tech University. You may visit the Ombudsman in the Student Union Building or call 742-4791.

Reporting Illness 

In case of an illness that will require absence from class for more than one week, the student should notify his or her academic dean. The Dean’s office will inform the student’s instructors through the departmental office. In case of class absences because of a brief illness, the student should inform the instructor directly. Other information related to illness is found in the Student Handbook and the Residence Halls Handbook.

Absence due to religious observance 

"Religious holy day" means a holy day observed by a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property taxation under Texas Tax Code §11.20. A student who intends to observe a religious holy day should make that intention known in writing to the instructor prior to the absence. A student who is absent from classes for the observance of a religious holy day shall be allowed to take an examination or complete an assignment scheduled for that day within a reasonable time after the absence. A student who is excused under Part II, Section I, page 8, in the TTU 2009-2010 Student Handbook may not be penalized for the absence; however, the instructor may respond appropriately if the student fails to complete the assignment satisfactorily.

See http://www.depts.ttu.edu/sub/Docs/15790_Handbook03.pdf.

See http://www.depts.ttu.edu/opmanual/OP34.19.pdf.

Student Absence due to Sponsorship of Student Activities and Off-Campus Trips

“According to the 2008-2009 University Catalog, faculty, department chairpersons, directors, or others responsible for a student representing the university on officially approved trips should notify the student’s instructors of the departure and return schedules in advance of the trip” (TTU 2009-2010 Student Handbook, Part II, Section K, page 8). Proper protocol dictates that a student missing class due to an officially excused trip to personally notify their instructor of the departure and return schedule in advance of the trip as well. The student may not be penalized and is responsible for the material missed. According to TTU OP 34.06, students will be responsible for making their own individual arrangements with instructors for class work missed while participating in an off-campus trip.

See http://www.depts.ttu.edu/sub/Docs/15790_Handbook03.pdf.

See http://www.depts.ttu.edu/opmanual/OP34.06.pdf

Illness and Death Notification 

“The Center for Campus Life notifies the campus community of student illnesses, immediate family deaths and/ or student death as a courtesy. Generally, in cases of student illness or immediate family deaths, the notification to the appropriate campus community members occur when a student is absent from class for four (4) consecutive days with appropriate verification. It is always the student’s responsibility for missed class assignments and/or course work during her/his absence. The student is encouraged to contact the faculty member immediately regarding the absences and to provide verification afterwards” (2009-2010 Texas Tech Student Handbook, Part II, Section J, page 8). The notification from the Center for Campus Life does not excuse a student from class, assignments, and/or any other course requirements. The notification is provided as a courtesy and the student must initiate the request within two weeks of the incident. See http://www.depts.ttu.edu/sub/Docs/15790_Handbook03.pdf

Disability 

Any student who, because of a disability, may require special arrangements in order to meet the course requirements should contact the instructor as soon as possible to make any necessary arrangements. Students should present appropriate verification from Student Disability Services during the instructor’s office hours. Please note instructors are not allowed to provide classroom accommodations to a student until appropriate verification from Student Disability Services has been provided. For additional information, you may contact the Student Disability Services office at 335 West Hall or 806-742-2405. The university-approved mechanism for doing so is written notification from AccessTECH—a Letter of Accommodation (LOA). The LOA on official university letterhead indicates to professors that the student has given proof of his or her disability and that the accommodation noted is considered appropriate and reasonable.” TTU Faculty Handbook, Faculty Affairs, Section A., Americans With Disabilities Act.

See (http://www.depts.ttu.edu/officialpublications/facultyHB/FacultyAffairs_A.php#AccessTECH). Absolutely no other written documentation, verbal verification, or explanation, other than the LOA; may be requested as “proof of disability” by any faculty member under any circumstances whatsoever as this is in direct violation of Federal Law.

“Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) require that universities, and all faculty and staff therein, make reasonable accommodation for all students with disabilities in all programs and activities, both academic and nonacademic. If such reasonable accommodation is denied to any disabled student, the institution may be held in violation of the law”  (TTU Faculty Handbook, Faculty Affairs, Section A., Americans With Disabilities Act). Seehttp://www.depts.ttu.edu/officialpublications/facultyHB/FacultyAffairs_A.php#AccessTECH.

See also http://www.depts.ttu.edu/opmanual/OP34.22.pdf for current changes to TTU OP policies.