Raízes|Roots: Transformations in Contemporary Brazilian Art during Block 2 2017

In FG212 | RM200 | FM205 Critical Media Studies, students explore how gender, race, sexuality, class, citizenship, and other social, cultural, and political markers are constructed in media, including counter-hegemonic media texts. They also examine the ways audiences resist and reproduce dominant media narratives.

Final Project Index

For the final project, students critique existing print and audiovisual media then create new media addressing the problems they’ve identified. These projects do not represent research findings and|or generalizable knowledge. Rather, they represent students’ pursuit of knowledge.

Block 1 2023

• Too Cool to Constrain: A Critique of Netflix’s Too Hot to Handle
• Cleaner for Your Dream Team: A Critique of Mr. Clean’s “Meet the Cleaner of Your Dreams” Campaign
• A Realistic Day in the Life: A Critique of “Day in the Life” TikToks
• Girl Friend: A Critique of Avril Lavigne’s “Girlfriend”
• Supports: A Critique of Hers’s “What Depression Really Feels Like” Campaign

Block C 2023

• A Critique of Pepsi’s “Live for Now” Campaign
• A Critique of Childish Gambino’s “Bonfire”

Block C 2021

• A Critique of American Eagle’s “Future Together! Jeans Forever!” Campaign
• An Intersectional Critique of Nike’s “Play New” and “Tomorrow” Campaigns
• A Critique of Ableism in Disney’s Girl Meets World
• A Critique of Sexism and Mental Health Discrimination in Elizabethtown

Block 4 2018

• Meghan Trainor’s in Treble: A Critique of Meghan Trainor’s Presentation of Body Positivity in “All about that Bass”
• Illegal for Whom?: White Privilege and Marijuana Use in Broad City
• Versace, Man!: Hegemonic Masculinity in Versace’s Dylan Blue Campaign
• #WhyChoose?: An Analysis of and Satire of Dove’s #ChooseBeautiful Campaign
• Sexpectations: Deconstructing Hegemonic Virginity Norms

Block 2 2017

• Welcome to Are Y’all the Ones?: Re-imaging Love and the Privileging of Heterosexuality
• About Ray: Preserving the Focus of Transgender Narratives
• Stay Educated My Friends: Subverting Hegemonic Ideologies in Dos Equis’ Advertising Campaign
• Danny the Douche: A Critical Analysis of Gender Representations in Grease
• Resisting Hollywood Faux Pas: Deconstructing We’re The Millers

Block 4 2016

• Daddies and Diamonds: Problematic Narratives Within Toddlers and Tiaras
• Animal Rights and Misogyny: The Problem with PETA Advertisements
• Straight Best Friend: Inverting G.B.F.’s Failed Attempt at a Political Statement
• Hints of Queerness in Mainstream Music Marketing: A Case Study of Sam Smith’s “I’m Not the Only One”

Block 5 2016

• 1-800-YouDoYou: Examining Drake’s “Hotline Bling”
• Get Off the Stage, Postfeminists!: Empowerment, Agency, & Pleasure in The To-Do List*
• The Production of an Enemy: Misrepresentations of Muslims in the News
• More than Friends: Subverting NBC’s Friends
• Tosh.N0: Challenging the Hegemonic Humor of Tosh.0

Block 4 2014

• Act Like A Man, Man!: An Examination of Old Spice Ads
• Leave the “Blank Space” Blank: Taylor Swift, Dating Violence, & Gender Role Performance*
• Some Relationships Should Never Die: A Feminist Critique of the Female Relationships in Twilight
• Reconstructing Netflix’s House of Cards
• Faking It—It’s Complicated*

Block 2 2012

• The Synonymy of Disease and Sick: A Critique of the American Diabetes Association*
• Love Prevails
• Tequila
• Snickers
• Noodle Juice
• Delectible
• Badass
• Cla$$