20 hours

Sociology

Popular culture is a powerful marker of social trends, entrenched ideas (i.e. stereotypes) and powerful counter-representations of these dominating views and constructions that permeate our society and individual lives. Films can be used to reinforce stereotypes and devaluing images; they can also be used to challenge those stereotypes and change negative views.

This week, we will consider how pop culture influences our understanding of “normal” and “not normal.” This allows you to assess how portrayals in films have affected ideas and perceptions of age and gender.

Before sharing your work, create a collage of images of 5 films that, in your view, popularly represent the ways in which a selected aging group OR a selected gender group is portrayed.

In your initial post, share your collage and a 2-3 paragraph rationale for why you chose these films and images. Identify the stereotypes found in your readings for the aging group or the gender group that you selected. Do the portrayals perpetuate the stereotypes, or challenge them? Why?

1 page (picture not include in a page)