Dr. Litsa Chatzivasileiou
Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice
Office: Jack Bell Bld, Room 131
Office hours: By appointment
Tel: 604-822-0432
E-mail:
[email protected]
[email protected]
http://www.grsj.arts.ubc.ca
GRSJ 224A-001: FEMINIST FICTIONS OF UTOPIA/DYSTOPIA, APOCALYPSE
AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
M/W/F: 9:00-10:00 a.m, West Mall Swing Space 109
** Please note that my classroom policy is no laptops unless you have a documented
reason for using one **
**No electronic devices are permitted during class**
 Litsa Chatzivasileiou. Not to be copied, used, or revised without explicit written
permission by the copyright owner.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
FEMINIST FICTIONS OF UTOPIA/DYSTOPIA, APOCALYPSE AND SOCIAL
JUSTICE
This is a course designed to acquaint students with film and literature produced by both
women and men in the “New World” (or the Americas), in conjunction with very basic
feminist post-colonial literary analysis and theory in its application to such “texts”. The
focus of this course is thematically centered around apocalyptic film and fiction based on
myths of utopia, visions of disaster and of the end times. Some of the narratives that we
will study in this class convey messages of social protest, messianic resistance and
redemption. They function as allegories of political emancipation and social justice of
post-colonial women and other colonized peoples that understand themselves as
immigrant, refugee, or displaced, and exiled subjects. Children’s film animation, and
youth culture focusing on dystopic visions as well as SF film and fiction are also
included. With the aid of whiteness and masculinity studies we also examine some
fantasy films and other movies belonging to the genre of Western to explore the
construction of Western, imperial or so-called “heroic” masculinity, and the image of the
traveler, explorer in search of new lands. In more specific terms, we will use postcolonial theory to understand these images and study particularly the topic of female
corporeality as territoriality. Some of the films and writers in this course re-tell/ re-write
narratives of domination and slavery and others create allegorical figures of the colonized
body as feminized land (i.e. dark continent) violated and pillaged by colonial, tyrannical,
and imperialist power. Such films and texts see colonialism, imperialism and totalitarian
regimes as dystopias or as apocalyptic destruction of woman and land. They further
propose cultural, representational models of survival and resistance to denounce the
colonial plundering, violation, and destruction of body and land. The material for this
course focuses primarily on film and secondarily on literature and our discussions are
aided by introductory, and short readings of feminist, post-colonial theory and brief
excursions into popular culture in media and advertising.
 Litsa Chatzivasileiou. Not to be copied, used, or revised without explicit written
permission by the copyright owner.
Required texts:
1) An anthology of theoretical articles in a course pack available at Staples at UBC.
Address:
UBC
2135 Alison Road
Vancouver, BC V6T 1T5
Phone number (604) 221-4780
2) The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende available at the UBC bookstore.
3) Blogs listed in the syllabus.
4) Films:
Note: All films listed below are on reserve in Koerner library.
1. Guillermo del Toro: Pan’s Labyrinth.
2. James Cameron: Avatar.
3. Alfonso Guarron: Children of Men
4. Garry Ross: The Hunger Games.
5. Steven Spielberg: Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Arc
6. Court 13/Benh Zeitlin: Beasts of the Southern Wild
SYLLABUS (Tentative schedule)
Assignments and Evaluation
One term project 30%
One mid-term exam: 20%
Attendance, class assignments (6 oral reports), and participation: 25%
Final Exam: 25%
Note: Class attendance is expected. However, some of the classes may be dealing
with graphic material and strong content. If you feel uncomfortable with some of
the topics covered in class please talk to me.
*If a student misses more than 50% of the classes s/he receives a 0 in participation.
OUTLINE
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permission by the copyright owner.
PART I: RACE, GENDER, CLASS IN APOCALYPTIC FILM AND FICTION
September
WEEK 1
Wednesday 3: Introduction to the course. Structure and Theoretical Framework of the
course. Apocalyptic scenarios in popular culture and advertising.
Friday 5: Critical approach and basic concepts of feminist post-colonial criticism
continued:
A) On Cultural Representation.
B) Study of ideology in film and literature.
Theoretical Reading: From Course Pack.
1) Glossary Terms: “Binary Opposition,” “Dualism,”
“Representation.”
“Ideology” “Utopia/nism,”
2) Stuart Hall: “The Whites of Their Eyes” pp. 33-37.
Youtube short: Stuart Hall’s “What Is Representation?”
Youtube short: Stuart Hall’s “Representation and the Media” (1)
WEEK 2
Monday 8: Dualistic Modes of Thinking.
Theoretical Reading: From Course Pack.
1) Val Plumwood: Excerpts from Feminism and the Mastery of Nature: “Dualism and
the Logic of Colonization: Dualism and Difference and the Key Role of Reason/Nature
Dualism; Backgrounding (Denial); Radical Exclusion (Hyperseparation); Incorporation
(relational definition); Instrumentalism (objectification); Homogenisation or
Stereotyping,” pp. 41-43, 44-45, 48-55.
 Litsa Chatzivasileiou. Not to be copied, used, or revised without explicit written
permission by the copyright owner.
Wednesday 10: The White Savior Complex in pop culture and in concrete socio-political
contexts.
Theoretical Reading:
1) Online: Lila Abu-Lughod: “Do Muslim women Really Need Saving?”
http://org.uib.no/smi/seminars/Pensum/Abu-Lughod.pdf
2) Blog: “ A Brief List and Analysis of White Savior Films.”
http://feministfilm.tumblr.com/post/6608112156/a-brief-list-and-analysis-of-whitesavior-films
3) Blog: “Feminism and the White Savior Complex”
http://blog.lib.umn.edu/isoke001/gwss1005-2014/2014/02/feminism-and-the-whitesavior-complex.html
4) Blog: Anne Theriault: “The White Feminist Savior Complex.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/anne-theriault-/the-white-feministsavior_b_4629470.html
5) Blog: Pippa Biddle: “The Problem With Little White Girls (and Boys).”
https://medium.com/race-class/the-problem-with-little-white-girls-and-boysb84d4011d17e
Friday 12:
Theoretical Reading: From Course Pack.
1) Glossary Terms: “Sister”, “Third World Women.”
2) Chandra Mohanty: “Under Western Eyes” (pp. 53-68).
WEEK 3
Monday 15:
Literary Reading: From Course Pack
Kate Atkinson: “The War on Women.”
Please view Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Arc
 Litsa Chatzivasileiou. Not to be copied, used, or revised without explicit written
permission by the copyright owner.
Wednesday 17: Gendered discourse of the empire.
Theoretical Reading: From Course Pack.
1) Glossary Terms: “Colonialism, Colonization.”
2) Ella Shohat and Robert Stam: “The Myth of the West;” “The Legacy of Colonialism;”
“Race and Racism” “Tropes of Empire: Adams in the Virgin Land; Mapping Terra
Incognita.” pp. 13-25, 137-143 and 145-148.
Friday 19: Representations of “heroic white masculinity” and images of the imperial
traveler/explorer.
Theoretical Readings: From Course Pack.
1) Glossary Term: “Exploration and Travel.”
2) Ella Shohat and Robert Stam: “Excavating the Dark Continent;” “Mummies and
Egyptology” pp. 148-149, and 151-153.
YouTube short: Ella Shohat’s “Naturalization and Animalization of the Middle East”
WEEK 4
Monday 22: Representations of “heroic white masculinity.”
Theoretical Readings: From Course Pack.
1) From Richard Dyer’s White: “The Matter of Whiteness;” “The Politics of
Looking at Whiteness;” “Embodiment: Race;” “The White Man’s Muscles” pp.14; 8-14; 18-23; 25-30, 145-165.
Wednesday 24: Representations of “heroic white masculinity” continued: Westerns.
Theoretical Readings: From Course Pack.
1) From Richard Dyer’s White: On Westerns pp. 32-40
2) Ella Shohat and Robert Stam: “The Western as Paradigm” in Unthinking
Eurocentrism, pp. 114- 121.
 Litsa Chatzivasileiou. Not to be copied, used, or revised without explicit written
permission by the copyright owner.
Friday 26: Representations of “heroic white masculinity.”
REPORT 1 DUE: ON INDIANA JONES.
WEEK 5
Monday 29: Masculinity and Culture.
Theoretical Readings: From Course Pack.
1) From Beynon’s Masculinities and Culture: “Fit for Empire: Imperial
Masculinity” pp. 7-38.
2) Jackson Katz: “Advertising and the Construction of Violent White Masculinity”
pp. 133-140.
October
Wednesday 1: Nature as Woman and the Logic of Colonization.
Theoretical readings: From Course Pack.
1) Glossary Term: “Nature.”
1) Val Plumwood: “Decolonizing Relationships with Nature,” pp. 503-504.
TED: “Violence is a Men's Issue.”
Friday 3: Magic Realism and apocalyptic film. White Man/Woman as Culture/Science
and Indigenous Woman as Nature in Science Fiction.
Theoretical reading: From Course Pack.
1) Glossary Term: “Essentialism.”
2) Wendy B. Farris: “Scheherazade’s Children: Magical Realism and Postmodern
Fiction” (pp. 163-190).
3) Begin reading Isabel Allende’s The House of The Spirits pp. 1-39.
 Litsa Chatzivasileiou. Not to be copied, used, or revised without explicit written
permission by the copyright owner.
WEEK 6
Monday 6: White Man/Woman as Culture/Science and Indigenous Woman as Nature
in Science Fiction continued.
Theoretical Reading: From Course Pack.
1) Patricia Kerslake: “The Self and Representation of the Other in Science
Fiction,” pp. 8-21.
3) Continue reading Isabel Allende’s The House of The Spirits pp. 40-102.
Wednesday 8:
Theoretical Reading: From Course Pack.
1) Rayna Green: “The Pocahontas Perplex: The Image of Indian Women in American
Culture.”
2) Continue reading Isabel Allende’s The House of The Spirits pp. 103-175.
Youtube: A.V.A.T.A.R Remix: Anglos Valiantly Aiding Tragic Awe-Inspiring Races.
Friday 10: Liberal Utopianism, the “Benevolent Empire” and the “White Messiah
syndrome”: “Discovering New Worlds” or When the White Man Goes Native.
REPORT 2 DUE: ON AVATAR.
Discussion of Avatar.
1) Continue reading Isabel Allende’s The House of The Spirits pp. 176-245.
WEEK 7
Monday 13: Thanksgiving. University Closed.
 Litsa Chatzivasileiou. Not to be copied, used, or revised without explicit written
permission by the copyright owner.
Wednesday 15: Apocalyptic images of totalitarianism in film. Of Monsters and Other
Misfits.
Theoretical Reading: From Course pack.
1) Glossary Terms: “Violence,” and “Fascism.”
Please view Film: Pan’s Labyrinth Viewing and discussion of selected scenes from
Pan’s Labyrinth (Guillermo del Toro).
Class work: Images of “monsters;” images of the feminine as demonic or death.
2) Continue reading Isabel Allende’s The House of The Spirits pp. 246-291.
Friday 17:
MIDTERM PART I: THEORY.
WEEK 8
Monday 20:
MIDTERM IN-CLASS-ESSAY PART II: LITERARY TEXT
Wednesday 22: Discussion on Pan’s Labyrinth.
REPORT 3 DUE: PAN’S LABYRINTH.
1) Continue reading Isabel Allende’s The House of The Spirits pp. 292-338.
Friday 24: Feminist utopias and the world of spirits.
Literary Text: You are expected to have finished reading and prepared for this class
the entire novel of Isabel Allende: The House of The Spirits.
 Litsa Chatzivasileiou. Not to be copied, used, or revised without explicit written
permission by the copyright owner.
WEEK 9
Monday 27: Feminist utopias and the world of spirits continued.
Wednesday 29: Feminist utopias and the world of spirits continued.
Literary Text:
Isabel Allende: The House of the Spirits.
PART II: UTOPIAS/DYSTOPIAS AND END OF THE WORLD NARRATIVES:
ON ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION, FOREIGHNNESS, IMMIGRATION
AND EXILE
Friday 31: Gendered Nationalism.
Theoretical Reading: From Course Pack.
Mrinalini Sinha: “Gender and Nation: Definitional Clarifications; Interpretive Trends;”
“The Construction of the Nation in Gender Difference” pp. 4-7, 15-17, 18-22.
November
WEEK 10
Monday 3: Gendered Nationalism continued
Theoretical Reading: From Course Pack.
Mrinalini Sinha: “Gendered Modes of National Belonging” pp. 22-28.
Wednesday 5: Gendered Nationalism continued: The case of Captain America (Comic
Strips).
Theoretical Reading: From Course Pack.
 Litsa Chatzivasileiou. Not to be copied, used, or revised without explicit written
permission by the copyright owner.
1) Robert Jewett and John Laurence: “The Challenge of a Contradictory Civil
Religion,” “The Rise of the American Monomyth,” “Six Features of Popular
Stereotypes,” “Violence and America’s Sense of Mission” (pp. 1-6, 28-43, 223-228
and 234-236, 250-254).
2) Please view Children of Men.
Friday 7:
A) End of the World narratives and the cultural politics of immigration, exile, nomadism,
diaspora, and the crossing of borders.
Theoretical Reading: From Course Pack.
1) Glossary term: “Diaspora” “Nation” Exile.”
Robin Cohen: “Diasporas and their Homelands” “Comparing Diasporas: Wittgentein’s
Rope,” pp. 103-104, 159, 161-168.
B) Indigenous Studies.
2) Blog: Leanne Simpson: “Not Murdered and Not Missing.”
http://nationsrising.org/not-murdered-and-not-missing/
WEEK 11
Monday 10: End of the World narratives and the cultural politics of immigration, exile,
nomadism, diaspora, and the crossing of borders continued.
1) Film: Viewing and discussion of documentary from Children of Men
Wednesday 12:
REPORT 4 DUE: CHILDREN OF MEN.
PART III: GENDER, RACE, AND CLASS IN POST 9/11 APOCALYPTIC
SCENARIOS
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permission by the copyright owner.
Friday 14: Youth Culture/ Indigenous Studies.
1) Post 9/11 apocalyptic scenarios: the dysfunctional world of adults and the Teen
Female Messiah.
Discussion of Youth Dystopias: The Hunger Games.
2) Blog: Andrea Smith: “Beyond Eve Ensler: What Should Organizing Against Gender
violence Should Look Like.”
http://andrea366.wordpress.com/2013/12/13/beyond-eve-ensler-what-should-organizingagainst-gender-violence-look-like/
3) Gender, Race in video games.
Feminist Frequency: “Damsel in Distress” (Episode 2)
WEEK 12
Monday 17:
REPORT 5 DUE: THE HUNGER GAMES.
Wednesday 19: After Katrina: Environmental degradation and the end of the world/
Indigenous Studies.
1) Film: Beasts of the Southern Wild.
2) Online: Andrea Smith: “Heteropatriarchy and the Three Pillars of White Supremacy:
Rethinking Women of Color Organizing”
http://loveharder.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/andrea-smith.pdf
Friday 21: After Katrina: Environmental degradation and the end of the world continued.
Film: Beasts of the Southern Wild.
TERM PAPER/PROJECT DUE.
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permission by the copyright owner.
WEEK 13
Monday 24:
REPORT 6 DUE: BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD.
Wednesday 26: Post 9/11 apocalyptic scenarios, and the “War on Terror” discourse.
Theoretical Reading: From Course pack.
2) Sunera Thobani: Selections from “Nationality in the Age of Terror” (pp. 217-218, 222,
226-229, 230-231, 234-236, 236-239, 242-244, 246-247).
Friday 28: Conclusion and wrap-up of the course.
BREAK DOWN OF ASSIGNMENTS
For all assignments listed below you will be given detailed guidelines ahead of time.
1) Midterm. (October 17 for Part I and October 20 for Part II: 20%). This
exam consists of two parts. Part I is based on a short theoretical question and Part
II will ask you to write a brief essay analyzing either a selected scene from a film
done in class or a chosen literary text. In your analysis of this text you will be
asked to apply concepts of post-colonial feminist analysis studied in class so far.
1) Participation (25%). Attendance and active contribution to class discussion is
expected. Participation does not mean just coming to class but implies your active
response to readings. There will be six reports on films studied in class that are
part of your overall participation mark. The format of the reports is collaborative
group work.
DEADLINES OF REPORTS:
Report 1: On Indiana Jones, Sept. 26
Report 2: On Avatar, Oct. 10
Report 3: On Pan’s Labyrinth, Oct 22
 Litsa Chatzivasileiou. Not to be copied, used, or revised without explicit written
permission by the copyright owner.
Report 4: On Children of Men, Nov. 12
Report 5: On The Hunger Games, Nov. 17
Report 6: On Beasts of the Southern Wild, Nov. 24
2) Term project (30%). For your term project you can choose ONE of the
following:
a) You can write a paper in which you analyze a text by a writer of your
choice not discussed in class and in consultation with me. The text you
choose can be a short story by either a male or a female writer of any
cultural background provided that s/he writes about issues that we explore
in class. (A chapter from a novel can also be used for this option but after
you have discussed it with me ahead of time.) The narrative can be a sci-fi
story or any apocalyptic literary narrative of your choice. In your paper
you will be asked to apply specific concepts of post-colonial feminist
literary analysis discussed in class. Minimum length of the paper is 8
pages and maximum 9.
Suggestions for writers: Octavia Butler, Ursula LeGuin, or any other sci-fi
writer, chapters from Lawrence Hill’s The Book of Negroes, or Isabel
Allende’s Island Beneath the Sea, any slave narrative etc…
b) You can write a paper exploring a film of your own choice and in
consultation with me. Whether the film you choose is sci-fi or not it must
be dealing with similar issues that we explore in class. In your paper you
will be asked to apply specific concepts of post-colonial feminist literary
analysis discussed in class. Minimum length of the paper is 8 pages and
maximum 9.
Suggestions for films: Consult the list on blog: “ A Brief List and Analysis of
White Savior Films.”
http://feministfilm.tumblr.com/post/6608112156/a-brief-list-and-analysis-ofwhite-savior-films
Any of the trilogies of Alien, or The Matrix, Elysium, Prometheus, Divergent
etc. For children’s animation please look up some of Hayao Miyazaki’s films
such as Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Princess Mononoke, etc…
c) There is also the option of completing a creative project that can take the
form of painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media (etc), and
depicts/explores certain themes that we discuss in class such as utopian or
dystopian worlds, end of the world scenarios as they relate to issues of
gender and race, culture, class etc. This option entails: the creative
project itself accompanied with a written commentary (minimum 7
pages) that explains its images and what they represent or mean.
 Litsa Chatzivasileiou. Not to be copied, used, or revised without explicit written
permission by the copyright owner.
The creative projects will be exhibited/presented the last day of classes to
share with all students.
For any of the three options above that you choose for your term project you
are required to use bibliography. This bibliography should come only from the
theoretical readings that we have discussed in class so far. Your bibliographic
references should come from minimum two different theoretical articles
from class. (The maximum of articles to be used is three). No external
bibliographic sources are permitted for this assignment.
DEADLINE: Term paper/project is due on November 21: There will be
no extensions for the term project unless there are exceptional
circumstances, which you are expected to discuss with me. A penalty of
2% off the mark for each day of not handing it in will be applied to the
final mark of the paper.
Note: all term projects must be discussed with me ahead of time.
3) Final exam (25%). The format is the same as the mid-term. The final exam will
consist of two parts: part one will ask you to give a brief answer to a theoretical
question; part two will ask you to: A) respond to a brief question on a film or
novel we discussed in class; B) write a brief essay critically analyzing a film or
chosen literary text.
TERM PROJECT CONSULTATION TIMES
Whether you choose to work on a story, or a film or do a creative project your topic
and principal text for your project are subject to approval. Please ensure that you
make an appointment with me ahead of time to discuss your project as the schedule
is fixed and there will be no guarantees that you will find a spot once all spots are
filled. Consultation hours for the term project are scheduled as follows:
September 23, 25, 30: 3:30-5:30 pm.
October 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30: 3:30-5:30 pm.
November 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 23: 3:30-5:30 pm.
 Litsa Chatzivasileiou. Not to be copied, used, or revised without explicit written
permission by the copyright owner.
Grading Criteria:
The following guidelines offer a broad-brush characterization of the type of work that
might be associated with various ranges of grades.
80% to 100% (A- to A+) Exceptional performance: strong evidence of original thinking;
good organization; capacity to analyze and synthesize; superior grasp of subject matter
with sound critical evaluations; evidence of extensive knowledge base.
68% to 79% (B- to B+) Competent performance: evidence of grasp of subject matter;
some evidence of critical capacity and analytic ability; reasonable understanding of
relevant issues; evidence of familiarity with the literature.
50% to 67% (D to C+) Adequate performance: understanding of the subject matter;
ability to develop solutions to simple problems in the material; acceptable but uninspired
work, not seriously faulty but lacking style and vigour.
00% to 49% (F) Inadequate performance: little or no evidence of understanding of the
subject matter; weakness in critical and analytic stills; limited or irrelevant use of the
literature.
STATEMENT OF ACADEMIC STANDARDS
INSTITUTE FOR GENDER, RACE, SEXUALITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
COURSES
Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice (GRSJ) is a multidisciplinary field, which
brings together teachers and students from a variety of academic backgrounds with often
quite different ways of articulating and responding to assignments. This diversity is an
intellectual asset. Nevertheless, some basics need to be set out so that evaluation
procedures can continue to be relatively standardized across all Institute courses. Each
instructor will, of course, adapt these general guidelines where necessary in their own
course but students should expect that the following guidelines are basic to all courses in
the GRSJ Program. GRSJ course assignments follow the conventions of grammar and
punctuation expected in all academic writing. Language in GRSJ course assignments is
non-sexist, non-racist, and non-heterosexist. Arguments are logical and coherent, and
organization of materials is appropriate to the topic. Sources are cited following a
consistent footnote and bibliography format as appropriate in the field. Since plagiarism
is a serious offense, care should be taken to ensure that materials from other sources are
correctly attributed to their authors. How a paper is written and what it says are not
separate issues, but rather, components of the whole project and are evaluated
accordingly.
Statement of Respect: Students, instructors, visitors and readings/media in Institute for
Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice courses often raise controversial issues in the
course of classroom discussion. It is vital that your fellow students and the instructor be
treated respectfully at all times and in all interactions. Remember, one can disagree
without being disagreeable.
 Litsa Chatzivasileiou. Not to be copied, used, or revised without explicit written
permission by the copyright owner.
Support resources:
University students frequently encounter difficulties with time management, anxiety,
mood regulation and substance use that can impact academic performance and may
balloon into long-term problems. The following resources are just a few that are available
to UBC students.
UBC Live Well Learn Well (http://students.ubc.ca/livewell) UBC’s healthy living portal.
Find information about various healthy living initiatives on campus.
UBC Mental Health Network (http://www.ubcmhn.com/) List of mental health groups,
services, and initiatives on campus.
The Kaleidoscope (http://the-kaleidoscope.com/) On campus mental health support
group. Weekly meetings provide a safe, stigma-free environment to discuss mental health
concerns and coping strategies.
UBC Counseling/Health services (http://students.ubc.ca/livewell/services/counsellingservices) Your use of these services is in no way associated with your academic/student
record; this is a good place to seek referrals to treatment and support services.
 Litsa Chatzivasileiou. Not to be copied, used, or revised without explicit written
permission by the copyright owner.