German Studies 355: Seeing and Being Seen: Framing Perception, Meaning, and the Gaze

What happens when what is being looked at looks back? What is the relationship between framing devices and fantasies of domination or experiences of vulnerability? How does the male gaze shape society’s perception of women? What is the role of the gaze in film theory? Frames attempt to set the parameters of perception and meaning. Whether they appear in literary works as windows or as the formal device of the frame story, whether they appear as the literal frame of a painting or as the shot in a film, frames focus attention and delimit contexts. This course examines both how frames function in literature, painting and film from the Enlightenment to World War II and beyond, as well as how diverse methodologies frame cultural material. Through close readings we will fix a critical eye on the political and epistemological stakes of attempts to fix the gaze. The course is conducted in English, and readings will be available in both German and English. Students with advanced German language skills will complete reading, some writing, and discussion in German. May be taken for credit toward the Film & Media Studies major or minor.