The Male Gaze in Cinema: Perspectives from Feminist Philosophy

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Tutorial taught by grad student. Enrollment limited to 10. Since the 1970s, feminist theorists of cinema have critically discussed the "male gaze" as a persistent feature of Western visual culture. The male gaze presents images of women as objects to be looked at, rather than subjects directly engaging with the world. Under this mode of presentation, a woman becomes, in John Berger's words, "an object of vision", the vision of a real or imagined man. In this tutorial, we will explore the philosophical claims made by theorists of the male gaze and other dominant "gazes" through engaging with feminist, queer, and post-colonial philosophy and film theory. In addition, we will watch and discuss four films that feature, subvert, or otherwise engage with the concept of the "dominant gaze". We will utilize both philosophical analysis and the close reading of formal cinematic features to explore how the male gaze both reflects the patriarchal values of our society as well as how it actively influences women and gender minorities view of themselves.