Each student will conduct a popular culture review, in which you critically analyze the representation and the discourses of disability reflected in a pop culture depiction (film, television show, album, ad campaign, news magazine [print or video], etc.). The point is to critically analyze the ideas about disability that you are routinely consuming via media, represented as they are in images, dialogue, casting decisions, plot and narrative devices, etc.. Please be sure to analyze in terms of the perspectives, orientations, and theoretical tools presented in course readings and discussed in class (e.g., models of disability, disability stereotypes, inspiration porn, narrative functions of characters, representation, etc.). You must make (using concepts from the course) and adequately support (with examples from the media) at least three significant points of analysis.
Digital, multimodal, and multimedia presentation of analyses are encouraged. Options for presenting/sharing your analysis may include the creation of a short vlog, slide presentation, filming of a presentation, multimedia slides including audio, etc. These will be uploaded to Canvas, not presented synchronously in class, so you must include adequate detail to ensure that your analysis is clear (use of embedded audio is encouraged). Written papers may also be submitted, but points made in writing must be illustrated and supported with links to the popular culture media you are analyzing (e.g., film clips, screen shots, dialogue, etc.). You as the author of the analysis must make your points, using the tools of the course, but must also illustrate and support your analysis with examples from the piece of media (you may insert clips, draw our attention using time code, etc.).