Look Who's Morphing is a collection of bizarre, funny, often menacing stories in which, along with his extended family, the central character undergoes a series of transformations, shape-shifting through figures drawn from film and television, music clips and video games, porn flicks and comics. He is Godzilla, a Muppet, and Whitney Houston's bodyguard; the Fonz, a robot, a Ford Bronco 4x4 - and, as a climax, a Gulliver-sized cock rock singer, played upon by an adoring troupe of sexy Lilliputians in short skirts and sailor suits and cheerleader outfits. Within these fantasies there is a deep intellectual and emotional engagement, a fundamental questioning of the nature of identity, and the way it constructs itself in a world dominated by the images of popular culture. – From the publisher's website.
'Peta Tully has found her Mr Right. The only trouble is, she's not sure she's ready to settle down. Not just yet, anyway - so when she's offered a twelve-month contract interstate which just might win her the job of her dreams, she puts her Sydney life on hold, packs her bags and jumps on a plane, leaving her doting boyfriend behind.
'Peta takes a voluntary vow of celibacy, but sticking to it proves harder than she imagines.' (Publisher's blurb)
'Landscape of Farewell ... is the story of Max Otto, an elderly German academic. After the death of his much-loved wife and his recognition that he will never write the great study of history that was to be his life's crowning work, Max believes his life is all but over. Everything changes, though, when his valedictory lecture is challenged by Professor Vita McLelland, a feisty young Australian Aboriginal academic visiting Germany. Their meeting and growing friendship sets Max on a journey that would have seemed unthinkable just a few short weeks earlier.
'When, at Vita's invitation, Max travels to Australia, he forms a deep friendship with her uncle, Aboriginal elder Dougald Gnapun. It is a friendship that not only gives new meaning and purpose to Max, but which teaches him the profound importance of truth-telling in reconciliation with his own and his country's past.' (Publisher's blurb)
Course Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to demonstrate:
1) a critical understanding of the dynamic relationship between popular culture and ideologies of Australian national identity;
2) an in-depth knowledge of selected texts and case studies;
3) the ability to review and critique these texts and case studies; and
4) core skills in written and oral communication in textual and audio-visual media.
Course Content:
Topics include:
* Key concepts and methods in Cultural Studies
* The myth of the bush
* Constructing the national type
* Diggers and heroes: the ANZAC legend on film
* Sex, romance and marriage in post-war women's magazines
* The Crocodile Dundee phenomenon:
* Women, Suburbia and Comedy:
* Multiculturalism and Teen Culture
* Popular Culture and the History Wars
* Popular representations of Aboriginality
Written Assignment, 2,000 words (50%)
Presentation: small group, 1,000 words (25%)