Special topics related to the critical analysis of media in cultural contexts.

Critical analysis of queer media. Read key queer (media) theory texts and explore dominant strategies used by the media industries, as well as those utilized by LGBTQ+ independents/subcultures, paying close attention to contested discourses of identity, politics, activism and desire. Explore historical shifts in the representation of LGBTQ+ individuals.

An introduction to the evolving representation of mixed-race individuals, romance, and families and to mixed-race stars and producers in U.S. film, television, and new media since the silent film era.

Survey of the representation and participation of Latinas and Latinos in U.S. English-language film and television from the silent film era to the present. Also focuses on issues Latina/os face as media producers, media consumers, and media activists.

Survey of Chicana and Latina feminist scholarship, activism, and creative expression with an emphasis on Latina media production and representation in U.S. entertainment media.