WVU Summer Course to consider film portrayals of women

Morgantown, WV, April 19, 2006: The lazy days of summer have long been the film industry's preferred time for launching its most ambitious offerings. Instead of "Jaws," "Independence Day," or "Lord of the Rings," however, the Women's Studies Program in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University suggests you join them in contemplation of Hollywood blockbusters of a different sort: those that portray images of women in American society.

"Women in the Movies," also known as Women's Studies 150, will analyze interpretations of femininity across the life span by considering film portrayals of heroines, working girls, mothers, brides, cheerleaders, and women of, as the French would say, une quelle âge. Movies will be supplemented by readings, lectures, and activities that provide cultural context, historical perspectives, and opportunities for discussion. The course meets Monday-Thursday evenings from 6:00 to 9:20 p.m., from June 12 through June 30. "Women in the Movies" is approved for Cluster A and Foreign, Minority, and Gender requirements for WVU undergraduates in the LSP program and for objectives 4 and 7 for undergraduates in the General Education Curriculum.

For more information about the course content, please contact Kayla Kreitzer at kkreitze@mix.wvu.edu or the Women's Studies Program office at 304-293-2339. For information about registering for summer courses, please contact WVU's Office of Admissions and Records website at www.arc.wvu.edu.

W-V-U