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If you are having difficulties choosing a topic for your essay, see this mental map I created to assist you to define your research topic, your research question and more. See guidelines HERE.

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Become familiar with the rubrics used in this module

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See FAQs HERE.

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An electronic portfolio is a space to display the work you have done in the module during the trimester. You can include photographs, videos, designs, writing, advertisement, etc.)
Please discuss your ideas with me by 29 November.

See some formats you can use to develop your e-portfolio HERE.
Read the rationale of e-portfolios HERE.

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If you wish to produce a short video on a topic that deals with issues of gender and masculinities, please discuss your idea with me in advance (by 29th November).

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You are an independent film company and want to produce a movie targeting [choose your population]. You are an expert in gender and masculinities and want to use some of the concepts discussed in class to challenge traditional ways of representing the male and female body in the film industry. Discuss and devise a strategy to address this film, plot or representation of masculinities and femininities, etc. Please discuss your idea with me in advance (by 29th November).

Note: as per other options, you are also expected to engage with the relevant academic literature on the topic and cite these sources appropriately in the reference section. No need to insert citations in the body of the script, but these references should be clearly identified with an * in the body of the script.

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You have been hired as a gender expert to analyze gender relations of a population of your choice (e.g. adolescents, racial minorities, sexual minorities, inmates, etc.). In your paper discuss key aspects of your population’s gender relations, for instance, gender scripts, friendship, health and wellbeing, violence and power, etc. Remember that you are NOT a health practitioner or a health educator, but a gender/masculinities expert interested in unpacking the gender values, norms, expectations, etc. of your chosen population. Please discuss your idea with me in advance (by 29th November).

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Over time you will develop your own system for writing. However, despite differences between people’s approaches to essay writing, every good essay should follow this basic structure:

Title (choose a title that captures the main ideas covered in your paper)

I.  Introduction (Outline of the topic/overview)

·       The purpose of the introduction is to outline what you are going to write about, to let the reader know what the topic is, to engage the reader’s curiosity, to pose a question/problem which you intend to address, and highlight which aspects of the topic you will be focusing on. Tip: It is often easier to write up the final version of your introduction at the end of the essay process, when you know what shape your final draft has taken.

II. Body (consisting of sub-sections)

·       The body of your essay consists of a number of sub-sections in which you develop your ideas in detail. You may use sub-headings for this if you wish, but are not obliged to.

·       The body should be structured in a way that makes your argument flow and read logically. Therefore, planning how/when you will be introducing the different points and evidence you will be including is important in producing a good essay body.

·       Ensure you prove your points continually by using specific examples, quotations, reference to the source. For instance:

a)     if you are rephrasing a concept from the whole text: According to Khan (2005), sexual relations outside marriage are generally considered a serious religious sin.

b)     If you are quoting a specific concept: In most western cultures, gay men are at or near the bottom of the masculine pecking order (Dowset 2008:123).

·       Write links from one paragraph to another (“hold the readers hand”).

III. Conclusion

This sums up the points in the essay and clearly but briefly reviews the main points, but without restating them word for word.

IV. Bibliography/References (not included in wordcount)

Include a list of all the references you used in your essay at the end of your paper. These references should include all information about the sources:

·       Include your references at the end of your paper, NOT as footnotes or endnotes.

Examples (Chicago Author Date style):

ARTICLE:
Ging, Debbie. 2019. "Alphas, Betas, and Incels: Theorizing the Masculinities of the Manosphere." Men and Masculinities 22(4):638-657

BOOK:
Hirsh, Jennifer, and Shamus Khan. 2020. Sexual Citizens: A Landmark Study of Sex, Power, and Assault on Campus. New York: Norton and Company.

CHAPTER:
Morgan, Elizabeth. 2015. "The Not-So Straight Path to Heterosexuality." In Sexualities. Identities, Behaviors, and Society, edited by Michael Kimmel. (Pp.253-267), New York: Oxford University.

While there is no requirement to follow a particular style (e.g. Harvard, Chicago, APHA, etc.), it is required that once you choose your style, you follow it consistently throughout the entire paper. If you have doubts, see the style used in the syllabus to cite references.

I suggest the use of a reference manager such as Endnote, Mendeley, EasyBib.com or  Zotero to organize and present your bibliography. These databases are extremely useful in the academic context. There are several free software available for both mac and windows users.

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To develop your paper, it is required that you incorporate readings from the syllabus that suit the purpose of your essay. Readings outside the syllabus are welcome, but not essential.

Deadline: Tuesday, 13th December 2022

Submission: An electronic copy is to be submitted through Brightspace by the end of the day.

Length (options 1-6):
-SSJ30080: 1,500 words approx excluding bibliography (+/-10%).

-EQUL40310: 2,000 words approx excluding bibliography (+/-10%).

Word Count should be specified at the front of the essay

At the top of your paper, clearly indicate which option you have chosen.

Include page numbers

Format: 1.5 line space in 12pt using a font of your choice.

***Follow Essay Writing Guidelines

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Based on your individual research about a pressing issue related to masculinities on your assigned country, develop a critical essay that engages your topic with issues of masculinities studies. How do your topic illustrates some of the concepts on masculinities studies we have discussed so far?

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OPTION 3: A Critical Essay on Masculinities and New Technologies

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OPTION 3: A Critical Essay on Masculinities and New Technologies

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Develop a critical essay about how the Internet and new technologies have impacted gender and masculinities in contemporary societies. Some guiding questions for your essay: What are the positive and negative outcomes of new technologies on gender transformations? (e.g., trans individuals, young, older, migrants, etc.). How do globalisation and the Internet are reshaping masculinities (e.g. dating culture; notions of courtship, fidelity, heteronormativity, etc.).

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Choose a movie/s or a TV show that clearly illustrates issues of masculinities. Develop a critical essay about how the media portrays men and the ways in which masculinity is represented. If you choose a television show, make sure to watch at least 3 episodes before writing your paper. This paper is not about plot summary but rather your chance to critically engage with concepts on masculinity studies. Some guiding questions for your essay: How does the media represent ideas of “proper” masculinities? What kind of masculinities are portrayed in the show? What are the values, social expectations, and social commands disseminated in this movie/TV show?

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OPTION 1: A Literature Review of a Topic

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OPTION 1: A Literature Review of a Topic

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Select a topic from the syllabus and choose at least FIVE references to write your critical review. You can use references from any section of the syllabus, but at least five should be from a “Further Reading as Desired” section. A critical review is much more than a simple summary. Writing a good critical review requires that you read and understand the material. This option could provide the opportunity to work on a theoretical framework of a topic of your interest. If the topic is not contemplated in the syllabus, please discuss your choice with me in advance.