Assignment: Research Paper Prompts, Pt. II

Here are the final four prompts, plus one you may write, for your research papers:


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Women and Fanboy Culture
In 1999, comic book writer Gail Simone (Birds of Prey, Deadpool) created the website, Women in Refrigerators, after “it occurred to me that it's not that healthy to be a female character in comics … These are superheroines who have been either depowered, raped, or cut up and stuck in the refrigerator … Some have been revived, even improved—although the question remains as to why they were thrown in the wood chipper in the first place.” What Simone tapped into was the comic book industry’s traditionally misogynistic treatment of female characters. But other forms of entertainment favored by “fanboys” (highly devoted male pop culture fans) also have long histories of negative portrayals of women. While some strides have been made, the genres of horror, science-fiction, and fantasy, are still criticized for their poor depictions of women, which are often overly-sexualized or overly-simplified. While fanboy entertainment is largely consumed by men, why must female characters in it fair so poorly? Also, what roles do women play in producing fanboy entertainment and have they taken a different approach to female characters than men? Analyze the portrayal of women in one of the following varieties of fanboy culture: literature (including comic books), film, and gaming.


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Pornography in the Internet Age
Pornography has existed, in one form or another, for most of human history. And societies have had varying ways of dealing with it, from a general acceptance of its existence (the Roman Empire) to outright prohibitions (Victorian England). But regardless of how societies have dealt with it, over time pornography has become increasingly more accessible. And it has never been more available than during the Internet age. In fact, it is so readily available that it has seeped into mainstream American culture. But how has this increased ease of access affected how Americans consume pornography? What are the societal effects when it can be so easily obtained? Is it a benign presence or does it pose problems? Study the dynamics pornography in the Internet age.

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The Past and Future of Midwifery
For thousands of years, and through most of American history, midwives have been the primary source for delivering a child. But how did midwives go from at one time delivering the majority of babies in this country to just a small percentage today? What are some of the common misconceptions about midwives? How does the mainstream medical establishment regard midwifery today? Finally, what are the bigger implications of midwifery as it relates to women’s role in medicine? Examine the past and future of midwifery in America.

The 21st Century American Man
The last century saw a radical shift in America’s perceptions of what it meant to be a man. In the early 20th century, men (especially those who were white and heterosexual) were unquestionably at the center of all realms of American society, including education, technology, the arts, medicine, sports, religion, and politics. Parameters of American masculinity were so well defined—and stringently observed—that boys and men of the time had a clear sense of the expectations placed upon them. But by the early 21st century, those parameters are not so clear. Though they have more options in how they define their masculinity, men today are less the center of American society. Now that many of the gender restrictions placed upon men of previous generations are gone, some argue that our contemporary definitions of masculinity are too blurred and that new generations of men may become confused. Just what are the expectations of 21st century American masculinity and how do they differ from those of previous generations? For example, how have social movements, such as stay-at-home dads and the gay rights movement, changed what we expect of 21st century American men?

Write Your Own
For this option you may choose your own topic, pending my approval. Your prompt must relate to some aspect of gender and require a depth of analysis. Custom prompts should emailed to me by midnight on Friday, February 12th.