Women in Series: Production and Reproduction of Gender Expectations in Popular TV Shows

We are going through an exciting time in television: in today’s TV series, representations of women are more diverse, deep, and complex than ever. Not only is the typology of female characters expanding, the expectations associated with stereotypes such as the housewife, romantic partner, the working woman/girl or the “bad girl” are increasingly explored, questioned, and contested. Yet, those stereotypes remain alive and well. This seminar will examine the production, reproduction, and redefinition of gender expectations in popular TV series, with a focus on shows widely available on Netflix, such as (but not limited to) Self Made, Mad Men, Glow, Gilmore Girls, or Sex Education. The goal is to develop a sensibility for the ways in which representations of gender types and stereotypes in popular culture shape the imagination of female possibilities, as well as the expectations toward women and girls in neoliberal societies. What types of women, parents, partners, workers, criminals, investigators, politicians, and students does television represent? Who is left out? How are viewers affected by these representations? How far do “feminist” TV shows really go in deconstructing or challenging normative expectations of women in neoliberal societies? And can the audience have an impact on the diversity represented on streaming platforms? With the help of theoretical texts and discussions, students will (1) familiarize themselves with feminist approaches to media theory and television studies and (2) train to critically understand, analyze, and discuss established notions of race, gender, and class as represented in selected TV shows.