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Sunday, June 05, 2005
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UD highlights the obscene material... in this all-over-the-news story, and comments in brackets. Porn Class Exciting Students, Arousing Politicians' Ire [Things like porn classes produce the sort of bad puns that depress UD terribly.] University of Iowa's 'Critical Pornography Studies' has a growing waiting list. [The words “critical” and “studies” shine a wholly undeserved noble light upon this bogus subject….Which isn’t a bogus subject in itself, actually, but will be in the hands of a graduate student at Iowa pandering to cornfed pubescents.] Students at the University of Iowa are lining up for what promises to be a stimulating educational experience. [See what I mean about the puns?] Upper-level communication studies [communication studies is notorious for pop culture gut courses like this one] course "Critical Pornography Studies" will focus on the role of pornography in pop culture, according to Jay Clarkson, the graduate student spearheading [I know this isn’t meant as a pun, but it’s the only one with possibilities so far] the class. Students will tackle topics like the history of obscenity, attempts to legislate pornography, the feminist debate over porn, and porn's prevalence in the media and U.S. culture. Clarkson stressed the class is more about research than pornography itself — so don't look for any XXX-rated videos, ahem, popping up in the course. "We will not be viewing X-rated materials in class, nor will the assignments require that students purchase pornographic materials [How will they get hold of them then?]." Students looking for an easy A or a cheap thrill need not apply, he said [If you’re looking for easy A’s, don’t take a course on porn taught by a grad student in communication studies - take an upper-level physics course.]. "The course is going to be quite difficult. There will be a lot of reading involved, and students will be required to deal with a very diverse set of perspectives." The one-time course is part of a larger "Topics in Communication" curriculum that explores different subjects every semester. Clarkson, who is finishing up a dissertation on media studies and gender/sexuality, proposed the course to the faculty. Not surprisingly, enrollment has already hit its maximum capacity of 20 students, and yes, there is a growing waiting list. "Many of my former students have expressed interest in the class, despite my reassurance that there won't be any [actual] porn in it," he said. Clarkson said he has received "complete support" from the university. "I think it would be quite difficult to justify ignoring a media industry that makes more money than televised sports and has such a large impact on society," he said. Researchers estimate that the porn industry generates more than $12 billion in the U.S. and $57 billion worldwide each year. [This is Part I of the two-part perennial defense of bogus pop culture courses: It makes so much money. Part II (see below) is: It exists. And only a coward living in bad faith would ignore something that generates large sums of money and exists…. But then why not study the history of the Catholic church? It meets these criteria. And it is certainly part of popular culture -- millions and millions of Americans are Catholics...] However, not everyone has been so keen on the idea. Iowa House Speaker Christopher Rants (R-Sioux City) told The Associated Press he is against spending taxpayer dollars on the elective. "Don't they know we're not done with their budget yet? I'm pretty sure we don't need to increase state funding by $40 million to teach 'Critical Pornography Studies,'" Rants said. [To further depress UD, these stories always feature an outraged legislator, though few of them feature legislators with wonderful names like Rants. It’s depressing not because states reasonably enough don’t want to subsidize stupid courses, but because politicians are always prancing about with a sort of phony indignation. Sex as a serious subject very much belongs in college.] Clarkson said the speaker's opposition to discussing porn in a public forum is one of the main reasons the course is so important. "I really wish he had contacted me to find out about the course or even read the course description more carefully," he said. "Pornography exists [There‘s Part II of the defense.], and merely dismissing it won't make it go away [Here‘s where, as in so many things, we have to thank psychology. If a person doesn‘t want to take or subsidize a dumb course on porn, that means he‘s in denial. He‘s repressing. His fear of sex is all too evident. He wants porn to go away. He’s afraid of his own body.]. It is important, in my opinion, to encourage students to think about (something in a way) that is both critical and informed. Isn't that what college is for?" Ah to be sure it’s making old UD nostalgic for Philip Sipiora... Allow her to quote from an earlier post: University of South Florida English professor Phillip Sipiora offers a summer course devoted to "Rogue Filmmakers." The word “rogue” in the course title is a come-on (the directors listed are almost all mainstream), as is the titillating “Forewarning“ (pretentious people use this redundant word -- “warning“ is all you need) Professor Sipiora includes on his syllabus: "FOREWARNING: Some of the films we will view contain graphic language, violence, and sexual behavior. If explicit works offend you, please investigate the film list to see whether this course suits you or not. A serious interest in film and an open mind are absolute prerequisites for this course." Note how this ominous forewarning equates any form of squeamishness about filmed images with having a closed mind and a lack of seriousness. Getting college credit for spending the summer watching violent sexual films is a mark of seriousness; harboring moral qualms about the activity is a mark of triviality and close-mindedness. |