Thank you for a great class!

Tell us what you wrote about:

1) What is your version of the argument of the course?

2) Read your favorite paragraph from your learning analysis.

3) Which reading connected you most strongly to the argument of the class?

Thursday 6 December -- CLASS CANCELED

Due to hazardous weather conditions the University of Maryland will not open until 10 am. Our 9:30am class is canceled today.

This makes attendance at the final class next Tuesday even more important. Please make sure you will be there.

And be safe!

Layers of Locals and Globals: our last two classes

Review and Reflect:
How lesbian both is and is not a "universal" term.
What emergent knowledge have we made together in this class.

Tuesday, 11 December—LAST CLASS—Lesbianisms in Multinational Reception

We'll share our travels in the class, reading from bits of our learning analyses and talking about the readings and events that mattered most to us in the class.

DUE: Learning Analysis / 7-8 pgs. YOU MUST PRESENT IN CLASS TO RECEIVE CREDIT. MAKE YOUR PLANS ACCORDINGLY!

ALSO DUE: Portfolio documenting all assignments.

Futamigaura

Some links:

http://www.yamasa.org/japan/english/destinations/mie/futamigaura.html

http://sonic-yoshi.blogspot.com/2007/08/mie-futamigaura-meoto-iwa-ise-jingu.html

http://anaba.blogspot.com/2005/05/spooky-futamigaura.html

http://www.britannica.com/eb/art-34963/Meotoiwa-at-Futamigaura-beach-Ise-Shima-National-Park-Japan

Next two classes will be on movie Sayonara

Today and Thursday we will discuss the movie Sayonara, so you must have seen it by now.

• Handout: James Michener's book upon which the movie is based (also called Sayonara). Selections to read.

• Reread Robertson to understand movie, perhaps esp. chaps 1 & 2.

• Read on the web movie synopsis and awards, and ck out Takarazuka URLs.

Why does the movie transform the Takarazuka of the book to the Mizubiyoshi (and actually played by the Takarazuka's rivals, the Shochuku in the film)?

This film is intended to be an anti-racist film that supports interracial marriage. How does it use implicit proscribed sexualities and the Takarazuka to explicitly make its political case?

How is it a critique of heterosexuality while glorifying marriage? What relevance does it have to contemporary debates on homosexual marriage?

How do we excavate possible lesbianisms concerning the Takarazuka?

The syllabus description for Thursday should now read:

Thursday, 29 November—Takarazuka in US Pasts and Present

• We will examine the handouts from Michener's book and explore more the idea of multiple heterosexualities. Check out this link on Michener: http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/michene.htm

We will continue our discussion from Tuesday.

Some images from US anti-Japanese propaganda, with WWII stereotyping of Japanese men:
one
two
three
four
five
six
seven

images from Japanese WWII propaganda
one
two
three

Japanese war brides in Australia: here
text of the war brides act
movie "I was a Male War Bride" crossdress pic
Canadian controversies about children of WWII war brides


DUE: Summary 4, final overview (5 pgs), compares Takarazuka and US contexts of proscribed sexualities as they transform historically. Hand in printed out, contribute to blog.
ALSO DUE: assignment chart in preparation for final Portfolio gathering.