W 3:35-6:35 p.m.  			    			
Sexuality and Border-Crossing in the Arts

This course will explore the semiological fluidity of sexuality in
literary, visual, and performing arts.  The chief emphasis will be
on homosexuality, androgyny, trans-sexuality, sadomasochism, and
other forms of border-crossing conspicuous in popular culture from
the early modern to contemporary times. Also to be examined is types
of descent from traditional categories in form/genre (theatrical and
film adaptations of literature, for example), style (high and low),
in language/culture (translation, cross-cultural performance and
interpretation, etc.). The general interest of the course is
the “liquid” structure of the arts, which challenges any
phallogocentric way of thinking.
The course itself is fluid.   It will experiment with a variety of
concepts that may be useful for individual students’ pursuits of
topics in specific texts of their choice.  The syllabus and reading
materials will be adjusted to the individual members’ chosen
topics.  For this reason, those interested in this course are asked
to get in touch with the instructor by email (joness@indiana.edu)
around the time of registration.
Any form of art and materials in any culture/language will be
welcome. The instructor will introduce some examples of Japanese and
other Asian arts, where semiological fluidity is conspicuous. The
instructor waits for the students’ suggestions, but the texts she
has in mind as starters include: Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, Leopold
Sacher-Masoch ’s Venus in Furs, Georges Bateille’s Story of the Eye,
Yukio Mishima’s Confessions of a Mask, Tsuruya Nanboku’s kabuki
play, the Scarlet Princess of Edo, and films, David Cronenberg’s M.
Butterfly, Jennie Livingston’s Paris is Burning, and Chen Kaige’s
Farewell My Concubine. Theoretical readings may include selections
from: Gilles Deleuze’s Masochism, Judith Butler’s Gender Trouble,
Laura Mulvey’s Visual and Other Pleasures, and Kari Weil’s Androgyny
and the Denial of Difference. All readings will be in English.
This course is designed to train students in writing and presenting
for academic conferences. Each member will give one working-paper
presentation and act as discussant for another’s. After revisions,
the completed papers will be presented at a public symposium toward
the end of the semester.

This course is open to graduate students only.  Enrollment limit: 8