In this episode, Cathy + e examine the art historical idea of “the canon.” They discuss definitions of the word, the history of the practice, canonization’s criticisms, and how comics are understood within the framework.
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Cathy + e take a look at censorship, banned books, and why some things are deemed appropriate for kids and some things aren’t. e looks at the history of obscenity and how societal censorship suppresses marginalized voices. Cathy examines children’s learning development in reading and art, how graphic novels get categorized, and why.
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Historically, mass-produced media is monickered as “low culture,” while fine art is “high.” Where does this dichotomy come from, how are comics treated in this binary, and how can educators take advantage of it? In this episode we dissect the history of accessible media and how comics in the classroom can benefit. Live from Comic Arts Los Angeles!
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Cathy + e examine the aesthetics of violence, its depictions in comics, + look at research on how media violence affects its viewers. e examines the ways comics are uniquely suited to depict traumatic memories + violent acts; Cathy talks about the ways the art classroom can address school violence.
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Jumping off of the last episode, Cathy + e complicate their discussion about ‘the gaze.’ They revisit Laura Mulvey’s original ‘male gaze’ definition + its criticisms. Lesbian, black, female, transgender, imperial + medical gaze theories are discussed, which broaden the conversation + offer resistance.
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In this episode, Cathy + e talk about the critical theory 'the gaze.' They recount the gaze's history, its applications in comics culture, and how the theory can be used in art education to teach students how to critically engage with their role as a viewer.
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Infamously known as the author of the 1954 book Seduction of the Innocent + blamed for the demise of the Golden Age of comics, German psychiatrist Fredric Wertham is more than a censorship scapegoat. Cathy + e discuss his career as a medical psychiatrist, advocate for African American mental healthcare, + talk about the biases + legitimacies behind this controversial figure.
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Using the graphic novel My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness as a jumping off point, Cathy + e talk about recent memoir comics + build a context through political performance art + social justice in art education. (This episode discusses human sexuality + uses some mature language.)
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Cathy + e talk about the evolution of high culture, Clement Greenberg (that guy!), how the Arts keeps the average person at arm’s length, and how comics can combat it.
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Introduction episode! Cathy + e talk about how comics have been defined throughout history, how + why comics were adopted into English classrooms, + the “reluctant reader” idea.
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