The Achilles Effect explores gender bias in the entertainment aimed at primary school boys, focusing on the dominant themes in children’s TV shows, toy advertising, movies, and books: gender stereotypes of both sexes, male dominance, negative portrayals of fathers, breaking of the mother/son bond, and the devaluing of femininity. It examines the gender messages sent by pop culture, provides strategies for countering these messages, and encourages discussion of a vitally important issue that is rarely talked about—the impact of gender stereotypes on boys.
very evocative discussion guides for students doing exercises in and thinking about a wide variety of physical and cultural spaces; writers can gets lots of ideas from this course and its notes
large collection of academic essays; "such diverse topics as art, architecture, race, Internet studies, sexuality, drama, design, multimedia, and current social issues. Also hypertext and streaming audio and video recordings."
large site, attractive new design as of 11/06. essays, links, delving into popular culture and playing with it, theoretical explorations and savvy; highly recommended