The problem I am dealing with is gender representation in sci-fi films, or more accurately, AI films. Ideally, I’d like to discuss 1) female AI, 2) female humans in AI films, 3) male AI and 4) male humans in AI films. When I say ‘humans’, I mostly mean the ‘scientists who created the AIs’. But talking about all four might be too complex and include too many variables that I’m not considering (times the films were made and how they are different in combination to each other). As I decided to change my research topic, I’m a little behind in my research process and I’m not sure what the best way to narrow down this question further is, but I’m getting ideas from the research (focusing on only the last 5 or 10 years, for example).
My main sources for this paper will be academic journal articles that discuss these problems in films and these are the sources I will be drawing conclusions from. I could also find sources that I disagree with, which would make an interesting argument. These sources and the films associated with them will also serve as the motive as they delve into the problems with representation in media across more contexts. There are also sources that I have found about feminizing AI and what that means in a real-world context, which is another great source for motive. I will have a source that discusses the gender theory in film (theory/tool). If I decide to limit my research to the past decade (most likely will), then I can use Murphy’s text to give a brief synopsis of how gender AI representation used to be (background) and then my paper will explore how it’s changed. The films will be my exhibits.
3 Comments
I like the proposal a lot! I think the “feminizing of AI,” in particular, will be interesting to read about. Considering the fact that you’re only planning to engage with the last decade or so, it might be useful to narrow the amount of things you’re investigating and instead spend some time researching what makes this “period” of popular films distinctive. I say this because, in my mind, the approach and content of popular films has shifted drastically since, say, terminator and Blade Runner.
This is a good idea to build on, and I’m really interested to see the difference in how women and men are represented in films/media like this. Do you think any of these differences are reflective of gender inequality/stereotypes in reality, beyond just what people think of the AI trope?
I think this sounds like a really fun essay. The question that most stands out to me would be why are female’s seemingly over-represented in depictions of AI? I think this could lead to a good discussion of gender roles and why we would slot the feminine voice/stereotypical traits into a thing that is inherently unhuman when trying to humanize it. Is this actually because using the feminine qualities DOES humanize or perhaps because the people making these things think it doesn’t.
3 Comments
I like the proposal a lot! I think the “feminizing of AI,” in particular, will be interesting to read about. Considering the fact that you’re only planning to engage with the last decade or so, it might be useful to narrow the amount of things you’re investigating and instead spend some time researching what makes this “period” of popular films distinctive. I say this because, in my mind, the approach and content of popular films has shifted drastically since, say, terminator and Blade Runner.
This is a good idea to build on, and I’m really interested to see the difference in how women and men are represented in films/media like this. Do you think any of these differences are reflective of gender inequality/stereotypes in reality, beyond just what people think of the AI trope?
I think this sounds like a really fun essay. The question that most stands out to me would be why are female’s seemingly over-represented in depictions of AI? I think this could lead to a good discussion of gender roles and why we would slot the feminine voice/stereotypical traits into a thing that is inherently unhuman when trying to humanize it. Is this actually because using the feminine qualities DOES humanize or perhaps because the people making these things think it doesn’t.