As we shall see, it's a peculiar fact about the philosophical literature on pornography that there is little discussion of actual pornography. It tends to be assumed that pornography is a monolith, that all pornography is more or less the same, that “If you've seen one porno, you've seen them all”. That was never true, however, and it is not at all true today (as Internet Rule 34 attests).
So we are going to learn something about the history of pornography, as well, and practice analyzing pornographic media. Students will be asked to watch about one film per week, on their own, and every other week we'll devote a class to discussing films. The films will be made available on Canvas. Obviously, you should exercise discretion about where you watch these (e.g., not in the dining hall). Most of you will probably choose to watch the films on your own, but, if you are comfortable watching them with friends, you should feel free to do that, too. Many of these films, you may be surprised to learn, are actually good films.
Alongside these films, there will be readings, first from the film theorist Linda Williams's book Hard Core, a now-classic study of pornography as film, and then some other articles in the same tradition. Please note that, while there is more reading, page-wise, for the viewing sessions than for the others, it is not usually philosophy, so it is not so dense. Still, I would recommend that you not leave the reading for these sessions until the night before but get started on it ahead of time. I think you'll find Williams, in particular, to be a lot of fun, anyway.
We will have some optional group viewing sessions during the semester, when we will watch a few short films together and discuss them. We'll break up into smaller groups for these. We also expect to have a visit from a woman who has received a number of awards in recent years for pornographic films she has directed. Times for these will be arranged later.
There may be some particular films that, for some reason, just are not safe for you to watch. If so, it's fine to skip those ones. There will almost always be some optional films you could watch instead. Note, though, that watching at least some of these films is an important part of the course. If you have no interest in studying pornographic films, this may not be the course for you.
This course will involve our viewing and discussing sexually explicit material. It is thus important for us as a classroom community to establish our collective expectations and individual boundaries, and also to ensure that we understand the purpose of these viewings and how they fit into the course.
By enrolling in this course, you indicate your agreement with and acceptance of the following.
Most people find it dificult to grasp that whatever they like to do sexually will be thoroughly repulsive to someone else, and that whatever repels them sexually will be the most treasured delight of someone, somewhere. One need not like or perform a particular sex act in order to recognize that someone else will, and that this difference does not indicate a lack of good taste, mental health, or intelligence in either party. (Gayle Rubin, "Thinking Sex")
Much of the material we will be discussing is 'academic' and relatively 'dry'.1 But some of it may be emotionally challenging, and any discussion about sexuality has the potential to feel threatening. It will therefore be essential that there be an atmosphere of trust and safety in the classroom. I will attempt to foster an environment in which each member of the course is able to speak freely, and to be heard respectfully, and I will demand that all members of the course show proper respect for one another's views, attitudes, opinions, and feelings. Some of the material we discuss may evoke strong reactions. Please be patient and kind with one another, and do not jump to conclusions. Do not make sweeping generalizations (anyone who finds that erotic must be sick) but use "I" language (that makes me feel uncomfortable). Expect the best, not the worst, of others. Still, as good as our intentions may be, there may be occasions when someone says or does something that causes discomfort or offense, and such episodes can adversely affect other people's educational experience. I will make it my responsibility to address such issues forthrightly.
Any student who fails to meet these standards will be given one opportunity to correct their behavior. Failure to do so will result in exclusion from the course. Please remember, too, that Brown's Title IX policy applies to all of us.
Should any issues of this sort arise, students will have four options open to them: