A brief overview: 2/11/2010

After being placed into small groups, we discussed various aspects of the readings. Part of the assignment was to find the main point of the readings Particular attention was given to reading “A Propaganda Model” by Herman and Chomsky and the discussion of how propaganda is generated in society. Also within Media and Cultural Studies “On Television” also commented on the fact that tv is becoming a powerful tool within the modern world. Another article that received a lot attention was “Replication Techniques in Eastern Zhou Bronze Casting” we discussed industrialization in China, and how the replicating the techniques used by craftsmen was able to prove that China possessed a vibrant industry, that could have rivaled the Industrial Revolution in Europe. The article that the group spent the most time talking about was “The Many Figures of Eve: Styles of Womanhood Embodied in a Late-Nineteenth-Century Corset. “ While several faults could be found, such as the author using Laura Ingalls Wilder as a source, it was Miller’s article that was chosen to be the basis of a hypothetical exhibit. The exhibit, would examine if women were really free and liberated based on the undergarments women wear. The exhibit would be circular to show that fashion has become full circle. The exhibit would start with the stays, corset, chemise, the 1950’s style of undergarments, bra burning, then move on to Madonna and the famous cone bra explosion, to the push up bra, spanx, a lingerie version of a corset and lastly a photograph of Lady Gaga wearing an outfit that resembles a stay. The exhibit would feature a collection of the undergarments but also photographs of advertisements. Multimedia clips would also be featured such as the infamous It would be up to the public to decide if women really are free from societies strain of undergarments.

Stays : http://www.history.org/history/clothing/women/images/gown1.jpg

Still from Gone With The Wind: http://www.philadelphia-eflections.com/images/scarletohara.jpg

An example of 1920’s chemise: http://www.pastpatterns.com/images/500.gif

1950’s Advertisement: http://www.d.umn.edu/~sett0060/Cleavage%20Pics%20004.jpg