Samantha Chan's Webliography

Question 3

1) Rocío Carrasco Carrasco . "Gender Representation in U.S. Contemporary Science Fiction Films: The Cyborg Hero.' British Association For American Studies (2008).

http://www.baas.ac.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=170%3Aissue-13-autumn-2008-article-1&catid=15&Itemid=11 (accessed 15 March 2011)

This writer cites research on how gender and race have been presented in the science fiction movies during the last three decades. She greatly emphasizes on the gender representation via mentioning various significant cyborg heroes. Her research adopts assorted examples to ensure readers could have comprehensive perspective on male cyborg from 80s to millennium. She suggests the definition of cyborg alters corresponding to current social, political situation and technological advancements. The example of The Terminator(1984) has demonstrated why masculinity is being highlighted and reinforced according to the contemporary successive elected president - Ronald Reagan. Emphasis on the Terminator's appearance has strengthen the dominant perspective about masculinity and heroism. Tron (1982) has been introduced later as a counter example for dehumanizing the male body which is totally contrasted with the hypermasculine and idealised body- The Terminator. The author then mentions about the audience 'voyeuristic gaze' has changed from women erotic figure to male's omnipotence which reconfirmed the norm of patriarchal society. In contrast, the feminization on male body has been acquainted - The Matrix (1999) . Although the androgynous appearance has fulfilled the dictation of traditional male gaze, it has blurred the binary of sexuality. Characteristics of hero includes the stereotypical elements of race: White and middle class. She concludes the definition of cyborg will alter with time, but refutes the gender duality and representation remained unchange these years.

2) http://www.dsq-sds.org/index.php/juros/article/viewFile/1256/1267
The author believes the science fictions in nowadays are able to reidentify the status of women.She adopts a TV show - Battlestar Galactica to illustrate the new perspective that female spectators could have. Firstly, she examines and explains the world famous quoting from Donna Haraway's "A Cyborg Manifesto. Next, she introduces reasons on choosing the show as the different circumstance and behaviours from the characters provides them a reflection on repressing ideology of patriarchy. She proposes they could either drill into the play or examine it as an outsider. The characters in the play usually added with traditional "women" elements and appearance. However the character Startbuck, her characteristics, has depleting the traditional notion of women. She loves to speak aloud, smoke and play card games, etc.. All she possess are the qualities originally merely given to men. Moreover, the identity of cylon that Battlestar Galactica had can fully illustrate the concept that Haraways mentioned. The presented identity has made the gendered dichotomies and binary of human/ machine to be uncleared. Accompany with the obscure binaries, race has been neutralised. She concludes that the Science Fiction space can enable female spectator to reinforce and reidentify its role in the same time while watching it.

3)Kati McGinnis. "Gender Performance, Transgression and the Cyborg in Battlestar Galactica." Disability Studies Quarterly (2010). http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/jul/19/gender.uk ( accessed 15 March 2011)
The editor selects the plot from Stepford Wives ( 2004 & 1975) in order to demonstrate the previous and current situation about both sex. According to the description from the plot (1975), women are responsible on merely participating domestic sphere. The duty of the two sex are clearly divided which men should work outside and women should stay inside of the house. The binaries do not cross each other line. However the situation reversed when the second shooting (2004) appears. The main character Joanna starts with a promised feminism life who has a family with a successful career. The turning point, which she lost her job, has excluded her from the "nature-intended back-seat role". She losses not only her job but also her family. Comparing the starting of the society, women in 50s and nowadays face different kind of orientation. The author mentions that women in nowadays are facing the post-feminist era. The binary among both sex is being blurred. And a sense of nostalgic where binary were clearly opposite is mentioned.

4)Lakshmi Chaudhry. "Stepford Wife: You've Come the Wrong Way, Baby." AlterNet (2004). http://www.alternet.org/media/18980?page=1 (accessed 16 March 2011)

The writer makes a reflection about the definition of true happiness and the emergence of a special perspective: anti-feminism. He mentions the movie, Stepford Wives (2004), does not spotlight on the matter of love but the nostalgic on when women are so obedience. The nostalgic that mentioned has been reinforced from the actions of the female characters. Like Joanna bakes 5000 cup cakes, other female characters learn how to clean up and possess with identical smile. All the stereotypical characteristics has comforted the male audience's anxiety towards of how women bahave in reality. On the other hand, this kind of nostalgic projections have reinforce the position on one, female, should do. According to the author's quotes, even though Nicole Kidman who are the famous and powerful Hollywood star would also be willing to give up her career if she find one willing to take a bullet for her. The author relieves although women do have quality of life, various choices and freedom comparing to the history, they still could not find the way to make themselves truly happy. He concludes that it is good for women to have right to choose on whether working or staying at home freely. Possess choice are better than none.

5) Arren Humphries. "The relevance of gender in the cyborg body in science fiction." Heliumn (2007) http://www.helium.com/items/513123-the-relevance-of-gender-in-the-cyborg-body-in-science-fiction (accessed 16 March 2011)

The author lists out loads of cyborg science fiction examples to illustrate previous history of cyborg. The cyborg that he want to discuss is about the characteristics of each common types of cyborg. For example, the neutrality of them : Are they good or bad? Strong or weak? Moreover, he states the characteristics of male cyborg portray : uncontrollable, violence and strong. These characteristic have continued from the era of Frankenstein to Terminator. The ability of Terminator has been increasing comparing to previous cyborg. He suggests the portrayed features could assist and establish the men's status. Therefore, the appearance and ability of male cyborg has been increasing from one to another. On the other hand, female cyborg has displayed as sexy and erotic image. No matter how time goes by, its representation keeps on repeating and repeating. Their main functions are to please men and be perfect woman. To conclude, male cyborg has been transforming to be stronger and stronger. However, female cyborg remains unchanged.