Discuss how the depiction of gender has changed over time as reflected in these movies and the reasons for such changes.

There is a great deal of literature on gender in the context of movies about computers, robots and, in particular, artificial intelligence. Such literature often examines artificial intelligence as a means for deconstructing gender or as a model for a radical view of feminism. Your paper is to address the role of gender in at least three of the following movies (though more are welcome): Desk Set (1957, Walter Lang), Demon Seed (1977, Donald Cammell), Making Mr. Right (1987, Susan Seidelman), Eve of Destruction (1991, Duncan Gibbins), Alien Resurrection (theatrical version) (1997, Jean-Pierre Jeunet), I, Robot (2004, Alex Proyas) and Transcendence (2014, Wally Pfister). In selecting which movies on which to write, you should bear in mind that these movies vary widely in their perspectives ranging from reactionary to progressive.
You may approach the topic in any manner you believe is both appropriate and interesting. For example, you may wish to
Explore how these movies reinforce or criticize (or both) male and female cultural stereotypes and to what end,
Describe the cultural reasons and historical context for the misogyny depicted and how such movies should be viewed (or not),
Contrast the ways in which each movie approaches gender and the reasons for the differing approaches,
Articulate how and why economics has impacted the depiction of gender,
Discuss how the depiction of gender has changed over time as reflected in these movies and the reasons for such changes (or not), or
Consider whether computers are depicted differently from robots and why this is the case.
It is essential that you articulate to what extent and in what ways each movie may be self-aware of and critique its own narrative. Thus, your paper must be grounded in a careful analysis of each movie, including visuals and dialog. It must also consider some of the relevant literature on the topic. Lastly, you must also articulate, in particular, how each movie defines what it means to be human
Both style and substance are important. Your paper should clearly and succinctly articulate a thesis at the beginning and then develop that thesis in a manner that is well organized, insightful, and persuasive. The originality, quality, and integration within your argument of your research, not the number of sources cited, are important, together with the thoroughness of your analysis as well as the imaginativeness, perceptiveness and persuasiveness of your argument, and the clarity of your writing. All will all be taken into account in evaluating your paper.
Your paper must include (1) citations to third party written sources in the form footnotes (not in-text citations or endnotes), and (2) a bibliography of reliable written sources, whether paper or electronic. A bibliography alone normally does not suffice, since it does not indicate what sources provided which insights or ideas, and your bibliography should not include identification of the films selected. You should follow the Chicago Manual of Style in your citations and bibliography. Where appropriate, you should quote movie dialog and third party sources, though your quotes should normally be no more than two or three sentences with longer quotes placed in your endnotes. If you are in doubt, it is better to err on the side of citing a source.
Excluding footnotes and your bibliography, your paper, which must be in Word format, must be double-spaced, numbered at the bottom of each page, in 12-point font, with one-inch margins and approximately 2400 – 3000 words (or approximately 9 – 12 pages)

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