From: owner-stillpt-digest@smoe.org (stillpt-digest) To: stillpt-digest@smoe.org Subject: stillpt-digest V4 #166 Reply-To: stillpt@smoe.org Sender: owner-stillpt-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-stillpt-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk stillpt-digest Wednesday, November 13 2002 Volume 04 : Number 166 Today's Subjects: ----------------- b/article [meredith ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 22:50:31 -0500 From: meredith Subject: b/article Hi, From the Bangor (Maine) Daily News (where apparently nobody on the editorial staff actually watches the show, judging by the headline :P): >Vampire killer sports >a woman's philosophy > >ORONO - Fans of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" may think the show's blond >executioner of demons, werewolves and vampires is just another violent >vixen who swings her sword and asks questions later. They would be wrong, >according to an assistant professor of philosophy at the University of >Maine.Buffy is Sunnydale's ethical anchor, according to Jessica Miller, >who teaches classes on philosophy, gender issues and ethics. She has been >asked to contribute an essay to the book "Buffy the Vampire Slayer and >Philosophy." > >Miller will present a portion of her essay, "Buffy and Feminist Ethics," >at 12:15 p.m. today in the Coe Lounge in the Memorial Union at UMaine. The >lecture is part of a series sponsored by Women in the Curriculum. > >The Buffy book will be the fourth in the Popular Culture and Philosophy >series published by Open Court Books of Chicago. The others focused on the >TV series "Seinfeld" and "The Simpsons" and the film "The Matrix." > >Through episode plots and the characters' antics, the books explore the >teachings of key philosophers including Aristotle, Karl Marx, Albert >Camus, Jean Paul Sartre, Martin Heidegger and Immanuel Kant, according to >information on Open Court's Web site. Contributors tackle issues such as >irony and the meaning of life, American anti-intellectualism and >existential rebellion. > >Miller said that students who come to college straight from high school >are familiar with the disciplines of history and English, but few have >read any philosophy. She said that Open Court's books use characters >familiar to students in their late teens and early 20s to introduce them >to the major philosophers. She uses similar techniques with her students. > >"I ask them what movies or TV shows they've seen over the weekend and what >they think of the decisions the characters made or if they saw elements of >a particular philosophy," she said in a phone interview last week. "Many >of my students think ethics and philosophy are irrelevant in their lives, >so pop culture serves as a bridge to explore both. It's important to >connect what we're doing in the classroom to students' everyday lives." > >Miller's students have been connecting with Buffy for seven seasons on >UPN. Created by Joss Whedon, the show earned a cult following before >gaining a wider audience through syndication of the first three seasons' >episodes. Now, Buffy and Whedon are gaining the attention of academics. > >"Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Philosophy" is one of five anthologies to be >published about the show within the next year, said Miller. Organizers of >the first international conference on the show scheduled two days for the >event and hoped they'd have enough submissions to fill the time slots. The >response was so overwhelming, they wound up turning away potential >participants. > >Despite the scholarly interest, Buffy's millions of fans see her as a >superhero first and a feminist philosopher second. > >"Buffy can be compared to other, mostly male, superheroes," said Miller. >"Some similarities are that she's very strong, highly intelligent and >dedicated to fighting evil. But, just in taking on a fight, she's >transgressing stereotypes of femininity. She opens up the image to new >interpretations. > >"Batgirl, Wonder Woman and the Bionic Woman all had a man behind the >scenes that dictated decisions and plans of actions. Buffy is notorious >for thwarting the higher-ups. Other women superheroes, like Xena, derive >their power from their sexuality. Buffy is also sexualized - she wore >miniskirts and tank tops in the early seasons - but that is separate from >her power and moral strength, which isn't derived from her sexiness." > >Until recently, philosophy has been a field dominated by men and based on >a tradition of making decisions similar to the way a judge overseeing a >courtroom might, according to Miller. That has included ignoring personal >details and past situations, focusing on rationality and excluding >emotions. Researchers in the 1980s concluded that women bring a different >perspective to moral decision making that includes feelings, context, >details, narrative and a focus on maintaining relationships. > >"In many ways, Buffy exemplifies that approach," said Miller. "Back in the >third season, Buffy's friend Willow was dating Oz. When they discovered he >was a werewolf there were various proposals presented about what to do, >including kill him. > >"Buffy resolved the situation in a way that minimized harm and hurt to Oz >and the larger community. It was nonviolent and maintained relationships. >Every month, when he became a werewolf, they caged him in the high school >library." > >Undoubtedly, the scholarly study of Buffy is just beginning, but it's >doubtful she'll become "Buffy, Feminist Ethicist" anytime soon. ============================================== Meredith Tarr New Haven, CT USA mailto:meth@smoe.org http://www.smoe.org/meth ============================================== Live At The House O'Muzak House Concert Series http://muzak.smoe.org NEXT UP: Chris & Meredith Thompson, 12/8/02 ============================================== ------------------------------ End of stillpt-digest V4 #166 *****************************