CM 327-A “Barbenheimer: Gender & Genre,” taught by Professor Jonathan Lupo, has caught the attention of students and faculty across campus this semester. What is this class about, and what academic benefits can it offer its students?
How could the summer 2023 Barbie and Oppenheimer movie phenomenon be utilized in an academic setting, and what can students learn from studying these movies? Whether it was while registering for classes for the spring 2024 semester or spotting the flyers posted around campus, students could not miss a gender politics visual communication course offered by the English and Communication Department’s own Professor Jonathan Lupo, titled “Barbenheimer: Gender & Genre,” which is trying to answer that very question.
Sitting down for an interview with the course instructor, Professor Lupo boiled down the class into one phrase, “[Barbenheimer] is about the films themselves, the phenomenon around it, and the talk about it.”
When asked why now, why Barbenheimer, and how this phenomenon can teach more universal ideas such as gender politics, representation, film elements (known as mise-en-scène), etc., Professor Lupo explained, “The films intersect these issues; all films do. But these are really bright and dynamic ways to talk about these larger issues. They are the center text, but we’re looking at gender politics, at toys, as well as the genres themselves of the biography, the franchise film, and the musical. We’re looking at them as works from their authors and seeing how they fit into their other films. They offer an opportunity to take a snapshot of all these interesting issues happening through these really dynamic and fun texts.”
Professor Lupo explained that his Barbenheimer class has received support from both faculty and students, “I had the support of my department, [there was] no pushback at all from anybody, and people thought it was a great idea and knew that it would be something that would grab people’s attention.”
Department Chair of English and Communication Professor Ann Holbrook shared her support for the Barbenheimer course by expressing the educational value of the 2023 Barbie film, the only film of the dynamic summer duo she’s watched so far.
“I loved the Barbie movie and think it offers an entertaining, humorous entry to feminism and the prevalence of harmful gender constructions past and present,” Holbrook stated. “It inspires lively disagreements among feminists, film critics, and various conservative commentators that mirror contemporary gender politics.”
Dr. Holbrook also praised Professor Lupo for his passion for this subject matter. “Professor Lupo has studied gender in film extensively, so he’s an excellent guide to these multiple discourses, and students can benefit from challenging their own assumptions about these popular movies.”
The Barbenheimer course has been a big hit so far for students. The modus operandi for most students in Perini Lecture Hall on Monday and Wednesday afternoons is their love of Professor Lupo’s engaging personality and teaching style.
Communication major Madeline Butler ’24, had nothing but praise for Professor Lupo. “He’s one of the best professors I’ve ever had, so I was super excited that he was teaching [Barbenheimer].”
What intrigued students participating in the class, or those who heard of it from the campus grapevine, was how different Barbenheimer was from standard classes currently offered. Communication major and Gender Studies minor Piper Bilich’s ’24 initial impression when she saw Barbenheimer as a course option was excitement “I feel like it was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of opportunity, and like, who doesn’t like Barbie?”
While some may worry that this course may lose relevancy, others disagree. Ambrose Ward ’24, a Communication major, had high expectations for this class and its viability for future semesters because of the course’s uniqueness to the College. “I would highly recommend this class to future students. Not only does it provide great commentary on both movies in a low-key environment, but it also opens up discussions on gender and sexuality. This class gives students a welcoming place to talk about their interpretations of gender and feel free of judgment or ridicule.”
Professor Lupo is open to creating a variation of this class. “One way that I could teach this again would have to be maybe something on gender politics and culture, or something like that. I teach a class on Women in Stand-Up Comedy, so that allows me to talk about gender and women and performance, and I can always update. I’ve updated this course every single time I’ve taught it.”
Above all else, Professor Lupo expressed that his primary goal is to engage his students by facilitating a safe space to reflect and express their views and experiences about major cultural and social issues. He encourages other classes to do the same. “I hope that this maybe will inspire other professors to think about how we can talk about issues and subjects that are important to students that are also contemporary and are unfolding now in a way that can, hopefully, be engaging.”
Professor Lupo’s Barbenheimer course has made waves across campus whether enrolled in the course or not, and time will tell the greater impact the class will have with its necessary conversations about our modern society and culture.