Prof Analyzes Film Using ‘Queer Theory’
What is queer theory? That is something Daniel Humphrey, program director for Film Studies and associate professor in Women’s and Gender Studies in the College of Liberal Arts, says is not easily defined.
“People argue over the definition,” he said. “But it’s a really abstract philosophical approach to identity as it applies to sexuality and gender. You can use this approach to analyze films, literature, political campaigns, newspaper articles, legal rulings…just about anything that has a component related to sexuality and gender.”
As a professor of film, Humphrey uses the queer theory approach towards movies to give a different perspective on the subject matter. For example, he teaches an upper-level class on gender and auteur films in which the director expresses themselves personally.
“I teach three directors: one, a traditional heterosexual filmmaker; second, a female feminist filmmaker; and third, a radical and homosexual filmmaker, like John Waters,” he said. “We view these different films and talk about how a sense of identity tends to come out in the films.
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This article originally appeared on the Texas A&M College of Liberal Arts website.
