Abstract/Details

Perversion and national subjectivity in English Canadian cinema

Morgan, Jason Jorgen Archibald.   University of Calgary (Canada) ProQuest Dissertations Publishing,  2000. MQ55162.

Abstract (summary)

In the last decade, English Canadian film-makers have tended to utilize perversion as a central image in their narratives. This speaks to the fundamental in-betweenness that characterizes the condition of national subjectivity in this country. The English Canadian national body finds itself positioned between the competing discourses of homogeneity and plurality, colonizer and colonized, centre and margin. This innate division is rooted in the psychological structures that underpin subjectivity, ones which work within a counter-hegemonic and masochistic model of understanding. The national narrative that is consequently produced by this ‘perversion chic’ cinema is one that subverts binary systems of identification and articulates a new, queer positionality in the formation of a national fantasmatic. Through the examination of five representative films from this group, it will be demonstrated that English Canada is a nation that fails to adhere to the hegemonic national archetype precisely because of its always already queer nature.

Indexing (details)


Subject
Canadian studies;
Motion pictures;
Film studies
Classification
0900: Film studies
0385: Canadian studies
Identifier / keyword
Communication and the arts; Social sciences; Atom Egoyan; David Cronenberg; John Greyson; Lynne Stopkewich; Thom Fitzgerald
Title
Perversion and national subjectivity in English Canadian cinema
Author
Morgan, Jason Jorgen Archibald
Number of pages
176
Degree date
2000
School code
0026
Source
MAI 39/03M, Masters Abstracts International
Place of publication
Ann Arbor
Country of publication
United States
ISBN
978-0-612-55162-6
Advisor
Savoy, Eric; Aclaud, Charles
University/institution
University of Calgary (Canada)
University location
Canada -- Alberta, CA
Degree
M.A.
Source type
Dissertation or Thesis
Language
English
Document type
Dissertation/Thesis
Dissertation/thesis number
MQ55162
ProQuest document ID
304582169
Copyright
Database copyright ProQuest LLC; ProQuest does not claim copyright in the individual underlying works.
Document URL
https://www.proquest.com/docview/304582169