Annotated Bibliography

Austin, J. L. "How to Do Things with Words." William James Lectures. Harvard University. 1955. Rpt. in How to Do Things with Words. Ed. J. O. Urmson and Marina Sbisa. 2nd. ed. N.p.: Harvard University Press, 1975.
Austin's book addresses the performative speech act. Through speaking we create what is real. In this project, the subject is given the authority to create her identity through the words that she speaks. Her utterances may be verdictive in that they are an acknowledgement or decision of who she is; commisive, in that they commit her to being this identity; expositive, in that they explain why she is this identity; exercitive, in that they influence her listeners/observers so that they see her in this way; or behabitive in that they express her attitude towards herself.
Barker, Chris. Cultural Studies Theory and Practice. 2000. 2nd ed. London: Sage Publications Ltd, 2003.
Barker's text presents a variety of theories of culture studies. This project was most influenced by Chapter 8, "Issues of Subjectivity and Identity," and Chapter 10, "Sex, Subjectivity, and Representation." Subjectivity is "how we are constituted as subjects and how we experience ourselves." Identity is a project always in progress, based on our past and present experiences and heading toward our future hopes. We also have social identities, constructed by our cultures, and taught to us by by society. (Giddens) As women, we cannot seperate ourselves from our material bodies. (Butler) We can, however, resist being "coat racks" on which cultural meanings are hung without our participation. When we become agents in our own subjectivity, we join the discourse that constructs our identities. This project acknowledges that there is no "universal identity of woman" and allows women the position of agent in their subjectivity, as well as acknowledging the social construct of identity by inviting the viewer into the discourse. The images attempt to stand in contrast to many of the stereotypical images present in the media. The women's attributes are not being contrasted with a male attribute, nor are they an attempt to say what a woman should be like. Although they are constructing subject positions, they allow for negotiation between the subject and the text, as well as the viwer and the text (subject).
Erving, Goffman. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. 1959. Woodstock, New York: Overlook Press, 1973.
Goffman's work deals with the ways that we present ourselves, as if we are perfomers on a stage. Our personas change frequently as we come into contact with different audiences. As more and more personas are added, the backstage becomes another stage. The demand for one persona or another is constant, and a woman must play the persona that is being demanded by that audience. This project gives women a space to choose the persona they would like to present, as opposed to having it chosen for them. In addition, it provides a space for them to more fully explore a persona that is being developed or has been pushed to one side.
Reese, Venus Opal. Lecture. Storytelling as Cultural Studies. University of Texas at Dallas. 31 Jan. 2008.
Our identities are created by a network of conversations. In this project, women are invited into a conversation with the photographer in order to create or explore an identity. In listening to a subject's story, the photographer finds an identity that speaks to who the woman is now, and, in futher conversation, explores that identity with the woman. A photograph is created and presented to the viewer, extending an invitation to join the conversation begun by the subject and photographer.
Saukko, Paula. Doing Research in Cultural Studies: An introduction to classical and new methedological approaches. London: Sage Publications Ltd, 2003.
Saukko reviews a variety of research approaches and methodologies. This project mirrors her own interest in poststructuralist and multi-site research methods. It is also informed by the various case studies she uses to describe methods of research, such as Rapp's study on amnioscentesis, with its variety of perspectives and the tension inherent in these. Most importantly, the subject is not marginalized but given a position of power in the project by being a fully informed and interacting participant. This is explained in the Arendtian model which acknowledges the 'uniqueness' of the subject's voices, the compelling nature of storytelling, and the communal creation of the project.