title: Looking back to look forward to the female gaze: An analysis on the foundational filmmakers and their female protagonists.

authors: Searle, Katherine

subjects: female gaze

abstract: This thesis examines theories of the female gaze through recognizing the foundational filmmakers and screenwriters who have explored varying female experiences throughout cinema history. Theories of the gaze stemmed from Laura Mulvey’s fundamental 1975 essay, from which her argument posited that mainstream Hollywood cinema constructs male centred subjects who control the gaze of the narrative, whilst female characters are depicted as objects who cater to the desires of the male spectator. Since then, theorists and scholars have explored ideas of a female gaze from which female-centred narratives are explored by filmmakers. Such narratives are explored by female protagonists who control the gaze through techniques crafted by directors and/or screenwriters, reflecting key ideologies and issues that resonate with the female spectator.  

This research aims to discover how theories of the female gaze have been reconstructed throughout cinema history by female directors and/or screenwriters through the representation of their female protagonists. Through conducting comparative text analysis, this thesis analysed two films within four key periods in cinema including; the French New Wave, New Hollywood Cinema, the Blockbuster Age, and contemporary Independent Cinema, to explore a range of innovative and nuanced female protagonists who have represented various female experiences on screen.  

This analysis showcases the long-standing history of theories surrounding the female gaze, and identifies the socio-cultural contexts that influenced the reconstruction of the gaze by filmmakers across time and space. The results of this research highlights the different interpretations of the female gaze by key filmmakers and/or screenwriters, illustrates similarities and disparities between protagonists by filmmakers during similar periods, and reveals the importance of 
socio-cultural contexts that underpin various representations of female experiences throughout cinema history.

text: Looking back to look forward to the female gaze: An analysis on the foundational filmmakers and their female protagonists. This thesis examines theories of the female gaze through recognizing the foundational filmmakers and screenwriters who have explored varying female experiences throughout cinema history. Theories of the gaze stemmed from Laura Mulvey’s fundamental 1975 essay, from which her argument posited that mainstream Hollywood cinema constructs male centred subjects who control the gaze of the narrative, whilst female characters are depicted as objects who cater to the desires of the male spectator. Since then, theorists and scholars have explored ideas of a female gaze from which female-centred narratives are explored by filmmakers. Such narratives are explored by female protagonists who control the gaze through techniques crafted by directors and/or screenwriters, reflecting key ideologies and issues that resonate with the female spectator.  

This research aims to discover how theories of the female gaze have been reconstructed throughout cinema history by female directors and/or screenwriters through the representation of their female protagonists. Through conducting comparative text analysis, this thesis analysed two films within four key periods in cinema including; the French New Wave, New Hollywood Cinema, the Blockbuster Age, and contemporary Independent Cinema, to explore a range of innovative and nuanced female protagonists who have represented various female experiences on screen.  

This analysis showcases the long-standing history of theories surrounding the female gaze, and identifies the socio-cultural contexts that influenced the reconstruction of the gaze by filmmakers across time and space. The results of this research highlights the different interpretations of the female gaze by key filmmakers and/or screenwriters, illustrates similarities and disparities between protagonists by filmmakers during similar periods, and reveals the importance of 
socio-cultural contexts that underpin various representations of female experiences throughout cinema history.

year: 2025-02-21

title: Exposure to familiar versus novel conspecifics is associated with differential activity of oxytocin circuits

authors: Blaza, Ron Christian

abstract: Oxytocin (OT) signalling has been shown to be significantly involved in the regulation of social behaviour, particularly in regards to pro-sociality. Familiarity with another conspecific is a major modifier of social behaviour. Here we investigated whether exposure to a familiar versus novel conspecific was associated with differential activity in OT neuronal circuits. We placed male mice in a chamber with a restrainer containing either a familiar or novel conspecific, with an empty restrainer as a control. Immunhistochemical analysis following this exposure showed greater activation of OT neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON) of the hypothalamus in response to exposure to a familiar conspecific, which was not found to occur in response to exposure to a novel or unfamiliar conspecific. Furthermore, there is increased general neuronal activation in the medial posterior amygdala in response to a familiar, but not novel, conspecific, and increased general neuronal activation in the medial anterior amygdala to exposure to both familiar and novel conspecifics, but the magnitude of this activation is significantly greater in response to the familiar conspecific. To substantiate the claim of a relationship between familiarity and OT, we injected male mice with the OT receptor (OT-R) antagonist L-368,899 and placed them in a scenario where they could choose to spend time in a chamber with a trapped conspecific or a chamber with a palatable tastant. OT-R antagonism reduced time spent with a familiar, but not novel conspecific. We conclude that familiarity and social context result in differences in OT neuronal activity and OT signalling.

text: Exposure to familiar versus novel conspecifics is associated with differential activity of oxytocin circuits Oxytocin (OT) signalling has been shown to be significantly involved in the regulation of social behaviour, particularly in regards to pro-sociality. Familiarity with another conspecific is a major modifier of social behaviour. Here we investigated whether exposure to a familiar versus novel conspecific was associated with differential activity in OT neuronal circuits. We placed male mice in a chamber with a restrainer containing either a familiar or novel conspecific, with an empty restrainer as a control. Immunhistochemical analysis following this exposure showed greater activation of OT neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and supraoptic nucleus (SON) of the hypothalamus in response to exposure to a familiar conspecific, which was not found to occur in response to exposure to a novel or unfamiliar conspecific. Furthermore, there is increased general neuronal activation in the medial posterior amygdala in response to a familiar, but not novel, conspecific, and increased general neuronal activation in the medial anterior amygdala to exposure to both familiar and novel conspecifics, but the magnitude of this activation is significantly greater in response to the familiar conspecific. To substantiate the claim of a relationship between familiarity and OT, we injected male mice with the OT receptor (OT-R) antagonist L-368,899 and placed them in a scenario where they could choose to spend time in a chamber with a trapped conspecific or a chamber with a palatable tastant. OT-R antagonism reduced time spent with a familiar, but not novel conspecific. We conclude that familiarity and social context result in differences in OT neuronal activity and OT signalling.

year: 2015

title: Estimated catchment loads of nitrogen and phosphorus to the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes

authors: McBride, Chris G.

abstract: The Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes are central to the identity of their region, of immense historical and cultural importance, and provide ecosystem services that underpin biodiversity, conservation and socioeconomic aspirations of the community. The diversity of water quality in the lakes reflects their catchments, which are diverse in topography, hydrogeology and intensity of land use, ranging from the largely undeveloped land around lakes Tikitapu and Okataina, to highly developed forestry and pastoral land around lakes Rerewhakaaitu, Rotorua and Okaro. Lake water quality is strongly linked to nutrients received by each lake from surface flows and groundwater springs. It therefore follows that management of lake water quality requires a good understanding of nutrient loads derived from the landscape, as does the assessment or prediction of the in-lake effects of catchment-based management initiatives aimed at improving lake water quality.

text: Estimated catchment loads of nitrogen and phosphorus to the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes The Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes are central to the identity of their region, of immense historical and cultural importance, and provide ecosystem services that underpin biodiversity, conservation and socioeconomic aspirations of the community. The diversity of water quality in the lakes reflects their catchments, which are diverse in topography, hydrogeology and intensity of land use, ranging from the largely undeveloped land around lakes Tikitapu and Okataina, to highly developed forestry and pastoral land around lakes Rerewhakaaitu, Rotorua and Okaro. Lake water quality is strongly linked to nutrients received by each lake from surface flows and groundwater springs. It therefore follows that management of lake water quality requires a good understanding of nutrient loads derived from the landscape, as does the assessment or prediction of the in-lake effects of catchment-based management initiatives aimed at improving lake water quality.

year: 2021