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Academic Methodologies

Prof. Dr. Lena Gieseke | l.gieseke@filmuniversitaet.de | Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF

Session 01 - Introduction

This exercise should take < 2h. If you need significantly longer, please let me know next class.

Topics and Syllabus

Recap the Syllabus of this class.

ACS FUB 2026

Recap Chapter 01 - ACS FUB 2026 about the final project for this class, which is a conference simulation. If you have further questions, let me know next time in class.

Literature

Task 01.01 - Reading Papers

Submission: -

Your Paper

Task 01.02 - Topic Brainstorming

Collect a wide range of potential topics and keywords for your paper.

I recommend brainstorming for 15 minutes and writing down whatever comes to your mind.

  • Manosphere
  • Self-Optimization
  • Memory driven and trendbased behaviour in pop culture
  • Generative image trends

Submission: Bullet points of all your topic ideas.

Task 01.03 - Topic Selection

From your brainstorming output, select three topics that you want to consider for your paper. Dive a bit deeper into each topic, e.g.

1 Manosphere

  • What specifically interests you within that topic? I’m particularly interested in how online communities within the manosphere construct and reinforce ideas of masculinity, especially through shared narratives of victimhood, success, and control.
  • What further characteristics does the topic have? The manosphere is shaped by online platforms and algorithms, and often overlaps with self-help culture, dating advice, and political ideology. It tends to rely on simplified gender binaries, anecdotal “evidence,” and emotionally charged storytelling. It also has strong community dynamics, where belonging and identity play a central role.
  • What questions could you ask about that topic? How do manosphere communities shape young men’s understanding of gender and relationships? What role do social media algorithms play in amplifying these ideologies? Where is the line between self-help and radicalization within these spaces?

2 Self-Optimization through Trends on social media

  • What specifically interests you within that topic? I’m interested in how self-optimization shifts from a personal improvement practice into a form of social pressure, where productivity and efficiency become measures of self-worth.
  • What further characteristics does the topic have? State-of-the-Art and Future Trends in Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Future Trends and Emerging Technologies in AI Optimization
  • What questions could you ask about that topic? When does self-optimization become self-exploitation? How do digital tools influence how we measure our own value? Is the idea of a “better self” culturally constructed, and if so, by whom?

3 Memory-driven & Trend-based Behaviour in Pop Culture

  • What specifically interests you within that topic? I’m interested in how nostalgia and collective memory are used to drive trends, and how past cultural elements are constantly recycled and reinterpreted in digital spaces.
  • What further characteristics does the topic have? This topic involves cycles of trends, remix culture, and platform-driven visibility (e.g. short-form video). It is influenced by generational identity, media archives, and algorithmic resurfacing of past content. It often blurs the line between original creation and repetition.
  • What questions could you ask about that topic? Why do certain nostalgic trends resurface at specific times? How do platforms influence what we remember collectively? Does constant recycling limit innovation in pop culture, or enable new forms of creativity?

For this task, you must submit three topics (even if you have already chosen a topic for your paper). Briefly explain your choices.

Submission: Your selection of three topics and a brief motivation for each selection.

Answer all questions directly in a copy of this file. Submit your copy as am_XX_lastname.md in your submissions folder (replace the XX with the number of the session).

Happy Starting!