Gender and Sexuality in the Twentieth and the Twenty-First Century 4219-SH140-OG

The course focuses on the transformations of the concepts gender and sexuality in the course of the past century. Emphasis is placed on the various frameworks for discussion of these categories, especially psychoanalysis, the debate around social constructionism, and the idea that gender is performed. Many of the readings relate to non-normative genders and sexualities, as these have become focal points from which naturalizing views of gender and sexuality are being questioned.

Type of course

general courses

Mode

Classroom

Learning outcomes

Students are familiar with the crucial concepts in gender and sexuality derived from psychoanalysis and social constructionist theories. Students are sensitive to cultural and political questions connected to gender equality and sexual rights. Students can read academic essays on the topic of gender and sexuality.

Assessment criteria

Students will be asked for short response papers and given quizes. There is also a final test with a short essay question.
Term paper is otional but it is required for the highest mark.

Bibliography

Samuel R. Delany, “Coming / Out.” Boys Like Us. Gay Writers Tell Their Coming Out Stories. Patrick Merla, ed. New York Avon Books, 1996, 1-26.

Suzanna Danuta Walters, “Mom, I’ve got something to tell you: The coming out story in the age of visibility.” All the Rage. The Story of Gay Visibility in America. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press, 2001, 197-209, 309.

Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, “Axiomatic” from Epistemology of the Closet. Berkeley, Los Angeles: University of California Press: 1990. 1-63.

Sigmund Freud, “Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality.” The Freud Reader. Peter Gay, ed. New York and London: W.W. Norton,1989, 239-293.

Freud, “Mourning and Melancholia.” The Freud Reader, 584-589.

Judith Butler, “Imitation and Gender Insubordination.” The Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader. Henry Abelove et al., eds. New York and London: Routledge, 1993, 307-320.

Butler, Judith. “Critically Queer.” Bodies That Matter. On the Discursive Limits of “Sex.” New York/London, 1993, 223-242, 281-284.

Paisley Currah, “Gender Pluralisms under the Transgender Umbrella.” Transgender Rights. Paisley Currah, Richard M. Juang and Shannon Price Minter, eds. Minneapolis: The University of Minnesota Press, 2006, 3-31.

Sullivan, “The Conservatives” and “The Liberals.” Virtually Normal. An Argument about Homosexuality. London: Picador, 1995, 94-168.

Gayle Rubin, “Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality.” The Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader, ed. by Henry Abelove et al. New York, London: Routledge, 1993, 3-44.

Michael Warner, The Trouble with Normal. Sex, Politics, and the Ethics of Queer Life. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1999, 81-147, 222-227.

Andrea Dworkin, “Repulsion” and “Skinless.” Intercourse. New York: The Free Press, 1987, 3-34.

Leo Bersani, “Is the Rectum a Grave?” AIDS. Cultural Analysis, Cultural Activism. Douglas Crimp, ed. Camrgidge, MA and London: The MIT Press, 1987, 197-222.

Isabelle Stengers (with Didier Gille), “Body Fluids.” Power and Invention. Situating Science. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1997. 233-238, 243.

William Haver, “Really Bad Infinities. Queer’s Honor and the Pornographic Life. Parallax. 5. 4 (1999): 9-21.

John D’Emilio, “Capitalism and Gay Identity.” The Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader, 467-476.

Volker Woltersdorf, “Queer Subject Economies. Managing Diversity and Precariousness in Neoliberalism” (InterAlia 3, 2008-2009, www.interalia.org.pl)

Lisa Duggan, “The New Homonormativity. : The Sexual Politics of Neoliberalism.” Materializing Democracy: Toward a Revitalized Cultural Politics, Russ Castronovo and Dana D. Nelson, eds. (Durham: Duke University Press, 2002), 175-192.

Roderick A. Ferguson, Race-Ing Homonormativity: Citizenship, Sociology, and Gay Identity.” Black Queer Studies. A Critical Anthology, 52-67.

Samuel R. Delany, “…Three, Two, One, Contact: Times Square Red.” Times Square Red, Times Square Blue. New York and London: New York University Press, 1999. 111-199.

Additional information

Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 4219-SH140-OG in USOSweb