Introduction to Gender Studies

9 units · Undergraduate

Fall and Spring: 9 units This course looks out from the classroom to the wider world to explore how people and societies construct, understand and experience gender and sexuality. Guided by the writings of thinkers such as Roxanne Gay, Sara Ahmed, Kimberl and #233; Crenshaw, bell hooks, Wesley Morris, Judith Butler, Kathy Park Hong and others, we will build a theoretical toolbox and apply it to facets of our everyday life through readings, writing and discussion. The course features an intersectional approach to consider how diverse identities and experiences have shaped discussions of feminism, masculinity, gender construction, sexualities, and body politics. While focused primarily on a various American context, the course extends to the global. We will examine the present and future of a world shaped by gender norms, representations and identities and consider some of the most urgent questions of our own moment. Interdisciplinary readings pair scholarly essays with a variety of texts, including memoir, fiction, film, and other visual culture. Prerequisites: 76-101 or 76-102 or ( 76-107 and 76-106 ) or ( 76-106 and 76-108 ) or ( 76-107 and 76-108 )