Sexual Politics inthe ArabWrld

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

The aim of this course is to explore the ways in which the social and cultural construction of sexual difference shapes the politics of gender and sexuality in the Middle East and North Africa. Using interdisciplinary feminist theories, we will explore key issues and debates including the interaction of religion and sexuality, women’s movements and feminisms, gender-based violence, queerness, masculinity, the sex industry, and finally the crossroads of sexuality and technology. Looking at the ways in which the Arab Spring galvanized what some have called a “gender revolution,” we will examine women’s and gender’s place in the various movements across the Arab World as we explore the varied and shifting gender dynamics in the region. Particular attention will be paid to the historical contexts of various topics.