Gender, Sexuality, and Society in Ireland, 1780-1922

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This module will explore Irish society through the lens of gender and sexuality. By exploring gender roles across all classes in Irish society, it will question what it meant to be masculine and feminine in the long nineteenth century. This module will trace changing attitudes to sexuality and the influence of religious and moral teaching on the regulation of sexuality. It will cover themes such as illegitimacy and birth control, institutionalisation, sex outside marriage, breach of promise, the criminalisation of same-sex relationships and so-called `deviant¿ sexuality. By the end of this module, you will have an understanding of the gendered experiences and expectations placed on men and women throughout Irish history and how this impacted Irish society in the past.