Examines several contemporary debates in the study of gender and sexuality. In relation to each debate, we ask what it means to explore the links between larger intellectual or political ideas and more intimate, personal domains.
Each year in this paper we examine two or three debates in the study of gender and sexuality. Our approach is interdisciplinary, drawing from gender studies, sociology, political theory, history, textual analysis, anthropology, philosophy and beyond.
Section One explores key debates in gender and sexuality with a focus on language. We will explore how legal narratives both reflect and construct normative gender roles. We will also explore how narrative and metaphor can be used to challenge and trouble normative boundaries, and how digital media offers new mechanisms for both the policing of and resistance to traditional gender representations.
Section Two explores the intersections between historical and sociological literature on sexuality, with a focus on social constructionism and lived experience. We explore the sexual archive, and its affective aspects: what does it mean to explore the complexities of sexuality, and how does it relate to feeling and emotion?
| Paper title | Debates in Gender and Sexuality |
|---|---|
| Paper code | GEND401 |
| Subject | Gender Studies |
| EFTS | 0.1667 |
| Points | 20 points |
| Teaching period | Semester 1 (On campus) |
| Domestic Tuition Fees (NZD) | $1,206.91 |
| International Tuition Fees | Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website. |
- Prerequisite
- 72 300-level GEND points
- Notes
- (i) Students who have not passed the normal prerequisite may be admitted with approval from the Programme Co-ordinator. (ii) May not be credited together with ANTH411 passed in 2005 or 2006.
- Eligibility
- Open to students who have gained entry to GEND Honours or students from Honours in related fields who wish to substitute the paper for one in their major. The paper often includes an interdisciplinary group, which creates very lively discussion.
- Contact
- More information link
View more information on the School of Sociology, Gender Studies, and Criminology's website.
- Teaching staff
Coordinator: Professor Chris Brickell
Lecturers: Professor Chris Brickell and Dr Fairleigh Gilmour
- Teaching Arrangements
- There is a 3-hour seminar each week.
- Textbooks
There is no textbook. Students are expected to read the set readings and range beyond them in their wider reading.
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Scholarship, Critical thinking, Research, Self-motivation.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete this paper will:
- Gain critical understanding of the debates in contemporary theorising around gender, sexuality and nation
- Develop confidence and experience in carrying out independent research in oral and written forms
- Be prepared for further study and research in gender and sexuality
