GEND102 Bodies, Sexualities and Society

Overview

Experiences of bodies, sexuality and identity, and the connections between them, in contemporary and historical settings, using New Zealand and international examples.

This paper explores connections between gender, bodies, sexualities and identities. We ask how gender affects our experiences and how sexuality can be understood as a social phenomenon, rather than merely an individual one. We look at the past and present and speculate on the future. The paper looks at a range of viewpoints and case studies, examining such issues as the representation and regulation of bodies; reproductive bodies; socially ambiguous bodies; old and new forms of sexual identity and practice; and the impact of technology.

About this paper

Schedule C

Arts and Music

Eligibility

This first-year paper is open to all students at Otago.

Contact

sgsc@otago.ac.nz

More information link

View more information on the Sociology, Gender Studies, and Criminologys website.

Teaching staff

Lecturer: Professor Chris Brickell

Paper Structure

Key topics:

• Understanding bodies
• Bodies and social change
• Histories of sexuality
• Contemporary debates about sexuality

Teaching Arrangements

There are two lectures per week and a weekly tutorial.

Textbooks

Textbooks are not required for this paper.

Graduate Attributes Emphasised

Communication, Critical thinking.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the paper students should have a grasp of some of the complex interrelationships between bodies, sexualities and the construction of the self. Most importantly, students should have developed the ability to read critically and to articulate their ideas both verbally and in written form.

Timetable