Course code:

HS2072

Level:

IM - Introductory/Intermediate

Class size limit:

15

Lab fee:

25

Typically offered:

Every other year

This course offers an overview of feminist and queer thinking. The purpose of this course is two-fold. First, it will provide a snapshot of the ideas, traditions, and debates that shape feminist and queer philosophy. Second, this course will teach students to critically interrogate the meaning of sex, gender, sexuality, power, and oppression. Along the way, we will consider a host of arguments regarding the sources of sexism, racism, and heteronormativity, the grounds of sexual dimorphism, and the relationship between subjectivity and oppression. Although this course will stress the many ways feminist theory and queer theory overlap, we will also consider the emergence and development of queer philosophy as a distinct and unique discipline. Some of the principal questions for this course include: Which categories are used to study the human being and when are these categories potentially oppressive or violent? When is language a mechanism for social and political oppression and when does language facilitate liberation? How do multicultural, intersectional, transgender, and queer approaches inform feminist politics? How do queer philosophers challenge the theoretical orthodoxies of identity, gender, and sexuality? Students will be evaluated on weekly writing assignments, a presentation, a midterm exam, and a final paper. This will be a discussion-driven course and students should be prepared to engage and discuss philosophical literature.

Prerequisites:

None

Always visit the Registrar's Office for the official course catalog and schedules.