135823 KO KO: Contemporary Feminist Theorizing (2018S)

This course surveys twentieth and twenty-first century contemporary feminist thought from a variety of disciplinary perspectives and theoretical orientations. We will focus on key issues in feminist theory such as the sex/gender debate, sexual desire and the body, the political economy of gender, and the construction of femininity among others. This course aims also to think through the ways in which these issues intersect with race, class, colonialism and the nation. We will discuss why we study "theory" and explore the relation between feminist theory and political practice.

Course Goals:
This course is designed to introduce students to the different kinds of feminist theories currently animating the field. Students will study several examples from different categories of feminist theory, paying attention to the issues that inspired these texts, the contexts that produced them and the uses for which they were put at the time they became notable texts. Students will become familiar with key debates in the field and to understand how ideologies of gender and sexuality (and its various intersections) have an impact on life choices. Students are also likely to encounter excerpts from literary texts or popular culture to help make sense of these texts. Finally, students will be encouraged toenvision and engage in strategies that lead to social justice and social change.

Teaching Methods:
Teaching will be based on a mix of formal lectures, guided class discussions based on specific topics, screenings and small group work/discussion.