Course Description
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WMST 6601 Theoretical Approaches to Sexuality (3). An interdisciplinary exploration of the core theories and concepts in sexuality studies. Topics covered include politics of sexuality; queer theory, the history of sexuality, critiques of psychoanalytic representations of sexuality; and feminist engagement with biology. (Alternate years)
Course Objectives
- To demonstrate skill in critical thinking regarding the social construction of sexuality, including feminist approaches to language and feminist approaches to biology
- To know how sexuality has changed in diverse historical contexts
- To know the basic questions, terms, and problems in queer theory
- To become conversant in the basic theoretical frameworks current in sexuality studies (Foucault, Butler)
- To understand the basic issues and contentions in feminist critiques of psychoanalysis
- To write a well-written research paper investigating a particular dimension of sexuality studies in depth.
Required Texts
- Fahs, Breanne. Performing Sex: The Making and Unmaking of Women’s Erotic Lives. New York: SUNY UP, 2011. 978-1438437828
- Fausto-Sterling, Anne. Sexing the Body. NY: Basic Books, 2000. 0-465-07714-5
- Hall, Donald. Queer Theories. NY: Palgrave MacMillan, 2003. 0-333-77540-6 HQ75.15H35
- McWhorter, Ladelle. Bodies & Pleasures: Foucault and the Politics of Sexual Normalization. Bloomington, Indiana UP: 1999. 0-253-21325-8 HQ23.M369
- Rudacille, Deborah. The Riddle of Gender: Science, Activism, and Transgender Rights. NY: Anchor Books, 2006. 0-385-72197-8
Other assigned readings are found on Moodle. See end of this document for information and tutorials about this course management system.
*All students will read the (auto)biography of a transgendered person, a novel about transgenderism, or an anthology of autobiographical essays by transgendered persons. See the bibliography for examples, as well, at http://www.glbtq.com/literature/autobio_transsexual.html
Course Requirements
Immediately after the first class period, send the professor the following information using the email account you check most often*:
- Name (indicate first name you wish to be called by in class)
- telephone number
- e-mail address*
- classification, major, advisor
- if you have a job, number of hours you work per week
- previous Liberal Studies courses and professors
- number of papers written in graduate school
The class will be conducted in seminar format. You are expected to prepare the assigned readings, contribute consistently to discussions each class period, and, at designated times, take responsibility for special preparation. Assessment of class participation will be based primarily on whether it reflects careful reading of assigned materials rather than on whether your understanding of the material is absolutely correct. Nevertheless, quantity is not a substitute for quality in your contributions to class discussion. All written assignments for the course will be submitted electronically by email attachment, using MSWord. I will make comments on assignments using MSWord’s tracking-changes function. Please begin the filename of any document or email you send me with your last name.
You will keep a weekly reading and reflection journal, conduct a research project and present your results in a 20-page paper and in a presentation to the class. You will use the journal to synthesize the material in each week’s readings and to organize your thoughts on the material as preparation for articulate participation in class discussion. Each journal entry will indicate the basic thesis and main points of interest to you in each reading (a couple of sentences on each, including, if you like, your personal reaction to it, suffices). You will also include in your journal entry the web address and a brief description (a couple of sentences suffice) of a website or blog related to class. I suggest http://www.shakesville.com/ and http://feministing.com/ at first, then you can choose any that you think appropriate. This part of the journal is to keep us updated on the latest news relating to class or, if you choose archived pages, to record items you are just learning about. Each week a couple of students will share this part of the journal with the class. You will also keep a separate journal, not to be turned in but to be reported on in class, about your own understanding of sexuality, the story of your sexuality and sexual herstory or history, with reflections relating to the weekly readings. You may, of course, also submit any of these personal journal entries to me, should you so desire. Journal entries must be submitted electronically prior to class each week. Grading will be based not on length of the entry but on demonstration of serious engagement with the material and general understanding of the texts. The research paper may be a report of original research or a critical review of the literature on a specific topic of relevance to the seminar (see the course bibliography, the topics covered in the course texts, and, on [Moodle2], the Table of Contents of Seidman et al. New Sexuality Studies and “Suggestions for Further Reading” in Jeffrey Weeks, Sexuality). You will report on the findings of your research project to the class during the second half of the semester.
Grade Breakdown
The course grade is a composite evaluation of total class performance. Regular class attendance, participation, and homework completion makes up 50% of your grade. I suggest that you pay particular attention to these areas so that they work for you rather than against you. Grades observe the standard protocol for graduate work:
A: Solid, graduate-level work, slightly to considerably above peer group.
B: Graduate-level work.
C: Unacceptable graduate-level work (no graduate credit).
U: Extraordinary failure to perform at graduate level (enrollment cancelled)
| Seminar participation, presentations | 30% |
| Reading Journal | 20% |
| Research Project and Paper | 30% |
| Final Essay Exam (Wed., Dec. 11, 5:00-7:30) | 20% |
Absence Policy
Attendance is required. Students who miss classes usually do poorly on homework and the final exam. Please note as well that for a class that meets in a 3 hour bloc, a missed seminar meeting constitutes a significant percentage of seminar time. Absences will affect the evaluation of your performance in the course. Students may not have more than one unexcused absence in this class. If they do, they will have their grade dropped one letter for every subsequent unexcused absence. Failure to attend at least 75% of the classes—i.e., missing 4 or more classes, for whatever reason—will result in an automatic failing grade for the course. Role is taken at the beginning of each class. Late arrivals will be marked absent unless students remember to “check in” with the professor at the end of class and have the absence changed to a late. Absences will be excused only when you provide written confirmation of hospitalization, a doctor/ infirmary visit, an officially excused university activity, or a serious family crisis. If you are absent from class, you are responsible for contacting a classmate, finding out what we did in class and the homework assignment, and preparing this assignment. See also attendance policy in UNC Charlotte Catalog at http://catalog.uncc.edu/undergraduate-catalogs/current/degree-requirements-academic-regulations#classroom-policies-attendance.
In accordance with University Policy #409: Religious Accommodation for Students, you may have a minimum of one excused absence each academic year for religious observances as required by your faith. It is your obligation to provide me with reasonable notice of the dates of religious observances on which you will be absent by submitting a Request for Religious Accommodation Form to me prior to the census date for enrollment. The census date for each semester (typically the tenth day of instruction) can be found in UNC Charlotte’s academic calendar. This Fall it is Aug. 30.
Participation
All students are expected to participate in class discussion. Journal-writing should prepare you for participation that is substantive in content as well as in amount. Discussions will focus first on students’ demonstration of their understanding of the material and questions about content and then, when time allows, progress to exploration of various issues raised in the readings. Only students who participate in each class meeting and for the entire class should expect a positive evaluation.
Office Hours
If you wish to contact me outside of class, you must do so during my office hours as I will not return phone calls. You may also contact me by email, which I can usually respond to within 24 hours.
I urge all of you to make use of my office hours. Students who do so usually do better than those who do not. I can help you not only with difficulties with the course material, but also with advice on studying habits, test taking techniques, organizational skills, etc. Do not hesitate to ask me any questions. The only stupid question is the one never asked. I hope you have a fun and rewarding semester.
Policy on Academic Integrity
This course, as all others at UNC Charlotte, operates according to the definitions, rules, and procedures outlined in the UNC Charlotte Code of Student Academic Integrity. The Code is available from the Dean of Students Office or online at http://www.legal.uncc.edu/policies/ps-105.html. See also UNC Charlotte Catalog. It is your responsibility to know and observe the requirements of this code. Be certain you understand the concept of plagiarism, and that you are clear on the procedures to follow should you be accused of academic dishonesty. Academic evaluations in this course include a judgment that your work is free from academic dishonesty of any type. Penalty for violation of the code ranges from zero credit on the work involving dishonesty to expulsion from UNC Charlotte. You are expected to report cases of academic dishonesty.
Students with Learning Disabilities
Students with documented disabilities who require accommodations in this class should access services as soon as possible through the UNC Charlotte Office of Disability Services in Fretwell Building, Room 230 (http://ds.uncc.edu/).
Moodle2 (Course Management System)
Some information, study and homework materials are on Moodle2. You access our Moodle2 course from any computer on or off campus (campus computer labs are open 24/7) through a new link in the 49er Express My Courses channel called Access Moodle2. This link will take you to the Moodle2 homepage for UNC Charlotte. Or you may go directly to the Moodle2 homepage at https://moodle2.uncc.edu/ . LOGIN using your 49er Express user name and password. This will then open the Moodle2 My Courses homepage where all your Moodle2 courses will be listed on the left frame. If you’re accessing your campus student account for the first time, see the messages and links on the 49er Express homepage, accessed by clicking on the 49er Express link at the top right of the University homepage, or the Student Computing link at http://itservices.uncc.edu/student-services/. Also check out the Moodle2 for Students (https://teaching.uncc.edu/moodle2/students). If you have any problems with Moodle2 not working correctly, you must contact Moodle2 Student Support, NOT the professor, by contacting the Student Computing Help Center (see http://labs.uncc.edu/gethelp/help.html ), also HelpDesk Online at https://helpdesk.uncc.edu/helpdesk/prelogin.asp). Other helpful student computing links are Student Computing FAQs ( http://itservices.uncc.edu/student-services/faqs ), and Student Computing e-Learning Tools ( http://labs.uncc.edu/basics/elearning.html ).