Module SOC2034 for 2022/3
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
SOC2034: Gender and Society 1
This module descriptor refers to the 2022/3 academic year.
Module Aims
The module aims to develop a multi-faceted, in-depth approach to the study of gender and sexuality in the Western world through an exploration of perspectives on masculinities, femininities, bodies and sexualities and their historical, cultural and social and political dimensions. As such, the module aims to
(a) introduce you to the ways in which these concepts have been articulated and debated, and
(b) help you develop a critical understanding of topical issues, together with
(c) the ability to apply such an understanding both to fine-tune your analyses of gender relations and dynamics, sexual representations and love and intimacy (to name a few) and your observation and interpretation of everyday life.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. Differentiate between various perspectives on gender, sexuality and the body; 2. Appraise their conceptual and social relevance through informed examples; 3. Evaluate various perspectives on selected topics (such as feminism, hetero-normativity, love and intimacy) |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 4. Demonstrate the capacity to select topical material and structure it in order to present coherent arguments in relation to masculinities and femininities, bodies and sexualities 5. Acquire systematic and comprehensive knowledge of gender debates |
| Personal and Key Skills | 6. Plan and work independently and in groups; 7. Make good use of feedback; and 8. Act autonomously within agreed guidelines and manage time effectively to meet deadlines |
Module Content
Syllabus Plan
Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following themes over one or more week:
- Sex/gender debates and the critique of biological determinism
- Masculinities
- Bodies
- Femininities
- Sexuality
- Feminism
- Love and Intimacy
Learning and Teaching
This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 128 | 0 |
...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity | 22 | 11 x 2 hours per week comprising of lectures and seminars |
| Guided Independent study | 77 | Module research, reading (4 hours per week) and preparation for class (3 hour per week) |
| Guided Independent study | 51 | Research and writing for summative assessments |
Online Resources
This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).
Web based and electronic resources:
Course materials (including lecture slides and tutorial topics/questions) will be provided on ELE prior to each lecture/tutorial.
ELE – http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=3120
Indicative Reading List
This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.
Basic reading:
Attwood, Feona 2009 Mainstreaming Sex. The sexualisation of Western culture. London: I.B. Tauris.
Susan Bordo, Susan 2003 Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture and the Body. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Connell, Raewyn. 2005 Masculinities. London: Polity.
Fausto-Sterling, Anne 2012 Sex/gender: biology in a social world. London: Routledge.
Foucault, Michel 1990 The History of Sexuality. London: Penguin.
Halberstram, Judith 2013 Gaga feminism: sex, gender, and the end of normal. Boston Mass: Beacon.
Rahman, Morin and Jackson, Stevi 2010. Gender and sexuality. London: Polity.
