Gndr, Sexuality, & Wms Stdies: Intro to GSWS

Introduction to the field of gender, sexuality, and women's studies. Topics include key theoretical approaches to conceptualizing gender, sexuality, and power; how gender and sexuality are policed; and the relationship between gender, sexuality, and other social categories. Credit not awarded for both GSWS 1500 and GSWS 1010.

Open to degree and PACE students

Abortion and reproductive rights. Gender affirming care. Police brutality. Sexual assault on campus. Gay marriage. Trans peoples’ participation in sports. The glass ceiling. Some of the most contentious issues of our current moment center on issues related to gender, sexuality, and identity. These are not only issues of law and policy-making, but they are also central to ourselves, our bodies, and our everyday lives. These are also issues that have long been central concerns of the interdisciplinary field of Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies (GSWS). GSWS encompasses a diverse and expansive field of studies, including women’s studies, feminist studies, gender studies, masculinity studies, sexuality studies, LGBTQ+ studies, queer studies, and transgender studies. And it’s interdisciplinary, meaning that folks look at all these things from a number of disciplinary perspectives, including everything from English to sociology to biology. The goal of this course is to introduce you to this important and fascinating field and, through which, to provide you with the tools to talk and think critically about gender, sexuality, and identity in your everyday life. Through assigned readings on key texts in the field in foundational and contemporary debates, in-class seminar discussions, class activities, journaling, and writing for different audiences and contexts, you will learn central concepts in the field, how to apply them through feminist approaches and methodologies, and how to think and communicate about issues related to gender, sexuality, and identity you are passionate about. Ultimately, this course provides you with some important tools to take stock of salient struggles around gender, sexuality, and identity historically and in the contemporary moment and to intervene into those struggles and the world around you in a meaningful and informed way. Because of the introductory nature of this course and the interdisciplinarity of GSWS, this class is in no way exhaustive. So, please take this as a starting point in your GSWS education and continue to take courses and explore the field on your own. This course satisfies the University’s Diversity of Human Experience (D2) Requirements.