Course Details in 2025/26 Session

Module Title	LH “Women” and Wellbeing: Soulful Dimensions
School	Phil, Theology and Religion
Department	Theology and Religion
Module Code	09 30838
Module Lead	Deryn Guest
Level	Honours Level
Credits	20
Semester	Semester 1
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Contact Hours	Seminar-26 hours Project supervision-4 hours Guided independent study-170 hours Total: 200 hours
Exclusions
Description	This module explores how women’s wellbeing is compromised by the way ‘woman’ and ‘women’s bodies’ have been defined, constructed and regulated. Students will engage and gender theorists in order to analyse how the positioning of ‘woman’ and the construction of associated gendered norms creates docile, subservient bodies and internalized scripts that are contrary to wellbeing. The module pays specific attention to the spiritual and mental health dimensions of wellbeing and draws on the work of Jungians such as Clarissa Pinkola Estes and Murray Stein, thealogians such as Carol Christ and Melissa Raphael, witches and druids such as Starhawk and Emma Restall Orr, to examine how these voices offer alternative and potentially transformative ways of doing ‘women’. It should be noted that while ‘women’ are the main focus of the module, the scare quotes indicate that this term is problematized and destabilised. There is no assumption that biological sex determines who counts as ‘woman’.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: Write knowledgably and critically about the work of key gender theorists Assess critically how ‘woman’ has been constructed in ways that are damaging to wellbeing Demonstrate understanding of and use critically such terms as Individuation/Becoming, the Self, Symbolic Order, Phallogocentrism, Subjectivity, Archetype, the Shadow Self Theorise the personal in terms of developing beliefs, values and practices adopted for one's own life
Assessment	30838-01 : Essay 1 : Coursework (100%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessment: Students can select ONE of the following assessment options. Each option is weighted 100%: 1x 4000 word essay Creative product (e.g. painting, sculpture, poem, short story, photography, drawing) representing either a thealogically- or a psychologically-informed critical response to the construction of ‘woman’. The product should be accompanied by a 1500 word critical commentary. 30 minute presentation, , with submission of 1500 word portfolio (to include presentation notes and copies of slides). Choice of assessment to be made by end of reading week Reassessment: Students can choose from the same three options cited above. They may choose the same, or a different mode of assessment, given that reassessment is only permissible if extenuating circumstances apply.
Other
Reading List