Course Details in 2024/25 Session

Module Title	LI Gender and Sexuality Studies
School	Eng, Drama, & Creative Studies
Department	English Literature
Module Code	09 39763
Module Lead	Rachel Sykes
Level	Intermediate Level
Credits	20
Semester	Semester 2
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Contact Hours	Lecture-10 hours Seminar-20 hours Guided independent study-170 hours Total: 200 hours
Exclusions
Description	Gender and Sexuality Studies offers an overview of contemporary gender and sexual theory and their relationship to literature. It is not a module about feminism, per se, nor does it provide a history of the women's rights movement or women's writing. Instead, it uses a mix of feminist, queer, and postcolonial theory and philosophy – written primarily in Britain and North America – to read a variety of modern and contemporary literary and visual texts, written from a range of gendered identities. Topics should include: contemporary and mainstream feminisms; social concepts of gender, sex, and sexuality; histories of Black feminism in the United States; gender and sexuality as constructs and tools of colonialism; LGBTQ+ identities and queer theory; compulsory heterosexuality and heteronormativity; camp, 'bad' taste, and kitsch aesthetics; disability studies and queer approaches to body politics; surveillance and hypervisibility of gender non-conformity.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the Module, students should be able to: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the core concepts and key debates in gender and sexuality studies; Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of appropriate critical and theoretical approaches to the study of gender/sexuality in their application to literature and culture; Critically examine a range of cultural texts – including poetry, short stories, novels, film, and music videos - and frame arguments about them through application of critical and theoretical terms, debates, and approaches in contemporary feminist and queer theory; Demonstrate expertise in one of the module’s key theories – contemporary feminism, ideas of gender and sex in contemporary theory, abolitionism and the early women’s movement, Black feminism, and postcolonial critiques of the gender binary – demonstrating the ability to apply this theory to one literary or cultural text.
Assessment
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessment: Each student must complete two of the following assessment options. Each option amounts to 50% of the final grade. All options have the same submission date. 1. Group presentation, 5 minutes per student (50%) - Demonstrating the application of one theoretical concept studied on the module to one cultural object. - Students who choose this option must tell their tutor by Week 7 and schedule a presentation slot before the module submission date. 2. A3 zine or poster submission (50%) - Demonstrating the application of one theoretical concept studied on the module to one cultural object through words and visuals. - One digital 'A3' page for a poster or maximum 6 x A5 pages for a digital zine. 3. 1,750-word essay (50%) - Demonstrating the application of one theoretical concept studied on the module to one cultural object. - A list of questions will be provided, but students may also write their own question. 4. Radio or podcast segment, 5 minutes per student (50%) - Demonstrating the application of one theoretical concept studied on the module to one cultural object in an audio recording. - Students can choose to work individually or in groups, producing around 5 minutes of content per student. Reassessment: Failed component only Each student should complete two of the following assessment options. Each option amounts to 50% of the final grade. 1. 5-minute individual presentation, which may be recorded (50%) - Demonstrating the application of one theoretical concept studied on the module to one cultural object. 2. A3 zine or poster submission (50%) - Demonstrating the application of one theoretical concept studied on the module to one cultural object through words and visuals. - One digital 'A3' page for a poster or maximum 6 x A5 pages for a digital zine. 3. 1,750-word essay (50%) - Demonstrating the application of one theoretical concept studied on the module to one cultural object. - A list of questions will be provided, but students may also write their own question. 4. 5-minute radio or podcast segment (50%) - Demonstrating the application of one theoretical concept studied on the module to one cultural object in an audio recording.
Other
Reading List