This course examines theoretical concepts and themes of gender through the lens of the Humanities; including, but not limited to: literature, philosophy, film, communication studies, and popular culture. The course synthesizes historical and social analyses into inquiry about the human experience and expression of gender. Specifically, we will examine issues such as: language, media's treatment of gender, gender and power, and other topics in gender theory relating each of these to the formation of our gendered and human identities.
By the end of this course, students will...
1. Gain a theoretical as well as experiential understanding of how the concepts of sex, gender, and sexuality affect human communication and, in turn, how communication affects our understanding of these concepts;
2. Come to a broad definition of ‘sex’, ‘gender’, and ‘sexuality’; as well as understand how these concepts connect with our sense of personal identity, verbal and nonverbal behavior;
3. Explore the effects of media images on the construction of identities, and how much of our sense of self is contrasted and compared to popular media images;
4. Demonstrate knowledge of basic terms and concepts as they relate to the issues of cultural invention and representation of masculinities and femininities; and
5. Critically examine contemporary sex and gender theories utilizing tools of philosophical argumentation and analysis.
