Description

Emerging from a 6 month experimental research project, this interdisciplinary MA module offers students from any discipline an opportunity to engage with feminist theory and practice and learn through a range of experiential methods. The module is underpinned by feminist critical pedagogy which emphasises students' own (personal and academic) locations as epistemic agents and encourages them to be research-active (producers of knowledge) through connecting research and practice and reflecting critically on the relationship between them. Each week, students will explore how a particular approach to knowledge production conceptualises, and sheds light on, relations of gender. Approaching the same object from several distinct perspectives will enable students not only to develop a richer understanding of gender, but also to gain valuable insight into the process of knowledge production itself and the relation between different disciplines and kinds of data.

By the end of the module students will demonstrate a sound grasp of different ways of knowing about gender and sexuality. They will be able to use appropriate theoretical ideas in order to understand more about one or more empirical areas of study.

Structure

The delivery of the module will be tied in closely with research activies organised by the Centre for the Study of Women and Gender (CSWG) and the Centre for Interdisciplinary Methodologies (CIM). Some of these activities will be integral to the module (as indicated in the course outline) and others offer students enhanced opportunities for engagement on an optional basis.

Module structure:

week 1 - Feminist Epistemologies: Introductions to the concepts of 'situated', 'queer' and 'intersectional' knowledges, which will underpin the module

week 2 - Embodied and Affective ways of knowing: developing theories of embodiment, affect and sensory knowledge production

week 3 - Activism as a mode of knowledge production: the relationship between 'intellectual' and 'activist' interventions

week 4 - Knowing numbers: how a critical understanding of 'big data' contributes to contemporary gender questions

week 5 - Scientific Knowing: a critical investigation of scientific approaches to gender and sexuality

week 6 - Queer Knowing: what are queer knowledges/ ways of knowing and what it means for gendered lives

week 7 - Performing knowledge: exploring (gendered) performance and practice based ways of knowing

week 8 - The art of knowing

week 9 - Everyday knowledge

week 10 - Summary of module

Module convenors

Dr Cath Lambert ( )
 

When

Term 2 (Spring) 2018-2019
Thursdays 14.00-16.00

Where

Humanities Studio
and/or

Various:
Week 1 & 9 - Teaching Grid, Library
Week 2, 3, 7 & 8 - Room S2.77
Week 4 - Modern Records Centre
Week 5 - Herbert Art Gallery
Week 6 - Reading week

Assessment

For 15 CATS:
3000 word research project report or essay and
1500-2000 word Reflexive blog/diary

For 20 CATS:
4000 word research project report or essay and
2000-3000 word Reflexive blog/diary

For 30 CATS:
5000 word research project report or essay and
2000-3000 word Reflexive blog/diary and a published piece or performance (format to be negotiated with convenor)