Cultural Studies with a Gender Perspective
Code: 105815 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2503878 Sociocultural Gender Studies | OB | 2 | 2 |
Contact
- Name:
- Sara Torres Rodriguez de Castro
- Email:
- Sara.Torres@uab.cat
Use of Languages
- Principal working language:
- spanish (spa)
- Some groups entirely in English:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Catalan:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Spanish:
- Yes
Prerequisites
Students must be able to express themselves correctly orally and in writing. For this reason, mistakes in spelling and expression will negatively impact the final assessment. The activities, practices and essays presented in this module must be original. Full or partial plagiarism of contents, words and ideas will not be tolerated under any form. The eventual submission of non-original material that has not been properly referenced will automatically lead to failure (0). Likewise, it is expected that students be familiarised with the general rules of presentation of academic work. However, specific rules may be applied by the teacher of this module, if deemed appropriate.
Objectives and Contextualisation
The purpose of this course is to trace areas of thought arising from the dialogue between principles and methods proper to cultural studies and the specificity of feminist analysis.
The student:
- Will learn how cultural studies have contributed to a revolution in the way in which culture is understood and analysed;
- Will be familiar with the main methodological approaches that have been applied to feminist analysis of culture and mass media;
- Will be able to trace the dialogues between feminist approaches to criticism and theory, and society;
- Will be able to apply the specific methods of cultural studies to the analysis of various texts;
- Will be able to identify the latest tendencies in cultural studies in the context of contemporary feminist theory.
Competences
- Demonstrate ability to work autonomously, self-analysis and self-criticism.
- Express correctly and in a non-sexist or homophobic manner both orally and in writing.
- Identify and question gender representations in the history of ideas, arts and culture, as well as in the construction of scientific knowledge.
- Interpreting and interrelating the conceptual bases of feminist theories.
- Students can apply the knowledge to their own work or vocation in a professional manner and have the powers generally demonstrated by preparing and defending arguments and solving problems within their area of study.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
Learning Outcomes
- Analyze the representations of sexualities in cultural productions.
- Apply the concepts of gender theory to the analysis of cultural texts.
- Distinguish the transformations of gender relations in the history of culture.
- Make an inclusive use of language.
- Make valuations and corrections of your own work.
- Recognize the representation of masculinity in the history of the arts.
- Search, select and manage information autonomously, both in structured sources (databases, bibliographies, specialized journals) and in information distributed on the network.
- Students can apply the knowledge to their own work or vocation in a professional manner and have the powers generally demonstrated by preparing and defending arguments and solving problems within their area of study.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
Content
1. Cultural theory and cultural studies
2. The concept of culture: an interdisciplinary approach to the cultural framework
3. Popular culture and mass media as a space in which to perform identity:
a) The concept of interpellation and the construction of the subject: Theories on desire
b) Post colonial criticism, Latin and Chicana/o studies
c) Compulsory heterosexuality, subcultures, and lesbian and gay studies. Queer studies
d) Vulnerability. Crip and disable studies
4. Case studies: critical analysis of different cultural objects
Methodology
The course will be imparted to the students as follows:
• Teacher-directed activities (30%). Master classes with ICT support and debate in a large group.
• Supervised activities (30%). Individual presentations: Coursework based on a guide for its realisation. Oral presentations (in groups).
• Independent activities (40%). Comprehensive and critical reading of artistic and theoretical texts. Production of diagrams/outlines, conceptual maps and summaries.
Mandatory tutorials + optional tutorials
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Master classes with ICT support and debate in a large group | 35 | 1.4 | 1, 2, 7, 3, 4, 5, 9, 8, 6 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Individual presentations: Coursework based on a guide for its realisation. Oral presentations (in groups). Mandatory tutorials + optional tutorials | 35 | 1.4 | 1, 2, 7, 3, 4, 5, 9, 8, 6 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Comprehensive and critical reading of artistic and theoretical texts. Production of diagrams/outlines, conceptual maps and summaries. | 60 | 2.4 | 1, 2, 7, 3, 4, 5, 9, 8, 6 |
Assessment
The students:
a) Will be responsible throughout the course, in groups, for a set of readings that will they will accompany with the analysis of a cultural text of their choice: they will prepare an outline, as well as deliver an oral presentation and guide the subsequent debate (20%)
b) Will each submit a written piece referring to, completing, developing or focusing on one or more elements arising from readings and discussions raised in the classroom halfway throughout the course, following the schedule set by the teacher (25%)
c) Will each submit a written piece referring to, completing, developing or focusing on one or more elements arising from readings and discussions raised in the classroom at the end of the course, following the schedule set by the teacher (40%)
d) Will be awarded 15% based on attendance and participation in the classroom. Involvement with the content of the course will also be taken into account.
Failure to complete or submit any of the prescribed tasks will be considered unassessable.
Qualification review process
At the time of completion of each assessable activity, the teacher will inform the students (via Moodle) of the procedure and date of review of their grades.
Non-retrievable activities
The following activities cannot be made up for via further assessment: oral presentations (a) and attendance and participation in the classroom (d).
In the event that tests or exams cannot be taken onsite, they will be adapted to an online format made available through the UAB’s virtual tools (original weighting will be maintained).
Homework, activities and class participation will be carried out through forums, wikis and/or discussion on Teams, etc.
Lecturers will ensure that students are able to access these virtual tools, or will offer them feasible alternatives.
In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity,
regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place.
In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject, the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classroom participation and involvement | 15% | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 7, 3, 4, 5, 9, 8, 6 |
| Individual essay | 25% | 6 | 0.24 | 1, 2, 7, 3, 4, 9, 8, 6 |
| Individual essay 2 | 40% | 6 | 0.24 | 1, 2, 7, 3, 4, 5, 9, 8, 6 |
| Oral presentation | 20% | 8 | 0.32 | 1, 2, 7, 3, 4, 5, 9, 8, 6 |
Bibliography
Barthes, Roland, and Héctor Schmucler. 2012. Mitologías. Madrid: Biblioteca Nueva.
Bobo, Jacqueline. 2001. Black feminist cultural criticism. Malden, Mass: Blackwell.
Butler, Judith. 2010. "Excitable speech": a politics of the performative. New York: Routledge.
Chabram-Dernersesian, Angie. 2006. The Chicana/o cultural studies reader. New York: Routledge.
Guattari, Félix. 1996. Las tres ecologías. Valencia: Pre-Textos.
Jameson, Fredric. 2016. Los estudios culturales. Buenos Aires: Godot.
Jameson, Fredric, Slavoj Žižek, Maoira Irigoyen, and Eduardo Grüner. 2008. Estudios culturales: reflexiones sobre el multiculturalismo. Buenos Aires: Paidós.
McRuer, Robert. 2018. Crip times: disability, globalization, and resistance. New York: New York University Press.
Moraga, Cherríe, and Gloria Anzalduá. 2015. This bridge called my back writings by radical women of color. Albany: SUNY Press.
Payne, Michael. 2008. Diccionario de teoría crítica y estudios culturales. Buenos Aires: Paidós.
Rudolph, J. 2016. Embodying latino masculinities: producing masculatinidad. London: Palgrave Macmillan.
Shildrick, Margrit, and Roxanne Mykitiuk. 2005. Ethics of the body: postconventional challenges. Cambridge, Mass: MIT.
Wittig, Monique. 2016. El pensamiento heterosexual y otros ensayos. Barcelona: Egales.