Sexuality Wmn's & Gndr Studies 105 - Women, Gender, Pop Cul

(Offered as SWAG 105 and FAMS 377.) In this course, students will interrogate the precarious relationship between political and popular culture. As we study how politics has successfully deployed popular culture as an ideological tool, we will also consider how politics has overburdened popular culture as a vehicle of change. These broad issues will serve as our framework for analyzing black femininity, womanhood, and the efficacy of the word “feminism” in the post-Civil Rights era. We will think critically about the construction of gender, race, sexuality, and class identity as well as the historical and sociopolitical context for cultural icons and phenomena. Students will read cultural theory, essays, fiction as well as listen to, and watch various forms of media. Expectations include weekly critical response papers, writing and visual projects, and a group presentation.

Limited to 15 students. Spring semester.  Professor Henderson.