Women, Gender, Sexuality 285 - Intro to Biology of Difference

The course centrally examines our understanding of the "body?". While humans have many similarities and differences, we are organized around certain axes of "difference" that have profound consequences - sex, gender, race, class, sexuality, religion, nationality etc. These differences can shape not only group affiliation and identity, but also claims about intellectual and behavioral capacities. This course will explore popular claims, critiques and understandings of "difference" as well as academic research, its claims, debates and critiques. This is an interdisciplinary course that will draw from the biological and social sciences and the humanities. We will explore principles of human biology - anatomy, physiology, sex/gender/sexuality, reproductive biology, genetics, as well as the scientific method(s) and experimental designs. The course will give students the tools to analyze scientific studies, to understand the relationship of nature and culture, science and society, biology and politics. Gen Ed (U, SI)