Women,Gender,Sexuality Studies 693V - S-HumanRights/Women/BrazilUS

This course aims to explore the renewed centrality of gender and the language of "rights" in both Brazil and the U.S. In recent times, we have seen the mainstreaming of "gender", as gender and women's demands for inclusion on human rights has emerged as important political categories across local and national boundaries, by right-wing organizations and movements, as well in feminist responses in both contexts. The course will highlight transformations of gender and feminist politics and policies in Brazil and Latin America, as well as the United States in the last decades. How is political violation on women's human rights being mobilized in these sites? What are the ideological commitments being promoted? How is gender and feminism connected to other political movements and struggles in both countries? With the rise of the "New Right" in both national contexts, we will discuss convergences and distinctions in Latin American and US feminist responses, and the resulting possibilities of renewed forms of feminist solidarities and alliances. The course also aims to promote debate about how (in both regions) people, feminist movements and states are facing anti-feminist policies and the growth of the political violence against women in politics (VAWP). We will also address the dissemination of sexist political violence as an attempt to regain control and to promote state discipline over the women's bodies, especially those with a political career, both in the executive and in the legislative branch of the state.