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Academic Year 2003/2004

Rethinking Gender and Sexuality: Examples from African Ethnography
ANTH 307 FA
Crosslistings:
WMST 307

In social science studies of gender and sexuality, the central theoretical and methodological questions have most often been asked in relation to populations outside Africa. This course rethinks some of those central questions by examining ethnographic analyses of gender and sexuality in Africa. Possible questions may include: What is the relation between the body and gender? Do men and women speak differently? How does the politics of sexuality emerge in relation to colonization, independence movements, and globalization? Does the global economy disdavantage men relative to women? What is the relation between production and reproduction in theories of society? How have sexual practices changed in the age of AIDS?

MAJOR READINGS

Weiss, Brad. THE MAKING AND UNMAKING OF THE HAYA LIVED WORLD: CONSUMPTION, COMMODITIZATION, AND EVERYDAY PRACTICE
Davison, Jean. VOICES FROM MUTIRA: LIVES OF RURAL GIKUYU WOMEN
Oyewumi, Oyeronke. THE INVENTION OF WOMEN: MAKING AN AFRICAN SENSE OF WESTERN GENDER DISCOURSES
Burke, Timothy. LIFEBOY MEN, LUX WOMEN: COMMODIFICATION, CONSUMPTION, AND CLEANLINESS IN MODERN ZIMBABWE

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Class presentations, short papers, seminar paper.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

Students should have completed one 200 level course in either Anthropology or Women's Studies.

COURSE FORMAT: Seminar

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD    Credit: 1    Gen Ed Area Dept: SBS ANTH    Grading Mode: Graded   

Prerequisites: NONE Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-19-2004

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