Junior Colloquium: Critical Queer Studies
AMST 201
Spring 2014
| Section:
01
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| Certificates: Social, Cultural, and Critical Theory |
| Course Cluster: Disability Studies |
This junior colloquium will give you a solid theoretical foundation in the field of queer studies. Although "queer" is a contested term, it describes--at least potentially--sexualities and genders that fall outside normative constellations. However, as queer studies has been institutionalized in the academy, in popular culture, and in contemporary political movements, many argue that today, "queer" shorthands gay and lesbian (or LGBT...), is too easily co-optable (e.g., QUEER EYE FOR THE STRAIGHT GUY), or that queer studies' construction of the body, desire, and sexuality effaces or ignores crucial material conditions, bodily experiences, or cultural differences.
This course, a reading-intensive seminar, will address these debates. After a brief exploration of some of the foundational works in queer theory, we will focus on the relationships--and disagreements--between queer theory and other social and cultural theories designed to illuminate and critique power, marginality, privilege, and normativity: critical race theory, transgender studies, queer anthropology, Marxism, feminist theory, and disability studies. Rather than understanding queer studies as a singular or coherent school of thought, we will continuously problematize queer studies as a field and a mode of analysis, asking: What kinds of bodies or desires does queer describe? What are the politics of queer? What are the promises of queer theory, and what are its perils? What are the key sites for queer activism today? What is the future of queer?
This course is excellent preparation for a queer studies concentration in American studies. Students should expect to end the semester confident of their ability to read queer theory, critique it, and imagine the uses to which queer theory can be applied, such as research, activism, or conceptualizing community. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS AMST |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (AMST)(CSCT)(FGSS) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
We will read essays by Michael Warner, Eve Sedgwick, Judith Butler, Roderick Ferguson, Gayle Rubin, Susan Stryker, Eli Clare, Rosemary Hennessey, John D'Emilio, Robert McRuer, Lauren Berlant, Cathy Cohen, Lisa Duggan, Jasbir Puar, Don Kulick, Martin Manalansan, Elizabeth Freeman, Lee Edelman, and more.
Recommended book: Nikki Sullivan, A Critical Introduction to Queer Theory.
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Examinations and Assignments:
Class Project, Weekly Memos, Midterm Paper, and Final Paper/Project |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
Desire to read theory and theorize desire a must! |
| Instructor(s): Grappo,Laura Times: ..T.... 01:10PM-04:00PM; Location: CAMS 3; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 15 | | SR major: 5 | JR major: 10 | | |
| Seats Available: 6 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 0 | JR non-major: 0 | SO: 0 | FR: X |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 1 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 1 |
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