Outline

Overview

What is the relation between femininity, masculinity and culture? Does sexual difference affect our identity and, if so, how and in what circumstances? Does it affect our relations with others? Is there any link between cultural and racial difference and sexual difference? What contexts may shape such links? Where does equality fit into all this? Drawing on the work of major cultural theorists and feminist thinkers this unit examines various theoretical conceptualizations and popular representations of gender; the issue of embodiment; and how sex and race are articulated within gendered conceptual frames.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Gender and Cultural Studies
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Jan Filmer, jan.filmer@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Presentation	Presentation In-class oral presentation	20%	-	equivalent of 500-750 words
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Discussion Facilitation Facilitation of class discussion via Padlet	15%	-	equivalent of 500 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Final Essay n/a	50%	Formal exam period Due date: 30 Nov 2020 at 23:59	3000 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Detailed Essay Outline n/a	15%	Week 07 Due date: 12 Oct 2020 at 23:59	750 words
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	听
Distinction	75 - 84	听
Credit	65 - 74	听
Pass	50 - 64	听
Fail	0 - 49	When you don鈥檛 meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

听

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the .

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the .

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a听simple extension.鈥� The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can鈥檛 complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for听special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students,听听includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Mid-semester break	Mid-semester break	Independent study (0 hr)
Week 01	SUBJECT POSITIONS I: Feminist standpoints	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 02	SUBJECT POSITIONS II: Sexuality and Gender	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 03	SUBJECT POSITIONS III: Trans identities	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 04	SUBJECT POSITIONS IV: Family formations	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 05	EMBODIMENT I: Affect	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 06	EMBODIMENT II: Emotions in research	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 07	RESEARCHING GENDER I: Intersexuality	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 08	RESEARCHING GENDER II: Boyhood	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 09	RESEARCHING GENDER III: Feminist celebrity	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 10	RESEARCHING GENDER IV: In the More-than-Human	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 11	Student presentations	Seminar (3 hr)
Week 12	Student presentations	Seminar (3 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner鈥檚 Board. The Examiner鈥檚 Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
Lecture recording: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.
Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours鈥� preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Week 1 鈥� SUBJECT POSITIONS I:听Feminist Standpoints

Required:

Moreton-Robinson, Aileen. 鈥淭owards an Australian Indigenous Women鈥檚 Standpoint Theory: A Methodological Tool.鈥澨�Australian Feminist Studies听28.78 (2013). 331-347.

de Lauretis, Teresa. 鈥淭he Technology of Gender.鈥澨�Technologies of Gender: Essays on Theory, Film, and Fiction.听Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1987. 1-30.

Probyn, Elspeth. 鈥淭he Spatial Imperative of Subjectivity.鈥澨�Handbook of Cultural Geography.听London: Sage Publications, 2003. 290-299.听

Recommended:

Crenshaw, Kimberle. 鈥淢apping the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence Against Women of Color鈥� (1993)听Stanford Law Review听43.6 (1991): 1241-1300.听

de Lauretis, Teresa. 鈥淓ccentric Subjects: Feminist Theory and Historical Consciousness.鈥澨�Feminist Studies听16.1 (1990): 115-150.

Harding, Sandra. 鈥淟atin American Decolonial Studies: Feminist Issues.鈥澨�Feminist Studies听43.3 (2017): 624-636.

听

Week 2 鈥� SUBJECT POSITIONS II:听Sexuality and Gender

Required:

Butler, Judith. 鈥淪ubjects of Sex/Gender/Desire.鈥澨�Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity.听New York: Routledge,听1990. 1-46.

Reddy, Vasu and Judith Butler. 鈥淭roubling genders, subverting identities: interview with Judith Butler.鈥澨�Agenda听18.62 (2004). 115-123.

Kean, Jessica, and Rillark Bolton. "Explainer: What Is Genderqueer?"听The Conversation.听26 Oct 2015.

Recommended:

Martin, Biddy. 鈥淪exualities without Genders and Other Queer Utopias.鈥澨�Diacritics听24.2-3 (1994): 104-121.

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Week 3 鈥� SUBJECT POSITIONS III:听Trans Identities

Required:

Stone, Sandy. 鈥淭he Empire Strikes Back: A Posttranssexual Manifesto.鈥澨�The Transgender Studies Reader.听Eds. Stryker, Susan听and Stephen Whittle. New York: Routledge, 2006 (1987): 221-235.

Sullivan, Corinne T. and Madi Day. 鈥淚ndigenous transmasculine Australians and sex work.鈥澨�Emotion, Space and Society听32 (2019). 1-7.

Recommended:

Namaste, Viviane K. 鈥淕enderbashing:听Sexuality, Gender, and the Regulation of Public Space.鈥澨�The Transgender Studies Reader.听Eds. Stryker, Susan and Stephen Whittle. New York: Routledge, 2006 (1996). 584-600.

Stryker, Susan. 鈥淢y Words to Victor Frankenstein above the Village of Chamounix: Performing Transgender Rage.鈥澨�The Transgender Studies Reader.听Eds. Stryker, Susan and Stephen Whittle. New York: Routledge, 2006 (1994). 244-256.

Bolton, Rillark. 鈥淩eworking Testosterone as a Man鈥檚 Hormone: Non-binary People using Testosterone within a Binary Gender System.鈥澨�Somatechnics听9.1 (2019): 13鈥�31.

Heyes, Cressida J. and J. R. Latham. 鈥淭rans Surgeries and Cosmetic Surgeries:听The Politics of Analogy.鈥澨�TSQ: The Transgender Studies Quarterly听5.2 (2018). 174-189.

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Week 4 鈥� SUBJECT POSITIONS IV:听Family Formations

Required:

Berlant, Lauren. 鈥淭he Intimate Public Sphere.鈥澨�The Queen of America Goes to Washington City:听Essays on Sex and Citizenship.听Durham: Duke University Press, 1997. 1-24.

Ahmed, Sara. "Queer Feelings."听The Cultural Politics of Emotion.听Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2014. 144-167.

Recommended:

Deomampo, Daisy. 鈥淓gg Donation and Exotic Beauty.鈥澨�Transnational Reproduction: Race, Kinship, and Commercial Surrogacy in India. New York: New York University Press, 2016. 95-121.

Weston, Kath. 鈥淓xiles from Kinship.鈥澨�Families We Choose: Lesbian, Gays, Kinship.听New York: Columbia University Press, 1991. 21-41.

---. 鈥淔amilies We Choose.鈥澨�Families We Choose: Lesbians, Gays, Kinship.听New York: Columbia University Press, 1991. 103-136.

听

Week 5 鈥撎鼸MBODIMENT I:听Affect

Required:

Sedgwick, Eve Kosofsky, and Adam Frank. "Shame in the Cybernetic Fold.鈥澨�Critical Inquiry听21.2 (1995). 496-522.

Gorton, Kristyn. 鈥淭heorizing emotion and affect: Feminist engagements.鈥澨�Feminist Theory听8.3 (2007). 333-348.

Recommended:

Gregg, Melissa, and Gregory J. Seigworth. "An Inventory of Shimmers."听v.听Durham: Duke University Press, 2010. 1-25.

听

Week 6 鈥撎鼸MBODIMENT II:听 Emotions in Research

Required:

Ahmed, Sara. 鈥淎ffective Economies.鈥澨�Social Text听22.2 (2004): 117-139.

Caluya, Gilbert. 鈥淭he (Gay) Scene of Racism: Face, Shame and Gay Asian Males.鈥澨�ACRAWSA e-journal听2.2 (2006).听

Recommended:听

Munt, Sally R. 鈥淕ay shame in a geopolitical context.鈥澨�Cultural Studies听33.2 (2019): 223-248.听

Probyn, Elspeth. 鈥淕lass selves: Emotions, subjectivity, and the research process.鈥澨�The Oxford Handbook of the Self.听Ed. Gallagher, Shaun.听Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011. 681-695.听

听

Week 7 鈥撎齊ESEARCHING GENDER I:听Intersexuality

Required:

Fausto-Sterling, Anne. 鈥淒ueling Dualisms.鈥澨�Sexing the Body: Gender Politics and the Construction of Sexuality.听New York: Basic Books, 2000. 1-44

Das, Arpita. 鈥溾€楢ching to be a boy鈥�: A preliminary analysis of gender assignment of intersex persons in India in a culture of son preference.鈥澨�Bioethics听34 (2020): 585-592.

Recommended:

Kessler, Suzanne J. 鈥淭he Medical Construction of Gender: Case Management of Intersexed Infants.鈥澨�Signs听16.1 (1990): 3-26.

Hird, Myra J. 鈥淕ender's nature: Intersexuality, transsexualism and the 鈥榮ex鈥�/鈥檊ender鈥� binary.鈥澨�Feminist Theory听1.3 (2000): 347-364.

听

Week 8 鈥撎齊ESEARCHING GENDER II:听Boyhood

Required:

Pascoe, C. J. 鈥淒ude, You鈥檙e a Fag: Adolescent Male Homophobia.鈥澨�Dude, You're a Fag: Masculinity and Sexuality in High School.听Berkeley: University of California Press, 2007. 52-83.

Driscoll, Catherine. 鈥淕irls and Boys.鈥澨�Cultural Studies Review听25.2 (2019): 233-236.

Bratich, Jack and Sarah Banet-Weiser. 鈥淔rom Pick-Up Artists to Incels: Con(fidence) Games, Networked Misogyny, and the Failure of Neoliberalism.鈥澨�International Journal of Communication听12 (2019): 5003-5027.

Recommended:

Connell, R. W. and James W. Messerschmidt.听鈥淗egemonic Masculinity:听Rethinking the Concept.鈥澨�Gender & Society听19.6 (2005): 829-859.

听

Week 9 鈥撎齊ESEARCHING GENDER III:听Feminist Celebrity

Required:

Taylor, Anthea. 鈥溾€楽teve is twice the Aussie icon you will ever be鈥�: Germaine Greer, the Crocodile Hunter鈥檚 death, and nationalistic misogyny.鈥澨�European Journal of Cultural Studies听22.5-6 (2019): 630-645.

Buchanan, Rachel. 鈥淭he record keeper.鈥澨�Australian Feminist Studies听31.87 (2016): 22-27.

Dever, Maryanne. 鈥淎rchives and New Modes of Feminist Research.鈥澨�Australian Feminist Studies听35 (2017): 1-4.听

Recommended:

Hirsch, Marianne. 鈥淔eminist Archives of Possibility.鈥澨�differences: A Journal of Feminist Cultural Studies听29.1 (2018): 173-188.

Taylor, Anthea. 鈥溾€楾he Most Revolting Ideas I鈥檝e Read in a Woman鈥檚 Magazine鈥�:听The Female Eunuch, Affective (dis)investments, and听惭肠颁补濒濒鈥檚听Reader-writers.鈥澨�Australian Feminist Studies听35.1 (2020): 20-36.听

听

Week 10 鈥撎齊ESEARCHING GENDER IV: In the More-than-Human

Required:

Jackson, Zakiyyah Iman. 鈥淥uter Worlds: The Persistence of Race in Movement 鈥楤eyond the Human鈥�.鈥澨�GLQ: A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies听21.2-3 (2015): 215-218.

Neimanis, Astrida and Jennifer Mae Hamilton. 鈥淲eathering.鈥澨�Feminist Review听118 (2018): 80-84.

Selection of poems from van Neerven, Ellen.听Throat.听Brisbane: University of Queensland Press, 2020.

Recommended:

King, Tiffany Lethabo. "Humans involved: Lurking in the Lines of Posthumanist Flight."听Journal of the Critical Ethnic Studies Association听3.1 (2017): 162-185.

Hamilton, Jennifer Mae and Astrida Neimanis. 鈥淐omposting Feminisms and Environmental Humanities.鈥澨�Environmental Humanities听10.2 (2018): 501-527.

听

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. This unit aims: To introduce students to key debates and concepts in the study of culture in relation to gender and sexuality, including gendered aspects of representation; to provide students with a broad explanatory and historical framework in which to position these concepts;to give students critical reading skills to perform close reading of theoretical and other texts, and form responses to these; to give students the writing and discussion skills to convey their responses to texts clearly to an audience.
LO2. This unit will help to develop the following skills and attributes: The ability to formulate and analyse significant problems regarding questions of gender, sexuality, class, ethnicity and subjectivity in relation to culture in the contemporary world; the ability to explain how cultural analysis and research contributes to understanding complex questions of gender, and how gender informs theories and practices of culture; skills in taking responsibility for their own learning and intellectual development in relation to these issues; an appreciation of the complexity of ethical issues arising in this field of study.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all 爆料王 graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one鈥檚 personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered

Disclaimer

Important: the 爆料王 regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an .

爆料王

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

爆料王

GCST6905: Gender in Cultural Theory

Semester 2, 2020 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links