PHIL/WGST 275.001 – Moral and Philosophical Issues of Gender in Society

Instructor: Tamara Fakhoury. This course meets MTWRF 9:45 – 11:15 a.m. in CW 208.

A course in feminist theory focusing on the pluralistic nature of resistance and the reasons and motives victims of gender- based oppression have for engaging in it. We will start by reading foundational texts on oppression and its social and psychological effects. With that as our framework, we will then consider existing theories of resistance and assess their adequacy in addressing the special challenges of life under oppression. Within the themes of oppression and resistance, topics covered include sex and gender, sexism, the ethics of emotion and emotional labor, intersectionality, art as a tool of resistance, rape, pornography, political activism and standards of beauty. Readings will include but not be restricted to classic authors such as Marilyn Frye, Sandra Bartky, Iris Young, Patricia Hill Collins, Gloria Anzaldua, Audre Lorde, Serene Khader and Uma Narayan.