WS 401 FEMINIST THEORY AND SCHOLARSHP IN THE HUMANTTIES, Somerville. TH 1-3

This course will explore a wide range of questions in feminist theory and interdisciplinary gender studies, particularly those that have influenced and been shaped by the fields of literary studies, film studies, social and cultural history, postcolonial studies, cultural studies, critical race theory, and queer studies. The first part of the course will focus retrospectively on key developments in various feminist theories and approaches; the second half will focus on the most recent scholarship in the field. The particular emphasis of our discussions will be shaped in large part by the interests of seminar participants, as well as such questions as: How do various feminisms construct the relation between theory and practice? What models of identity inform various feminist theoretical paradigms? What are the stakes of feminist theory in the context of recent theoretical interest in intersectionality and the heterogeneity of subject positions, especially those that emphasize the multiple determinants of gender, class, race, and sexuality? Please note that I will be assigning readings for our first class meeting; see the information posted on my office door (English Building 343) after December 16 for further details.

Prerequisite: At least one graduate-level humanities course or consent of instructor.