Sumários
27 Setembro 2024, 15:30
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Chiara Nifosi
Introduction of the epistemological relevance of gender and discussion of some quotes from Scott's article on the usefulness of gender as a historical category of analysis (available on Moodle), which focuses on the epistemological shift brought about by poststructuralism (critique of empiricism and humanism) and the need for social sciences as complementing knowledge produced by hard sciences.
Discussion of Hemming's text on the institutionalization of academic feminism: the bureaucratization and productive transformation of feminist knowledge in academia; the autonomy vs. integration debate; the importance of local contexts (presence of feminist movements, structure of higher education, etc.); the transition from Women's to Gender Studies - pros and cons; the foundational role of the body for the definition of what "woman" means in the field of Women's Studies. We also discussed Gen Z' partial resistance to feminism nowadays, especially in the male population.
25 Setembro 2024, 15:30
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Chiara Nifosi
Discussion of Richardson's text, which retraces some key moments in the history of Gender Studies based on the fluctuations in the definitions of the notion of gender (essentialist conflation of gender and biological sex, the sex/gender binary, gender as construct, feminist take on gender, postmodern and queer theories of gender). We also explored the key role of trans studies for the development of new takes on gender, medical responses to intersexuality as witnessing social anxiety over biological sex, as well as the idea of the "medical invention of sex".
A part of the class was dedicated to a plenary discussion on last summer's debate on Imane Khelif during the Olympic Games as an example of propaganda encapsulating several forms of systemic oppression (biases on religious basis, transphobia, racism, and contemporary manipulations of feminist concerns).
20 Setembro 2024, 15:30
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Chiara Nifosi
Discussion of some basic notions central to Gender Studies: gender identity and gender expression, sexual and romantic attraction, biological sex (see the Genderbread Person slide).
Preliminary discussion of key aspects of Gender Studies: interdisciplinary academic field focusing on gender identity and gendered representation; interaction of gender with other identity markers (race, religion, sexuality, citizenship, etc.); its connection with Women's Studies and the importance of feminist movements for the definition of the field. Based on this last point, we started to reflect on such notions as gender-based privilege and oppression, intersectionality, and feminism as praxis.
18 Setembro 2024, 15:30
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Chiara Nifosi
Introduction to course main topics, syllabus, objetives, assessment, and presentation of the Moodle platform. Plenary discussion after students' brainstorming in groups over the notion of gender.