ENGL 365 | Gender and Sexualities

This course explores the dynamics of gender, sexuality, and sexual identity as expressed in literature. Students explore literary texts that address the intellectual, social, cultural, political, and philosophical contexts from which gendered and sexual identities emerge and in which they are contested or negotiated. The course addresses some or all of the following topics in any given semester: sexual politics and power; the relation of imperialism and racism to questions of gender; and the influence of gender on writing as an act of self-definition and political or social identification. The course may emphasize material from the historical literary tradition or contemporary authors. It may also address identities comparatively or focus on a specific category of identity as it emerges or develops over time. Themes and texts vary by instructor. Recent topics include "Medieval Women Writers," "Early American Masculinity," "Desire and the Queering of Domestic Fiction," and "Queer Self / Queering Self." Please consult the department website for information on current and upcoming offerings. Satisfies a Gender and Queer Studies elective.