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This module encourages students to think theoretically, empirically and experientially about gender, sexuality and feminist movements. It considers how feminist scholars and activists have understood, theorised and contested gender and sexuality, including in education. It takes an intersectional perspective that looks at how gender is always constituted through other axes of identity and inequality, particularly race, class, sexuality and (dis)ability. It explores how gender and sexuality change and shift across time, generation, families, contexts, in (social) media and in schools. The module engages directly with feminist concepts and practices, for instance through feminist consciousness-raising in seminars.ÌýÌý

Teaching delivery: This module is taught in 10 weekly lectures and 10 weekly seminars. The weekly seminars of 1 hour 50 minutes involve a range of activities through which we learn through and with, and not just ‘about’ feminism. In 2023-24, most lectures were pre-recorded and posted online to enable students to return to the material.ÌýÌý

Indicative Topics:ÌýIndicative lecture topics – based on module content in 2023/24, subject to possible changes

In 2023-24 the module was divided into four Topic blocks, each lasting two weeks, with an Introduction and final session in weeks 1 and 10. The blocks covered:

• (A) Feminist pasts and practices (histories of feminism)
• (B) Feminist utopias and activisms
• (C) Feminisms and education
• (D) Feminisms today

Module Aims:Ìý

The module aims to provide students with opportunities to engage in critical reflections on gender, sexuality and feminisms; to expand, develop or challenge their understandings of the roles and significance of how gender and sexuality shape educational issues; to experiment with perspectives, explore ideas and enjoy engaging with the module texts, tasks and activities. It particularly aims to support students ‘coming to voice’ on questions of feminism, gender, sexuality, education and inequalities, and actions they can take in relation to key issues. Assessment forms help students communicate with audiences beyond academic ones (through a blog or vlog), to ‘think with’ feminist scholarship and to critically assess different forms of activism (through a reflective assignment).ÌýÌý

We expect students to:ÌýÌý

• Acquire deeper understanding of feminist movements, practices, concepts.Ìý
• Evaluate: compare and contrast different ways of telling stories about and with feminism.Ìý
• Discuss: feminist movements and organising practices over time and changing tactics; theories and methods that help us to understand gender and sexuality in everyday life.Ìý
• Practice: experience feminist consciousness-raising.Ìý
• Apply: insights gained on the course to generational and gendered experiences, personal experiences, and education.ÌýÌý
• Articulate own position in relation to different feminisms.Ìý
• Debate: the strengths and limitations of key concepts such as a focus on personal experience.Ìý
• Investigate: critically analyse texts and activist practices as represented on websites; new digital affordances and their impact on feminisms.Ìý

Recommended readings: We recommend these texts as useful background:ÌýÌý

• Olufemi, Lola. 2020. Feminism, Interrupted: Disrupting Power. London: Pluto Press.Ìý
• Stockton, Kathryn Bond. 2021. Gender(s). The MIT Press.Ìý

Additional costs:ÌýWe always look out for relevant exhibitions, especially free ones. However in 2023-24 we organised a trip to a relevant exhibition of feminist art, which cost £5 for students. Those who were unable to cover ticket costs were reimbursed.