Social Relationships & Responsibility: Theories & Critiques - Theme: Intersectionality
CRN
Course Number
Credits
Course Description
Intersectionality has become a buzzword in academic, social justice, and mainstream discourse. For example, “intersectional feminism” as a term and framework to critique the mainstream feminist movement for lacking an intersectional scope in its praxis. The purpose of this course is to dissect intersectionality and work towards understanding what it means across different disciplines. We will examine the history of intersectionality, including its origins stemming from the lived experiences of Black women, its academic adoption, and how it is used in social science research. We will discuss how intersectionality fits within the framework(s) of traditional and modern social theory, and how it can serve to expand our sociopolitical understandings of U.S. society. From here, we’ll also explore how intersecting societal oppressions can impact our day-to-day lives and our development of self. We will see how we can use an intersectional lens when analyzing popular media (e.g., TV shows, movies, music) to address issues of (mis)representation and appropriation. We will also identify the critiques and limits of intersectionality as a concept and theoretical framework in order to develop a working approach towards improving how we use intersectionality in thought, language, expression, and experience.
Prerequisites
Admission to Fairhaven College |
Materials Fee
Required Texts
Hill Collins, P. & Bilge, S. (2020). Intersectionality. Malden, MA: Polity Press.
Additional readings will be provided on Canvas.
Credit/Evaluation
S/NX Grading
Evaluation will be based on consistent attendance (i.e., no more than 4 absences); active and engaged participation in class discussions; 2 response papers; a presentation examining the self through an intersectional lens; and a final research paper.