Intro to Gender Studies 1: Introduction to Gender Studies 1800

Objectif

This class is meant as an introduction both literary and historical to what is was like to think about what we today call “gender” in the context of the 18^th century. Its aim is to read Mary Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792) in relation to what was thinkable and imaginable in her days. Rightly considered the foundational text of modern European feminism, her Vindication is often found difficult to read. By focusing on its historicity as well as on some contemporary source texts, students are going to take the measure of the philosophical and political breakthrough created by Wollstonecraft when she argued about women’s rights in the burgeoning context of human rights and equality between all men.

Contenu

Weeks 1 to 2 are devoted to a general introduction of the history of the main text and, second, of the concept of gender such as defined by Judith Butler and Joan W. Scott.

Weeks 3 to 5 are going to be based on extracts posted on Moodle by Rousseau, Richardson, Charrière, Woolf, and others in order for students to create a context for themselves.

Weeks 6 to 11 are going to focus on A Vindication of the Rights of Woman with presentations by the teacher and class discussions based on extracts.

Essays / first versions of essays (1500 words) are expected by the end of week 11.

Weeks 12 to 14 consist in class discussions based on short individual presentations of their essay by students.