IN SMALL GROUPS (MAXIMUM OF THREE PERSONS PER GROUP) ORGANISE AND FACILITATE A GENDER AND/OR SEXUALITY FILM AND DISCUSSION CLUB RELATING TO AN ISSUE ABOUT GENDER OR SEXUALITY ENCOUNTERED ON THE MODULE ATTENDED BY LEVEL 5 PEERS (SUMMATIVE WEIGHTED AT 40%) (MEETS LEARNING OUTCOMES 1, 2)

WRITE UP AN INDIVIDUAL 2,000 WORD REFLECTIVE REPORT ABOUT DESIGNING AND THE EXPERIENCE OF FACILITATING THE MOVIE AND DISCUSSION CLUB (SUMMATIVE WEIGHTED AT 60%) (MEETS LEARNING OUTCOME 3)

Films can be accessed via the Thompson library or Box of Broadcasts

Please confirm (IF MORE THAN ONE ASSESSMENT TYPE) which is the final work the student will undertake/hand in/be assessed on:

Individual reflective report

Over the course of the module, students are introduced to key debates, issues and theorists in gender and sexuality studies. Over the course of 12 weeks students will be encouraged to identify the ways in which gender and sexuality are socially constructed; intimately tied to society, bound up in our relations with others and ultimately the socio-cultural historical context we live in. Students will have the opportunity to establish these connections by exploring popular culture (e.g. specific novels and movies from various decades). Students will also be invited to explore how gender and sexuality identities/categories affect everyday lives. A range of topical issues are explored each week including: the origins of sexual categories (Sexologists, Foucault), psychoanalytic explanations of formation of gender identities (Freud, Chodorow, and Gilligan), and the divisive personal/political debates that were preoccupying second wave feminists in various decades (materialist explanations of gender, patriarchy, division of housework, pornography wars, compulsory heterosexuality, and silencing of other social divisions e.g. race and ethnicity). Some time on this module is also given to exploring the personal/political issues affecting the everyday lives of lesbians and gay men in the 1970s and 1980s (e.g. HIV/AIDS, Section 28 and the emergence of families-of-choice ). We engage with the debate about the extent to which society is still heteronormative (Judith Butler, Sasha Roseneil and Michael Warner). We also examine the various social factors that are informing contemporary masculine identities (Connell and Anderson). Relatedly, we evaluate claims that intimate partnerships are likely to become more democratic (Giddens, Beck and Beck-Gernsheim). Alongside this students are invited to contemplate issues facing trans people and their identities/partnerships (Hines, Sanger) and how gender and sexuality are done in other cultures and countries.
Over the course of the module, students are introduced to key debates, issues and theorists in gender and sexuality studies. Students will be encouraged to identify the ways in which gender and sexuality are socially constructed; intimately tied to society, bound up in our relations with others and ultimately the socio-cultural historical context we live in. students will have the opportunity to establish these connections by exploring popular culture (e.g specific novels and movies from various decades). Students will also be invited to explore how gender and sexuality identities/categories affect everyday lives. A range of topical issues are explored each week: including the origins of sexual categories, psychoanalytic explanations of formation of gender identities, and the divisive personal/political debates that were preoccupying second wave feminists in various decades. Some time on this module is also given to exploring the personal/political issues affecting the everyday lives of lesbians and gay men in the 1970s and 80s (e.g. HIV/AIDS, Section 28 and the emergence of families of choice) we engage with the debate about the extent to which society is still heteronormative. We also examine the various social factors that are informing contemporary masculine identities. Relatedly, we explore the normative status that ‘the couple’ relationship plays in society and the implications for making other relationships ‘deviant’ (e.g. polyamorous partnerships, singleton’s or LAT -living apart together relationships). Through the example of trans identities and partnerships, students will critically engage with debates around the extent to which our genders are entirely socially constructed. At the close of the module students will explore how gender and sexuality are done in other cultures and countries.

The 14% scheduled activities, 86% independent guided study:

14% scheduled activities comprise:

13 two-hour leminars

The module will be taught via a series of lectures, seminars and group discussions.
In the seminars students will engage in group discussions drawing on conventional academic resources such as journal articles, books, policies, parliamentary debates alongside popular culture (films, documentaries, novels, magazines). Each seminar will include guidance and activities that help with preparation towards the assessments.
Students learning about the connections between gender, sexuality and society will be complemented by engaging in activities outside of the class room, such as a relevant field trip.
During the 86% independent-guided study students are given some specific tasks to complete which include:
Students will also engage in independent study outside of the lecture/seminar: preparing for the seminar by doing the key reading(s) and working towards assessments. Such as forming regular meetings outside of the lectures/seminars to organise a gender and/or sexuality movie and critical discussion film club that their L5 peers must attend. Reasonable adjustments will be made for students with LSAs pertaining to this specific assessment..
Individual tutorial support will be provided on request and students will be encouraged to seek individual tutorial guidance if required.
Students will be given informal feedback about their progress during lectures and workshops
Students will be given formal written feedback about their coursework

Beasley, C., (2005). Gender and Sexuality: Critical Theories, Critical Thinkers. London. Sage

Cranny-Francis A., (2002). Gender Studies: Terms and Debates. Basingstoke. Palgrave

Jackson, S ., and Scott, S., (2010). Theorising Sexuality: Theorising Society. Open University Press

Weeks, J., (2007). The world we have won: The Remaking of Erotic and Intimate Life. London Routledge

Lecture room with technology facilities; projector, speakers, suitable for PowerPoint presentations
Seminar room suitable for group work

1. IN SMALL GROUPS (MAXIMUM OF 3 STUDENTS PER GROUP) ORGANISE AND FACILITATE A GENDER AND/OR SEXUALITY FILM AND CRITICAL DISCUSSION CLUB RELATING TO AN ISSUE ABOUT GENDER OR SEXUALITY ENCOUNTERED ON THE MODULE ATTENDED BY L5 PEERS
[COMMUNICATION, APPLICATION]

2. CRITICAL FILM DISCUSSION QUESTIONS SHOULD DEMONSTRATE L6 STUDENTS HAVE:
A) ACCRUED A CRITICAL AND IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF A SUBSTANTIVE AREA TAUGHT ON THE MODULE
B) ILLUMINATE THE WAYS IN WHICH GENDER AND/OR SEXUALITY ARE INTIMATELY CONNECTED TO SOCIETY, BOUND UP IN OUR RELATIONS WITH OTHERS AND ULTIMATELY THE SOCIO-HISTORICAL CLIMATE WE LIVE IN
C) BE DESIGNED TO ELICIT CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICAL DISCUSSION DRAWING ON KNOWLEDGE ENCOUNTERED FROM THE MODULE FROM THEIR L5 PEERS
[Analysis; Application]

3. Reflective Report SHOULD:
A) REFLECT ON THE RATIONALE FOR CHOOSING THE FILM
B) REFLECT ON THE RATIONALE FOR FACILITATING CRITICAL DISCUSSION THAT DEMONSTRATES A CRITICAL UNDERSTANDING OF AT LEAST ONE SOCIOGICAL PERSPECTIVE THAT DESCRIBES GENDER AND SEXUALITY AS SOCIAL CONSTRUCTS
[knowledge and understanding)

C) REFLECTIVE REPORT SHOULD CRITICALLY EVALUATE THE EXPERIENCE OF FACILITATING THE DISCUSSION CLUB DRAWING ON THE VIDEO RECORDING OF THE SESSION AND ANONYMOUS FEEDBACK FROM L5 STUDENTS
[understanding, application, analysis]