Theorizing Gender and Intersectionality

URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2025-2026/W_TGI

Course Objective

Students of this course will acquire the abilities:to recognize and interpret the main theories, concepts and ideas in gender studies and intersectionality theory;to apply these theories, concepts and ideas to their major;to critically question texts from the perspective of gender, race, and sexuality;to perceive a problem from different disciplinary perspectives;to define and defend an argument and to communicate the research conclusions verbally and in writing to an educated audience of different disciplines.

Course Content

This course introduces into the critical perspectives developed in gender studies and intersectionality theory. The key themes and debates that form the backbone of the minor Gender and Diversity will be introduced: the sex/gender debate, social constructivism, sexual difference, performativity, the intersection of race and gender, and of gender and sexuality, the notion ‘intersectionality’. The aim of the course is to gain an intersectional and multidisciplinary perspective on the themes discussed. In the course we will focus upon the interrelations and divergences between gender, race and sexuality and discuss these from the perspective of the various disciplines of the students. The course does not only aim at introducing these debates theoretically, but at stimulating reflection upon their disciplines by the students.

Teaching Methods

The main part of the course takes place in September and October (period 1), in the form of lectures and seminars. In period 2 we will have a few meetings to discuss the setup of the final symposium. At the end of period 3 students organize a final Gender and Diversity symposium, that closes of the course and the minor. Part of the program of the symposium is the presentation of a poster in which they demonstrate to be able to analyze a subject/text/film/book in their own field from the angle of gender and intersectionality.

Method of Assessment

Multidisciplinary group paper (group assignment, 40 % of your final grade) (assessment of learning objectives 2, 3, 4, 5) of 5000 words. Each student writes an individual chapter which is clearly marked. You will receive a grade for your chapter and for the paper as a whole. Your grade is the average of the grade for the entire paper and for the individual part.Written exam about the texts (Individual assignment: 50%) (assessment of learning objective 1). You need at least 5,5 points to pass the course.Poster presentation at the final symposium (individual assignment: 10 %) (assessment of learning objective 2 and 5).

Literature

- Book "Gender Theory in Troubled Times," Kathleen Lennon & Rachel Alsop, Cambridge & Medford: Polity Press, 2020 (Purchase yourself)
- Texts of: Sara Ahmed, Anne Fausto-Sterling, Simone de Beauvoir, Kimberle Crenshaw, Judith Butler, bell hooks, Gloria Wekker, Raewyn Connell, and others. These texts will be made available through Canvas.

Target Audience

The course is part of the university minor Gender and Diversity.

Recommended background knowledge

Required is a bachelor 2 level.