POLITICS 729

Feminist Political Theory

Please note: this is archived course information from 2012 for POLITICS 729.

Description

Feminism as a social movement and an intellectual paradigm has changed not only the subject matter of what we examine in the study of politics and international relations, but also the epistemological and explanatory frameworks we employ throughout these fields. The role played by gender in both structuring and destabilising power relations challenges the traditional concepts and categories used to analyse politics and construct normative models.

The course applies feminist reconstructions of key constructs and problems to examine specific debates on identity, human rights and culture, sexuality and the body, liberty and force, political economy, the state and international institutions. The first part of the course examines feminist challenges and reconstructions of key concepts and problems in political theory and international relations theory. It explores the relationship between theory and practice, feminist epistemologies and the category of gender as these underpin many of the more specific theoretical and policy debates which are the focus of the course. The second part of the course examines a range of feminist perspectives on identity, human rights and culture, sexuality and the body, ethics, liberty and force, political economy, the state and international institutions.

NB: enrolment is limited to 25 students, with selection criteria as follows: 1) admission to a postgraduate programme in Political Studies or Development Studies; 2) results in previous tertiary study in relevant subjects.

Availability 2012

Not taught in 2012

Lecturer(s)

Coordinator(s) Associate Professor Katherine Smits

Points

POLITICS 729: 15 points

Prerequisites

Restrictions