About this class

Why has sexuality been so widely discussed, and what has been said about it? What were the effects of power generated by what was said? What are the links between these discourses, these effects of power, and the pleasures that were invested by them? What knowledge was formed as a result of this linkage?

Michel Foucault, The History of Sexuality, V. 1

These questions posed by Foucault frame our discussions this quarter in “Sex, Sexuality, and Communication.” We will investigate some of the ways sexuality and sexual identity are discursively constructed in modern life. We will look at such things as homosexuality, heterosexuality, virginity, and citizenship as social categories and examine at how these categories are created and enforced. As all of these processes involve power, this class will be explicitly political. This does not mean we will take a Democratic or Republican, liberal or conservative viewpoint; it means that we will pay particular attention to the issue of power as it relates to human sexual meanings and activities.

In the context of this exploration we will be reading and discussing a variety of texts in addition to text books; these texts may included poetry, plays, judicial opinions and legal briefs, personal and theoretical essays, other print media, as well as some films and web sites. We will be discussing these materials in terms of communication behavior and theory, politics, law, and philosophy.

Students are expected to be informed and engaged participants in this course, and to collaborate with each other and the instructor to enhance understanding for all. Active participation in this seminar will include attendance and participation in all class discussions, advance reading and preparation for class, participation in online discussions on our class web site, and completion of all required assignments.

Pre-requisite: One WMST course or one CMST course.

 

Course Objectives

  1. Students will develop a greater understanding of the role of communication in shaping identity in general and sexual identity in particular; this understanding will be informed by diverse theoretical perspectives.
  2. Students will develop a greater understanding of the relationship between sexuality and gender, race, class, and other elements of identity.
  3. Students will develop a greater understanding of sexuality as a complex combination of biological, social, cultural, and psychological forces.
  4. Students will work to improve their ability to analyze texts (in various media) critically.
  5.  Students will work to improve their ability to express such analyses with clarity, precision, and insight.

Required Texts

There is one textbook required for this class, and several articles. The articles will be posted/linked on the Schedule page of class web site on the dates they are due.

  • Seidman, Steven. (2010). The Social Construction of Sexuality, Second Edition. New York: Norton [Seidman in syllabus] ISBN 978-0-393-93402-1

All reading assignments should be completed by the date assigned; even if not explicitly discussed, lecture and discussion may assume your knowledge of the reading material.

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