SOW-VSB9051
Sex for Social Sciences and Humanities: An Introduction to Socio-Cultural Sexuality Studies
Course infoSchedule
Course moduleSOW-VSB9051
Credits (ECTS)5
Category-
Language of instructionEnglish
Offered byRadboud University; Faculty of Social Sciences; Social Sciences;
Lecturer(s)
Lecturer
dr. S.P. Dudink
Other course modules lecturer
Contactperson for the course
W.P. Meerstadt, MA
Other course modules lecturer
Academic year2017
Period
PER2  (13/11/2017 to 04/02/2018)
Starting block
PER2
Course mode
full-time
Remarks-
Registration using OSIRISYes
Course open to students from other facultiesYes
Pre-registrationNo
Waiting listNo
Placement procedure-
Aims
  • Students will be introduced to central approaches and theories in socio-cultural studies of sexuality.
  • Students will learn how these approaches and theories can be applied to concrete contemporary and historical case studies of sexuality in various fields.
  • Students will learn to assess the usefulness and validity of a social-cultural approach of sexuality
Content
Sexuality is often studied as a merely biological and physiological phenomenon: a matter of bodies, genes, brains, and hormones. This course introduces students to an approach of sexuality that concentrates on the many ways in which it is shaped by culture and society. We will discuss how sexual desires, identities and acts can be understood as resulting from socio-cultural context and cannot be reduced to ‘nature’ or ‘the body’. Several approaches and theories from the social sciences and humanities (social constructionism, representation, psychoanalysis, queer theory) will be addressed. The discussion of these theories and approaches will start from concrete contemporary and historical and case studies of issues such as sexual identity, sexual politics, sex work, sexual violence, and sexual health.
Additional comments
Language of instruction: English

Levels
Bachelor 2/3

Test information
Weekly assignments, a paper and a takehome exam

Prerequisites
At least a full year of prior study in the social sciences or humanities is recommended.

Contact information
s.dudink@maw.ru.nl

Required materials
Articles/texts to read
Literature is available a week before the start of the course on a USB flash drive (bring a laptop!) at Thomas van Aquinostraat 8.02.10

Instructional modes
Lecture and Seminars
Attendance MandatoryYes

General
Combination of lectures and seminars

Tests
Take-home exam
Test weight1
OpportunitiesBlock PER2, Block PER3