ENGL 380, Topics in Literary Study: Masculinities in Literature, Fall 2014

Abstract

The Course: The course aims to introduce students to the key debates and concepts that have arisen with the development of a more recent academic field of inquiry called ‘masculinity studies.’ We read various theoretical texts that we will use to apply to our own lives and gendered identities, as well as to films, non-fiction texts as well as selections of fiction. We will be asking questions such as: What are the problems inherent in the concepts woman, man, masculine, feminine, gay, lesbian, straight, transgender, bisexual and androgenous? What is the relationship of boyish to girlish? What happens to notions of the masculine and of male sexuality, of whiteness and white male privilege (and all non-normative gender and sex categories) in an era when public discourse begins to include articulate challenges to the very foundations of our knowledge – also about ourselves and our own sex and gender identities? Course Outcomes: Students are knowledgeable with regard to key concepts of masculinity theory and are able to apply theoretical concepts in their daily lives, in other academic fields and to their reading of primary literary, cinematographic and cultural texts.