Undergraduate - UnitATS3715 - Sexuality and society

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2013 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

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Level	Undergraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Arts
Organisational Unit	Sociology
Offered	Clayton First semester 2013 (Day)
Coordinator(s)	Dr Kirsten McLean

Notes

Previously coded SCY3031

Synopsis

This unit will investigate the meaning and construction of sexualities in Western culture, using a range of theoretical approaches; explore the relationship between gender and sexuality; investigate the regulation of sexuality through a variety of social institutions; explore a range of areas such as sex education, sexual relationships and intimacy, sexual identities, gender identities, prostitution, pornography and sexual health; and examine the cultural representation of various sexualities and the impacts of these representations.

Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this unit students will have:

Become familiar with a range of theoretical understandings of sexuality in Western society.
The ability to use these approaches to analyse a variety of areas in which sexuality is experienced in social life.
An understanding of the diversity of sexual desires, practices and identities.
Increased awareness of the gender differences in perceptions and experiences of sexualities.
An understanding of the range of social institutions that reinforce and challenge notions of sexuality.

Assessment

Response paper (450 words): 10%
Research essay (2250 words): 50%
Examination (2-hours): 40%

Third-year students will be expected to demonstrate wider reading and the ability to present more sophisticated theoretical arguments.