WMN3120

Gender, race and empire: feminist readings

Maryanne Dever

8 points
* 3 hours per week
* First semester
* Clayton

Objectives On successful completion of this subject, students should have developed a situated understanding of contemporary theoretical debates in the areas of colonialism and postcolonialism and how they relate to questions of gender and race; a familiarity with a series of key texts - literary, historical, filmic - from within the context of historical colonialism and further skills in textual analysis and in the development of argument, both orally and in writing.

Synopsis How do questions of gender and race affect debates in the area of colonialism? Can specific discourses of race and sex foster the goals of white supremacy and patriarchy? How do we read the contradictory social positioning of white, middle-class women as both colonised patriarchal objects and colonising race-privileged subjects? Is it possible to locate a genuinely `postcolonial' space for feminism? WMN3120 (Gender, race and empire) will introduce students to the complex and often problematic relationship between gender, race, and colonialism. In addition to discussion of theoretical perspectives from such critics as Rey Chow, Gayatri Spivak, Trinh Minh-ha, Homi Bhabha, and Ella Shohat, the subject will also consider the politics of gender and race within the lived experience of colonialism. The course is designed to be interdisciplinary, incorporating historical, political, literary and filmic perspectives.

Assessment Short library exercise (1500 words): 15%
* Seminar paper (1500 words): 25%
* Long essay (3000 words): 50%
* Seminar participation: 10%

Prescribed texts

Bronte C Jane Eyre

Bates D The passing of the Aborigines

Haggard H R She

Rhys J Wide Sargasso Sea

Ward G Wandering girl

Devi M Imaginary maps

Films

The Letter dir. W Wyler, 1940

The World of Suzie Wong dir. R Quine, 1960

A Passage to India dir. D Lean, 1984

Nice Coloured Girls dir.T Moffatt, 1987

The Good Woman of Bangkok dir. D O'Rourke, 1991

A reading pack of excerpts will also be compiled and made available through the Centre for Women's Studies

Published by Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3168 Copyright © Monash University 1996 - All Rights Reserved - Caution Authorised by the Academic Registrar December 1996