ANY3630

Feminism cross-culturally

Helen Johnson

8 points
* 2 hours per week
* Second semester
* Clayton

Objectives Students in this subject can expect to develop an understanding of the theoretical and political problems in studying and writing about particular women's and feminist issues across cultural boundaries; an awareness of the diverse ways in which cultural boundaries are constructed through gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, class, religion, nationality and historical events (such as colonialism), and the differences these may make to feminist analyses and activism; knowledge of specific debates and issues generated amongst diverse feminists (eg the role of `the state' in women's lives, the politicisation of cultural practices such as female genital mutilation and the ethnographic representation of Islam and Muslim women); an enhanced ability to engage in independent library research through the preparation of a research essay on a topic of their choice.

Synopsis This subject is concerned with the theoretical and political problems in studying and writing about particular women's and feminist issues across cultural boundaries. These boundaries are constructed through diverse configurations, such as gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, class, religion, nationality and historical factors. Topics are examined from the perspective of immigrant, `third world' and post-colonial critics of `western' feminists, as well as those of `western' feminists who engage in cross-cultural and comparative research.

Assessment Seminar paper (2000 words): 40%
* Essay (4000 words): 60%.

Recommended texts

Minh-ha T Woman, native, other: Writing, post-coloniality and feminism Indiana U P, 1989
Mohanty C and others Third world women and the politics of feminism Indiana U P, 1991
Moore H Feminism and anthropology Polity, 1988
Moore H A passion for difference Polity, 1994
Ramazanoglu C Feminism and the contradictions of oppression Routledge, 1989