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Course Description:
This course will introduce students to current theories of sexuality, emphasizing lesbian, gay, transgender and queer theory in international contexts. We will trace the development of both the term queer and the history of queer theory, reading seminal essays by theorists such as Eve Sedgwick, Judith Butler, and Michael Warner, and discuss how queer theory formulates racial, class and national identities in relation to sexuality. We will then read recent texts by Phillip Brian Harper, Judith Halberstam and Dennis Altman, for example. These theoretical considerations and our discussions will serve the basis for analyzing several books and films such as Lawrence Chua's Gold by the Inch and Set It Off.
Reading List:
The Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader— ed. Henry Abelove, Michele Aina Barale, David Halperin
Fear of a Queer Planet— ed. Michael Warner
Gold by the Inch— Lawrence Chua
Class packet available at Quartet.
Films:
Queer as Folk (U.S. version) Episode 1
Queer as Folk (U.K. version) Episode 1
The Brandon Teena Story— GrŽta Olafsd—ttir, Susan Muska
Boys Don't Cry— Kimberly Peirce
Set It Off— F. Gary Gray
Watermelon Woman— Cheryl Dunye
The Attendant— Isaac Julien
Grading:
Posts to the bulletin board:
A bulletin board has been created on Blackboard to serve as a bulletin board
and email server for this class. This way, you have a forum for discussion
before and after class. Each week you should contribute one or two substantive
comments to one of the threads on the bulletin board. You can respond to any
thread or start a thread yourself. Each post must reflect what you have learned
from and think about class readings. Substantive responses consist of a paragraph
that takes into account previous posts and readings. Normally, a quote from
the class reading should be included in your post.
One time during the quarter, you will be required to start a thread. For
this week, you should post a thought provoking discussion question that shows
you have completed the reading and thought about the way the work responds
to the goals of the class.
You may post more than once a week, but a minimum
of 8 substantive responses, one each week, and one thread initiation is required
to receive the 10% of your grade. I will monitor the bulletin board and delete
any responses that I think you may consider "substantive," but I do not.
You are also encouraged, however, to respond in a less formal manner to the posts
of your virtual community. Check the discussion board often and try to engage
with the issues and problems presented.
Responses:
You will be expected to complete two reading responses of 3 pages each. A response should be an in-depth consideration of any one or two readings we have completed so far. It should have a thesis that is developed in the paper. The due date listed on the syllabus is the final date for each response. You may hand in a response to readings covered earlier at any date after the reading has been discussed in class. (I recommend you do a response paper to accompany your Presentation.)
Responses must also be posted to the website. They do not count towards your posting average.
Final Essay:
The final essay, approximately 10 pages, should engage with some aspect covered in the course. Topics must be approved by me before 11/13. While it may not require any outside research, references should be documented in MLA format. See www.english.nwu.edu/courses/stylesheet.html.
Presentation:
You will be asked to initiate the discussion in one class. Basically, this means highlighting what you found important in the readings and how the readings fit in the overall class. You should then ask a series of questions to begin class discussion. Sign-ups for in-class presentations will take place next week. Presentations need only last about 10 minutes, but they should fuel the rest of class discussion by bringing up points for discussion.
Class Participation:
I reserve the right to give pop quizzes at the beginning of the class. These will be very simple 5 question quizzes designed to assess how well you have prepared for the day's readings.
In-class participation and evidence that you have prepared for class are the main factors that contribute to your Class Participation grade. Because this is a small class to be run in seminar format, I expect you to say something in EVERY class. If you are shy or don't understand a reading, come to class with a specific question written down so that you can present it for discussion.
Attendance:
You may have up to 3 absences without affecting your grade. Any
more than 3 absences will hurt your final grade unless approved by me.
E-mail and listserv:
You must regularly check your e-mail account enrolled in the Blackboard. Feel free to write to me at the address provided above (j-enteen@northwestern.edu). You must also sign up for a "queer" listserv. I recommend Q-study, but you may choose another (Queernet.org is another good one). To enroll a qstudy, send an email to listserv@listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu with "subscribe qstudy-l" in the body.
If you participate in the listserv during the course of the semester, you will receive two extra points on your final grade. This participation must be documented and forwarded to me for credit.
Readings and assignments are to be completed by date indicated.
T 9/25 Introduction to course
Th 9/27 Meet in Library Mac Lab Lauren Berlant and Michael Warner " What does Queer Theory Teach us about X" (copy) Donald Morton, "Birth of the Cyberqueer" (copy) First response due on floppy
T 10/2 Gayle Rubin (Reader, 3) Audre Lorde (Reader, 339)
Th 10/4 Adrienne Rich (Reader, 227) Eve Sedgwick (Reader, 45)
T 10/9 Michael Warner (Fear, vii) Lee Edelman (Reader, 553)
Th 10/11 Lisa Duggan "Queering the State"(copy) Lauren Berlant and Elizabeth Frame (Fear, 193)
M 10/15 "View Queer as Folk" (British and US Versions)
T 10/16 Response #1 Due Discuss Queer as Folk (British and US Versions) John D'Emilio (Reader, 467)
Th 10/18 Judith Butler (Reader, 307) Judith Halberstam (copy)
T 10/23 Dennis Altman "Global Gaze/ Global Gays" (copy) Peter Jackson (copy)
Th 10/25 Chua-- Gold by the Inch
M 10/29 View "The Brandon Teena Story"
T 10/30 Chua-- Gold by the Inch Discuss "The Brandon Teena Story "
W 10/31 View "Boy's Don't Cry"
Th 11/1 Richard Fung "Looking for my Penis" (copy) Serena Nanda (Reader, 542) Discuss "Boys Don't Cry"
M 11/5 View "Set it Off"
T 11/6 Cathy J. Cohen "Punks, Bulldaggers, and Welfare Queens" (copy) Discuss "Set it Off"
Th 11/8 Response #2 due David Halperin "How to do Queer History" (http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/journal_of_lesbian_and_gay_studies/v006/6.1halperin.html) Cyberqueer (check out links on class website, discuss listserv, be prepared to highlight one thing pertinent and bring in one website for presentation to class) Nina Wakeford "Cyberqueer" (copy)
M 11/12 View "Watermelon Woman"
T 11/13 Paper topics due Discuss "Watermelon Woman"
Th 11/15 See "The Attendant" (in class) Kobena Mercer (Reader, 350) K. Mercer--conversation with Isaac Julien (copy) bell hooks-"thinking through class: paying attention to The Attendant" (copy)
T 11/20 Philip Bryan Harper (Reader, 159) Simon Watney (Reader, 202)
Th 11/22 Thanksgiving
T 11/27 Cindy Patton "Tremble Hetero Swine" (Fear, 143) Paula Treichler "AIDS, Identity, and the Politics of Gender" (copy)
Th 11/29 Class Synthesis
Sun 12/2 "Laramie Project" Next Theatre Meet at 1:45 in front of theater
W 12/5 Meet in 307 University Hall (my office) 11AM for paper workshop
