ANTHRO 211 : Human Sex, Gender and Sexuality

Arts

2020 Semester Two (1205) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Explores the central anthropological topics of human sex, sexuality and gender from diverse perspectives. Topics may include cross-cultural and social conceptualisations and creations of difference; ideas about biology, gender and sexuality; how they are simultaneously socio-cultural products and forces; lived experiences and corporeal and political phenomena; reproductive politics; and global, national and local sexual and gender relations.

Course Overview

What are ‘sex’, ‘gender’, ‘sexuality’ and ‘sexual desire’? How do the meanings and practices of sex, gender & sexuality differ across cultures, time, and place? Are these meanings and practices biologically or culturally driven? How do anthropologists study sex, gender & sexuality? How do dichotomies such as nature/culture, public/private, male/female shape our (Western) understandings of sex, gender & sexuality and popular debates on related issues? When did sexuality become an identity? How does globalisation blur boundaries and impact on individuals and communities in terms of sex, gender & sexuality customs and practices?
The main objective of this course is to examine, from an anthropological perspective, social constructions and cultural practices of sex, gender & sexualities. To do this we will consider how anthropology engages with and constructs sex, gender & sexuality as an object of knowledge and how, in turn, the discipline of anthropology has been shaped by its engagement with questions of sex, gender & sexuality. We will read both contemporary as well as classic (marked with a *) texts in the Anthropology of human sex, gender and sexuality. The focus is on anthropological understanding of embodied, social, cultural and political phenomenon and on challenging our assumptions about the nature of things we take for granted as fixed and immutable.

By the end of the course, you should: 
 
Understand sex, sexuality and gender as social and cultural phenomena 
Recognise the embeddedness of gender in wider community, national and global structures and relationships 
Understand the topics covered in cross-cultural and historical perspective 
Be able to think reflexively about your own gender position, identity and situation 
Understand a range of anthropological perspectives on gender

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: ANTHRO 100 or 30 points in Anthropology, Gender Studies, History or Sociology Restriction: ANTHRO 215, 342

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Capability 6: Social and Environmental Responsibilities
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Understand and be able to discuss key theoretical perspectives in the anthropological study of human sex, gender & sexuality (Capability 1.1, 5.1 and 6.2)
  2. Identify how different disciplinary perspectives shape understandings and knowledge about human sex, gender & sexuality through their study of it (Capability 1.1, 5.1 and 6.2)
  3. Analyse perspectives on human sex, gender & sexuality by reference to cross-cultural and ethnographic examples (Capability 1.1, 5.1, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)
  4. Demonstrate an understanding of Anthropology as a discipline, its core questions, theoretical problems and methods (Capability 1.1, 3.1, 5.1, 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3)
  5. Develop their skills in critical reading and analysis, critical and reflective thought, developing arguments and academic writing (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2 and 5.1)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Article Commentary 20% Individual Coursework
Terms Test 40% Individual Test
Reflexive Essay 40% Individual Coursework

Next offered

Semester Two 2020
Semester Two 2021

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, each week you can expect 2 hours of lectures, a 1 hour tutorial, 4 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 3 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page (https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894), which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 25/06/2020 12:31 p.m.