GENDER 301 : Gender, Sex and Commodification
Arts
2024 Semester Two (1245) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
This course meets for three hours per week (2 hours + 1 hour), which includes time for us to analyse together a number of practical examples that illustrate key themes of the course. Major concepts include biopower, technologies of the self, post-feminism, neoliberalism, heteronormativity, objectification, somatechnics, biomedicalization, and authenticity. We see how these concepts are at play in arenas such as sex work, pornography, cosmetic surgery, the marketing of reproductive technologies, and other fields. This means that you will be asked to be active in class discussions throughout the lecture periods, and "lecture" includes time to discuss examples and concepts as well as listen to the lecturer frame the materials and define terms.
Course Requirements
Capabilities Developed in this Course
| Capability 3: | Knowledge and Practice |
| Capability 4: | Critical Thinking |
| Capability 5: | Solution Seeking |
| Capability 6: | Communication |
| Capability 8: | Ethics and Professionalism |
Learning Outcomes
- Explain, using both theory and practical examples, how the marketing and selling of commodities and practices on the body are part of the social construction of gender, sexuality, and gendered identities. (Capability 3, 4 and 6)
- Explain how bodies and identities are commodified to both reinforce and contest gender and sexual identities and relations. (Capability 3, 4 and 6)
- Define and apply key concepts such as biopower, technologies of the self, post-feminism, neoliberalism, heteronormativity, objectification, somatechnics, biomedicalization, authenticity (Capability 3, 4, 5 and 6)
- Critically appraise, critique, compare and contrast arguments about the social meaning of different social practices and institutions like advertising, sex work, and assisted reproduction that commodify sex and gender. (Capability 3, 4, 5 and 6)
- Critique arguments about gender, embodiment, identity and commodification by assessing them in relation to each other and in relation to students’ own viewpoints (Capability 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8)
Assessments
| Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Internal Assessment | 100% | Individual Coursework |
| 100% |
Workload Expectations
This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week doing work for each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.
For this course, you can expect 3 hours of lectures/discussions, 3-5 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 2-5 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation per week. The division of labour each week will vary depending on where we are in the term and where you are in your assessment prep.
Delivery Mode
Campus Experience
Attendance is expected at all scheduled activities including lectures and seminars.
The 2-hour lectures will be available as recordings for students who cannot attend live in-person due to illness. Lecture recordings are *not* a regular substitute for class attendance; they are meant as a back-up in the event of illness or to review material in preparation for assessments. Other learning activities, specifically the third-hour seminar, will not be available as recordings.
The course will not include live online events, unless Covid conditions require it.
The activities for the course are scheduled as 2 hours lecture early in the week followed by a 1 hour seminar later in the week.
This course is not available for delivery to students studying remotely outside NZ in 2024.
Learning 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.
Readings will be provided through the Talis course reading list (available through Canvas). There are no texts to purchase for the course.
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.
The course topics, readings, and assessments are updated regularly to keep the course up-to-date and in line with feedback from students about what has worked well to facilitate learning.
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 for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.
Class Representatives
Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.
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 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.
Learning Continuity
In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.
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 students may be asked to submit 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. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.