Gender, Culture, and Power

This course will introduce students to the anthropological study of gender and sexuality. Topics to be addressed include: the construction of femininities and masculinities in cross-cultural perspective; the role of gender and class ideologies in labor relations and global capitalism; the historical development of gender as a locus of study, activism, and practice; and instances where anthropology has engaged in social movements including anti-violence and LGBT rights. Our readings will take us a number of places, from the streets of Los Angeles, to a factory in southern China, an Islamic fashion house in Indonesia, a men’s sex clinic in Oaxaca, a folklore performance in Mali, a comic book festival in Tokyo, a debate about women’s film in Iran. Students will be introduced to key frames of history and theory in the field of gender studies. 3 hrs. lect.