IN 307 - Gender, Sexuality, and the Middle East

Credits: 4
Introduces students to some of the important theoretical and political debates about gender and sexuality in the Middle East by discussing important questions such asIs the veil a sign of women oppression in the Arab world? Have women disappeared from the public sphere? Do Muslim women need saving? Is the social construction of masculinity in the Arab world atypical? Are there active and vibrant grassroots feminist movements in the region? Why does the oppression of Arab women occupy such a unique position in the Western imaginary? Do queer politics and movements in the Middle East share any commonalities with their Western counterparts? This course explores the politics of gender in the Middle East by examining the stories of everyday lives of women and men. While the focus of the course is on the Middle East, discussions will also focus on Western views and representations of Muslim and Arab women.

Course Restrictions: Junior standing
Liberal Arts Perspective(s): Interdisciplinary
Foundations Requirement(s):