Gender, Sex, Species
(Philos 230/Human 270) Spring 2022
Thursday 11am—1:50pm
Location: HIB 55 (map here)
Professor: Brianne Donaldson
Email: [email protected]
Description:
In this course, we explore the construction of gender and species categories in Western knowledge frameworks, with some reference to Indian cultural and philosophical contexts. Utilizing poststructural and feminist/queer theoretical frameworks, as well as metaphysical perspectives of “indistinction," we will primarily evaluate the entanglement of gender and species in western ethics, science, religion, marketing, and entertainment. We will secondarily identify overlapping discourses of race, disability, class, nationalism, among others. Students will develop tools for analyzing identity construction in narratives, images, and practices beyond biological determinism; students will further consider the possibilities and pitfalls of indistinction as a constructive alternative to various forms of violence based on gender and species.
Professor: Brianne Donaldson
Email: [email protected]
Description:
In this course, we explore the construction of gender and species categories in Western knowledge frameworks, with some reference to Indian cultural and philosophical contexts. Utilizing poststructural and feminist/queer theoretical frameworks, as well as metaphysical perspectives of “indistinction," we will primarily evaluate the entanglement of gender and species in western ethics, science, religion, marketing, and entertainment. We will secondarily identify overlapping discourses of race, disability, class, nationalism, among others. Students will develop tools for analyzing identity construction in narratives, images, and practices beyond biological determinism; students will further consider the possibilities and pitfalls of indistinction as a constructive alternative to various forms of violence based on gender and species.
Opening Recitation:
परस्परोपग्रहो जीवानाम्
Parasparopagraho jīvānām
“The function of living beings is to support one another.”
–Tattvārtha-sūtra, of the Jain tradition (2nd–5th c. CE) 5.21
Student Learning Objectives:
1. Articulate 3–4 overlapping features of poststructural philosophies with feminist/queer theories
2. Distinguish theoretical approaches in critical animal studies, including a metaphysical approach of "indistinction"
3. Examine various scholarly accounts of gender, sex, species, in light of the above theoretical tools
4. Construct a final project related to sex, gender and species, with special attention to indistinction approaches
परस्परोपग्रहो जीवानाम्
Parasparopagraho jīvānām
“The function of living beings is to support one another.”
–Tattvārtha-sūtra, of the Jain tradition (2nd–5th c. CE) 5.21
Student Learning Objectives:
1. Articulate 3–4 overlapping features of poststructural philosophies with feminist/queer theories
2. Distinguish theoretical approaches in critical animal studies, including a metaphysical approach of "indistinction"
3. Examine various scholarly accounts of gender, sex, species, in light of the above theoretical tools
4. Construct a final project related to sex, gender and species, with special attention to indistinction approaches
Cover image: "It's Just Noise" by Ramona Pintea
