Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Spring 2021 - GSWS 316 D100

Disciplining Sex: Feminist Science Studies and Sociobiology (4)

Class Number: 7063

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 11 – Apr 16, 2021: Tue, Thu, 12:30–2:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    30 units.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Conceptualizations of sex have played a fundamental part in the development of evolutionary theories in biology and psychology. At the same time, feminist critiques of these conceptualizations have been a major factor in the development of Feminist Science Studies. The interactions amongst these three approaches are examined, including methodologies, communities of practice and societal implications. Breadth-Hum/Social Sci/Science.

COURSE DETAILS:

How many sexes are there? Are sex differences determined by the brain, by hormones, by genes, by genitals, by social environment, by some combination of these factors, or by something else entirely?  Is sexuality a product of nature, nurture, or both?  Is biological sex fixed or can it change over time? What are the values, assumptions, and beliefs that shape these questions and what is at stake in the answers we provide?

This third-year course critically examines the social, material, political, and technological intersections of science and sex. It asks: What do we know about sex and sexuality, what don’t we know, and how do we come to know (or not know) it? Drawing together readings and media from biology, anthropology, philosophy, history, feminist and indigenous science studies, queer theory, critical race theory, and the literary and performing arts, we will explore a range of questions, including (but not limited to): What is the biology – as a scientific matter and as bodily matter – of sex and gender? What can (or can’t) animals such as promiscuous primates or monogamous voles tell us about human sex, gender, and sexuality? How are scientific values such as objectivity, discovery, or universality engaged in producing and naturalizing gendered, classed, or racialized differences? What other approaches to thinking and doing sex exist within and beyond the sciences, and how might they alter, challenge, or subvert dominant regimes of knowledge production about sexual difference? How do the social contexts and meanings of categories such as monogamy, masculinity, or asexuality shape scientific research questions and practices? In turn, how does scientific research influence our understandings and experiences of these categories and the people (or animals or plants or bacteria) who fall into with them?  What role do technologies such as hormones, PET scans, or vibrators play in shaping our definitions and experiences of our bodies’ sex?

 

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

For more detailed information please see the GSWS website: http://www.sfu.ca/gsws/undergraduate/courses/Educational_Goals.html

Grading

  • Weekly Modules (includes online discussion component, options for synchronous and asynchronous participation) 20%
  • Ten Sex/Gender Questions Exercise: 20%
  • Lab Notebook: (6 entries @ 5 % each) 30%
  • Implosion Project: (option for group or individual project; “implosion” of an object of sex/science is undertaken in multiple stages over 5 weeks) 30%

NOTES:

  • Lecture materials will be recorded and available on canvas.
  • Weekly lectures and discussions will take place online and will include asynchronous and synchronous components. Attendance at synchronous online components (via Zoom) for 1 to 2 hours on Thursdays from 2-4pm is encouraged, but not required. Recordings of these sessions will be made available on canvas.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Course texts will be available online, through Canvas or SFU Library


Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN SPRING 2021

Teaching at SFU in spring 2021 will be conducted primarily through remote methods. There will be in-person course components in a few exceptional cases where this is fundamental to the educational goals of the course. Such course components will be clearly identified at registration, as will course components that will be “live” (synchronous) vs. at your own pace (asynchronous). Enrollment acknowledges that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes. To ensure you can access all course materials, we recommend you have access to a computer with a microphone and camera, and the internet. In some cases your instructor may use Zoom or other means requiring a camera and microphone to invigilate exams. If proctoring software will be used, this will be confirmed in the first week of class.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need class or exam accommodations, including in the current context of remote learning, are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112).