Culture and Sexualities

Recommended Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of anatomy and sexual physiology. Basic knowledge of the influence of historical, social and cultural factors on sexual behavior.

Teaching Methods

Lectures with students’ participation.

PowerPoint presentation, videos and other pedagogical material.

Learning Outcomes

To understand sexuality regarding society and culture through times. Acquisition of basic concepts about social construction of sexuality. A critical approach of sexual dysfunctions categories.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

Culture and sexualities (Francisco Allen Gomes)

Sexuality is built from the relation of man with social structures. Sexual behavior is seen as a social and cultural phenomenon, more than biological, as it’s associated with man’s normative cultural values.

One of the main characteristics of sexual behavior is its vast diversity. This means that, due to universal cultural norms, there are several levels of diversity depending on social classes, age, gender and ethnicity. This leads to several sub-cultures, each one with its own identity.

Individual sexual behavior reflects not only age, gender, social group but also the time and place of living.

Assessment Methods

Continuous
Synthesis work: 100.0%

Bibliography

Leonore Tiefer (2004). Sex is Not a Natural Act & Other Essays. Westview Press.

Culture, Society and Sexuality – A Reader (1999). Edited by Richard Parker and Peter Aggleton. UCL Press.

Sexuality, Society and Feminism (2000). Edited by Cheryl Brown Travis and Jacquelyn White. American Psychological Association.

A Sexologia: Perspectiva Multidisciplinar I e II (2003). Coordenadores: Lígia Fonseca, Catarina Soares e Júlio Machado Vaz. Coimbra, Quarteto.