Contemporary Feminisms Issues

Year
0
Academic year
2024-2025
Code
01011619
Subject Area
Culture-Anglo-American Studies
Language of Instruction
Portuguese
Mode of Delivery
Face-to-face
Duration
SEMESTRIAL
ECTS Credits
6.0
Type
Elective
Level
1st Cycle Studies

Recommended Prerequisites

NA

Teaching Methods

A historical survey and the presentation of the key theoretical ideas will occupy the first few classes. Once a calendar for the semester is established with the students, each will make an individual presentation in class of a chosen theme, sustained by empirical data and theoretical concepts, a research supervised by the teacher. Students are expected to be able to present their arguments in a clear and sustained manner, as well as to debate them with the group. Debate allows for more consistent knowledge.

Learning Outcomes

Students should acquire knowledge about past feminist movements and present feminist issues and theory. The concept of Alterity and the concomitant subalternity of women in the past and the present direct both the research and the debate. The analysis of social and cultural practices, using contemporary material, should create the awareness of the social construction of representations and practices which common sense tends to accept as natural, and which express a social and symbolic hierarchy between men and women. The course aims at creating the ability to think critically about identities and citizenship, within the conceptual framework of an education towards ethical citizenship – an ethical imperative of university education. The ability for independent research work as well as the ability to present and argue individual stand-points in dialogue with the group is another capability students should attain. 

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

In the first decades of the XXI century both Feminist Studies and Feminist Movements are back in strength while women’s equality issues are in governmental agendas; yet, paradoxically, prejudices and stereotypes still thrive. Even among the educated classes “feminism” is still misunderstood. Thus, the course will start with a discussion of the very concepts of “feminine” and “masculine”, followed by a survey of the historical feminist movements before getting into the discussion of contemporary issues.

Feminisms are plural; thus an approach to different theories and positions will be made. Feminisms are interdisciplinary; thus materials - art, news pieces, literary texts and others – and methodologies from different disciplinary fields will be used.

Key concepts: alterity; citizenship; sexual difference; the body; stereotype; history/herstory; gaze; patriarchy; rewriting; violence; voice.

Head Lecturer(s)

Gonçalo Piolti Cholant

Assessment Methods

Final Assessment
Exam: 100.0%

Bibliography

Amaral, A.L. & Macedo, A.G. (2005). Dicionário de Crítica Feminista. Porto: Afrontamento.

Bebiano, A.; Ramalho, M.I. (2018).A Revista Crítica de Ciências Sociais e o Feminismo (1978-2017), Revista Crítica de Ciências Sociais, [Número especial comemorativo dos 40 anos], 71-114.

Dish, L.; Hawkesworth, M. (2016). The Oxford Handbook of Feminist Theory. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Marlow, J. (Ed.) (2000). Votes for Women. The Virago Book of Suffragettes. London: Virago.

Mohanty, C.T. (2003). Feminism Without Borders : Decolonizing Theory, Practicing Solidarity. Durham: Dule Univeristy Press.

Tavares, M. (2011). Feminismos: percursos e desafios (1947-2007). Lisboa: Texto.

Vicente, F.L. (2012). A arte sem história. Lisboa: Athena.