This information is for the 2020/21 session.
Teacher responsible
Dr. Michael Diamond-Hunter and Dr. Ella Whiteley
Availability
This course is available on the BSc in Philosophy and Economics, BSc in Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method, BSc in Philosophy, Politics and Economics and BSc in Politics and Philosophy. This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit and to General Course students.
Course content
This half-unit examines, from a philosophical perspective, the nature of gender and race and the role these categories play in shaping the social world and structuring human lives.
Topics covered will include:
Gender and Biology: How does “gender” relate to “sex”? Is our concept of biological “sex” objective, and free from gender stereotypes and norms? Is our sex fixed or changeable?
Gender and Society: Does society oppress certain genders, and if so, how? How does sexism intersect with other oppressions, like racism and transphobia?
Race and Society: How does the social meaning of “race” vary around the world? Should we try to reconcile “ordinary” conceptions of “race” with technical conceptions of “race”? How should we understand the directionality and limits of racial classification?
The Future of Gender and Race: Will race and gender still exist in the future? Should we try to work for a race-free and gender-free world, or should these ways of classifying people be preserved?
We will focus on approaches to these questions from “analytic” philosophy, including feminist and race-critical approaches and approaches from the philosophy of science. The aim is to confront the big questions of gender and race by analysing and constructing careful and precise philosophical arguments.
Teaching
10 hours of lectures and 10 hours of classes in the LT.
Students on this course will have a reading week in Week 6.
Formative coursework
Students will be expected to produce 1 exercise in the LT.
Indicative reading
Suggested introductory reading:
Assessment
Essay (45%, 1500 words) in the LT.
Essay (45%, 1500 words) in the ST.
Class participation (10%).
There is no exam for this half-unit. There will be two summative essays, each worth 45% of the final mark. 10% of the final mark will be awarded for class participation.
Key facts
Department: Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method
Total students 2019/20: 32
Average class size 2019/20: 16
Capped 2019/20: No
Value: Half Unit
Personal development skills
Important information in response to COVID-19
Please note that during 2020/21 academic year some variation to teaching and learning activities may be required to respond to changes in public health advice and/or to account for the situation of students in attendance on campus and those studying online during the early part of the academic year. For assessment, this may involve changes to mode of delivery and/or the format or weighting of assessments. Changes will only be made if required and students will be notified about any changes to teaching or assessment plans at the earliest opportunity.