Introduction to Feminist Genealogies
Code: 106989Credits: 6
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Sociocultural Gender Studies | FB | 1 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Joanna Genevieve E. Empain
- Email :
- joannagenevieve.empain@uab.cat
Teaching staff
- Cloe Masotta Lijtmaer
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
This subject has no prerequisites, but students are advised to make use of the complementary bibliography found in the bibliography section.
The student must have the necessary linguistic knowledge to be able to express themself correctly both in writing and orally.
Objectives
The subject proposes to trace the basic conceptual frameworks from which feminism has been understood in the Western tradition, as well as the paradigm changes that justify the different conceptualizations of gender, and its fundamental relationship with the body and identity . The conceptual and contextual connections are raised, as well as the mechanisms and critical instruments, which allow establishing genealogical accounts in the chronology of feminisms, from which specific analytical frameworks are inferred.
Learning outcomes
- KM29 (Recognise key periods in the history of feminism.) Recognise key periods in the history of feminism.
- KM30 (Identify the fundamental establishing narratives of different feminist approaches, taking intersectional considerations and context into account.) Identify the fundamental establishing narratives of different feminist approaches, taking intersectional considerations and context into account.
- KM31 (Critically analyse popular discourses, particularly those related to ideology and ethnocentric and sexist biases.) Critically analyse popular discourses, particularly those related to ideology and ethnocentric and sexist biases.
- KM33 (Explain the historical links between feminism and other movements against inequality (Black Lives Matter, LGBTIQ+, etc.).) Explain the historical links between feminism and other movements against inequality (Black Lives Matter, LGBTIQ+, etc.).
- SM27 (Use genealogical accounts to contextualise different socio-cultural manifestations of gender from different periods.) Use genealogical accounts to contextualise different socio-cultural manifestations of gender from different periods.
- SM29 (Interpret artistic and cultural objects from a feminist theoretical and critical perspective by placing them in social and historical context.) Interpret artistic and cultural objects from a feminist theoretical and critical perspective by placing them in social and historical context.
- SM30 (Identify the conceptual, historical and social frameworks operating explicitly and implicitly in artistic and cultural phenomena from a given context, and from a gender perspective.) Identify the conceptual, historical and social frameworks operating explicitly and implicitly in artistic and cultural phenomena from a given context, and from a gender perspective.
- SM31 (Use organised and correct discourse both in writing and to be performed aloud, in the corresponding language, which relies on inclusive language and is suitable for all kinds of situations.) Use organised and correct discourse both in writing and to be performed aloud, in the corresponding language, which relies on inclusive language and is suitable for all kinds of situations.
- SM32 (Analyse social, artistic and cultural manifestations from a feminist, theoretical and practical perspective.) Analyse social, artistic and cultural manifestations from a feminist, theoretical and practical perspective.
Contents
BLOCK I. Feminist genealogies: actions, positions and points of view.
- Concept of genealogy.
- Situated knowledge versus universal knowledge.
- Deconstructing the hegemonic, Eurocentric, white and binary gaze.
- Feminist tools: intersectionality, preposterous history.
BLOCK II: Re-shaping of feminist knowledge in history.
- Beginnings of Western feminist thought: feminism of equality and difference.
- Critical feminisms: materialist feminisms and lesbian feminisms; black feminisms, anticolonial feminisms (post-colonial and decolonial), queer, post-humanist and new materialisms.
- Difference within difference: intersectionalities.
- Art, body and politics: the political subjects of feminism and their variation in history and socio-cultural context.
- Corporealities, relationality and affects.
- Going beyond anthropocentric and ethnocentric categories of sex and gender.
BLOCK III: Intersectional genealogical narratives (Fanzine)
- Feminist assemblages with different conceptual, social, cultural and historical positionings.
- Critical visualities as tools of resistance
- Narrative and counter-narrative: dismantling hegemonic narratives.
- The fanzine as a pedagogical and research tool.
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation of the course. Theoretical expositions of the main concepts. Text comments. Group activities in the classroom and presentations in class by the students. | 45 | 1.8 | |
| Individual work on the proposed activities: readings, preparation of exhibitions and materials. Group work: documentary research, interview, creation of the fanzine. | 35 | 1.4 | |
| Tutorials and monitoring of activities | 20 | 0.8 |
In this subject, theoretical and practical sessions will be based on feminist art based methodologies, to create a collective, intersectional and transdisciplinary mapping of feminist genealogies.
This will be done by:
- Readings and reflections from texts
- Search for information on the topics discussed in class
- Oral presentations of the works by the students
- Creative activities
- Tutorials and monitoring of activities
Note: 15 minutes of a class will be set aside, within the calendar established by the center/degree, for students to fill in the teacher performance and subject evaluation surveys.
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group activity | 45 % | 20 | 0.8 | KM29, KM30, KM31, SM27, SM29, SM30, SM31, SM32 |
| Exam | 35 % | 20 | 0.8 | KM29, KM30, KM33, SM29, SM30, SM31, SM32 |
| Co-assessment activity: Feminist critical etymologies | 20% | 10 | 0.4 | KM30, KM31, KM33, SM29, SM30, SM32 |
Continuous assessment
Individual activities (55%)
Individual assessment activities (2 assigments) (related to block I and II).
- Reflective and creative activity: Weaving feminist narratives: autobiography and feminist genealogies (20%)
- Written test (35%)
Group activity (45%)
Elaboration of a fanzine (Block III): In groups of between 2 and 5 people will have to choose a topic related to feminisms in order to complete the genealogy worked in class to create a fanzine in group.
- Phase 1: Research on the chosen topic and presentation of the pre-project (10%).
- Phase 2: Realization of the fanzine (35%)
Assessment for this course is continuous and requires attendance, participation in class, and consistent engagement with the course materials. Late submission of assignments will result in a 2-point penalty. The written exam will be held on the date specified at the beginning of the course. If a student does not attend, it will be marked as "NP (Not presented)" and will not count as an assessment activity.
To be entitled to retake, students must have completed two-thirds of the assessment activities of the subject. They must also obtain a grade between 3.5 and 4/10 in the written test as well as having obtained a minimum grade in the average of the subject of 3.5/10. The teacher will inform students of the procedure and date of review of the grades. The group assignment is not retaken given the methodology used.
The late submission of an assignment will result in a penalty of 2 points.
Students will receive a grade of "Not Evaluated" when they do not submit any of the individual and group assessment activities or when they do not take the written examination.
In this subject, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is allowed exclusively in support tasks, such as bibliographic or information searches, text correction or translations, and image creation. The student must clearly identify which parts have been generated with this technology, specify the tools used and include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and the final result of the activity. The lack of transparency in the use of AI in this assessable activity will be considered a lack of academic honesty and may lead to a partial or total penalty in the grade of the activity, or greater sanctions in serious cases. Specific validations will be carried out to guarantee authorship and the acquisition of skills in the event of suspicion of academic fraud.
Single assessment
This course does not include a single evaluation system.
Bibliography
Ahmed, S. (2024). Viure una vida feminista. Barcelona: Tigre de Paper.
Ahmed, S. (2019). Fenomenología Queer. Ediciones Bellaterr.
Anzaldúa, G. 2016. Borderlands / La frontera. La nueva mestiza. Capitán Swing.
Bal, M. (1999). Quoting Caravaggio, contemporary art, preposternous history. University of Chicago Press.
Butler, J. (2006). Deshacer el género. Trad. de Patricia Soley-Beltran. Paidós.
Butler, J. (2024). Qui té por al gènere?. Tigre de paper.
Cano Abadía, M. (2015). Nuevos materialismos: Hacia feminismos no dualistas. Oxímora. Revista Internacional de Ética y Política, 7, 34–47. https://doi.org/10.1344/oxi.2015.i7.14416
Ciriza, A. (2020). Tramar/Urdir/Anudar genealogías feministas situadas. Los desafíos del espacio y el tiempo. La Aljaba, Vol. XXIV: pp. 145-157.
Curiel, O. & Falconí, D. (2021). Feminismos decoloniales y transformación social. Icaria.
Davis, A. (1981/ 2022). Mujeres, raza y clase. Akal.
De Lauretis, T. (2025). Figuras de resistencia. Kaótica Libros.
Federici, S. (2013). Revolución en punto cero. Trabajo doméstico, reproducción y luchas feministas. Traficantes de Sueños.
Flores, Val (2021). Romper el corazón del mundo. Modos fugitivos de hacer teoría. Contintamentienes.
Foucault, M. (2022). La arqueología del saber. Ed. Siglo XXI.
Foucault, M. (2022). Nietzsche, la genealogía, la historia. Pre-textos Editores.
Galaxina, A. (2024). ¡Puedo decir lo que quiera! ¡Puedo hacer lo que quiera! Una genealogía incompleta del fanzine hecho por chicas. Libros Walden.
Haraway, D. (2019). Seguir con el problema, Generar parentesco en el Chthuluceno. Edición Consonni.
Haraway, D. (2023). Mujeres, simios y cíborgs. Alianza Ensayo.
Harding, S. (1987). Introduction: Is There a Feminist Methodology?. In S. Harding (Ed.), Feminism and Methodology (pp. 1-14). Indiana University Press. https://doi.org/10.1520/STP20024S
hooks, b. (2020). ¿Acaso no soy una mujer?: mujeres negras y feminismo. Consonni.
hooks, b., et al. (2004). Otras Inapropiables: feminismos desde las fronteras. Traficantes de sueños.
hooks, b. (2026). Pensar el arte. Paidós.
Lorde, A. (2022). Zami. Una nueva forma de escribir mi nombre. Una biomitografía. Madrid: Capitán Swing.
Lorde, A. (2024). Germana Altra. Manifest
Lugones, M. (2008). Colonialidad y género. Tabula Rasa, 9, 73–101.
Meloni, C. (2021). Feminismos fronterizos : Mestizas, abyectas y perras. Kaótica libros.
Mohanty, C.T. (2008). Bajo los ojos de occidente. Academia Feminista y discurso colonial. En Liliana Suárez Navaz y Aida Hernández (eds.), Descolonizando el Feminismo: Teorías y Prácticas desde los Márgenes. Cátedra.
Pié Balaguer, A. (2024). Pedagogía crip y la revolución de los cuerpos. Kaótica Libros.
Preciado, P. (2022), Dysphoria mundi. Anagrama.
Ramajo García, B. (2026). Fantologías y genealogías lesbianas. Icaria Editorial.
Smith, E. K. (2021). Cómo hacer libros : Crea encuadernaciones únicas a base de plegar, cortar y coser. Editorial GG. Vera Rojas, M. T. (Ed.) (2024).
Feminismos antiracistas, Relecturas para el siglo XX. Icaria, Mujeres y Culturas, Ensayos sobre mujeres y sexualidad
Vergès, Françoise (2022). Feminismo descolonial. Traficantes de sueños.
Wittig, M. (2024). El pensamiento heterosexual. Paidós.
Wittig, M. (2021 1973). El cuerpo lesbiano. Pre-Textos.
Software
No software is used in this subject.
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TE) Theory | 1 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 1 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |