Feminist Theory and Critique
Code: 106990Credits: 6
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Sociocultural Gender Studies | OB | 3 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Diego Falconi Trávez
- Email :
- diego.falconi@uab.cat
Teaching staff
- Meri Torras Frances
- Maria Isern Ordeig
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
This is a 3rd year course, so it is recommended to take it after completing the 1st and 2nd year courses.
Objectives
The purpose of this course is to outline the areas of reflection, as well as the inflections and transformations, of feminist theories and practices and how they have transformed history, epistemology, and philosophical and scientific thought. Conceived from the perspective of Literary Theory and Comparative Literature, the course seeks to emphasize texts, broadly understood, and critical reflection as essential to contemporary ethical life.
In this sense, it is important to analyze how feminist theoretical and literary writings have built a fundamental field in knowledge and culture, which is why careful readings of diverse texts will be made that require tools for reading, analysis and criticism from a gender perspective.
After completing the class, students:
1. Must understand how the contributions of feminist criticism and theory have contributed to the paradigm shift in literary studies;
2. Must understand the main approaches of feminist theory and criticism;
3. Must understand the dialogues between feminist critical and theoretical proposals and society;
4. Must apply methods specific to feminist literary theory and criticism in the analysis of literary texts using comparative tools and incorporate disciplines such as law, in order to understand different textualities and innovative forms of connection;
5. Must be familiar with the latest trends in feminist theory and their impact on culture in general and literary studies in particular.
6. Must be able to hold critical positions and defend them using tools derived from rhetoric, logic, and appropriate oral language.
Learning outcomes
- CM19 (Develop simple proposals for promoting gender equality in scientific and technological fields of study.) Develop simple proposals for promoting gender equality in scientific and technological fields of study.
- 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.
- KM32 (Describe the fundamental principles of gender theory and relate them to the cultural substratum in which they are found.) Describe the fundamental principles of gender theory and relate them to the cultural substratum in which they are found.
- 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.).
- KM34 (Contrast debates on feminism and masculinities to find commonalities, clashes and possible biases derived from androcentric assumptions.) Contrast debates on feminism and masculinities to find commonalities, clashes and possible biases derived from androcentric assumptions.
- 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.
- SM28 (Justify in an orderly, coherent and distinctive narrative the specifics of debates on gender, its branches and related aspects, in different socio-cultural contexts.) Justify in an orderly, coherent and distinctive narrative the specifics of debates on gender, its branches and related aspects, in different socio-cultural contexts.
Contents
Unit 1. Foundations for a Feminist Theory and Criticism and its Role in the Paradigm Shift of Literary Studies
What is theory and what is its purpose? What does it mean to write as a woman and to read as a feminist? What does it mean to have one's own literature? How can we (re)think the canon from a feminist perspective? What are the new approaches to comparative literature and gender studies?
Unit 2. The Political/Literary/Legal Subject of Feminism. The Category of Woman(s).
Who are the political subjects of feminisms and how have they changed through time? What do the philosophical, political, and legal subjects have to do with literature and feminisms? Is the body self-evident? Is performance the same as performativity? What do we mean when we talk about intersectionality? What do anti-racist subjectivities propose? Is it possible to decolonize feminist thought? Can lesbian subjectivities and desires dismantle compulsory and obligatory heterosexuality? Who are women and what are their forms of translation?
Unit 3. Feminisms in the current context: challenges and achievements
What relationships exist between feminism, cyberfeminism, queer studies, transfeminism, and crip/disabled studies? What are the current debates on issues such as consent and subjectivation? How can literature, law, and gender be linked?
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| lectures and group dialogues | 50 | 2 | CM19, KM29, KM30, KM32, KM33, KM34 |
| Close reading of texts and preparation of the exercises | 35 | 1.4 | CM19, KM30, KM32, KM33, KM34, SM28 |
| Exercises | 10 | 0.4 | CM19, KM29, KM32, KM33, KM34, SM27, SM28 |
The learning process for this subject is divided as follows:·
- Directed activities (50%). Lectures and group discussions.
- Supervised activities (20%). Oral and writen exercises.
- Independent activities (30%). Comprehensive and critical reading texts. Preparation of the debate and the exercises
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class exercise 1 | 35% | 20 | 0.8 | CM19, KM29, KM30, KM33, SM27, SM28 |
| Oral exercise | 30% | 15 | 0.6 | CM19, KM30, KM32, KM34, SM28 |
| Class exercise 2 | 35% | 20 | 0.8 | CM19, KM29, KM30, KM33, SM27, SM28 |
Assignments
2 written in-class exercise (70%)
1 oral exercise (30%)
Grading
The final grade will range from 0 to 10 points, with 5 as the minimum grade for passing the course. Two conditions must be met to be counted toward the final grade:a) three assessment activities must be submitted.b) a grade equal to or greater than 3.5 (=> 3.5) after adding all the assessment activities submitted.The final grade for the course will be calculated as the weighted average of the four assessment activities, according to the corresponding weighting.Note: A grade of \"Not Assessable\" will be received if none of the assessment activities have been submitted.
Reevaluation
Students who meet ALL of the following requirements may take a retake within the same session:1. They must not have passed the course by reaching a 5 (4.9 is not a 5).2. They must have been assessed on at least one of the in-class graded activities.Note: If a student takes a retake, their final grade will not exceed 5.Grade ReviewAt the time of each assessment activity, the instructor will inform students (on Moodle) of the procedure and date for grade review.
AI
Use of AI With the aim of ensuring coherence and transparency in the use of AI in subjects; and specific assessable activities; the following text models are proposed for inclusion in the teaching guides of the subjects. The models are presented at the subject level but, if required, if it is necessary to distinguish, they can be specified at the level of the assessment activity. These texts are designed to clarify the level of permitted use and can be adapted according to the case: Model 1 - Prohibited use: “In this subject, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is not allowed in any of its phases. Any work that includes fragments generated with AI 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. Model 2 - Restricted use: “For this subject, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is allowed exclusively in [support tasks, such as bibliographic or information search, text correction or translations ... (other?) ....], [xxx activities] [other specific situations in which it is considered]. 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 of 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 cases of seriousness.” Model 3 - Permitted use: “In this subject, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is allowed as an integral part of the development of the work, provided that the final result reflects a significant contribution by the student in the analysis and personal reflection. 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 act
Compressed evaluation
To opt for this type of evaluation, students must notify the instructor by the agreed-upon date. This assessment will consist of two activities, both due on the same day (which will be announced by the instructor): 1. Individual written exercise (60%) 2. Discussion with the instructor (40%)
Bibliography
Specific bibliography will be provided for each course topic.
General Bibliography:
Anzaldúa, Gloria (1987). The Borderlands/La frontera: The New Mestiza. San Francisco: Aun Lute Books.
bell hooks (2000). El feminismo es para todo el mundo. Madrid: Traficantes de sueños.
Cixous, Hèléne (1995). La risa de la Medusa. Ensayos sobre la escritura. Trad. de Myriam Díaz-Diocaretz. Barcelona: Anthropos.
Curiel, Ochy y Falconí Trávez, Diego (2021). Feminismos decoloniales y transformación social. Barcelona: Icaria.
De Beauvoir, Simone (2002). El segundo sexo. Los hechos y los mitos. Trad. de Alicia Martorell. Madrid: Ediciones Cátedra. España, Universidad de Valencia, Instituto de la Mujer.
Falconí Trávez, Diego (2024). Derecho y Literatura en América Latina. Un análisis comparatista desde el género. Barcelona: Tirant lo Blanch.
Firestone, Shulamith (1976 1973). La dialéctica del sexo. En defensa de la revolución feminista. Trad. de Ramón Ribé Queralt.Barcelona: Editorial Kairós.
Friedan, Betty (2009 1963). La mística de la feminidad. Trad. de Magalí Martínez Solimán. Madrid: Ediciones Cátedra.
Halberstam, J. (2004) «La mirada transgenérica». Trad. de Meri Torras. Lectora: Revista de dones i textualitat, núm. 10.
Irigaray, Luce (1995). La diferencia sexualcomo fundamento de la democracia. Trad. de Esther Hachuel Fernández. Duoda, Revista d’Estudis Feministes, núm. 8.
Lorde, Audre (2005 1984). La hermana, la extranjera. Trad. de María Corniero Madrid: horas y Horas la editorial.
Lugones, María (1999 1994). «Pureza, impureza y separación». Trad. de Marta Marín Domine. Neus Carbonell y Meri Torras(eds.), Feminismos literarios, Madrid: Arco Libros.
Millett, Kate (1995). Política sexual. Trad. de Ana María Bravo García. Madrid: Ediciones Cátedra. Disponible onlineen: https://www.academia.edu/35955847/Kate_Millet_Politica_sexual
Moraga, Cherríe (1998). Esta puente, mi espalda. Voces de mujeres tercermundistas en los Estados. San Francisco: Ism Press.
Torras Francés, Meri (2000). “Feminismo y crítica lesbiana: ¿una identidad diferente?” Feminismo y crítica literaria. En: Marta Segarra Montaner, Angels Carabí, págs. 121-142
VV. AA (2013). Resentir lo queer en América Latina. Diálogos desde/con el sur. Barcelona: Egales.
Wittig, Monique (2021 1973). El cuerpo lesbiano. Trad. de Nuria Pérez de Lara. Valencia: Pre-Textos.
Woolf, Virginia (2001 1929). Un cuarto propio. Trad. de Laura Pujol. Barcelona: Seix Barral.
Zafra, Remedios y López-Pellisa, Teresa (eds.) (2010). Ciberfeminismos. De VNS Matrix a Laboria Cuboniks. Barcelona: Holiobionte Ediciones.
Software
Note: 15 minutes of a class will be reserved within the schedule established by the center or the degree program for students to complete the surveys evaluating the teaching staff's performance and the evaluation of the subject or module.
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/Spanish | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 1 | Catalan/Spanish | first semester | morning-mixed |