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LASP-450-01 Gender and Sexuality in Modern Latin America
Fall only
By focusing on the ways in which ideas about gender and sexuality have informed regional societal debates regarding such issues as nation-building; political parties and ideologies; work, slavery, and immigration; economic development; the role of the military in public life; and health, welfare and social assistance, this interdisciplinary course will help students appreciate the ways in which cultural assumptions have underpinned and significantly influenced national discussions about politics, governance, and public policy in Latin America from the late colonial era to the present.
In addition to offering students insight regarding the relationship of culture to politics, the course will also help students develop an understanding of the theoretical perspectives and analytical methods social scientists employ to research issues related to gender and sexuality as they intersect social, political, and economic life. By the end of the semester students should be able to answer the following questions:
• What topics have characterized social commentary on major periods of political transition in Latin America?
• To what extent have societal discussions of issues related to gender and sexuality featured prominently in periods of political change?
• What theoretical insights and methods do social scientists use to research issues related to gender and sexuality?
• How have ideas about proper masculine and feminine roles shaped larger debates about nation-building, immigration, the right of women to work outside the home, political party formation, and economic development schemes?
• How is it that social and cultural activities considered “normal” for men have been considered “deviant” for women, and vice versa?
• In what contexts have social attitudes towards such concepts as honor and status as well as marriage, paternity, and divorce modified or changed – and why? How are political and cultural conceptualizations of homosexuality and heterosexuality elaborated, diffused, and contested?
• How does analyzing gender and sexuality in historical context help us understand contemporary cultural politics, especially with respect to such issues as democratization, civil society participation, development strategies, poverty reduction, and preparedness for social crises, including the global AIDS pandemic?
Credits: 3
Prerequisites: None
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