A: In her article “Sex and Gender in Simone de Beauvoir’s Second Sex”, Judith Butler writes:
“Taking on a gender is not possible at a moment’s notice, but is a subtle and strategic project which only rarely becomes manifest to a reflective understanding. Becoming a gender is an impulsive yet mindful process of interpreting a cultural reality laden with sanctions, taboos, and prescriptions.” (p. 40)
Explain how the ideas of sex and gender operates in this article. Discuss whether Butler’s feminist theory supports or opposes Beauvoir’s.
Or:
B: In “An Open Letter to Mary Daly”, Audre Lorde writes:
“The oppression of women knows no ethnic nor racial boundaries, true, but that does not mean it is identical with those differences. Nor do the reservoirs of our ancient power know these boundaries. To deal with one without ever alluding to the other is to distort our commonality as well as our difference.” (p. 70)
Describe Daly’s feminist theory, and consider whether Lorde’s critique is relevant. Explain what “the problem of speaking for others” may mean in feminist postcolonial theory or in a theory of your own choice in the KFL 4040-curriculum.
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The exam will consist of: A three day take-home exam on a given topic. The exam must have a length of min. 8 and max. 10 pages, (2300 characters per page (not counting spaces) references in addition).
The exam paper will be published at Fronter and web page for KFL4040 at November 11th at 9AM, and is to be handed in infronter, in the exam map, within November 14th PM.
Please remember to put on the Fronte page with candidate number (from student web), date and cours code. Do NOT out your personal name at the exam paper!
If you have any questions please pass a mail to hellepg@stk.uio.no