KFL4055 – Gender and Society

How can we understand the societal and subjective dynamics involved in the reproduction of gendered inequalities, practices and subjectivities in current societies? How does gender intersect with other dimensions of power and inequality? Which forces drive gender polarization in societies, families and work organizations and which processes serve to promote processes of de-gendering and democratization? Focusing on these questions, this course presents different ways of understanding and theorizing gendered power structures, practices and subjectivities in contemporary society. The emphasis is on social theories on gender, their historical trajectories and epistemological underpinnings, as well as their divergences, explanatory potential and limitations. The course is structured around the following strands of thinking: intersectional theories of power, socialist feminist theories of exploitation of care, and theories that focus on the role of affects and emotions in the mutual shaping of society and gendered, classed and racialized selves.

The course will give an overview of key analytical tools to understand and analyze the dynamics that drive gender inequalities, practices and subjectivities in current society. You will be introduced to recent strands of thinking about these topics, and learn to identify and distinguish among different ways of understanding the relationship between gender and society. You will also learn to identify the strengths and limitations of different approaches and how those approaches relate to the diverse historical and institutional contexts in which they evolved, as well as how their strengths and limitations differ according to the research question. This will in turn provide you with enhanced analytic and reflexive skills. You will also be able to use gender perspectives to critically question and develop classical social theories and to apply these gendered perspectives in theoretical discussions and empirical studies.

Students will:

• become familiar with different perspectives and theories of gendered power structures, practices and subjectivities
• be able to identify, distinguish and evaluate key theoretical approaches to gender relations and gendered selves
• be able to recognize important strengths and limitations of these theories and how these strengths and limitations are linked to different knowledge aims
• be able to account for the impact of historical, institutional and geographical context for the development of theories of gender
• be able to identify, distinguish and provide dialogue between different strands of thinking
• be able to apply these theories in conducting research on questions that are linked to gender and other dimensions of inequality in today’s society.

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

The course is available to students admitted to Gender Studies (master).

Students enrolled in other Master's Degree Programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.

The course consist of 10 classes of 3 hours of teaching during the autumn semester. The teaching includes lectures and student activities.

It is obligatory to show up for a minimum of 60% of the teaching. In this course you must attend a minimum of 6 out of 10 times. The requirement is absolute. Attendance at 10 out of 10 times is strongly encouraged. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to catch up the work you have missed.

The allowed absence limit will cover all absences, including illness. You will not be granted valid absences with documentation, even when the absence is due to something beyond your control.

In certain circumstances, i.e. serious or chronic illness, you could apply for special needs accommodation.

All obligatory activities must be approved in the same semester for you to sit the exam. Once the course requirements have been fulfilled, they remain valid for the current and the next two semesters that the course is taught.

Read more about guidelines for compulsory activities and rules concerning valid excuses and how to apply for postponements

A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.

Compulsory activity:

• Mandatory attendance at least 6 out of 10 times.

Examination will be a combination of:

• A school exam, 4 hours, after the teaching is finished.

You may write your examination paper in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.