CODE | GDS5006 | ||||||||||||
TITLE | Gender and Culture | ||||||||||||
UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||||||
MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||||||
ECTS CREDITS | 10 | ||||||||||||
DEPARTMENT | Gender and Sexualities | ||||||||||||
DESCRIPTION | This study-unit will contain a historical and theoretical framework to account for the dynamic relationship between gender, culture and society. It will incorporate feminist theory, theories of men and masculinity, and post-structuralism and will explore the history of gender and sexuality; gender, migration, diaspora and multiculturalism; gender literature and language; and gender in contemporary popular culture. Theoretical frameworks will help situate the students' understanding of gender as it works in society. In the course of the sessions the participants will: - reflect on their own position/s in relation to these processes. - think positively about alternative practices and policies. - increase their capacity to think critically, historically, and intersectionally about gender as a socially and culturally constructed phenomenon. - increase their knowledge of and facility with theories in Cultural Studies, Popular Culture, and Critical Theory. - deepen their understanding of the socially constructed nature of gender and its relation with race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, class, and ability. Study-unit Aims: - To provide students with an advanced understanding of gender as a social and cultural construct. - To facilitate a deepening of knowledge regarding current historical, cultural, sociological, and/or political approaches around the study of gender. - To enable students to critically evaluate theoretical approaches to gender and sexuality. - To support and facilitate independent self-directed learning. - To hone students’ intellectual and generic skills in preparation for further academic/and or professional work - including: a familiarity with and ability to analytically assess the work and issues raised by key thinkers; improve oral and written communication; augment proficiency in critical thinking, research and analytical skills and relate academic knowledge and understanding to everyday situations. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will: - be able to critically evaluate theories around gender, sexuality, culture and society; - become acquainted with, and be able to situate gender within a historical framework; - be able to take a critical position in a debate on contemporary issues regarding cultural, sociological, and/or political approaches to gender. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - support independent self-directed learning; - declare and practice generic skills in preparation for further academic/and or professional work - i.e. an ability to analytically assess the work and issues raised by key thinkers; communicate well orally and in writing; - augment his/her proficiency in critical thinking, research and analytical skills; - relate academic knowledge and understanding to everyday situations. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Hall, S., Evans, J., and S. Nixon, (2013) Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices (Culture, Media and Identities series) London: Sage. - Mac an Ghaill, Máirtin and Chris Haywood, (2006) Gender, Culture and Society Contemporary Femininities and Masculinities, London: Palgrave Macmillan. - Richardson, N. and S. Wearing, (2014) Gender in the Media, London: Palgrave Macmillan. Journal Article: - Connell R. W. 2005 Change among the Gatekeepers: Men, Masculinities, and Gender Equality in the Global Arena in Signs, Vol. 30, No. 3 (Spring 2005), pp. 1801-1825 Supplementary Readings: - Beasley, C., (2005) Gender and Sexuality: Critical Theories, Critical Thinkers, London: Sage. - Gill, R., (2006) Gender and the Media, UK: Polity Press. - Milestone, K. and A. Meyer, (2011) Gender and Popular Culture, UK: Polity Press. - Nayak, A., and M. J. Kehily, (2013) Gender, Youth and Culture: Young Masculinities and Femininities, London: Palgrave Macmillan. Additional readings, especially with ref to Malta and Maltese data, will be included as we create direct access and links for the students and make use of the VLE platform - Each session contains a resource pack which includes reading and viewing material, media clips on current issues as they arise etc. Malta specific, Malta-led data such as: - Murphy, B (2016) ‘Malta: A critical mapping of women in the media - absences and contested occupancies - from Boardrooms to Broadcasts’. In Ross K. and Padovani C. (eds) Gender Equality and the Media: A Challenge for Europe. Routledge. - Murphy, B. and Sammut, C. (2016). ‘Media Stories - histories, methods and practices’. In Briguglio, M. & Brown, M. (Eds.). Sociology of the Maltese Islands. Malta: Agenda. - Baldacchino, R., Cutajar, J., Murphy, B. & Naudi, M. (2016). ‘Gender and Sexuality: Mapping Histories and Departures’. In Briguglio, M. & Brown, M. (Eds.). Sociology of the Maltese Islands. Malta: Agenda. - Murphy, B (2015) Critical Challenges Facing Women and Girls in the Media: Commonwealth Stories, Global Solutions - Malta and Beyond. - Murphy, B. 2010, Global Media Monitoring Project 2010 (GMMP) National Report (Malta), Global Media Monitoring Project, WAAC, Canada. - Murphy B (2009) ‘Gendering the Media: stereotypes at work, strategies for change’, in Exploring the Maltese Media Landscape, Eds. J. Borg, A. Hillman and M. A. Lauri, Malta: Allied Publications. - Murphy, B. 2005, Global Media Monitoring Project 2005 (GMMP) National Report (Malta), Global Media Monitoring Project, WAAC, Canada. |
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STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Independent Online Learning, Lectures and Seminar | ||||||||||||
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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LECTURER/S | Joan Abela Aaron Aquilina Claire Lucille Azzopardi Lane Petra Caruana Dingli Vanessa Camilleri Josephine Ann Cutajar (Co-ord.) Manwel Joseph Ellul Marija Grech Brenda Murphy Roberta Scerri Daniel Vella |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |