QUEER FEMINIST APPROACHES - 2024/5

Module Overview

This module provides in depth queer feminist thinking from a range of disciplinary fields. Students will be supported to engage with queer and feminist theoretical thinking from across the humanities and social sciences. In covering a wide range of queer and/or feminist thought the module aims to give an insight into what queer feminist approaches look like in terms of theoretical and empirical research and practice. The module focused on queer theory and feminist thinking in depth, while also encouraging students to explore the connections and tensions between these fields of thought. The module takes a particular queer affirmative, anti-racist, and trans inclusive stance which centralises an encouraging and engaging student experience in the classroom.

Module provider

Sociology

Module Leader

HUBBARD Katherine (Sociology)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

n/a

Module content

This module will be a continuously updated course on the developments in queer theory and feminist scholarship. Students will be encouraged to pay attention to both classic publications in the field as well as materials from very recent cutting-edge queer and feminist studies. Because of the rapidly changing area of study exact content is likely to differ year to year and is at the discretion of the module leader as an expert in the field. This module’s approach is grounded in a research-led teaching from a module leader actively engaged in the field.

Indicative content for this module includes: queer and feminist thought across various time periods within multiple disciplines; intersections with disability studies, critical race theory, animal studies, pedagogical approaches and feminist science studies. Key scholars and theorists referred to in the module are likely to include: bell hooks, Sara Ahmed, Judith Butler, Donna Haraway and Susan Stryker. However, some content may focus on query theory alone and others of feminist thought alone. Indicative key questions asked of the module include: Why queer? Why Feminist? Where do the two collide and intersect? What are the futures of queer feminist approaches?

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

Oral exam or presentation (60%) 15 minutes long. This presentation should be recorded and submitted as a file via Surreylearn.

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate that they have met the learning outcomes associated with this module.

 

The first assessment offers students the opportunity to demonstrate their independent and reflexive thinking, in developing their own “toolkits”. These toolkits are inspired by the work of Sara Ahmed and are about the collation of critical ‘tools’ students have found essential and useful in their studies. These may include academic theory, key scholars, other books, alternative medias etc. Centrally, the assignment strategy is set out to give students the opportunity to synthesise and apply their learning with original and personal examples. Such ‘toolkits’ will aid students in the future and help them reflect on their learning.

 

The second assessment sets up greater opportunity for group work, peer to peer learning and feedback and workshopping. Through developing presentations students are applying academic knowledge to new examples, case studies or areas of consideration. This strategy allows for students to reimagine their knowledge and skills and use them in presentations, a key employability skill.

 

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• Toolkit, 40% (addresses learning outcomes 1, 4 and 5)


• Presentation, 60% (addresses learning outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6)

 

Formative assessment and feedback:

Students will take part in group tasks in class throughout the module, during which they will receive formative feedback. Detailed guidance on how to complete the summative assessments is given in class and on SurreyLearn. The weekly seminars will include peer-to-peer learning, but also engagement with the module leader for multiple opportunities for feedback. This approach centres communication skills and teamwork, as appropriate for success at Master’s level. There will be dedicated assignment weeks to explore students’ plans for the assignments and allow for questions. Formal feedback from Assignment 1 will be provides well in advance of the deadline for Assignment 2.

Module aims

• Provide students with a strong knowledge base in the histories of sex, gender and sexuality
• Facilitate students in exploring how sex, gender and sexuality are distinct but connected
• Develop students' research and analytical skills to apply to their own area of interest
• Enable students to consider sophisticated topics, issues and debates in history and historiography
• Facilitate independent thinking, reflection and scholarship alongside peer-to-peer learning opportunities

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to utilise lecture and seminar-based activities to convey key information and knowledge but provide plenty of space for peer-to-peer learning and informal discussion. In this module, students will be encouraged to take part in discussions in a supportive classroom environment in which key areas of social division, marginalization and community are discussed. The module embeds research-led teaching at the centre of its pedagogical approach, utilizing the expertise of staff who have direct research experience in the field. Students will be supported in their development of theoretical knowledge, as well as their ability and confidence to select case studies and examples that they can apply their learning to. The module foregrounds interdisciplinarity and intersectionality, while answering pressing questions in the fields of queer and feminist theory. Sessions will allow space for students to design and critically analyse their own presentations, as well as for formal and informal feedback.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: SOCM072

Other information

The Department of Sociology is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills, and capabilities in the following areas:

 

Employability

As this module is positioned towards the end of the programme, the assessments take on a distinctly authentic (real-life) approach in effort to increase student’s skills and awareness of relevant materials for future employment. The presentation in particular has direct skills pertinent to employability and has potential to provide interview preparation and experience. It also works well as examples for students to refer to as collaborative and independent projects. The emphasis in this module of peer-to-peer learning and advanced communication and presentation skills provide opportunities to take ownership of learning and work on independent projects. Students will therefore hone skills relevant to the Dissertation and potential other research based work in the future, as well as gain insight into skills relevant to all future employment.

 

Digital Capabilities

As with all modules there is a level of digital skill and ability that is expected and demonstrated through engagement with the content and learning materials. All teaching materials and key content will be made available in multimedia forms through the Virtual Learning Environment SurreyLearn. The Toolkits can include reference to multi medias – as various objects, medias and sources can be used as components of the toolkit alongside key texts. Students will therefore gain in depth experience of the evaluation and consideration of varied digital (and non-digital) sources. The presentation assessment will also require further digital capabilities, this may include use of Panopto, recording equipment, various presentation tools (e.g. PowerPoint, Prezi, Canva). Inclusion of social media, as a highly relevant digital interface is also likely to be available from across the module’s content.

 

Global and Cultural Capabilities

At its core, much like the module Trans/scending Gender which runs alongside this one, students will be gaining substantial global and cultural knowledges in this area. There will be wide recognition of the global aspects of queer theory and feminist thought – with particular reference to diasporic contributions, decolonial efforts, and wider intersections considered. This module is centrally concerned with cultures and sub-cultures, with special reference to queer and feminist groups, theories and scholarship. Students will therefore gain particular skills in navigating wide cultural understandings of sex, gender and sexuality from a queer feminist perspective.

 

Sustainability

Associated with sustainability, is the central issue running throughout this module of social and political inequalities. Students will complete this course with not only recognition of the importance in sustaining such approaches in order to gain future equity for marginalised groups, but also the background knowledge and skill to further generate such thinking in the future.

 

Resourcefulness and Resilience

Both assessments are closely tied to this pillar for this module. The toolkit provides a space for students to demonstrate the extent of independent thinking and reflection skill they have gained from the programme thus far. This will be a highly self-reliant and reflexive and require creativity which can develop adaptability and self-awareness. The presentation assignment enables students to gain greater collaborative experience and thus relies on adaptability, but also individual confidence and leadership.

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2024/5 academic year.