PY453-6-AU-CO:
Feminism
2022/23
Philosophy
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Undergraduate: Level 6
Current
Thursday 06 October 2022
Friday 16 December 2022
15
13 September 2022
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
LLB MV06 Law with Philosophy (Including Foundation Year),
LLB MV16 Law with Philosophy,
LLB MV18 Law with Philosophy (Including Year Abroad),
LLB MV19 Law with Philosophy (Including Placement Year)
Feminism is a body of theory and practice aimed at illuminating and overcoming the oppression of women. This module will look at some of the main strands in modern feminist theory, and at the different ways in which they understand the nature, role and objectives of feminism.
Beyond the shared commitment to ending the oppression of women, feminists disagree on such central questions as: How and why are women oppressed? What steps are needed (and what steps are permissible) to end that oppression? Should we be aiming for freedom, or equality, or justice (and what do these terms mean)? What is a 'woman' (and should we even use the term)? What is the relationship between feminism and other theoretical and practical movements for social change such as struggles against racial oppression and imperialism?
These questions are best tackled by maintaining a dual focus on the practice as well as the theory of feminism, and by looking at contemporary feminism in the light of its long history.
No information available.
By the end of the module students should be able in their essay and exam work to:
1. to summarise in their own words and critically assess the principal theories and philosophical perspectives examined in this course;
2. to compare and evaluate conflicting accounts of the task and nature of feminism, and of specific issues such as the nature of womanhood, the relationship between sex and gender, and the ways in which feminism might relate to other theoretical and practical contributions to struggles against oppression (such as anti-capitalist and critical race theory);
3. to offer detailed philosophical analysis and critique of journal articles published in the field;
4. to demonstrate an understanding of the relation between feminist theory and practice by relating, for example, particular theories to their own experience.
By the end of the module, students should also have acquired a set of transferable skills, and in particular be able to:
1. define the task in which they are engaged and exclude what is irrelevant;
2. seek and organise the most relevant discussions and sources of information;
3. process a large volume of diverse and sometimes conflicting arguments;
4. compare and evaluate different arguments and assess the limitations of their own position or procedure;
5. write and present verbally a succinct and precise account of positions, arguments, and their presuppositions and implications;
6. be sensitive to the positions of others and communicate their own views in ways that are accessible to them;
7. think 'laterally' and creatively - see interesting connections and possibilities and present these clearly rather than as vague hunches;
8. maintain intellectual flexibility and revise their own position if shown wrong;
9. think critically and constructively.
Incoming Study Abroad students must have already taken two Philosophy modules at their home institution.
There will be a two-hour combined lecture and seminar each week and a separate one-hour class. Week 8 is Reading Week.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Oral Presentation |
|
25% |
| Coursework |
Essay (2500 words) |
|
75% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Lorna Finlayson, email: ljfinl@essex.ac.uk.
phiquery@essex.ac.uk
Yes
Yes
Yes
Dr Josiah Saunders
Durham University
Associate Professor
Available via Moodle
Of 34 hours, 0 (0%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
34 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
Philosophy
Disclaimer: The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its Module Directory is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can
be necessary to make changes, for example to programmes, modules, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements,
industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to modules may for example consist
of variations to the content and method of delivery or assessment of modules and other services, to discontinue modules and other services and to merge or combine modules.
The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications and module directory.
The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.