Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies Minor
In this interdisciplinary minor, students have the opportunity to think critically about the meaning and expression of gender and sexuality in everyday life, culture, and institutions. Students will develop an historical awareness of the role of feminism as well as LGBTQIA+ movements in both local and global contexts. This history and the more contemporary lived practices of sex, gender, and sexual orientation will be contextualized in relation to other categories of difference. After completing the minor, students will be more versed in imagining effective ways to combat inequity and foster transformations of identities and social roles.
For this minor, four courses (16 credits) are required. The core course, either IN 200 Feminisms or SO 206 Gender in a Global Perspective, is required. The remaining 12 credits are chosen from the courses listed below, at least one of which must be at the 300 or 400 level.
Courses
- HI 227 - Radical Women in Contemporary World History
- IN 152 - Cultural Constructions of Identity
- IN 154 - Power and Privilege
- IN 200 - Feminisms (if not used as a core course)
- IN 214 - Topics in Gender Studies**
- IN 230 - Evolution of Queer Identity
- IN 307 - Gender, Sexuality, and the Middle East
- IN 310 - Gender, Sexuality, and the American Music Industry
- IN 319 - Feminist Cultural Theory*
- IN 328 - The Dark Femme: Women in Horror
- IN 329 - The Latinx Body and Power
- IN 350 - Sexual Outcasts and Uncommon Desires
- IN 352 - Sex, Society, and Health
- IN 406 - Queer Dreams: Politics, Culture, Difference*
- LI 210 - American Women Writers
- LI 396 - International Women Writers*
- LI 436 - Cultural Criticism*
- PS 306 - Psychology of Prejudice*
- PS 307 - Psychology of Relationships*
- SO 206 - Gender in a Global Perspective (if not used as a core course)
- TH 205 - Dress Codes: American Clothes in the 20th Century
- TH 531 - Contemporary Women Playwrights
* Note prerequisites
** Check current course listings for specific topics
Faculty
Nancy Allen, senior executive-in- residence in Health and Society, is a public health professional with teaching and research interests in health communication, HIV/AIDS, human sexuality, and the opioid epidemic. She teaches a course on sex, society, and health.
Lindsey Beck, associate professor in Psychology, is a social psychologist who studies how people initiate, develop, and maintain close relationships. She teaches a course on the psychology of relationships.
Kaysha Corinealdi, assistant professor in History, specializes in the study of modern empires, nationalism, and migration, with a particular focus on the role of gender, race, and class in these intertwining practices and ideologies. She teaches a course on radical women in contemporary world history.
Benoit Denizet-Lewis, associate professor in Writing, Literature and Publishing, is a magazine writer and a New York Times–bestselling author who has published dozens of features and cover pieces. He teaches a course on sexual outcasts and uncommon desires.
Sebastian Ferrada, assistant professor in Latinx Studies, specializes in queer of color critique, focusing on the intersections of race, gender, sexuality, and language in the experiences of Latinx communities in the US. They teach courses on queer Latinx communities, as well as Latinx bodies, culture, and power.
Kristin J. Lieb, associate professor in Marketing Communication, holds research interests in entertainment marketing; brand management; and representations of gender, sexuality, race, and age in the music industry. She teaches a course about gender, sexuality, and popular music.
Cara Moyer-Duncan, associate professor in Interdisciplinary Studies, possesses scholarly interests in the areas of Africana and cultural studies. She teaches a course on cultural constructions of identity.
Yasser Munif, associate professor in Interdisciplinary Studies, focuses his research on Middle Eastern politics and society, race theory, feminist studies, and social movements. He teaches a course on gender, sexuality, and the Middle East.
Nelli Sargsyan*, associate professor, is an anthropologist who situates herself at the disciplinary intersections of political anthropology, queer studies, and critical race studies, among others. In her scholarly-poetic work and teaching, she is interested in stretching disciplinary and genre boundaries to explore the multi-sensory possibilities of feminist world-making. Most recently, she has been interested in political work that cultivates feminist consciousness and collective care, whether it be through direct street action, public performance, or feminist fabulation. She teaches Feminisms and topics courses for the minor.
Sarah Zaidan, associate professor in Visual and Media Arts, is a game designer, artist, and scholar who combines her research and creative practices with video games and superhero comic books. She is presently developing a video game celebrating the cultural importance of female superheroes.
Please note this may not be a comprehensive list, as our affiliated faculty rotate on a semesterly basis. Please refer to the semester registration listings to identify any additional faculty participating in the minor.
* Minor Coordinator
