Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies - Spring Calendar

Please note:

To view the current Academic Calendar, go to www.sfu.ca/students/calendar.html.

Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Courses

GSWS 100 - Sex Talk: Introduction to Contemporary Issues in Sexuality Studies (3)

An introduction to issues in the study of sex, sexual identity, and sexual culture. Focused on contemporary theories of sexuality as well as representations in fiction, film and popular media from diverse cultural contexts. Students who have completed GDST 200 may not complete this course for further credit. Breadth-Humanities.

GSWS 101 - Gender Talk (3)

An interdisciplinary study of the social and cultural construction of gender, and how ideas about masculinity and feminity shape current issues, knowledge, popular culture, and social policy. Students who have completed WS 101 may not take GSWS 101 for further credit. Breadth-Social Sciences.

GSWS 102 - Feminist Action (3)

An historical and comparative survey of feminisms and feminist activism in Western European, North American, and Global communities. Students who have completed WS 102 may not take GSWS 102 for further credit. Breadth-Humanities.

GSWS 200 - Feminism without Borders (3)

The focus will be on the situation of women in cross-cultural perspective using literary, historical, anthropological and other appropriate sources. Students who have completed WS 200 may not complete this course for further credit.

GSWS 201 - Colonizing Women: Canadian Women in Historical Perspective, 1600-1870s (3)

Examines the lives of Canadian women in the colonial context, including the role of women in European-Aboriginal relations, the founding of New France, and settlement in British North America. Themes such as sexuality, race, work, religion and politics will be explored through the study of primary documents and historical literature. Students who have taken WS 201 under the title Women in Canada, 1600-1920 may not take this course for further credit.

GSWS 204 - Sex and the City (3)

Selected topics on the sexual politics of urban space. May be organized by region, critical approach, or genre. Students who have completed WS 204 may not complete this course for further credit.

GSWS 205 - Gender and Popular Culture (3)

A study of women's place in society as revealed through the analysis of a variety of media. Students who have completed WS 205 may not complete this course for further credit.

GSWS 208 - STT-Diagnosing Difference: Race and Gender in Global Medical Perspective (3)

The place of race and gender in medical approaches to health, illness, and the body. Students will explore the different ways race and gender are defined within medical knowledge systems, health technologies, and clinical practices across historical and cultural contexts.

GSWS 210 - Gender Today (3)

An interdisciplinary exploration of aspects of gender theory and experience.

GSWS 211 - STT-Gender & Sexuality in Indigenous Film and Literature (3)

The course examines a variety of genres 鈥� film, short stories, fiction, novels, critical essays, and poetry 鈥� by Indigenous creators from across Turtle Island to understand Indigenous ideas of gender.

GSWS 212 - STT-Gender and Sexuality in South Asia (3)

An introduction to how gender and sexuality is lived, experienced, and negotiated in South Asia, and how these get entangled with intellectual and philosophical questions concerning the fate of the region.

GSWS 305 - Gendering Economy: Paid and Unpaid Labour (4)

Takes a broad approach to gender, placing it dialogue with race and ethnicity, class, nation, and space, to think through the complex dynamic between gender and labour from a variety of perspectives. Explores workers鈥� lived experiences of gender regimes while critically examining how gender 鈥榤atters鈥� within the workplace. Prerequisite: 30 units including three units in GSWS or WS or GDST or LBST. Students who have taken GSWS 308, LBST 305, LBST 331 under the title Gender - Paid & Unpaid, or WS 310 under the title Women and Work may not take this course for further credit.

GSWS 306 - Gender, Sexuality and Autobiographical Media (4)

An examination of autobiographical expressions of gender and sexuality across diverse media, including print and visual culture, performance arts, and digital media. Prerequisite: 30 units including three units in GSWS or WS or GDST. Students who have completed WS 306 may not complete this course for further credit.

GSWS 309 - Gender and International Development (4)

Examines from interdisciplinary and international perspectives how development is gendered and creates differential impacts, meanings and processes for women and men around the world. Prerequisite: 15 units. Students with credit for GSWS 310 (or WS 310) Special Topic: Women and Development or GSWS 301 (or WS 301) Special Topic: Gender and Development or GSWS 309 (or WS 309) under the title Gender and Development may not take this course for further credit.

GSWS 311 - Modernizing Women: Canadian Women in Historical Perspective, 1870s-1970s (4)

Examines the historical development of women's experiences and identities in Modern Canadian history. Looks closely at the ways in which ethnicity, race, class and sexuality have shaped women's lives, and examines the continuity and changes in work, sexuality, politics and domesticity over the 19th and 20th centuries through the study of primary documents and historical literature. Prerequisite: 15 units. Students who have taken GSWS 202 (or WS 202) may not take this course for further credit.

GSWS 312 - Immigrants, Women and Transnational Migration (4)

Examines the global division of labor where migrant women as well as immigrant women tend to be exploited in numerous forms, ranging from lack of citizenship rights and erosion of skills to the risk of sexual assault, due to immigration/migration and social policies of various countries. Prerequisite: 15 units. Students with credit for WS 320 Special Topics: Immigrant Women and Economic Security may not complete this course for further credit.

GSWS 314 - Race, Class and Gender (4)

An examination of feminist, Marxist and anti-racist theories pertaining to the historical development, social construction, and interactive nature of race, class and gender relations. Prerequisite: 15 units. Students with credit for either GSWS 301 (or WS 301) or GSWS 310 (or WS 310) as Special Topics: Race, Class and Gender may not take this course for further credit.

GSWS 315 - Critical Disability Studies (4)

Explores interdisciplinary perspectives on the concept and experience of disability; situates disability as a formation of identity and power that differently intersects with gender, race, sexuality, nationality, and class; addresses disability as a key aspect of lived experience and a global vector of oppression and resistance. Prerequisite: 15 units. Students with credit for GSWS 321 Special Topic under the title Critical Disability Studies may not take this course for further credit.

GSWS 316 - Disciplining Sex: Feminist Science Studies and Sociobiology (4)

Conceptualizations of sex have played a fundamental part in the development of evolutionary theories in biology and psychology. At the same time, feminist critiques of these conceptualizations have been a major factor in the development of Feminist Science Studies. The interactions amongst these three approaches are examined, including methodologies, communities of practice and societal implications. Prerequisite: 30 units. Breadth-Hum/Social Sci/Science.

GSWS 318 - Special Topics in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies (4)

A specific theme within the field of gender, sexuality, and women's studies, not otherwise covered in depth in regularly scheduled courses, will be dealt with as occasion and demand warrant. Prerequisite: 30 units, including three units in GSWS.

GSWS 319 - Special Topics in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies (4)

GSWS 320 - Special Topics in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies (4)

A specific theme within within the field of gender, sexuality, and women's studies, not otherwise covered in depth in regularly scheduled courses, will be dealt with as occasion and demand warrant. Prerequisite: 15 units.

GSWS 321 - Special Topics in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies (4)

GSWS 322 - Feminist Approaches to Research (4)

Explores a variety of feminist research methods including the definition of feminist research, the quantitative/qualitative controversy, action research, participant observation, survey, ethnography, case study, oral history, transnational study, interviews and research ethics. Prerequisite: 30 units, including three units in GSWS or WS or GDST. Students who have taken WS 208 may not take this course for further credit.

GSWS 330 - Masculinities (4)

Maps the field of masculinity studies and explores its intersections with feminist, postcolonial, queer, and critical race theories. Prerequisite: 15 units. Students who have completed GDST 300 may not complete this course for further credit.

GSWS 331 - Queer Genders (4)

Introduces students to current debates on gender identity and gender difference from the perspectives of queer subjects. Explores recent theoretical and cultural works on gender from queer, transgender, and feminist perspectives, while examining the challenges they pose to current understanding of sex, gender, sexuality, and the body. Prerequisite: 30 units, including three unist in GSWS. Students who have taken GDST 301, or WS 301 Special Topics: Theorizing Queer Genders may not take this course for further credit.

GSWS 333 - Current Issues in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies (4)

A special topic in women's or gender studies, to be offered by the Woodward Chair. Prerequisite: 30 units including three units in GSWS or WS or GDST.

GSWS 335W - Through a Gendered Lens (4)

An exploration of what gender means and how knowledge creation is affected by gender. Application of a gender lens to a number of social issues, contexts and regions. The approach is interdisciplinary and multi modal, employing social science readings, film, documentaries, and websites amongst other forms of exploration. Prerequisite: 45 Units. Students with credit for EXPL 310 and 310W taught as Interdisciplinary Issues of Gender may not take GSWS 335W for further credit. Writing/Breadth-Social Sci.

GSWS 341 - History of Women in Europe: Ideas and Debates from the Renaissance to the Present (4)

Examines perceptions and ideas regarding women, their nature, their role(s) in society, their rights and obligations, their sexuality, and their relationship to men and other women that were expressed in Europe from the Renaissance to the Present. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units of lower division history. Students with credit for HIST 307, HS 307, or GSWS 321 under the topics "Women", or "On Women", or HIST 341, may not take this course for further credit.

GSWS 398W - Feminist Currents (4)

Explores recent debates and future directions of feminist thought and introduces students to different models of feminist writing. The writing-intensive component of the course trains students to develop analytical, writing, and research skills through a variety of writing activities and assignments. Prerequisite: 30 units including three units in GSWS or WS or GDST. Equivalent Courses: WS398. Writing.

GSWS 399 - Gender, Sex and Numbers (4)

Through an examination of the social construction of numbers and other forms of quantitative data will provide an introduction to measurement and its use within social justice movements and policy circles. In analyzing such topics as the relationship between professional, state and community conceptualizations of quantitative evidence, students will make use of introductory statistical concepts, methods and argument. Prerequisite: 30 units. Quantitative.

GSWS 401 - Research Project (5)

Individual or small group studies of community problems. The students will submit a prospectus for the project at least two months before the study is undertaken. The project will be directed by one of the faculty members of the program. Prerequisite: Nine units in GSWS including GSWS 101 (or WS 101) and/or GSWS 102 (or WS 102) and approval of the course proposal by the department. Students with credit for WS 401 may not take this course for further credit.

GSWS 402 - Directed Readings (2)

Provides opportunities for individual tuition at an advanced level. Prerequisite: Nine units in GSWS including GSWS 101 (or WS 101) and/or GSWS 102 (or WS 102) and approval of course proposal by Dept. Students with credit for WS 402 may not take this course for credit.

GSWS 403 - Directed Readings (3)

Provides opportunities for individual tuition at an advanced level. Prerequisite: nine units in GSWS including GSWS 101 (or WS 101) or GSWS 102 (or WS 102) and approval of course proposal by Dept. Students with credit for WS 403 may not take this course for further credit.

GSWS 411 - Special Topics in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies (4)

GSWS 414 - Dude, Where's My Body?: Biopolitics, Biotechnologies, Bioecologies (4)

Bodies are composed of matter and are given to matter. This course situates embodiment socially, historically, technologically, biologically, politically, and economically. Prerequisite: 45 units, including 6 units in GSWS. Students who have taken GSWS 411 or GSWS 831 in Fall 2018 or Fall 2017, or GSWS 320 or GSWS 830 in Spring 2016 under the title "Dude, Where's My Body?" may not take this course for further credit.

GSWS 415 - STT-Overlapping Geographies of Race and Sexuality (4)

Introduces recent works on geographies of sexuality and race. In this discussion-based seminar, students will gain a deeper appreciation of the everyday geographies of race and sexuality in connection to dominant power relations in the colonial and capitalist present. Prerequisite: 45 units including six units in GSWS or GEOG.

GSWS 431 - Local Sex on Global Screen (4)

Examines the globalization of sexual cultures and the emergence of queer cinema and screen culture outside of North America and Europe. Prerequisite: 45 units including six units in GSWS or CA.

GSWS 433 - Gender, Violence, Resistance (4)

A seminar-based, interdisciplinary course providing a gendered analysis of violence and resistance, to violence, focusing on political states, conflict and war, individual experiences, and institutional situations through feminist and critical masculinities lenses. Prerequisite: 45 units, including six units in GSWS or WS or GDST. Students with credit for special temporary topics (STT) course GDST 303 Gender, Violence and Resistance may not complete this course for further credit.

GSWS 800 - Toolkit for GSWS Research (5)

An interdisciplinary seminar introducing a variety of methodological approaches to research in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies. Students will examine the theories, purpose, scope, and strategies for feminist approaches to research. Students will study examples of research and criticism from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. Emphasis will be placed on rigorous and creative approaches to research design, as well as practical application of research methods. Students will apply methods studied in the course to their own areas of concentration.

GSWS 811 - Professional Development Colloquium I (3)

Workshop designed to support professional development, networking and foster mutuality of research interests. Includes topics on research skill development, academic and public dissemination of work, practical tips for career advancement and presentations of works in progress.

GSWS 812 - Professional Development Colloquium II (3)

GSWS 820 - History of Gender and Women (5)

Examines selected topics in gender and women's history, with a particular focus on the intersection of gender with class, race, ethnicity, nation, region, and sexuality.

GSWS 822 - Graduate Seminar in Feminist Theory (5)

This course will analyze and compare major feminist social and political theories, including those that have emerged from liberal, socialist and radical feminist traditions. The relationship among theories of sexism and political goals and practices will be discussed.

GSWS 823 - Feminist Cultural Criticism (5)

Examines the development of feminist cultural criticism, with particular reference to the principles of literary, cinematic, media, and/or art forms.

GSWS 824 - Gender and Social Policy (5)

Focuses on one or more social issues and policies in such fields as law, health, economics, social welfare, and science and technology. It uses an intersectional or Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) lens on social and/or public policies. Students will apply course content to an evaluation of policy in their own areas of concentration.

GSWS 826 - Graduate Seminar on Queer/Trans Studies (5)

An examination of the formation, development, and current direction in the fields of queer and trans theory. Students will study the influence of feminism on both fields, the emergence of formative questions and key debates, and critical challenges posed by colonial histories, globalization of LGBT identities, and transnational/local taxonomies.

GSWS 830 - Selected Topics Graduate Seminar I (5)

Selected Topics.

GSWS 831 - Selected Topics Graduate Seminar II (5)

Selected topics.

GSWS 840 - Directed Studies (5)

Directed studies.

GSWS 844 - Directed Studies II (5)

Allows students to pursue in greater depth a particular problem in gender, sexuality or women's studies. Registration by consent of instructor only. May be offered as an individual reading course or a small seminar, depending upon student and faculty interest. Prerequisite: GSWS 822.

GSWS 898 - MA Thesis (10)

Thesis. Graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis.

GSWS 997 - PhD Comprehensive Examination

Comprehensive.

GSWS 998 - PhD Thesis (6)