Course Description

This course centers gender and sexuality in the analysis of literature and culture across history and literary genre. The instructor invites students to analyze literary depictions of the construction of gender identity, sexuality, and gender norms in literary texts, with a focus on LGBTQ+ narratives. Analysis is informed by gender, queer, LGBTQ+, and feminist studies and reflect intersectional approaches to sexuality, race, ethnicity, gender, nation, class, ability, and religion. Themes covered include theories of gender and sexuality, same-sex desire and identity, trans narratives, gender fluidity and utopian/dystopian gender narratives, transgressive sexualities, and the evolution of queer identities in literary works spanning history, nation, and culture. Honors uses the pedagogical methods common to all Honors courses: trans-disciplinary, writing-intensive, collaborative, and experiential instruction. As an honors course, there is a focus on analytical writing and an emphasis on a higher degree of student participation and leadership in class discussions and other interactive teaching/learning techniques that are generally unsuitable for larger undergraduate courses.