UWC2101G: Writing and Critical Thinking: Femininity: Of Mind, Body, Or Culture?

Topical Introduction:

When we talk about 'gender', we assume that it is a given biological destiny. We believe that all of us are born to a 'gender', which we equate with our biological sex. However, feminists distinguish between 'gender' and 'sex'. They are of the opinion that while 'sex' is a biological category, 'gender' is the cultural ideology attached to 'sex'. This module will examine the term 'femininity' (and by default, 'masculinity'). It will attempt to explore what the term means to us from the perspective of biology, psychology and culture. What role does biology play in the construction of 'femininity' (or masculinity); how much of one's notion of this is based on psychological perspectives on what it means to be feminine (or masculine); how much of it is determined by the culture one inhabits?

This module will examine the different perspectives on femininity that emerge in the light of this inter-disciplinary exploration that will lead us to using materials from biology, psychology and cultural studies. Students from different faculties who are accessing this module will therefore get a chance to bring materials from their respective home faculties and also explore the question from completely different disciplinary perspectives. The module will introduce a few texts that throw an interesting perspective on the whole question of sex and gender. Students will be expected to deconstruct the question through a close reading and analysis of several texts, both visual (film and video) and literary. It will raise questions about whether there is one, static view of femininity (or indeed gender) or whether the question of gender is complex and covers a whole range of myths and 'givens'. The module will also encourage students to study the different constructions of femininity that emerge in the course of their reading and to explore how these images too, seem to change over time and differ across cultures.

This is not a course designed exclusively for women. In effect, the whole question of gender is so basic and essential to humanity that one cannot talk about 'femininity' without recourse to discussing 'masculinity'. Several of the issues regarding the representation and perception of women that will be featured on the course will be of equal relevance to men and women.

Finally, all the literary texts chosen for this unit are designed to serve the dual purpose of illustrating rhetorical lessons as well as providing useful content.

Rhetorical Introduction:

This module has a primary and a secondary aim. The primary aim is to help students to write more effectively and persuasively by learning how to marshal evidence and construct arguments to augment their viewpoints. The secondary aim is to critically assess the truth of the claim that gender is a 'given' and that being ' feminine' or ' masculine' is part of one's biological destiny. The secondary goal is subsumed under the main goal and is important mainly as a means of satisfying the primary goal. Therefore, in the process of critically evaluating the claim about femininity, students will learn how to unearth evidence, construct arguments and assemble short and long written texts that argue persuasively and succinctly about their perceived viewpoints.

In addition to the above, the module will reinforce the following:

1. By exposing the students to a range of texts (visual and literary) from various cultures, the module will attempt to reinstate the notion that writing is primarily a cultural act and that therefore texts are cultural products.
2. From critically examining these texts, students will develop close-reading skills and also learn to disengage themselves from texts in order to generate their (objective) views on them.
3. In generating their objective/critical views on notions of gender and biological sex through their essays, the students, it is hoped, will be led to re-examine their own (preconceived) notions, regarding either one or both of the above terms.
4. By participating in this deconstructive analytical exercise, students will learn the importance of marshalling arguments and evidence to objectively justify their views about issues that may ordinarily evoke a passionate rather than a critical response from them.