this course traces the development of 'queer' as a theoretical term, examining queer material histories of revolution, literature, popular culture and visual art production.
How does queer theory function or malfunction within academia? It does not necessarily begin after 1974 with the publication of Michel Foucault's history of Sexuality I; nor does it appear suddenly after the 1969 Stonewall riot in the United States. Queer theory, as an anti-categorical mode of investigation, seems to live within a variety of contradictions that we'll spend the next few months exploring. Through lectures and in-class discussions, we will address some recurring questions that have come to define what ‘queer’ can mean both inside and outside of academia, including:
1) is queer always/inherently transgressive?
2) what subjectivities are included within it?
3) what groups does it speak for?
4) what is its relationship to the corporate university system?
Practice Essay: 0%
Micro-Themes (1 page) x 6: 30% (5% each)
Research Paper: 35%
Final Exam: 25%
Participation: 10%
