21810029 - GENDER AND POLITICAL THEORIES

The objective of this course is to explore how reading classic political theory texts with an eye to gender can yield unique insights and foster critical thinking about political ideas and arguments. Readings will be drawn from both primary and secondary sources, and emphasis will be placed on the ways in which re-reading canonical texts can enrich contemporary debates about subjects like freedom, citizenship, equality, and representation. The
students are expected to understand how gender relations define and shape politics and power, and to apply theories and concepts of gender analysis to understand political and social processes. They should gain a critical understanding of how gender based power relations are present in social and political life.

Curriculum

teacher profile | teaching materials

Mutuazione: 21810029 GENDER AND POLITICAL THEORIES in International Studies LM-52 N0 (A-Z) MODUGNO ROBERTA ADELAIDE

Programme

Week 1
Introduction and description of the course.
Methodology.

- Joan Scott, Gender: a Useful Category of Historical Analysis, in , 1, V, 1986, pp. 1053 – 1075
- Wendy Brown, Where is the Sex in Political Theory? In , 7, no. 1 1987
- Karen Offen, Defining Feminism: a Comparative Historical Approach, in , vol. 14, n. 11, 1988, pp. 119-157



Week 2
Ancient Greece: Plato and Aristotle.

- Susan Moller Okin, Plato and the Greek Tradition of Misogyny, in Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, Princeton University Press, 1992,
- Susan Moller Okin, Philosopher Queens and Private Wives, in Women in Western Political Thought
- Susan Moller Okin, Female Nature and Social Structure, in Women in Western Political Thought
- Susan Moller Okin, Woman’s Place and Nature in a Functionalist World, in Women in Western Political Thought



Week 3
Women in medieval thought.
The Church Fathers: St. Augustine
St. Thomas Aquinas: Women’s place in nature

- Diana Coole, Women in Medieval Thought: Transitions from Antiquity to the Renaissance, in Women in Political Theory, Lynne Rienner Publisher, 1993
- Zillah Eisenstein, The Historical Continuity of Patriarchy, from The Radical
Future of Liberal Feminism, Northeastern University Press, 1993, Chapter 2




Week 4
Femininity and masculinity in early modern European thought. Deconstructing gender in Machiavelli


- Joan Kelly, Did Women Have a Renaissance?, from Joan Kelly, Women, History and Theory, University of Chicago Press, 1984, ch. 7
- Ian Maclean, The Renaissance Notion of Women, in , vol. 34, n. 2, Summer 1981, pp. 211-213
- Hanna Pitkin, Fortune is a Woman. Gender and Politics in the Thought of Niccolò Machiavelli, University of California Press, 1984, chapters 2,3,4,5,6


Week 5
Natural rights against natural authority
Thomas Hobbes against the Aristotelian model
John Locke against patriarchy

- Diana Coole, Women in Political Theory, chapter 4
- Carole Pateman, The Sexual Contract, Stanford University Press, 1988, chapters 1, 4, 6

Week 6
The State of Nature and Reconstructing a Masculinized Republic: Rousseau

- Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, chapters 5, 6, 7
- Else Wiestad, Empowerment Inside Patriarchy: Rousseau and the Masculine Construction of Femininity, from Feminist interpretations of Jean Jacques Rousseau, edited by Linda Lange, Pennsylvania State University Press, 2002
- Penny Weiss and Ann Harper, Rousseau Political Defense of Sex-Roled Family, from Feminist interpretations of Jean Jacques Rousseau, edited by Linda Lange, Pennsylvania State University Press, 2002


Week 7
Vindicating the Rights of Women: Mary Wollstonecraft
Liberal Feminism: John Stuart Mill

- Mary Wollstonecraft, excerpt from A Vindication of the Rights of Women, in The Feminist Papers, edited by Alice Rossi, pp. 40-85
- John Stuart Mill, excerpt from The Sujection of Women, in The Feminist Papers, edited by Alice Rossi, pp.196-238
- Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, chapter 9







Week 8
Constructing Liberal Feminism in the US: The 19th Century Women’s Rights Movement


- Alice Rossi, Introduction: Social Roots of the Woman’s Movement in America, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 241- 281
- From Abolition to Sex Equality: Sarah Grimké (1792-1837) and Angelina Grimké (1805-1879), in The Feminist Papers, pp. 306-322
- Alice Rossi, Along the Suffrage Trail, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 407-412
- Excerpt from the History of Woman Suffrage, in The Feminist Papers, Seneca Falls Convention, pp. 413-421
- Akron Convention and Sojourner Truth, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 426-29

Week 9
Contemporary feminist perspectives on patriarchy.

- Virginia Woolf, excerpt from A Room of One’s Own, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 627-652
- Simone de Beauvoir, excerpt from The Second Sex, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 674-705

This course is taught in English.

Core Documentation

Week 1
Introduction and description of the course.
Methodology.

- Joan Scott, Gender: a Useful Category of Historical Analysis, in , 1, V, 1986, pp. 1053 – 1075
- Wendy Brown, Where is the Sex in Political Theory? In , 7, no. 1 1987
- Karen Offen, Defining Feminism: a Comparative Historical Approach, in , vol. 14, n. 11, 1988, pp. 119-157



Week 2
Ancient Greece: Plato and Aristotle.

- Susan Moller Okin, Plato and the Greek Tradition of Misogyny, in Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, Princeton University Press, 1992,
- Susan Moller Okin, Philosopher Queens and Private Wives, in Women in Western Political Thought
- Susan Moller Okin, Female Nature and Social Structure, in Women in Western Political Thought
- Susan Moller Okin, Woman’s Place and Nature in a Functionalist World, in Women in Western Political Thought



Week 3
Women in medieval thought.
The Church Fathers: St. Augustine
St. Thomas Aquinas: Women’s place in nature

- Diana Coole, Women in Medieval Thought: Transitions from Antiquity to the Renaissance, in Women in Political Theory, Lynne Rienner Publisher, 1993
- Zillah Eisenstein, The Historical Continuity of Patriarchy, from The Radical
Future of Liberal Feminism, Northeastern University Press, 1993, Chapter 2




Week 4
Femininity and masculinity in early modern European thought. Deconstructing gender in Machiavelli


- Joan Kelly, Did Women Have a Renaissance?, from Joan Kelly, Women, History and Theory, University of Chicago Press, 1984, ch. 7
- Ian Maclean, The Renaissance Notion of Women, in , vol. 34, n. 2, Summer 1981, pp. 211-213
- Hanna Pitkin, Fortune is a Woman. Gender and Politics in the Thought of Niccolò Machiavelli, University of California Press, 1984, chapters 2,3,4,5,6


Week 5
Natural rights against natural authority
Thomas Hobbes against the Aristotelian model
John Locke against patriarchy

- Diana Coole, Women in Political Theory, chapter 4
- Carole Pateman, The Sexual Contract, Stanford University Press, 1988, chapters 1, 4, 6

Week 6
The State of Nature and Reconstructing a Masculinized Republic: Rousseau

- Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, chapters 5, 6, 7
- Else Wiestad, Empowerment Inside Patriarchy: Rousseau and the Masculine Construction of Femininity, from Feminist interpretations of Jean Jacques Rousseau, edited by Linda Lange, Pennsylvania State University Press, 2002
- Penny Weiss and Ann Harper, Rousseau Political Defense of Sex-Roled Family, from Feminist interpretations of Jean Jacques Rousseau, edited by Linda Lange, Pennsylvania State University Press, 2002


Week 7
Vindicating the Rights of Women: Mary Wollstonecraft
Liberal Feminism: John Stuart Mill

- Mary Wollstonecraft, excerpt from A Vindication of the Rights of Women, in The Feminist Papers, edited by Alice Rossi, pp. 40-85
- John Stuart Mill, excerpt from The Sujection of Women, in The Feminist Papers, edited by Alice Rossi, pp.196-238
- Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, chapter 9







Week 8
Constructing Liberal Feminism in the US: The 19th Century Women’s Rights Movement


- Alice Rossi, Introduction: Social Roots of the Woman’s Movement in America, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 241- 281
- From Abolition to Sex Equality: Sarah Grimké (1792-1837) and Angelina Grimké (1805-1879), in The Feminist Papers, pp. 306-322
- Alice Rossi, Along the Suffrage Trail, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 407-412
- Excerpt from the History of Woman Suffrage, in The Feminist Papers, Seneca Falls Convention, pp. 413-421
- Akron Convention and Sojourner Truth, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 426-29

Week 9
Contemporary feminist perspectives on patriarchy.

- Virginia Woolf, excerpt from A Room of One’s Own, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 627-652
- Simone de Beauvoir, excerpt from The Second Sex, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 674-705



Type of delivery of the course

The Course is articulated into lectures, supported by ppt presentations. These lectures will be completed by class readings and discussions, and by class presentation of papers

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory for all classes. If a student misses more than three classes, 2 percentage points will be deducted from the final grade for every additional absence. Any exams, tests, presentations, or other work missed due to student’s absences can only be rescheduled in cases of documented medical or family emergencies.

Type of evaluation

Attendance and participation (20%); in class presentation or Paper (30%); mid-term (25%) final examination (25%)

teacher profile | teaching materials

Mutuazione: 21810029 GENDER AND POLITICAL THEORIES in International Studies LM-52 N0 (A-Z) MODUGNO ROBERTA ADELAIDE

Programme

Week 1
Introduction and description of the course.
Methodology.

- Joan Scott, Gender: a Useful Category of Historical Analysis, in , 1, V, 1986, pp. 1053 – 1075
- Wendy Brown, Where is the Sex in Political Theory? In , 7, no. 1 1987
- Karen Offen, Defining Feminism: a Comparative Historical Approach, in , vol. 14, n. 11, 1988, pp. 119-157



Week 2
Ancient Greece: Plato and Aristotle.

- Susan Moller Okin, Plato and the Greek Tradition of Misogyny, in Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, Princeton University Press, 1992,
- Susan Moller Okin, Philosopher Queens and Private Wives, in Women in Western Political Thought
- Susan Moller Okin, Female Nature and Social Structure, in Women in Western Political Thought
- Susan Moller Okin, Woman’s Place and Nature in a Functionalist World, in Women in Western Political Thought



Week 3
Women in medieval thought.
The Church Fathers: St. Augustine
St. Thomas Aquinas: Women’s place in nature

- Diana Coole, Women in Medieval Thought: Transitions from Antiquity to the Renaissance, in Women in Political Theory, Lynne Rienner Publisher, 1993
- Zillah Eisenstein, The Historical Continuity of Patriarchy, from The Radical
Future of Liberal Feminism, Northeastern University Press, 1993, Chapter 2




Week 4
Femininity and masculinity in early modern European thought. Deconstructing gender in Machiavelli


- Joan Kelly, Did Women Have a Renaissance?, from Joan Kelly, Women, History and Theory, University of Chicago Press, 1984, ch. 7
- Ian Maclean, The Renaissance Notion of Women, in , vol. 34, n. 2, Summer 1981, pp. 211-213
- Hanna Pitkin, Fortune is a Woman. Gender and Politics in the Thought of Niccolò Machiavelli, University of California Press, 1984, chapters 2,3,4,5,6


Week 5
Natural rights against natural authority
Thomas Hobbes against the Aristotelian model
John Locke against patriarchy

- Diana Coole, Women in Political Theory, chapter 4
- Carole Pateman, The Sexual Contract, Stanford University Press, 1988, chapters 1, 4, 6

Week 6
The State of Nature and Reconstructing a Masculinized Republic: Rousseau

- Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, chapters 5, 6, 7
- Else Wiestad, Empowerment Inside Patriarchy: Rousseau and the Masculine Construction of Femininity, from Feminist interpretations of Jean Jacques Rousseau, edited by Linda Lange, Pennsylvania State University Press, 2002
- Penny Weiss and Ann Harper, Rousseau Political Defense of Sex-Roled Family, from Feminist interpretations of Jean Jacques Rousseau, edited by Linda Lange, Pennsylvania State University Press, 2002


Week 7
Vindicating the Rights of Women: Mary Wollstonecraft
Liberal Feminism: John Stuart Mill

- Mary Wollstonecraft, excerpt from A Vindication of the Rights of Women, in The Feminist Papers, edited by Alice Rossi, pp. 40-85
- John Stuart Mill, excerpt from The Sujection of Women, in The Feminist Papers, edited by Alice Rossi, pp.196-238
- Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, chapter 9







Week 8
Constructing Liberal Feminism in the US: The 19th Century Women’s Rights Movement


- Alice Rossi, Introduction: Social Roots of the Woman’s Movement in America, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 241- 281
- From Abolition to Sex Equality: Sarah Grimké (1792-1837) and Angelina Grimké (1805-1879), in The Feminist Papers, pp. 306-322
- Alice Rossi, Along the Suffrage Trail, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 407-412
- Excerpt from the History of Woman Suffrage, in The Feminist Papers, Seneca Falls Convention, pp. 413-421
- Akron Convention and Sojourner Truth, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 426-29

Week 9
Contemporary feminist perspectives on patriarchy.

- Virginia Woolf, excerpt from A Room of One’s Own, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 627-652
- Simone de Beauvoir, excerpt from The Second Sex, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 674-705

This course is taught in English.

Core Documentation

Week 1
Introduction and description of the course.
Methodology.

- Joan Scott, Gender: a Useful Category of Historical Analysis, in , 1, V, 1986, pp. 1053 – 1075
- Wendy Brown, Where is the Sex in Political Theory? In , 7, no. 1 1987
- Karen Offen, Defining Feminism: a Comparative Historical Approach, in , vol. 14, n. 11, 1988, pp. 119-157



Week 2
Ancient Greece: Plato and Aristotle.

- Susan Moller Okin, Plato and the Greek Tradition of Misogyny, in Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, Princeton University Press, 1992,
- Susan Moller Okin, Philosopher Queens and Private Wives, in Women in Western Political Thought
- Susan Moller Okin, Female Nature and Social Structure, in Women in Western Political Thought
- Susan Moller Okin, Woman’s Place and Nature in a Functionalist World, in Women in Western Political Thought



Week 3
Women in medieval thought.
The Church Fathers: St. Augustine
St. Thomas Aquinas: Women’s place in nature

- Diana Coole, Women in Medieval Thought: Transitions from Antiquity to the Renaissance, in Women in Political Theory, Lynne Rienner Publisher, 1993
- Zillah Eisenstein, The Historical Continuity of Patriarchy, from The Radical
Future of Liberal Feminism, Northeastern University Press, 1993, Chapter 2




Week 4
Femininity and masculinity in early modern European thought. Deconstructing gender in Machiavelli


- Joan Kelly, Did Women Have a Renaissance?, from Joan Kelly, Women, History and Theory, University of Chicago Press, 1984, ch. 7
- Ian Maclean, The Renaissance Notion of Women, in , vol. 34, n. 2, Summer 1981, pp. 211-213
- Hanna Pitkin, Fortune is a Woman. Gender and Politics in the Thought of Niccolò Machiavelli, University of California Press, 1984, chapters 2,3,4,5,6


Week 5
Natural rights against natural authority
Thomas Hobbes against the Aristotelian model
John Locke against patriarchy

- Diana Coole, Women in Political Theory, chapter 4
- Carole Pateman, The Sexual Contract, Stanford University Press, 1988, chapters 1, 4, 6

Week 6
The State of Nature and Reconstructing a Masculinized Republic: Rousseau

- Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, chapters 5, 6, 7
- Else Wiestad, Empowerment Inside Patriarchy: Rousseau and the Masculine Construction of Femininity, from Feminist interpretations of Jean Jacques Rousseau, edited by Linda Lange, Pennsylvania State University Press, 2002
- Penny Weiss and Ann Harper, Rousseau Political Defense of Sex-Roled Family, from Feminist interpretations of Jean Jacques Rousseau, edited by Linda Lange, Pennsylvania State University Press, 2002


Week 7
Vindicating the Rights of Women: Mary Wollstonecraft
Liberal Feminism: John Stuart Mill

- Mary Wollstonecraft, excerpt from A Vindication of the Rights of Women, in The Feminist Papers, edited by Alice Rossi, pp. 40-85
- John Stuart Mill, excerpt from The Sujection of Women, in The Feminist Papers, edited by Alice Rossi, pp.196-238
- Susan Moller Okin, Women in Western Political Thought, chapter 9







Week 8
Constructing Liberal Feminism in the US: The 19th Century Women’s Rights Movement


- Alice Rossi, Introduction: Social Roots of the Woman’s Movement in America, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 241- 281
- From Abolition to Sex Equality: Sarah Grimké (1792-1837) and Angelina Grimké (1805-1879), in The Feminist Papers, pp. 306-322
- Alice Rossi, Along the Suffrage Trail, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 407-412
- Excerpt from the History of Woman Suffrage, in The Feminist Papers, Seneca Falls Convention, pp. 413-421
- Akron Convention and Sojourner Truth, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 426-29

Week 9
Contemporary feminist perspectives on patriarchy.

- Virginia Woolf, excerpt from A Room of One’s Own, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 627-652
- Simone de Beauvoir, excerpt from The Second Sex, in The Feminist Papers, pp. 674-705



Type of delivery of the course

The Course is articulated into lectures, supported by ppt presentations. These lectures will be completed by class readings and discussions, and by class presentation of papers

Attendance

Attendance is mandatory for all classes. If a student misses more than three classes, 2 percentage points will be deducted from the final grade for every additional absence. Any exams, tests, presentations, or other work missed due to student’s absences can only be rescheduled in cases of documented medical or family emergencies.

Type of evaluation

Attendance and participation (20%); in class presentation or Paper (30%); mid-term (25%) final examination (25%)