Teaching

This interdisciplinary course focuses on scientific approaches to studying sexuality. We discuss current biological and neuroscientific research about sexuality, as well as feminist scholarship on these topics and critical responses to this research. Topics cover the intersections between biology (e.g., hormones, anatomy, neural activity, psychophysiology, evolution, etc.), sexuality (e.g., desire, dysfunction, arousal, bisexuality, orgasm, same-sex sexuality, pleasure, etc.), and feminist/critical scholarship about this research (e.g., feminist science studies, queer theory, feminist psychology, medicalization, etc.).

By the end of the course, undergraduate students should be able to demonstrate…

• …A more nuanced understanding of bioscientific research on sexuality and related feminist scholarship
• …An understanding of current bioscientific research on sexuality, the research methods currently used to study sexuality, and the problematics of doing this research
• …An engagement with feminist and other critical approaches to bioscientific work on sexuality
• …An ability to evaluate research on sexuality and science in the future
• …An enhanced ability to present material in concise, accessible ways
• …More deeply developed skills at engaging in civil, constructive, and evidence-based discussion, including about controversial topics or perspectives you disagree with
• …Improved time management skills
• …Expanded ability to work in groups with people from diverse educational backgrounds and engage in perspective-taking

This course provides an interdisciplinary introduction to biological, psychological, and sociological aspects of human sexuality.

Students will be able to…

• …Learn information about the biological, psychological, and social aspects of sexuality. Much of this is practical information that people need to know for daily living — e.g., information about contraception, sexually transmitted infections
• …Learn about methods used in the scientific study of sexuality, to gain a better understanding of existing data and be able to evaluate studies that will be published in the future
• …Understand the fabulous diversity of human sexuality along many dimensions, including age, sexual orientation, ethnicity within the United States, and cultures around the world
• …Become comfortable with the topic of SEX, so that you can be more rational in making decisions about it
• …Learn how to talk about sensitive topics with respect and clarity, particularly with individuals who have perspectives that are different from yours

This discussion-based course examines women’s sexuality through feminist social science perspectives. Students will critically engage with influential feminist theories, empirical research, and contemporary debates surrounding topics such as hookup culture, sexual pleasure and desire, the medicalization of women’s sexuality, and neoliberal “choice” narratives. Class discussions will connect scholarly work to real-world contexts—from social media trends and current events to broader policy issues affecting women’s sexual lives.

By the end of the course, undergraduate students should be able to

• Describe multiple perspectives for key debates about the forces that shape women’s sexuality
• Evaluate scholarly theories and essays about women’s sexuality and make connections to contemporary social conversations in the news and other media
• Develop evidence-based arguments and summaries about women’s sexuality topics
• Discuss controversial topics and perspectives using constructive language and evidence-based reasoning
• Locate original scientific articles and integrate them into written and oral assignments