School of Social Sciences

HUMN7044 Theories of Difference and Diversity

Autumn 2022
 Subject Details

Subject Code: HUMN7044

Subject Name: Theories of Difference and Diversity
Credit Points: 10
Subject Level: 7
Assumed Knowledge: Undergraduate degree in the Social Sciences or equivalent.

Note: Students with any problems, concerns or doubts should discuss those with the Subject Coordinator as early as they can.

Subject Coordinator
Name: Peter Bansel
Location: Liverpool, 3.8.02
Email: p.bansel@westernsydney.edu.au
Consultation Arrangement:
Consultations can be arranged with Peter via email.

Teaching Team
Name: Dan Perell
Location: Liverpool, 3.5.10
Email: d.perell@westernsydney.edu.au
Consultation Arrangement:
Consultations can be arranged with Dan via email.

Name: Ruth Mooney

Location: Liverpool, 3.8.02
Email: r.mooney@westernsydney.edu.au
Consultation Arrangement:
Consultations can be arranged with Ruth via email.

Name: Oishee Alam

Location: Liverpool, 3.8.02
Email: o.alam@westernsydney.edu.au
Consultation Arrangement:
Consultations can be arranged with Oishee via email.

Edition: Autumn 2022

Copyright ©2022 University Western Sydney trading as Western Sydney University ABN 53 014 069 881 CRICOS Provider No: 00917K No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission from the Dean of the School. Copyright for acknowledged materials reproduced
herein is retained by the copyright holder. All readings in this publication are copied under licence in accordance with Part VB of the Copyright Act 1968.
Contents
1 About Theories of Difference and Diversity 2
1.1 An Introduction to this Subject . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.2 What is Expected of You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
1.3 Changes to Subject as a Result of Past Student Feedback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

2 Assessment Information 5
2.1 Subject Learning Outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.2 Approach to Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.3 Assessment Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.4 Assessment Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.4.1 Reflection on social difference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
2.4.2 Proposal - Scoping Paper for Analytical essay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.4.3 Analytical essay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.5 General Submission Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

3 Teaching and Learning Activities 14

4 Learning Resources 16
4.1 Recommended Readings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Note: The relevant Learning Guide Companion supplements this document

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1 About Theories of Difference and Diversity

1.1 An Introduction to this Subject

This subject will introduce students at post-graduate level to contemporary theories and concepts of difference and
diversity. The subject will particularly examine feminism, post-structuralism, new materialism, queer theory and
critical realism. It will also address specific concepts such as inequality, human rights, freedom and marginalisation.
It will apply these theories and concepts to investigations of contemporary social issues and debates related to race,
disability, ethnicity, sexuality, gender and other categories of individual identity and collective belonging. The subject
will provide a strong theoretical base to the work that students have undertaken in the subject Theories for Critical
Practice, and inform the work to be undertaken in the other subjects in this specialisation.

1.2 What is Expected of You

Study Load

A student is expected to study an hour per credit point a week. For example a 10 credit point Subject would require
10 hours of study per week. This time includes the time spent within classes during lectures, tutorials or practicals.

Note for Summer Terms: As Summer subjects deliver the same content and classes over a shorter period of time,
the subjects are run in a more intensive mode. Regardless of the delivery mode, the study hours for each subject in
Summer A will be around 22 hours; in Summer B, around 30 hours.

Attendance

It is strongly recommended that students attend all scheduled learning activities to support their learning.

Online Learning Requirements

Subject materials will be made available on the Subject’s vUWS (E-Learning) site (https://vuws.westernsydney.
edu.au/). You are expected to consult vUWS at least twice a week, as all Subject announcements will be made via
vUWS. Teaching and learning materials will be regularly updated and posted online by the teaching team.

Special Requirements

Essential Equipment:
Not Applicable
Legislative Pre-Requisites:
Not Applicable

Policies Related to Teaching and Learning

The University has a number of policies that relate to teaching and learning. Important policies affecting students
include:

– Assessment Policy
– Bullying Prevention Policy and
– Guidelines
– Enrolment Policy
– Examinations Policy
– Review of Grade Policy
– Sexual Harassment Prevention Policy

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 – Disruption to Studies Policy
– Student Misconduct Rule
– Teaching and Learning - Fundamental Code
– Student Code of Conduct

Academic Integrity and Student Misconduct Rule

Western cares about your success as a student and in your future career. Studying with academic integrity safeguards
your professional reputation and your degree. All Western students must:

– be familiar with the policies listed above;

– apply principles of academic integrity;
– act honestly and ethically in producing all academic work and assessment tasks; and
– submit work that is their own and acknowledge any sources used in their work.

Each time you submit an assessment, you will declare that you have completed it individually, unless it is a group
assignment. In the case of a group assignment, each group member should be ready to document their individual
contribution if needed. You will also declare that no part of your submission has been:

– copied from any other student’s work or from any other source except where appropriate acknowledgement is
made in the assignment;
– submitted by you in another (previous or current) assessment, except where appropriately acknowledged, and
with prior permission from the Subject Coordinator;
– made available to others in any form, where individual work is required;
– written/produced for you by any other person.

The Student Misconduct Rule applies to all students of Western Sydney University including Western Sydney Univer-
sity programs taught by other education providers. You must not engage in academic, research or general misconduct
as defined in the Rule or you may be subject to sanctions. The University considers submitting falsified documentation
in support of requests to redo, resit or extend submissions, including sitting of deferred examinations, as instances of
general misconduct.

More information on studying with integrity is available on the Study with Integrity webpage. It is your responsibility
to apply these principles to all work you submit to the University.

Avoid using external ’support’ sites or other external help

To avoid the risk of your assignment being shared without your knowledge, do not upload your assignment to any
external sites for spelling, grammar or plagiarism checks. Your safest option is to use the free services provided by
Library Study Smart or Studiosity.

Avoid using any websites that:

– allow sharing of assignments or other material

– reward sharing of material with credits, tokens; or access to additional materials/features/services;
– provide answers to textbook or assignment/exam questions;
– provide free sample assignments; and/or include order buttons and prices; and/or
– invite you to submit your assignment for plagiarism or grammar or other checks.

Engagement with academic cheating sites will be regarded as misconduct. Academic cheating services often market
themselves as ’support’. Engagement with these sites includes:

– Sharing assignments or course material;

– Using online tools provided by these sites to check for plagiarism, grammar or spelling; and/or
– Purchasing writing services, or obtaining a copy of an assignment.

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Uploading your work to these sites may lead to your work being shared with others with or without your knowledge
and consent.

The Australian Government monitors current and past students’ use of academic cheating services, and may report
student material found on these sites or other forms of engagement to universities.

Current students with items found on academic cheating sites face sanctions under the Student Misconduct Rule.
Outcomes for graduates may include revocation of award. For more information see https://www.westernsydney.
edu.au/currentstudents/current_students/student_misconduct_rule.

More advice can be found on the Study with Integrity webpage.

Need help?

If you are having difficulties with understanding or completing an assessment task, contact your Subject Coordinator
as soon as possible. Western also has a range of academic support services, including:

– Library Study Smart: book a one-to-one Zoom consultation with a literacy expert. You can discuss how
to develop your assignment writing and study skills or seek assistance to understand referencing and citation
requirements. Check the Library Study Smart website for how-to study guides and tools.
– Studiosity: Upload your assignment draft to Studiosity within vUWS to receive writing feedback within 24
hours.
– Online workshops, programs and resources: From maths and stats help to academic literacy and peer support
programs, the University has a range of resources to assist.

Please also remember that there is a range of wellbeing support available - from counselling and disability services to
welfare.

1.3 Changes to Subject as a Result of Past Student Feedback

The University values student feedback in order to improve the quality of its educational programs. The feedback
provided helps us improve teaching methods and Subjects of study. The survey results inform Subject content and
design, learning guides, teaching methods, assessment processes and teaching materials.

You are welcome to provide feedback that is related to the teaching of this Subject. At the end of the semester you
will be given the opportunity to complete a Student Feedback on Subject (SFS) questionnaire to assess the Subject.
You may also have the opportunity to complete a Student Feedback on Teaching (SFT) questionnaire to provide
feedback for individual teaching staff.

As a result of student feedback, the following changes and improvements to this subject have recently been made:

– The assessment tasks, word length, instructions to students and assessment rubrics have been revised.

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2 Assessment Information

2.1 Subject Learning Outcomes

This subject aims to develop scholarly understanding of the ways in which issues of difference and diversity are framed
within a variety of theories. More importantly, it is concerned with the implications of these different theoretical
understandings for making sense of everyday lives, issues and events, and for shaping personal, and professional
action. Personal reflections on experiences of difference and diversity inform  critical engagement with contemporary
social issues, and the development of a critique of the norms through which differences are understood. 

Outcome
1 Differentiate and analyse contemporary theories of difference and diversity
2 Argue a personal position of difference and diversity
3 Critically appraise concepts of inequality, human rights, freedom, marginalisation
4 Demonstrate the application of theories in relation to contemporary social issues of difference and diversity

2.2 Approach to Learning

The subject comprises 6 on campus face to face workshops (3 hours each) and online presentations (up to one hour
each). Learning materials for each workshop are available in the Learning Modules tab under the Learning Zone on
vUWS. These modules are designed to support with learning and the development of assessments throughout the
semester. You will also find the online presentations in these modules, and it is recommended that you view each
presentation and complete the readings before attending the corresponding face-to-face workshop. The face-to-face
workshops will include small group activities that involve practical discussion and application of the theory to everyday
social worlds and individual lives. These activities encourage reflection on the the ways in which different theories give
an account of differences among individuals and communities based on their social, political and historical contexts.
The workshop activities and assessments are structured to support the development of a theoretically sophisticated
personal position relevant to a topic of difference and diversity that falls within students’ personal and/or professional
interests.

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2.3 Assessment Summary

The assessment items in this Subject are designed to enable you to demonstrate that you have achieved the Subject
learning outcomes. Completion and submission of all assessment items which have been designated as mandatory or
compulsory is essential to receive a passing grade.

To pass this Subject you must:

Students are expected to attend all workshops, view all online presentations, complete associated readings, complete
all assessment items, and achieve a minimum result of 50% when the marks for each assessment are totaled at
the end of the semester. The workshops will incorporate an interactive learning approach therefore students are en-
couraged to come prepared. As a courtesy please advise the subject coordinator if you are unable to attend a workshop.

Item Weight Due Date SLOs Assessed Threshold

Reflection on social 20% 14 April 1, 3 No
difference
Proposal - Scoping 30% 9 May 1, 2 No
Paper for Analytical
essay
Analytical essay 50% 13 June 1, 2, 3, 4 No

Feedback on Assessment

Feedback is an important part of the learning process that can improve your progress towards achieving the learning
outcomes. Feedback is any written or spoken response made in relation to academic work such as an assessment
task, a performance or product. It can be given to you by a teacher, an external assessor or student peer, and may
be given individually or to a group of students. As a Western Sydney University student, it is your responsibility to
seek out and act on feedback that is provided to you as a resource to further your learning.

Assessment items in this subject build upon each other to support the development of a sophisticated theoretical
position on a topic of personal/professional interest. Therefore, engagement with written and verbal feedback on
assessments is critical to the development of each assessment that follows.

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2.4 Assessment Details

2.4.1 Reflection on social difference

Weight: 20%
Type of Collaboration: Individual
Due: 14 April
Submission: Submit online via vUWS (turnitin) under the ’Assessments’ link.
Format: Reflections on experiences of difference and diversity.
Length: 500 words
Curriculum Mode: Reflection

Overview

This assessment has two parts. It requires you to (1) write a short biographical account of your emerging per-
sonal awareness of difference and diversity, and (2) write a critical reflection on this account. Details about the two
sections are below.

BIOGRAPHY (up to 300-words):

In Workshop 1, you will have an opportunity to discuss a personal experience of difference and diversity in small
groups. You will then be given time to write a biography, which should be no more than one A4 page in length.
Your biography should describe a moment or series of thematically related moments in your life where you became
aware that you or someone else were different from others based on an aspect of identity (e.g., sex, gender, sexuality,
race, ethnicity, Aboriginality, class, dis/ability, faith, age, etc.). Please note that you are required to submit your
biography with your reflection, but your biography will not be assessed.

REFLECTION (500 words):

Your biography will form the basis for a critical reflection. Your critical reflection should clearly identify the aspect of
identity you have chosen to focus on and discuss how discrimination, marginalisation, privilege, opportunity, equality,
equity, or freedom (choose one) feature in your biography. Your discussion should draw connections to the ways
in which familial, social, cultural, political, religious, or historical practices (choose one or two) have shaped the
experience of difference and diversity you described in your biography.

In your reflection, you are required to cite one academic reference.

Note: You are required to submit both the biography and the reflection, but only the 500-word reflection
will be assessed.

Additional information and support for the preparation of this assessment will be provided in class and on our
vUWS site.

Marking Criteria
Refer to the Assessment Zone under each item in vUWS

Resources:

See the Additional Resources tab for vUWS in the Assessment Zone.

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2.4.2 Proposal - Scoping Paper for Analytical essay

Weight: 30%
Type of Collaboration: Individual
Due: 9 May
Submission: Submit online via vUWS (turnitin) under the ’Assessments’ link.
Format: A scoping paper that develops key issues from Assessment 1, applies them to a
contemporary issue and links them to a theory discussed in class.
Length: 1,000 words
Curriculum Mode: Proposal

Overview

The Scoping Paper is a formative and preparatory task for Assessment 3, the Analytical Essay. It builds on the
work undertaken in Assessment 1 by asking you to introduce theory to your chosen topic and articulate an argument
that you will further develop in Assessment 3.

Please note that this assessment task is not an essay, but is made up of three sections requiring you to com-
plete the following:
(SECTION 1) Select and discuss a contemporary topic related to difference and diversity, including the key tensions
and different perspectives on the topic. You will need to cite at least 2 academic articles in your discussion (~400
words);
(SECTION 2) Select and discuss one theory of difference and diversity and one key concept related to the chosen
theory, making clear connections between the concept and the theory. You will need to cite at least 2 academic
articles in your discussion (~500 words).

(SECTION 3) Write a thesis statement that articulates an explicit argument on your chosen topic and identifies
clear connections between the stated argument and your chosen theory and concept (<100 words)

Your chosen topic should relate to an aspect of difference and diversity that is of personal or professional interest
to you, including sex, gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, Aboriginality, class, dis/ability, faith, age, etc. Your topic
will reflect a social issue related to difference and diversity (e.g., pay equality, offshore detention of asylum seekers,
colonialism, caste systems, “Change the Date”of Australia Day, “Black Lives Matter”, etc.). If you are unsure
if your chosen topic is appropriate for the assessment, please feel free to contact the teaching team to discuss.

Your chosen theory should be selected from any of those addressed in the subject. However, if you are familiar
with a theory of difference and diversity from outside of the subject that you would prefer to use for this assessment
(e.g., postcolonialism, critical theory, critical race theory, posthumanism, constructionism, etc.), please contact the
teaching team to discuss. Your nominated theory should help you think critically about your topic and develop a
sophisticated argument. In your thesis statement, you are only required to state your argument and make explicit
connections between this argument and your selected theory/concept.

The development of your thesis statement will be supported through online resources and workshop activities.

In your scoping paper, you are required to cite to at least four academic references (two in your discussion of
the topic and two in your discussion of the theory), though care should be taken to ensure that all claims in the
assessment are supported by appropriate literature.

Additional information and support for the preparation of this assessment will be provided in class and on our
vUWS site.

8
Resources:

See the Additional Resources tab for vUWS in the Assessment Zone

Marking Criteria
Refer to the Assessment Zone under each item in vUWS

9
2.4.3 Analytical essay

Weight: 50%
Type of Collaboration: Individual
Due: 13 June
Submission: Submit online via vUWS (turnitin) under the ’Assessments’ link.
Format: Assessment 3 is an Analytical Essay that builds on the work undertaken in Assessments
1 and 2.
Length: 2,000 words
Curriculum Mode: Essay

Overview

Assessment 3 is an Analytical Essay that builds on the work undertaken in Assessments 1 and 2. In Assessment
1, you were asked to critically reflect on a personal experience related to difference and diversity (e.g., sex, gender,
sexuality, race, ethnicity, Aboriginality, class, dis/ability, faith, age, etc.). In Assessment 2, you were required to
discuss a contemporary topic (social issue) of difference and diversity, demonstrate your understanding of one theory
and key concept of difference and diversity, and develop a thesis statement articulating a clear argument on your topic.

For this assessment, you are required to write a 1500-word analytical essay that persuasively argues the thesis
statement you have developed in relation to your chosen topic. Your argument should be informed by the theory of
difference and diversity you discussed in the Scoping Paper and be supported by reference to appropriate academic
literature. As this essay builds on the work completed in A1 and A2, you are welcome (but not required) to reuse your
own written text from previous assessments and develop the ideas further based upon further reading and feedback.

Your analytical essay should start with your thesis statement that identifies the topic (social issue) you have selected,
the argument that you will develop throughout the essay, and the theory you will apply to build your argument. A
strong argument convinces others that you have an interesting, well-informed point of view on your chosen topic.
Your thesis statement is your interpretation of the issue that makes an argument others might agree with or challenge.
The rest of the introduction should foreground the points you intend to make throughout the body of your essay.
These points will support/demonstrate your argument, which will be developed across the body of your essay. To
ensure a strong argument, you should make clear links to the chosen theory, key concept, and resources you have
cultivated across Assessments 1 and 2 and extended upon in this analytical essay.

Guidelines for writing an analytical essay

Assessment 3 is an essay, which typically has three main components: Introduction, Body, and Conclusion. Through-
out the essay, careful selection of headings and sub-headings helps to improve the structure and flow of the text. This
suggested structure is a guideline only, and variations to this structure are acceptable-what is important is that the
structure and style of the text coherently build ideas to support the main argument. The structure below is therefore
a guide to organising the content required rather than a structure that must be followed.

1) Introduction: The Introduction should include a thesis statement that identifies the social issue you have se-
lected, indicates the argument you will develop in the body of the essay, and indicates how the theory and key
concepts will be used to support this argument. After reading the introduction, the reader should have a clear idea of
the scope of the paper and the argument it will make. The argument stated here should take a clear position on the
topic, rather than only describe the topic or be a statement of fact. The introduction should also contain a summary
of the key points that will be discussed to support your argument throughout the paper.
2) Body of the paper: This is where the reader should be convinced of your argument. In the body of the paper, you
will further develop the review of the relevant theoretical literature undertaken in the scoping paper. In this analytical
essay, you will extend the theoretical literature you have already reviewed in Assessment 2 through the addition of
new references and elaboration of key issues, debates, and complexities associated with your selected topic. You
should do more than describe these issues and debates, but develop your views about them through careful reflection,
analysis, and critique. You can use examples relevant to your topic to analyse and support your argument (e.g., news
reports, films, books, magazines, policies and other documents, and personal or professional experiences), but again,

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make sure to include reflection, analysis and critique through applying theory when discussing these examples. This
section is evidence of your grasp of your topic and your capacity to work with a theory of difference and diversity to
develop a sophisticated argument.

3) Conclusion: Sum up your discussion and reiterate your key points and arguments here. Clearly state how
the theory and concepts you have worked with have informed your thinking. The conclusion should clearly restate
the key argument or position developed in both the Introduction and in the Body of the paper. Do not introduce
new points or arguments that haven’t been covered in the essay already.

In your Analytical Essay, you are required to cite at least eight academic references, though care should be
taken to ensure that all claims are supported by appropriate literature.

Additional information and support for the preparation of this assessment will be provided in class and on vUWS.

Resources:

See the Additional Resources tab for vUWS in the Assessment Zone.

Marking Criteria
Refer to the Assessment Zone under each item in vUWS

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2.5 General Submission Requirements

Submission

– All assignments must be submitted by the specified due date and time.
– Complete your assignment and follow the individual assessment item instructions on how to submit. You must
keep a copy of all assignments submitted for marking.

Turnitin

– The Turnitin plagiarism prevention system may be used within this Subject. Turnitin is accessed via logging
into vUWS for the Subject. If Turnitin is being used with this Subject, this means that your assignments have
to be submitted through the Turnitin system. Turnitin from iParadigms is a web-based text-matching software
that identifies and reports on similarities between documents. It is also widely utilised as a tool to improve
academic writing skills. Turnitin compares electronically submitted papers against the following:
– Current and archived web: Turnitin currently contains over 24 billion web pages including archived pages
– Student papers: including Western Sydney University student submissions since 2007
– Scholarly literature: Turnitin has partnered with leading content publishers, including library databases,
text-book publishers, digital reference collections and subscription-based publications (e.g. Gale, Pro-
quest, Emerald and Sage)

– Turnitin is used by over 30 universities in Australia and is increasingly seen as an industry standard. It is
an important tool to assist students with their academic writing by promoting awareness of plagiarism.By
submitting your assignment to Turnitin you will be certifying that:
– I hold a copy of this assignment if the original is lost or damaged
– No part of this assignment has been copied from any other student’s work or from any other source except
where due acknowledgement is made in the assignment
– No part of the assignment has been written for me by any other person/s
– I have complied with the specified word length for this assignment
– I am aware that this work may be reproduced and submitted to plagiarism detection software programs for
the purpose of detecting possible plagiarism (which may retain a copy on its database for future plagiarism
checking).

Self-Plagiarising

– You are to ensure that no part of any submitted assignment for this Subject or product has been submitted by
yourself in another (previous or current) assessment from any Subject, except where appropriately referenced,
and with prior permission from the Lecturer/Tutor/Subject Coordinator of this Subject.

Late Submission

– If you submit a late assessment, without receiving approval for an extension of time, (see next item), you will
be penalised by 10% per day for up to 10 days. In other words, marks equal to 10% of the assignment’s weight
will be deducted from the mark awarded.
– For example, if the highest mark possible is 50, 5 marks will be deducted from your awarded mark for each late
day.
– Saturday and Sunday are counted as one calendar day each.
– Assessments will not be accepted after the marked assessment task has been returned to students.
– This is consistent with Western Sydney University’s Assessment Policy

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Extension of Due Date for Submission

A student may apply for an extension of the due date for an assessment task if extenuating circumstances outside their
control, and sufficiently grave in nature or duration, cause significant disruption to their capacity to study effectively.

To apply for an extension of assessment, please go to https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/currentstudents/current_

students/forms for guidance on how to lodge a request for consideration by the Subject Coordinator/Convenor.
Extension requests can be lodged before, on or no later than 5.00pm two working days after the due date of the
assessment task.

Resubmission

Resubmission of assessment items will not normally be granted if requested.

Disruption to Studies

It is strongly recommended that you attend all scheduled learning activities to support your learning. The University
will provide students who have experienced a serious and unavoidable disruption to their studies a Disruption to
Studies provision, which is an opportunity to demonstrate that you have met the learning outcomes for the subject.
To be eligible for a Disruption to Studies Provision, the disruption must impact your studies for at least three
consecutive days. More information, including how to apply for a Disruption to Studies, can be found on the
University website https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/currentstudents/current_students/services_and_facilities/
special_consideration

Supplementary Assessments

A student may be eligible to apply for a supplementary assessment after the official notification of final Subject
results. Please see the Procedures Section of the WSU Assessment Policy for details of eligibility and the application
process.

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 3 Teaching and Learning Activities

Weeks Assessments Due

Week 1
07-03-2022
Week 2
14-03-2022
Week 3 Workshop 1: Introduction to unit and assessments; outline of
21-03-2022 workshops; learning activities, what is theory? What is theorising?
Making theory ”matter”.

Week 4
28-03-2022
Week 5 Online presentation: Thinking with and about feminism(s)
04-04-2022
Workshop 2: The politics of sex and gendered bodies and identities.
14

Week 6 Assessment 1 due 14 April - Reflection on social difference

11-04-2022
Week 7 Online presentation: Thinking with and about intersectionality
18-04-2022
Workshop 3: Exploring relations between gender, sex, sexuality, race,
ethnicity, religion, class, disability and age.

Week 8
25-04-2022
Week 9
02-05-2022
Week 10 Online presentation: Queer Theory and a little bit of Foucault - Proposal - Scoping Paper for Analytical essay
09-05-2022
Workshop 4: The politics of sexed, gendered and sexualized bodies
and non-normative identities.
Assessment 2 due 9 May
Week 11
16-05-2022
 Weeks Assessments Due
Week 12 Online presentation: Thinking with and about new materialism
23-05-2022
Workshop 5: Exploring relations between language, humans and the
non-human.
Week 13
30-05-2022
Week 14 Workshop 6: Putting it all together; making a difference for others
06-06-2022 and ourselves; reflecting on theory and theorising.
Week 15 Assessment 3 due 13 June - Analytical essay
13-06-2022
Week 16
20-06-2022
Week 17
27-06-2022

The above timetable should be used as a guide only, as it is subject to change. Students will be advised of any changes as they become known on the Subject’s vUWS site.
15
4 Learning Resources

4.1 Recommended Readings

Additional Reading

Workshop 1

Familiarisation with Learning Guide, review of topics for Assessment 1, browse readings for each Assessment 1 topic
(available on vUWS). Additional resources will be provided in an announcement on vUWS prior to the workshop.

Workshop 2

Butler, J. (2004) Undoing Gender: Chapter 9; The end of sexual difference? Routledge: NY (pp174–203).

Weedon, C. (1997) Feminist Practice and Poststructuralist Theory: Chapter 2; Principles of poststructuralism. NY:
Routledge.

Davies, B. (1989). Frogs and Snails and Feminist Tales: Pre-school children and gender: Chapter 1; Becoming male
or female. North Sydney: Allen Unwin (pp. 1 -20).

Jagose, A. (1996). Queer theory: An introduction. Chapter 5; Lesbian feminism. New York: New York University
Press. (pp. 44-57)

Workshop 3

Berlant, L., & Warner, M. (1995). What Does Queer Theory Teach Us about X? Publications of the Modern
Language Association of America, 110(3), 343–349.

Rich, A. (1980) Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence. Signs, 5(4) 631 - 660.

Jagose, A. (1996). Queer Theory: An Introduction: Chapter 7; Queer. New York University Press: New York.
(pp.72-96)

Halperin, D. M. (2003). The normalization of queer theory. Journal of Homosexuality, 45(2), 339-343. 

Workshop 4

Crenshaw, K. (1989) Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: A black feminist critique of antidiscrimination
doctrine, feminist theory, and antiracist politics (pp. 139−167). : University of Chicago Legal Forum.

Crenshaw, K. & Harris, L. (2009) A Primer on Intersectionality Booklet. African American Policy Forum, Vassar
College. Poughkeepsie, NY: Columbia Law School http://aapf.org/tool_to_speak_out/intersectionality-primer

Davis, Kathy (2008). Intersectionality as buzzword: A sociology of science perspective on what makes a Feminist
Theory successful. Feminist Studies, 9(67), 67−85.

Oleksy. E. (2011) Intersectionality at the cross-roads. Women’s Studies International Forum, 34, 263-270.

Monaghan, O. (2015). Dual imperatives: Decolonising the queer and queering the decolonial. In D. Hodge (Eds.)
Colouring the rainbow: Blak queer and trans perspectives. Mile End: Wakefield Press. (pp. 195-207).

Workshop 5

Barad, K. (2003) Posthumanist Performativity: Toward an Understanding of How Matter Comes to Matter. Signs:
Journal of Women in Culture and Society 28(3).

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Coole, D. (2013) Agentic capacities and capacious historical materialism: thinking with new materialisms in the
political sciences. Millennium - Journal of International Studies 41 (3), pp. 451–469.

Grosz, E. (2010) Feminism, Materialism, and Freedom. In D. Coole and S. Frost (Eds.) New Materialisms: Ontology,
Agency, and Politics. Duke University Press (pp139–157). Significant Differences: Interview with Elizabeth Grosz.
www.interstitialjournal.com March: 2013  5.

Workshop 6

Resources will be provided in an announcement on vUWS prior to the workshop.

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