SUMMER SESSION

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GNDR_ST 382-0 : Philosophical Issues

Description

The goal of this class is to introduce students to contemporary issues in the philosophy of race, gender, and sexuality. In the first three weeks the class will consider philosophical questions about intersectionality. What is intersectionality? How should we theorize about the complexities of identity categories that overlap?

In the next section of the course, we will focus on epistemological issues regarding knowledge and ignorance. For example, how might one’s race, gender or sexuality enhance or undermine one’s opportunities to acquire knowledge? Are there some social positions that place one in a better position to know some facts about the world?

Then, in the final few weeks of the course, we will turn to the philosophy of language. We’ll focus on slurs and other forms of toxic speech, evaluating how they can harm groups based on their race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, or ethnicity.

This course is meant to introduce students to ongoing debates regarding gender, race, and sexuality and how we might use the tools given to us by philosophy to think about them critically.