166-054 The Body and the State

Note

Credit Points

HECS Band

Coordinator

Prerequisites

Admission to the Postgraduate Diploma or Fourth Year Honours in Political Science or Women's Studies.

Semester

Subject Description

This subject looks at feminist, lesbian and gay political and legal theory on the body, sexuality and state regulation. It will consider issues at the cutting edge of changes in the law and in feminist, queer and postmodern theory. These include cloning and genetic technology, the lesbian and gay family, bisexuality, paedophilia, cosmetic surgery and body modification. The seminar will use insights of theorists such as Shane Phelan, Carl Stychin, Ruthann Robson, Carol Pateman, Catharine MacKinnon, Judith Butler and Davina Cooper. Students who complete this subject should be able to critically analyse different perspectives within political and legal theory on the body and sexuality; be able to critically assess the ways in which lesbian and gay rights are currently approached within legal theory and practice; and be able to suggest change in these areas which will advance the human rights of women, lesbians and gay men.