Unit information: Gender, Masculinity/ies and International Relations in 2020/21

Unit name	Gender, Masculinity/ies and International Relations
Unit code	POLIM3016
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Professor. Carver
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

This unit considers the 'other half' of gender, so that gender is not a synonym for women. The political construction of gender as a power-laden binary will be examined, using sociological and feminist literature on masculinity/ies and a selective look at men's studies. While the focus is on bringing gender and masculinity/ies analysis to the study of international relations, there is also scope for integrating issues and material from other degree programmes into a more general Politics framework. You will need to make sure that your thinking and written work has an international dimension.

Aims:

1. To develop an understanding of current 'men's studies' and 'masculinities' research
2. To develop a complex idea of the different ways that 'gender' is theorised
3. To investigate political questions and issues using a fully developed gender 'lens'
4. To develop an international focus on political questions and issues

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit students will have:

• An understanding of gender as 'ways that sex and sexuality become power relations in society'

• An ability to deploy this conceptualisation in relation to political and international issues.

• Knowledge of principal works in men's studies and sociology of masculinities

• Knowledge of this field of gender studies in relation to feminist theory

Teaching Information

The unit will be taught through blended learning methods, including a mix of synchronous and asynchronous teaching activities

Assessment Information

Formative assessment: an oral presentation supported by a handout Summative assessment: a 4,000 word essay

A full statement of the relationship between the programme outcomes and types/methods of assessment is contained in accompanying Programme Specifications and section B7 of the Major Change to Current Programme forms for the programmes of which this unit is a part. The assessment for each unit is designed to fit within and contribute to that approach in terms of intellectual development across each of the two teaching blocks, and in relation to knowledge and understanding, intellectual skills and attributes, and transferable skills.

Reading and References

• Charlotte Hooper Manly States: Masculinities, International Relations and Gender Politics (Columbia, 2001).

• R.W. Connell, Masculinities (Polity Press, 1995).

• Harry Brod and Michael Kaufman (eds), Theorizing Masculinities (Sage 1994).

• Marysia Zalewski and Jane Parpart (eds), The 'Man' Question in International Relations (Westview, 1998).