FF:AJ16171 Gay Studies - Course Information

AJ16171 Gay Studies

Extent and Intensity

0/2/0. 2 credit(s) (plus 2 credits for an exam). Recommended Type of Completion: zk (examination). Other types of completion: z (credit).

Teacher(s)

doc. Michael Matthew Kaylor, PhD. (lecturer)
Jeffrey Alan Vanderziel, B.A. (lecturer)

Guaranteed by

Jeffrey Alan Vanderziel, B.A.
Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Tomáš Hanzálek

Timetable

Thu 11:40–13:15 G32, Thu 18:20–19:55 G32

Prerequisites (in Czech)

AJ09999 Qualifying Examination

Course Enrolment Limitations

The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/30

fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with

there are 10 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display

Course objectives

This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the development, history and current state of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer culture in the English-speaking world, in particular in the United States and United Kingdom. The main body of the course is divided into five modules, with each two-week module focusing on a specific historical period/topic. During the first week of the module, socio-historical and cultural aspects of the issue at hand will be addressed. During the second week of the module, a work of literature (novel, short story) that deals with the module's theme will be examined.

Syllabus

• Week 1: Introduction, Part I. Week 2: Introduction, Part II: Read David M. Halperin (1952-), One Hundred Years of Homosexuality and Other Essays on Greek Love ( New York: Routledge, 1990), Chapters 1 & 2, pp. 15-53, and Rictor Norton (1945-), The Myth of the Modern Homosexual. Queer History and the Search for Cultural Unity (London: Cassell, 1997), Chapter 3, pp. 61-97; Watch the film Wilde (1997), directed by Brian Gilbert. Week 3: Module I: Before the 1950s: Read Allan Berubé (1946-2007). Coming Out Under Fire: The History of Gay Men and Women in World War Two (New York: The Free Press, 1990), Chapters 2 and 4 (pp. 34-66 and 98-127); Watch the film Maurice (1987), directed by James Ivory. Week 4: Module I: Before the 1950s: Read Francis King (1923-), An Air That Kills (Kansas City, MO: Valancourt Books, 2008 [1948]), 198 pages; Watch the film Lilies (1996), directed by John Greyson. Week 5: Module II: Before Stonewall: Read Paul Monette (1945-1995), Becoming a Man: Half a Life Story (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1992), Chapters 1-3, pp. 1-100. Watch the film Kinsey (2004), directed by Bill Condon. Week 6: Module II: Before Stonewall: Read Mary Renault (1905-1983), The Charioteer (New York: Pocket Books, 1967), 346 pages; Watch the film Gay Sex in the 70s (2005), directed by Joseph Lovett. Week 7: Module III: Gay Liberation: Read David Eisenbach, Gay Power: An American Revolution. (New York: Carroll & Graf Publishers, 2006), Chapters 4 and 5 (pp. 81-142); Watch the film The Times of Harvey Milk (1984), directed by Rob Epstein. Week 8: Module III: Gay Liberation: Read Edmund White (1940-), A Boy's Own Story (London: Pan Books, 1983), 217 pages; Watch the film Angels in America (2003), directed by Mike Nichols. Week 9: Module IV: AIDS: Read Randy Shilts (1951-1994), And The Band Played On. Politics, People and The AIDS Empidemic (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1990), Part VI, pp. 339-402. Watch the film Breakfast on Pluto (2005), directed by Neil Jordan. Week 10: Module IV: AIDS: Read: Richard Canning (editor), Vital Signs: Essential AIDS Fiction (entire text); Watch the film Shortbus (2006), directed by John Cameron Mitchell. Week 11: Module V: All Things Queer: Read Judith Butler, “Imitation and Gender Subordination”. In Diana Fuss, Inside/Out: Lesbian Theories, Gay Theories (New York: Routledge, 1991), pp. 13-31; Wendy Peters, “Queer identities: Rupturing identity categories and negotiating meanings of queer”. In Canadian Woman Studies / les cahiers de la femme, 24 (2/3): 102-107; Sharon Marcus, “Queer Theory for Everyone: A Review Essay”. In Signs, Autumn 2005, 31(1): 191-218. Week 12: Module V: All Things Queer: Read Alan Hollinghurst (1954-), The Folding Star (London: Vintage, 1995), 422 pages.

Literature

• Rictor Norton (1945-), The Myth of the Modern Homosexual. Queer History and the Search for Cultural Unity (London: Cassell, 1997)
• Wendy Peters, “Queer identities: Rupturing identity categories and negotiating meanings of queer”. In Canadian Woman Studies / les cahiers de la femme, 24 (2/3): 102-107.
• Alan Hollinghurst (1954-), The Folding Star (London: Vintage, 1995)
• David M. Halperin (1952-), One Hundred Years of Homosexuality and Other Essays on Greek Love (New York: Routledge, 1990)
• Francis King (1923-), An Air That Kills (Kansas City, MO: Valancourt Books, 2008 [1948])
• Allan Berubé (1946-2007), Coming Out Under Fire: The History of Gay Men and Women in World War Two (New York: The Free Press, 1990)
• Edmund White (1940-), A Boy’s Own Story (London: Pan Books, 1983)
• Paul Monette (1945-1995), Becoming a Man: Half a Life Story (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1992)
• Judith Butler, “Imitation and Gender Subordination”. In Diana Fuss, Inside/Out: Lesbian Theories, Gay Theories (New York: Routledge, 1991), pp. 13-31.
• Sharon Marcus, “Queer Theory for Everyone: A Review Essay”. In Signs, Autumn 2005, 31(1): 191-218.
• David Eisenbach, Gay Power: An American Revolution . (New York: Carroll & Graf Publishers, 2006)
• Mary Renault (1905-1983), The Charioteer (New York: Pocket Books, 1967)
• Randy Shilts (1951-1994), And The Band Played On. Politics, People and The AIDS Empidemic (New York: St. Martin's Press, 1990)
• Richard Canning (editor), Vital Signs: Essential AIDS Fiction (New York: Caroll & Graf Publishers, 2007)

Assessment methods

Assessment will be based on the following items: (1) An in-class credit test given during the exam period. This exam will cover all the readings and videos as well as material presented in the seminar. The test will account for 40% of the final mark. (2) An essay. Each student will write an essay based on one of the following works by one of the following GLBTQ authors (one or more copies of this work is in the collection of the Faculty of Arts library): James Baldwin, Giovanni’s Room or Another Country; William S. Burroughs, Queer or Naked Lunch; Dennis Cooper, Frisk; Ronald Firbank, Concerning the Eccentricities of Cardinal Pirelli; Radclyffe Hall, The Well of Loneliness, Tompson Highway , Kiss of the Fur Queen; Alan Hollinghurst, The Swimming-Pool Library, The Spell, or The Line of Beauty; Christopher Isherwood, Prater Violet; David Leavitt, Lost Language of Cranes or Equal Affections; James Merrill, Collected Poems (e.g. The Changing Light at Sandover); John Rechy, City of Night; Mary Renault, Fire from Heaven, The Persian Boy, or The Last of the Wine; Gertrude Stein, Tender Buttons; Alain Tremblay, Les Belles Soires (English translation) or Hosanna (English translation); Gore Vidal, The City and the Pillar; Jeanette Winterson, Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit; Edmund White, The Married Man or The Farewell Symphony. The essay will examine a particular aspect of GLBTQ culture as reflected in the novel and should examine the connection(s) between the novel and the materials used in the seminar. This essay will account for 50% of the final mark. Students must use secondary literature their paper in addition to the novel. Students are expected to have chosen a novel by Week 6 of the semester. (3) Seminar participation and attendance will account for 10% of the final mark.

Language of instruction

English

Further Comments

The course is taught only once.

Teacher's information

http://www.phil.muni.cz/elf/course/view.php?id=2178

• Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2009, recent)
  
• Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2009/AJ16171