Program Overview

Philosophy of Feminism (PHIL*2060)

Course Details

The course code for Philosophy of Feminism is PHIL*2060, and it was offered in the Winter 2013 term.

Course Description

Feminism is a critique of the male-dominated social and political structures that have denied women full rights, opportunities, and modes of self-expression. It is also a body of thought about human nature, human society, and human rights. Feminism is transformative, intending to change not just our way of acting, but our way of thinking as well. This course examines how philosophy itself transforms under a feminist gaze, specifically how traditional philosophical thinking might be altered to represent the human experience beyond that of privileged men.

Course Objectives

The objective of this course is to approach central and pressing philosophical issues through a feminist lens. This will not only cover important philosophical terrain but also provide insight into how these issues are brought to bear on human social and political life. The course will provide insight into the way theories of human nature and human moral life can, and must, inform any successful activist program.

Course Structure

The course is approached in two parts:

• The first part is devoted to feminist interpretations of traditional metaphysical and epistemological questions, including conceptions of reality, human nature, and human knowledge.
• The second part is devoted to feminist interpretations of traditional moral questions, including conceptions of duty, right, agency, and responsibility.

Textbooks

The required textbooks for this course are:

1. Women Knowledge and Reality, 2nd edition, edited by Ann Garry and Marilyn Pearsall (Routledge, 1996).
2. Setting the Moral Compass, edited by Chesire Calhoun (Oxford, 2004).

Departments and Schools

This course is associated with the following departments and schools:

• School of Theatre, English, and Creative Writing
• School of Fine Art and Music
• School of Languages and Literatures
• Department of History
• Department of Philosophy
• Interdisciplinary Programs

Centres, Institutes, and Labs

The university is also home to several centres, institutes, and labs, including:

• Centre for Scottish Studies
• Grounded and Engaged Theory Lab (GET)
• Interdisciplinary Design Lab
• The International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation
• The Humanities Interdisciplinary Collaboration Lab (THINC)
• The School of Fine Art & Music Print Study Collection