Feminist Theory and Literary Experience - 1st semester
Code
722091104
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Sociologia
Credits
10
Teacher in charge
Fernando Cascais, Teresa Almeida
Weekly hours
3 letivas + 1 tutorial
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
a) To acquire the ability to analyse the way in which the literary experience of women, as authors, translators, critics and editors, has contributed towards the establishing of Feminist Theory;
b) To acquire knowledge regarding the debates which are currently taking place in this new field of knowledge, and learn how to differentiate the different paradigms involved and the concepts linked to them: sex/gender; identity/identities (race, social class and sexuality);
c) Acquire knowledge of some of the key texts within feminist literary criticism as well as the main controversies underlying these;
d) Acquire the ability to produce a research paper based on one of the themes covered, using a specialised bibliography and dealing with concepts from within Feminist Studies.
Prerequisites
None.
Subject matter
1. Analysis of certain concepts from the Theory of Literature, with special emphasis on the question of the canon.
2. The literary establishment and women: diagnosis of a problematic relationship
2.1 The history of Portuguese literature and the silencing of its female authors: The study of some paradigmatic cases (Teresa de Mello Breyner, D. Leonor de Almeida, Graça Pina de Morais).
2.2 Women in Hispanic poetic traditions.
3. Analysis of some fundamental concepts in Feminist Theory, with particular attention to the work of Rosi Braidotti, Helène Cixous, Françoise Collin, bell hooks, Luce Irigaray and Monica Wittig.
4. Essentialism and constructionism: the issue of écriture feminine.
5. Analysis of the main concepts within Queer Theory, paying particular attention to the contributions made by Michel Foucault, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick and Judith Butler.
Throughout the course, there will be a reading of Orlando and A Room of One´s Own by Virginia Woolf, as well as the ´Novas Cartas Portuguesas (New Portuguese Letters\") by Maria Isabel Barreno, Maria Teresa Horta and Maria Velho da Costa.
Bibliography
ANASTÁCIO, Vanda (org.), ´Antologia Improvável. A escrita das mulheres´. Lisboa: Relógio d´Água, 2013.
MACEDO, Ana Gabriela (ed.), Género, Identidade e Desejo. Antologia Crítica do Feminismo Contemporâneo. Lisboa: Cotovia, 2002.
MCCANN, Carole R e KIM, Seung-kyung (eds.), Feminist Local and Global Theory Perspectives Reader. Nova Iorque e Londres: Routledge, 2003.
MOHANTY, Chandra Talpade, Feminism without Borders: Decolonizing Theory, Practicing Solidarity. Duke University Press, 2003.
RAMALHO, Irene, «Os Estudos sobre as Mulheres e o saber. Onde se conclui que o poético é feminista» in ex aequo, nº 5, Oeiras, Celta Editora, 2001, pp. 107-122.
ROONEY, Ellen (ed.) The Cambridge Companion to Feminist Literary Theory. Cambridge, Nova Iorque: Cambridge University Press, 2006.
Teaching method
Presentations on different aspects of the programme.
Discussion of papers presented.
Tutorial guidance, focused on preparing and carrying out a research paper.
Evaluation method
Evaluation of knowledge implies being present for 2/3 of the sessions held as well as the submission of a research paper which should show knowledge of the issues covered as well as the ability to deal in a critical manner with the concepts covered in the course.