Critical Social Inquiry 0326 - Feminism's Sciences

For decades now feminists have insisted on the importance of thinking about science, nature, and embodiment to understanding the worlds in which we live and to imagining other worlds. I use "feminism's sciences" here to refer to the sciences feminists have critiqued, revised, reinterpreted, and reclaimed as well as to those feminist knowledge-making projects that have been excluded from the definition of science. The class will draw the parameters of feminist sciences wide here to include epistemological, methodological, conceptual, metaphysical, and other critical-creative insights of a wide range of feminist theories and projects. We will read about feminist concerns with knowledge, power, and embodiments to explore possibilities for a contemporary queer feminist materialist science studies. This class will be reading and research intensive. We will explore rich debates in feminist theories of science and materiality over the last several decades and today. You will practice interdisciplinary research as well as developing both written and oral communication skills.

Independent Work Writing and Research Students are expected to spend 6-8 hours a week of preparation and work outside of class time.