Syllabus ARSC 267, Research in Sexuality

Spring 2005, Prof. Larry Peterson,

ext. 8134, OFFICE: AED 319

e-mail: peterson@ udel.edu

http://amy.music.udel.edu/faculty/peterson/

Goal: Explore various aspects of the subject of sexuality and gender.

Text: Larry Gross & James D. Woods, editors: The Columbia Reader on Lesbians & Gay Men in Media, Society, & Politics (ISBN 0-231-10447-2)

POLICIES, RULES, AND MEDICINE

1. ATTENDANCE. Attendance is mandatory for this course. Excused absences must be arranged in advance. Your course grade is lowered if there is more than one unexcused absence. Informing the instructor of absences does not automatically constitute approval to be absent. Each absence, after the second one, lowers the course grade 5 points.

2.GRADES: Your course grade will be determined as follows. If you registered for one credit, then you are required to attend each class, prepare the outlines mentioned below related to the assigned readings, and ask one question of each quest lecturer. If you registered for three credits, you need to do the above plus write a short paper, 4-6 pages in content, about some aspect of one of the topics covered this semester. The paper is due on 9 May. For the three-hour credit option, your course grade will be determined 75% upon the paper and 25% on attendance and participation (questions and reading outlines). Grades are determined as follows: 91-100 A; A- 90; 89 B+; 81-88 B; 80 B-; 79 C+ 71-78 C; 70 C-; 69 D+; 66-68 D; 65 D-; 0-64 F. (Note the short span for the letter grade of D.)

3. OFFICE HOURS: In general, I do not maintain office hours because of my multimedia work. Feel free to contact me anytime by e-mail to ask questions or to request an appointment to meet in person. I’m always glad to make time to respond or meet with you. Also, please feel free to ask questions either in class or just after class also. Don’t let me intimidate you! I prefer not answering questions before class because I’m usually trying to get the equipment ready to begin class on time.

4. You will have readings from The Columbia Reader sent to you via email a week before each class meeting. Please go online and order your text as soon as possible. Since this is one of the texts for the fall semester course, ARSC 267, Cultural Introduction to Sexualities and Gender, taught by Prof. Hilton Brown, you may find used copies in Newark at the UD bookstore or elsewhere. For each class, I wish you to bring an article or clipping that you have found on the web regarding the topic for the evening in addition to bringing your outlines of the assigned readings.

We are still finalizing the speakers for some of the dates so February is the only month with specific events identified. By mid-February all of the semester topics should be scheduled.

CLASS SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENTS

1. 8 February. Introduction and discussion of the paper.

2. 14 February. Topic: Gender and Sexuality. There is no guest speaker. You need to read the following articles in the text and be prepared to discuss them: a) “Other Times, Other Customs” (p. 25), “Intimate Friendships,” (p. 33), “Who’s Queer? Identities in Question” (p. 75), “Making Ourselves from Scratch” (p. 79), “Becoming Lesbian: Identity Work and the Performance of Sexuality” (p. 81). Some of these articles are quite short. Make an outline of each that identifies what is important and turn these in at the end of the class period. Note that the page references only identify the first page of the article not the beginning and ending pages. You are required to turn in an outline of every article assigned this semester. This request is not repeated below.

3. 21 February. Topic: Bisexuality, Gay/lesbian and Married. Speaker: Prof. Peterson, author of “Married Men Online” in Journal of Bisexuality will discuss his research on gay married men. A panel of men and women who are, or were, married will share their stories and respond to questions after the formal presentation. Assigned Readings: “Strangers at Home: Bisexuals in the Queer Movement” (p. 105), “Just Add Water: Searching for the Bisexual Politic” (p. 108) and “ To Be or Not to Be” (p. 112)

4. 28 February. Topic; Queer Music. Guest Speaker: Thomas Raniszewski, Cape May NJ composer, will discuss and play examples from his album “A Midnight at a Time.” After his lecture/demonstration, Prof. Peterson will present a Powerpoint presentation that addresses the issue of “queer” music. It will include examples that cover a variety of musical styles: classical, country, rock, jazz, contemporary Christian. Assigned Reading: “Where Is the Life That Late He Led? Hollywood’s Construction of Sexuality in the Life of Cole Porter” (p. 306)

Topics that will be presented in March, April and May include gay videos, gay cops, the Equality Forum, Gay Parenting, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” Mark Segal and gay publishing, Growing Up Gay in America, AIDS & HIV in Gay Men. Once the dates are set for all of the events, the syllabus will be revised to include the topics and assigned readings.