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Teaching and Research
The English Department offers a number of courses every year that focus on the study of women and gender, most of which are listed as women-emphasis electives or as cross-listed courses in the Women's Studies Department. It is possible to take such a course at every level in our English program: ENGL 1155, Introduction to Literature: Gender and Form; ENGL 2240 and 2241, Women's Literary Tradition I and II; ENGL 3363, Feminisms and Their Literatures; and ENGL 4407, Queer Theory. In addition, courses on women and gender may be offered as special topics or directed studies. Gender study is a well established part of the field of English literature, and many professors in the department incorporate such an approach among a variety of others in their teaching and research. Several English professors are also appointed as faculty in the Joint M.A. in Women and Gender Studies.
Check out the women-emphasis courses offered by our department in 2009-2010.
The Lesbian Pulp Fiction Collection
This special collection of rare books in the Mount Saint Vincent Library is a rich research resource for students of literary history, feminist theory, women's history, cultural studies, and visual design. The novels are on permanent display beside the circulation desk in the Library.
Women-Emphasis Courses 2009-2010
In 2009-2010, the English Department is offering the following courses that are also listed in the Women's Studies program:
ENGL 1155: Introduction to Literature: Gender and Form
This course will provide an introduction to the critical study of the major forms of fiction, poetry, and drama, using examples from the time of Chaucer to the present day. Readings will include a balance of female and male writers, and a special focus for discussion will be representations of gender.
ENGL 3363: Feminisms and their Literatures
Fall and Winter terms; full unit
Monday and Wednesday 3:05 - 4:20
Instructor: K. Macfarlane
This course focuses on selected works of literature and theory in English by women from around the world. Our emphasis will be on contemporary work (1970 on). We will use contemporary feminist theories as a way to contextualize our discussion and to help us explore the points at which feminisms, culture and women's use of narrative forms intersect in the literary works discussed. We will be particularly interested in the relationships between feminism and culture. Some potential directions for class discussions might include: the articulation of feminist resistance through responses to culturally specific issues of voice, language, family, religion, the body, history and colonizations. Our focus in class will be on active, engaged discussion and on learning to incorporate theoretical terms and concepts into our encounters with the assigned texts.
Note: Students who have received credit for English 350 may not take this course for credit.