Starting in the Winter 2022 semester, Nova Southeastern University will be offering a course called Critical Theories and Gender, which is available to all undergraduate students. The course will take place Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. Dr.Aileen Farrar, associate professor of literature in the department of humanities and politics, will be teaching the class.
The class used to be run every even winter semester, however, because of difficulties with enrollment it has been cancelled for the last five years. This year, the university has committed to having the course regardless of enrollment numbers.
“I was able to convince my chair that this is something that is really important and that as long as we start running it people will begin to see it and know that the gender studies program is something that we do have available,” said Farrar.
Farrar described the class as an upper-level approach to critical theories and gender, meaning that there will be a deeper discussion beyond just sex, gender and sexuality.
“We are going to be looking at the different kinds of gender studies that are available to us.” Farrar said.
This class is not just for or about women. There will be discussions around the entire spectrum of gender, including male studies, feminine studies, queer studies and trans studies.
Farrar also went on to say that, “A good way to think about gender studies is that it is an interdisciplinary area of study looking at the production, reproduction and resistance to the norms regarding gender and sexuality.”
Farrar discussed that there was an environment created for inspiring change and to update the curriculum so that it is relevant to the changing pace of today’s modern identities. She also added that anyone, regardless of their major, can benefit from this course.
“We are looking at those who want to be in the class. There is a prerequisite attached to the class but this is one of those things that we are reassessing,” she said.
The department is continuing to promote this class to anyone who is interested, and it is possible to get the prerequisite waived for those who want to take it.
If you are interested in taking this class or learning more information, you can contact Dr. Farrar or the Department of Humanities and Politics via email at afarrar@nova.edu.
