Introductory description

This module centres feminist perspectives on a range of social, cultural and political questions and concerns particularly within postcolonial and settler colony societies. Taking as starting point the postcolonial and indigenous feminist critiques which have challenged the dominance of the liberal and rationalistic Enlightenment episteme, the module will work through questions that have been pertinent to indigenous and post/colonial feminisms such as sovereignty, self-determination, borders, terror, security, authoritarianism and revolution. Throughout the course we will be attentive to the intersectionality of political struggles and so while we connect our thinking on these topics to specific state exemplars each week, students are encouraged to bring their own examples of each theme to class discussions.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Provisional Outline:
Week 1: Introduction: Indigenous feminisms, post/colonial feminisms and the intersections of political struggles
Week 2: Feminism, post/coloniality and the question of sovereignty (Assam, India)
Week 3: Feminism, terror and security (Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Sudan)
Week 4: Feminism, socialism and authoritarianism (China)
Week 5: Feminist perspectives on religion, sectarianism, and borders
Week 6: Reading Week
Week 7: Feminism, reproduction and land rights in settler colonial states (Australia, US, Canada)
Week 8: Feminism, political prisoners and decolonial methods (Palestine)
Week 9: Feminism and Revolution (Algeria)
Week 10: Summary workshop/ Time for assessment discussion

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Have developed an advanced and critical understanding of indigenous and post/colonial feminist perspectives and approaches to questions of sovereignty, self-determination, borders, sectarianism, security, authoritarianism and freedom.
• Be able to identify, evaluate and critically analyse to an advanced level appropriate feminist theories relating to social and political issues discussed through the course such as sovereignty, borders, sectarianism, security, authoritarianism and revolutionary struggles.
• Be able to explain and critically engage to an advanced level in indigenous post/colonial political and intellectual debates on sovereignty, borders, sectarianism, security, authoritarianism.
• Be able to organise and present oral arguments to an advanced level, carry out a formal presentation and facilitate classroom discussion in seminars.
• Be able to organise and present written information clearly and coherently through their essay writing.

Indicative reading list

R. Icaza (2017) 'Decolonial Feminism and Global Politics: Border Thinking and Vulnerability as a Knowing Otherwise' in M. Woons & S. Weier (eds) Critical Epistemologies of Global Politics, E-International Relations Publishing.
M. Lugones (2010) 'Toward a Decolonial Feminism', Hypatia, 25(4).

N.K. Das, (2019) 'Indigenous Feminism and Women Resistance: Customary Law, Codification Issue and Legal Pluralism in North East India', Journal of Cultural and Social Anthropology, 1(2), pp. 19-27.

Kaul, N. & Zia, A.(2018) ‘Knowing in our Own Ways: Women and Kashmir’, Special Issue EPW/RWS
Osuri, G.(2018) ‘Sovereignty, vulnerability, and a gendered resistance in Indian-occupied Kashmir’, Third World Thematics: A TWQ Journal, 3(2) 228-43.
Menon, Nivedita. 2012. "Victims or Agents?" in Seeing like a Feminist. pp. 173-212.
Radha Kumar (1999) 'From Chipko to Sati: The Contemporary Indian Women's Movement'. in N. Menon (ed.), Gender and Politics in India. OUP, pp.342-369.
Fong, M. (2016) One Child: The story of China’s most radical experiment, Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt.
Lydia H. Liu, Rebecca E. Karl and Dorothy Ko (eds.) (2013) The Birth of Chinese Feminism: Essential Texts in Transnational Theory, Columbia University Press.
Hershatter, G. (2018) Women and China’s Revolutions, Rowman & Littlefield.
Maha El Said, Lena Meari and Nicola Pratt (eds.) (2015) Rethinking Gender in Revolutions and Resistance: Lessons from the Arab World, London: Zed.
Nadje Al-Ali & Nicola Pratt (2009) What Kind of Liberation? Women and the Occupation of Iraq, Berkeley: University of California Press.
Seedat, F.(ed.) (2017) ‘Special Issue: Women, Religion and Security’, Agenda, 30(3).
M.E.M.Kolawole (1997) Womanism and African Consciousness, Africa World Press Inc.
B. Badri & A. M. Tripp (eds.) (2017) Women’s Activism in Africa, London: Zed.
B. Fredericks (1997) ‘Reempowering Ourselves: Australian Aboriginal Women’, Signs. Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 35(3).
Green, J. (ed.) (2017) Making Space for Indigenous Feminism(2ndedition), Fernwood Publishing.
R. Aída Hernández Castillo (2010) ‘The Emergence of Indigenous Feminism in Latin America’, Signs, 35(3).
K. Kampwirth (2004) Feminism and the Legacy of Revolution. Nicaragua, El Salvador, Chiapas, Ohio University Press.

View reading list on Talis Aspire

Subject specific skills

Demonstrate an advanced and critical understanding of indigenous and post/colonial feminist perspectives and approaches to questions of sovereignty, self-determination, borders, sectarianism, security, authoritarianism and freedom.

Identify, evaluate and critically analyse to an advanced level appropriate feminist theories relating to social and political issues discussed through the course such as sovereignty, borders, sectarianism, security, authoritarianism and revolutionary struggles.

Contextualise, synthesise and draw links between feminist approaches to social and political issues and political struggles in different state contexts.

Show an appreciation of indigenous and post/colonial feminist pedagogies

Transferable skills

Be able to organise and present oral arguments to an advanced level, carry out a formal presentation and facilitate classroom discussion in seminars.

Be able to organise and present written information clearly and coherently through their essay writing.