Introductory description

This module considers issues pertaining to gender, sexuality and law. It situates the issues to be considered in their historical contexts, and will provide students with a range of feminist, queer and liberal theoretical frames for approaching the issues. In terms of jurisdiction, the focus will be on western democracies and specifically the UK. The proposed module on 'Gender and the Law in the Global Context' will complement this module with its more international/global south focus. In terms of content/themes, the module will use the aforementioned theoretical accounts to help students make sense of ideas of equality, justice, power, identity, and desire.

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.

Feminist History and Theory
Feminist Legal Methods I
Feminist Legal Methods II
Equality, Justice and Gender
Sexuality and Feminism
Race and Feminism
Trans, Law Reform and Feminism I
Trans, Law Reform and Feminism II
Overview and Essay Guidance

Learning outcomes

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

• Be able to understanding a range of feminist theories and situate them within their historical contexts
• Be able to discuss the role for law in constructing, reproducing and challenging ideas of gender and sexuality
• Be able to understand the idea of equality from a liberal perspective and from a series of feminist counter perspectives
• Be able to apply their theoretical understandings to concrete case studies
• Be able to provide a critique of law's relationship to gender and sexuality
• Be able to make a coherent set of written and oral arguments that demonstrate a nuanced understanding of law's relationship to gender and sexuality

Research element

Research essay.

Interdisciplinary

Engaging With feminist and queer theories beyond legal scholarship.

Subject specific skills

• The module combines research and analytical skills with a highly contextual and interdisciplinary understanding of key debates around gender and sexuality in legal contexts.
• The module develops critical and imaginative thinking by using knowledge gained and its contexts, to critically analyse and evaluate the limits of the law in addressing gender and sexuality based injustice
• The module develops advanced research and essay writing skills.

Transferable skills

• Critical thinking
• Oral skills
• Advanced research skills and skills in planning a coherently structured research essay and constructing nuanced and well-reasons arguments.