Philosophy of Gender
- Arts
- 300 level
- 3 credit units
- 102 pages
- 16 units
This course introduces students to relevant concepts in gender philosophy, its methods, and relevance. It explores ontological issues, epistemology, and ethics within gender philosophy. The course examines gender inequality, feminist struggles for equality, and gender mainstreaming. It also addresses the inclusion of women's contributions in philosophy and corrects misrepresentations of women in historical documents. Gender philosophy is presented as a philosophical response to gender inequality, sexism, and marginalization.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 208 hours
- Maths
- None
- Content
- Theoretical, case study
- Practical work
- No
- Assignments
- Tutor marked assessments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of PHL316, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
PHL316 · UNIT 2 - Sex, Gender, Sex Roles and Gender Roles
This unit consolidates the discussion of key terms that are employed in gender philosopher we started in the previous unit. Sex here refers to biological peculiarity. Gender implies the role we assume or that is expected of us as a member of a society. Sex and gender roles respectively point to the roles we have based on sex and gender.
What you should be able to do
- Understand key concepts in gender philosophy.
- Examine the method and relevance of gender philosophy.
- Analyze ontological issues in gender and feminist philosophy.
- Examine epistemology in gender philosophy.
- Examine ethics in gender philosophy.
- Differentiate between sex and gender.
- Understand the relationship between feminism and philosophy.
What it prepares you for
- Social Worker
- Policy Analyst
- Human Rights Advocate
- Gender Equality Officer
- Educator
- Government
- Non-profit Organizations
- Education
- Social Services
- International Development
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 3: Ontological Issues in Gender and Feminist Philosophy
Unit 2: Argument from Essence and Difference
The unit requires understanding of complex philosophical arguments related to essence and equality, which can be challenging for students without a strong background in metaphysics.
- Module 4: Gender Epistemology
Unit 2: Approaches to Gender Epistemology
The unit involves grasping different epistemological approaches and their implications for feminist theory, requiring critical thinking and analytical skills.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 60 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: Understanding the Meaning of Some Relevant Concepts in Gender Philosophy
Unit 1: The concept of gender, feminism and sexism · 3 hours
Define gender, feminism, and sexism.. Discuss the social, cultural, and psychological traits linked to males and females.. Analyze the historical context of feminism and its advocacy for equal rights..
Unit 2: Sex, Sex Roles and Gender Roles · 3 hours
Differentiate between sex, sex roles, and gender roles.. Explain the biological and social aspects of sex and gender.. Discuss how societies assign roles based on sexual differences..
- Week 2Module 1: Understanding the Meaning of Some Relevant Concepts in Gender Philosophy
Unit 3: The concept of patriarchy, androcentrism and Gynocentrism and androgyny · 3 hours
Define patriarchy, androcentrism, gynocentrism, and androgyny.. Discuss the implications of male-domination and male-centeredness.. Analyze the concept of presenting realities from both male and female perspectives..
Unit 4: Transgender and sexuality · 3 hours
Explain transgender and sexuality.. Discuss the gender chosen by individuals and their sexual preferences.. Analyze the emotional involvement and fantasy in intimate relationships..
- Week 3Module 2: Understanding the Method and Relevance of Gender Philosophy
Unit 1: The Relationship between Feminism and Philosophy · 4 hours
Discuss the relationship between feminism and philosophy.. Analyze the introduction of feminist consciousness into philosophical discussions.. Examine the historical context of gender inequality and androcentric biases..
- Week 4Module 2: Understanding the Method and Relevance of Gender Philosophy
Unit 2: Branches of Feminist/Gender Philosophy · 4 hours
Identify the branches of feminist/gender philosophy.. Discuss feminist metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and political philosophy.. Analyze the feminist perspective on core branches of philosophy..
- Week 5Module 2: Understanding the Method and Relevance of Gender Philosophy
Unit 3: On the Question of Method in Gender Philosophy · 4 hours
Discuss the question of method in gender philosophy.. Analyze techniques for gathering evidence and adopting theoretical frameworks.. Examine the use of victimologies as a feminist method..
- Week 6Module 2: Understanding the Method and Relevance of Gender Philosophy
Unit 4: The Relevance of Feminist/Gender Philosophy · 4 hours
Explain the relevance of feminist/gender philosophy.. Discuss the challenges facing feminist philosophy in academia.. Analyze the importance of including feminist philosophy in the curriculum..
- Week 7Module 3: Ontological Issues in Gender and Feminist Philosophy
Unit 1: Basic Question in Gender Philosophy and The Issue of Misogyny · 4 hours
Identify basic questions in gender philosophy.. Discuss the issue of misogyny in philosophy.. Analyze the nature of women and the misrepresentation in philosophical texts..
- Week 8Module 3: Ontological Issues in Gender and Feminist Philosophy
Unit 2: Argument from Essence and Difference · 4 hours
Explain the argument from essence and difference.. Discuss the approach to argue for the equality of the sexes.. Analyze the emphasis on the equality of rights and opportunities..
- Week 9Module 3: Ontological Issues in Gender and Feminist Philosophy
Unit 3: Sex and Gender: On Being and Becoming · 4 hours
Discuss sex and gender on being and becoming.. Analyze the binary conception of sex and the challenges.. Examine the example of transgender engineering to back up arguments..
- Week 10Module 4: Gender Epistemology
Unit 1: Gender Epistemology: Basic Questions and Objectives · 4 hours
Explain gender epistemology as a branch of gender philosophy.. Discuss the methods and questions investigated in gender philosophy.. Analyze the traditional epistemological questions..
- Week 11Module 4: Gender Epistemology
Unit 2: Approaches to Gender Epistemology · 4 hours
Discuss the approaches to gender epistemology.. Analyze the gender structure, symbolism, androcentrism, and sexism approaches.. Examine the feminist epistemologists' concerns..
- Week 12Module 4: Gender Epistemology
Unit 3: Classification of Gender Epistemology · 4 hours
Name the classification of gender epistemology.. Discuss the feminist empiricism, standpoint epistemology, and feminist postmodernism.. Analyze the objectives of gender epistemology..
- Week 13Module 5: Ethics in Gender Philosophy
Unit 1: Introducing Feminist Ethics in Gender Philosophy or Feminist Ethics · 4 hours
Explain what ethics in gender philosophy is all about.. Discuss feminist ethics and its objectives.. Analyze the moral critiques of actions that sustain female subordination..
Unit 2: Objectives of Feminist Ethics in Gender Philosophy · 4 hours
Discuss the development of feminist ethics.. Analyze the objectives of ethics in gender philosophy.. Examine the approaches to ethics in gender philosophy..
Preparing for the exam
- Create concept maps linking key terms like 'gender,' 'sex,' 'feminism,' and 'patriarchy' from Module 1.
- Compare and contrast different branches of feminist philosophy (metaphysics, epistemology, ethics) from Module 2.
- Outline the main arguments for and against gender equality from ontological perspectives in Module 3.
- Summarize the core questions and objectives of gender epistemology as covered in Module 4.
- Develop case studies applying different approaches to feminist ethics (care-focused, status-focused) from Module 5.
- Practice essay questions addressing the relevance of gender philosophy in contemporary society.
- Review all self-assessment exercises and tutor-marked assignments to reinforce understanding of key concepts.
Questions students ask about this course
What is PHL316 about?
This course introduces students to relevant concepts in gender philosophy, its methods, and relevance. It explores ontological issues, epistemology, and ethics within gender philosophy. The course examines gender inequality, feminist struggles for equality, and gender mainstreaming. It also addresses the inclusion of women's contributions in philosophy and corrects misrepresentations of women in historical documents. Gender philosophy is presented as a philosophical response to gender inequality, sexism, and marginalization.
How many units does PHL316 have?
PHL316, Philosophy of Gender, has 16 units across 5 modules, over 102 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is PHL316?
PHL316 carries 3 credit units, at 300 level in Arts.
Is PHL316 hard?
PHL316 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical and case study work.
How long does PHL316 take to study?
About 208 hours of study, spread across its 16 units.
How is PHL316 assessed?
PHL316 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.
What can I do with PHL316?
Social Worker, Policy Analyst, Human Rights Advocate, Gender Equality Officer and Educator.