Reviews of History 001C - Sex and Gender in Western Traditions


Pieter Judson

Name: Abram Lipman Year: 2003 Major: Math/Computer Science Professor: Pieter Judson Taken Fall 1999 Recommends? yes

If you don't feel too shy about discussing sexuality from an academic perspective, this seminar is excellent all around. Beginning with the Ancient Greeks, and ending with the twentieth century, we discuss sex and the social construction of gender in various societies. A lot of the content is about the perception of women in these societies. There's a good chance you already know that women have tended to be regarded as inferior, but learning just what the different trains of thought that motivated this idea, and what its implications were, is really fascinating. Sometimes, I would read ideas so ridiculous I found them really funny. The class also covers homosexuality and a few other topics.

The readings for class are mostly really interesting. There's not too much of it (although it begins really SOON), and provided excellent "food for thought" for class discussions. I enjoyed the discussions a lot, and Prof. Judson leads them well-- gives relevant background information but doesn't take over the discussion. There are three papers for the class, which aren't overwhelming and probably interesting given that you get to choose the topic.

I'm truly amazed by how many times I've observed something during a conversation that I would never have noticed without taking this class. Definitely a good option, freshmen.



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