Course Details
Country:
Finland
Institution:
University of Helsinki
Course Title:
Gender (In)Equality in Russia and Eastern Europe: Gender, Feminism, and Society
Course Number:
SPT-378
Course Description:
This course asks how do gender (in)equalities work in Russia and Eastern Europe? What are the main challenges to implementation of human rights of women and LGBTQI+ people in these countries? What are the reasons for strong anti-gender movements and gender-sensitive policy backsliding? These and more issues will be discussed using feminist lenses and localised gender studies theories and frameworks. Therefore, this course examines the main tenets, methodologies, and controversies in gender development of Russia and Eastern Europe including the meaning of equality, the intersection of race and law, the public/private divide, concepts of objectivity and neutrality, and how gender is central to reproducing hierarchies while also having the ability to contribute to significant social change. We will also analyse debates regarding essentialism, women’s sexual agency, masculinity, and concepts of the family and basic rights of citizenship.
Using these methodologies we then examine a number of areas of gender development including equal protection, reproductive rights, the sex trade, work family issues, and violence. The goal of the course is to think broadly and critically regarding the interaction of law, society, and gender taking into account regional diversities and different post-Soviet choices.
Language:
English
Approved Equivalent:
WMST 300
