General Studies (GNST) 201 - Lecture 01
Sex, Gender, Disability and the Law
Fall 2006
TR 9:30 - 10:45 am SS315  

Instructor:	Dr. CGK Atkins
Office Location:	SS346
Office Phone:	403 210 9433
E-Mail:	catkins@ucalgary.ca
Web Page:
Office Hours:	by appointment

Course Description

This course will introduce first year students to the research and writing process at a university level. We will examine various issues regarding sex, gender and disability which intersect with law and legal concepts. Possible topics may include: abortion, prostitution, pornography, erotic literature and art, transgenderism, transsexuals, homosexuality and lesbianism, sex therapy, genetic research, cytogenic testing, sex (re)assignment surgery, reproductive technologies, sado-masochistic practices, sex surrogacy, sex toys, internet sex industries, disability and sexuality. Students will expect to be actively engaged in class discussions – class participation is a requirement. Students will also have in class and out of class writing assignments as well as seminar presentations– all working toward the production of a final research paper. Students who complete the course will gain an appreciation of the nature of scholarly inquiry; how to do research in both primary and secondary sources; how to analyze texts and images; and how to write and research essays.

Objectives of the Course

By exploring the manner in which the nature and meaning of gender, sex, sexuality, normalcy and disability interact with legal concept s and requirements; the aim of the course is to: (i) introduce students to critical inquiry, debate and argument; (ii) assist students, by means of applied research and inquiry, to develop writing, research and presentation skills (iii) help students grasp the essential elements of intellectual inquiry.

Textbooks and Readings:

Bornstein, Kate. - Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women and the Rest of Us. Clare, Eli. - Exile & Pride: Disability Queerness and Liberation. McGriffiths, Dorothy, et al.. - Ethical Dilemmas: Sexuality and Developmental Disability. McRuer, Robert. - Crip Theory: Cultural Signs of Queerness and Disability. . . . and other readings handed out in class or on Blackboard . . . .

Assignments and Evaluation

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.

Library research assignment 10% Group assignment/class presentation 10% Book Review 15% Research Paper: proposal 5%, research material 10% final paper 30% Class participation (attendance & speaking) 10% FInal class test 10%

Students must hand in ALL assigments in order to achieve a passing mark.

Note: Please return assignments directly to the instructor if possible. If it is not possible to do so, a daytime drop box is available in SS110; a date stamp is provided for your use. A night drop box is also available for after-hours submission. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date, and placed in the instructor's mailbox.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination: No

Please note: If your class is held in the evening, the Registrar's Office will make every attempt to schedule the final exam during the evening; however, there is NO guarantee that the exam will NOT be scheduled during the day.

Policy for Late Assignments

Assignments submitted after the deadline may be penalized with the loss of a grade (e.g.: A- to B+) for each day late. Assignments must be handed IN CLASS. Assignments handed in outside class may be subject to penalty.

Writing Skills Statement

Faculty policy directs that all written assignments (including, although to a lesser extent, written exam responses) will be assessed at least partly on writing skills. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Writing skills include not only surface correctness (grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc) but also general clarity and organization. Research papers must be properly documented.

If you wish help with your writing at any stage, including drafts, you are invited to contact the Writing Centre, SS110, 220-7255.

Grading System

The following grading system is used in the Faculty of Communication and Culture:

A+ (96-100); A (92-95); A- (86-91); B+ (81-85); B (77-80); B- (71-76);
C+ (65-70); C (62-64); C- (59-61); D+ (55-58); D (50-54); F (0-49)

 

Plagiarism

Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course and possibly suspension or expulsion from the university.

You must document not only direct quotations but also paraphrases and ideas where they appear in your text. A reference list at the end is insufficient by itself. Readers must be able to tell exactly where your words and ideas end and other people’s words and ideas begin. This includes assignments submitted in non-traditional formats such as Web pages or visual media, and material taken from such sources.

Please consult your instructor or the Writing Centre (SS110) if you have any questions regarding how to document sources.

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability who may require academic accommodation, it is your responsibility to register with the Disability Resource Centre (220-8237) and discuss your needs with your instructor no later than fourteen (14) days after the start of the course.

Students' Union

For details about the current Students' Union contacts for the Faculty of Communication and Culture see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info

"SAFEWALK" Program -- 220-5333

Campus Security will escort individuals day or night -- call 220-5333 for assistance. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most parking lot booths.

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

Students should begin reading Eli Clare's Exile & Pride: Disability, Queerness and Liberation. The rest of the reading and assignment schedule will be posted on Blackboard.