Not available in 2021/22
GI417      Half Unit
Feminist Population Politics

This information is for the 2021/22 session.

Teacher responsible

Prof Wendy Sigle PAN 11.01J

Availability

This course is available on the MSc in Gender (Research), MSc in Gender (Sexuality), MSc in Gender, Development and Globalisation, MSc in Gender, Policy and Inequalities, MSc in Global Population Health and MSc in Social Research Methods. This course is available as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

 

Students on the MSc in Gender Policy and Inequalities degree must take either GI414 OR GI417

Course content

This course considers both the politics of knowledge production in population studies and the politics surrounding population policies.  Although population change cannot be described, understood, or responded to without taking into account the wider -- and profoundly gendered -- social, political and economic context,  feminist theory and gender theory have had relatively limited impact on the way population scientists approach their research. This course explores the implications both theoretically and practically.  Students will explore and evaluate the ways that feminist demographers have sought to redress social and gender injustices.  Moreoever, they will be asked to consider how the integration of a feminist and gendered perspective might change the way research is carried out and used to inform policy.

Teaching

15 hours of lectures and 15 hours of seminars in the MT. 1 hour and 30 minutes of lectures in the ST.

There will be a reading week in week 6 in line with department policy.

Formative coursework

Students will be asked to work as part of a group to discuss papers and to complete assignments (presentations, assessments of papers, answers to questions) in preparation for seminars. 

Students are asked to submit a 1,500 formative exercise which should  include a self-assessment form attached as a coversheet during MT.

Indicative reading

Eberhardt, P., & Schwenken, H. (2010). Gender Knowledge in Migration Studies and in Practice. Gender Knowledge and Knowledge Networks in International Political Economy, 94.

Greenhalgh, S. (2012), On the Crafting of Population Knowledge. Population and Development Review, 38(1): 121–131

Intemann, K. (2010).   Twenty-five years of feminist empiricism and standpoint theory: Where are we now?  Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy 25(4): 778-796.

Riley, N.E. and McCarthy, J. (2003) Demography in the Age of the Postmodern. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Thornton, A.  (2001).  The developmental paradigm, reading history sideways, and family change.   Demography 38(4): 449-465.

Watkins, S.C. (1993)  If all we knew about women was what we read in Demography, what would we know?  Demography 30(4): 551-577.

Assessment

Project (100%) in the ST.

The production of a final 4000 word report (due in ST: 90% of the final mark) with milestones including a progress report (due the last week of MT), a first draft (due in LT), and 1000 word peer review report (due in LT).  The content of the peer review is assessed and contributes 10% of the final mark.

Course selection videos

Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.

Important information in response to COVID-19

Please note that during 2021/22 academic year some variation to teaching and learning activities may be required to respond to changes in public health advice and/or to account for the differing needs of students in attendance on campus and those who might be studying online. For example, this may involve changes to the mode of teaching delivery and/or the format or weighting of assessments. Changes will only be made if required and students will be notified about any changes to teaching or assessment plans at the earliest opportunity.

Key facts

Department: Gender Studies

Total students 2020/21: Unavailable

Average class size 2020/21: Unavailable

Controlled access 2020/21: No

Value: Half Unit

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information

Personal development skills

  • Leadership
  • Self-management
  • Team working
  • Problem solving
  • Application of information skills
  • Communication
  • Application of numeracy skills