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ENG40940

Academic Year 2026/2027

Gender and Sexuality in Theory and Representation (ENG40940)

Subject:
English
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
English, Drama & Film
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Assoc Professor Anne Mulhall
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This course offers an advanced grounding in theories of gender and sexuality and their relation to literary and cultural production as well as to historical and contemporary global social movements and socio-political issues. Drawing on the rich diversity of gender and critical sexuality studies as well as gender, feminist, queer, and trans theories, we will explore the ways in which such ideas, frameworks and concepts can enrich our understanding of the complex intersections of culture and identity, our analyses of literary and visual texts, and our analysis and capacity to act in relation to crucial social justice issues. Areas for particular focus might include: the histories of gender & sexuality; Black feminist thought; postcolonial feminist though; marxist feminisms & social reproduction theory; queer diaspora; the gaze; trans theories; hetero/homo/cisnormativities and anti-normativity; queer temporalities; sex, gender, and migration; neoliberalism & carceral feminism; biopolitics & necropolitics.

Theorists we will explore will include some of the following: Audre Lorde; Patricia Hill-Collins; bell hooks; María Lugones; Saidiya Hartmann; Chandra Mohanty; Gloria Anzaldúa; Julia Kristeva; Laura Mulvey; Silvia Federici; Kay Gabriel; Lauren Berlant; Sara Ahmed; Jack Halberstam; José Esteban Muñoz; Michel Foucault; Achille Mbembe; Jasbir Puar; Hil Malatino; Viviane Namaste; Susan Stryker (and others)

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

By completion of this module, students should:
- have a good understanding of key developments, frameworks and concepts in the understanding and constitution of gender and sexuality from the late 19th century to the present;
- be able to assess and critically engage with key theoretical works on gender and sexuality;
- have an advanced understanding of the historical and cultural specificity of conceptualisations of gender, sexuality, and desire;
- have an advanced understanding of the complex interactions of social, cultural, epistemological and representational factors in the constitution of gendered and sexual subjectivities;
- have an advanced understanding of the relationship between theory and politics in feminist and queer work;
- have an advanced understanding of the centrality of race, ethnicity, class and geopolitics to any exploration of gendered and sexual subjectivities;
- be able to bring the above theoretical and conceptual competencies to bear in their analyses of a wide variety of texts and media, including the production of a cogent, high level academic essay, in-class discussion, and evaluation of your own writing and thinking enabled by peer assessment exercises.

Indicative Module Content:

The topics addressed in the module may change from year to year. The following were the weekly topics for the 2025 offering:

Week 1: Theorizing Gender
Week 2: Intersectionality
Week 3: Gaze Theory
Week 4: The Coloniality of Gender & Sexuality
Week 5: Social Reproduction Theory
Week 6: Normativity, Anti-Normativity & Progress Narratives
Week 7: Gender, Sexuality & Bio/Necropolitics
Week 8: Reading Week – No Classes
Week 9: Affect Theory & the Queer Archive
Week 10: Queer & Trans Temporalities
Week 11: Feminist, Queer & Trans Ecologies
Week 12: Crisis & resistance: on 'gender ideology', white supremacy & the fascist surge

UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Proficient

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Proficient

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Proficient

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Proficient

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Proficient

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Proficient

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Proficient

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Proficient

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Proficient

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Competent

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Proficient

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

End poverty in all its forms everywhere 2

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages 2

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 3

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 3

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all 2

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all 2

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all 2

Reduce inequality within and among countries 3

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 2

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 2

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 2

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss 2

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 2
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Seminar (or Webinar)

24
Specified Learning Activities

76
Autonomous Student Learning

100
Total

200

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This class has a strong focus on discussion and class participation. Approaches to learning may include:

Group discussion
Peer and group work
Critical writing
Close reading
Reflective learning
Contexts, overviews etc offered in class by the lecturer

A proportion of written assignments in each module in the School of English, Drama and Film are subject to moderation, meaning they undergo a second layer of review by another grader. This is to promote consistency within and between modules in the same level and discipline.

AI Policy: The use of AI tools is not permitted in this module. Students are expected to engage directly with module materials and activities without the use of AI tools.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Equivalents:
Gender Representation and Theo (ENG40160)


 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade Component repeat (in-module) Offered
Participation in Learning Activities: Learning Journal - space to reflect on, work through, expand on concepts, readings, and ideas encountered. Note that you are asked to complete six entries in total (roughly one every two weeks). Week 15 Graded No
50
 No
Assignment(Including Essay): Final essay (3000 words) on a topic devised by you in consultation with the module coordinator. Essay plan (ungraded) should be submitted in week 9 or 10, followed by individual consultations with MC. Week 14 Graded No
50
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Peer review activities
• Self-assessment activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback on the reflective journal will be provided individually at intervals during the semester in writing, in person or in class, and more extensive feedback will be given mid-semester (weeks 7-8-9) and at the end of the semester after completion. Feedback will be provided individually (in person or online) on essay plans/proposals before completion of the final essay. Feedback will be provided individually on the final essay after the completion of the module. Please note: the use of generative AI is not allowed for any assignment on this module.

Name Role
Robin Steve Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Seminar Offering 1 Week(s) - Autumn: All Weeks Thurs 14:00 - 15:50
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