Fall 1995--Seminar on Sexuality and Difference II
The Sex Debate
Jo Ho

As I promised, this is the second of our trilogy of courses on Sexuality. After the first course on sexuality in relation to the Freudian and Marxian traditions, we now move into sexuality in relation to Feminisms this semester. (Come Spring, we will get into sexuality in relation to cultural studies and Lesbian and Gay Studies.) The following reading material will provide us with the basic documents and other relevant discussions on the raging sex debate among feminist camps since the 80s. Students are required to keep up with the assigned readings and make in-class presentations on the readings. A 7-10 page paper is required by the end of the semester. Topics must have the instructor's approval.

LIST OF READINGS:
  • Assiter, Alison & Avedon Carol, eds. Bad Girls & Dirty Pictures: The Challenge to Reclaim Feminism. London: Pluto, 1993.
  • Califia, Pat. Public Sex: The Culture of Radical Sex. Pittsburgh, PA: Cleis, 1994.
  • Dworkin, Andrea. Pornography: Men Possessing Women. New York: Plume, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1989.
  • Hirsch, Marianne & Evelyn Fox Keller, eds. Conflicts in Feminism. New York: Routledge, 1990.
  • Jackson, Margaret. "'Facts of Life' or the Eroticization of Women's Oppression?: Sexology and the Social Construction of Heterosexuality." The Cultural Construction of Sexuality. Ed. By Pat Caplan. London: Routledge, 1987. 52-81.
  • Jeffreys, Sheila. Anticlimax: A Feminist Perspective on the Sexual Revolution. Washington Square, NY: New York UP, 1990.
  • Kramarae, Cheris & Dale Spender, eds. The Knowledge Explosion: Generations of Feminist Scholarship. Athenes Series. New York: Columbia UP, 1992.
  • Lorde, Audre. "The Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power." The Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader. Eds. By Henry Abelove, Michele Aina Barale, & David M. Halperin. New York: Routledge, 1993. 339-343.
  • MacKinnon, Catharine A. "Sexuality." Toward a Feminist Theory of State. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1990. 126-154.
  • Sawicki, Jana. Disciplining Foucault: Feminism, Power, and the Body. New York: Routledge, 1991.
  • Segal, Lynne & Mary McIntosh, eds. Sex Exposed: Sexuality and the Pornography Debate. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers UP, 1992.
  • Singer, Linda. Erotic Welfare: Sexual Theory and Politics in the Age of Epidemic. Ed. by Judith Butler and Maureen MacGrogan. New York: Routledge, 1993.
  • Snitow, Ann Barr, Christine Stansell, & Sharon Thompson, eds. The Powers of Desire: The Politics of Sexuality. New York, Monthly Review P, 1983.
  • Stacey, Judith. "Are Feminists Afraid to Leave Home?: The Challenge of Conservative Pro-Family Feminism." What is Feminism: A Re-Examination. Eds. By Juliet Mitchell and Ann Oakley. New York: Pantheon, 1986. 208-237.
  • Tiefer, Leonore. Sex Is Not a Natural Act: And Other Essays. Boulder, CO: Westview P, 1995.
  • Vance, S. Carol, ed. Pleasure and Danger: Exploring Female Sexuality. London: Pandora, 1989, 1992.
  • Willis, Ellen. "Feminism, Moralism, and Pornography." The Erotic Impulse: Honoring the Sensual Self. Ed. By David Steinberg. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1992. 192-198.


TENTATIVE SCHEDULE:

Sept. 26-
-Introduction to the Course 		 
Oct. 3--
Historical Context		 (from Kramarae & Spender)
Caputi, "To Acknowledge and to Heal" 340-352
Kappleler, "Pornography Unmodified" 379-385
Zita, " The Future of Feminist Sex Research" 480-494
Tiefer, "The Feminist Revolution and Sexuality" 111-134
Oct. 10--
holiday 		 
Oct. 17--
The Anti-Pornography, Anti-Sex Canon		 Dworkin, "Power" 13-47
MacKinnon, "Sexuality" 126-154
Jeffreys, "Creating the Sexual Future" 287-316
Oct. 24--
The Pornography Debate (part 1)		 (From Segal & McIntosh)
Segal, "Introduction" 1-11
Wilson, "Feminist Fundamentalism" 15-28
Vance,"Negotiating Sex and Gender" 29-49
Segal, "Sweet Sorrows, Painful Pleasures" 65-91
Oct. 31--
holiday 		 
Nov. 7--
The Pornography Debate (part 2)		 (From Segal & McIntosh)
Cowie, " Pornography and Fantasy" 132-152
McIntosh, "Liberalism and the Contradictions 155-168
Williams, "Pornographies on/Scene 233-265
Nov. 14--
Pleasure and Danger		 (From Vance)
Vance, "Pleasure and Danger" 1-27
Vance, "More Pleasure" xvi-xlii
Echols, "The Taming of the Id" 50-72
Vance, "Concept Paper" 443-446
Nov. 21--
Powers of Desire		 (From Snitow, Stansell, & Thompson)
"Introduction" 1-39
Echols, "The New Feminism" 62-81
Snitow, "Mass Market Romance" 258-275
Kaplan, "Is the Gaze Male?" 321-338
Nov. 28--
Bad Girls (part 1)		 (From Assiter & Carol)
Assiter & Carol, "Introduction" 1-17
Rubin, "Misguided, Dangerous, and Wrong" 18-40
Carol & Pollard, "Changing Perceptions 45-56
Assiter, "Essentially Sex: A New Look" 88-104
Dec. 5--
Bad Girls (part 2)		 (From Assiter & Carol)
Pollard, "The Small Matter of Children" 105-111
Claudia,"Fear of Pornography" 131-138
Mackenzie, "The Anti-Sexism Campaign" 139-145
Assiter and Carol,"Conclusion" 151-156
Lorde, "The Uses of the Erotic" 339-343
Dec. 12--
Public Sex		 (From Califia)
"Among Us, Against Us: Right-Wing Feminism" 107-147
"Sluts in Utopia: The Future of Radical Sex" 151-182
Dec. 19--
Talk About Sex		 Stacey, "Are Feminists Afraid to Leave Home" 208-237
Jackson, "'Facts of Life'" 52-81
Sawicki, "Identity Politics and Sexual Freedom" 33-48
Willis, "Feminism, Moralism, and Pornography" 192-198.
Dec. 26--
Discussion of Paper Progress		  
Jan. 9--
Wrap-up