Presentation

Why are there inequalities between men and women? What is sexual difference? Are sex and gender the same thing? What is the link between biological sexes and social roles? Can one really speak of "women" as a homogeneous social group? And what of men? What is intersectionality? As this course is intended for an audience unfamiliar with this concept, it consists in introductory sessions followed by more in-depth sessions during which the usages of gender will be discussed. The first part of the course will provide an introduction to the concepts used in the humanities and social sciences, and more particularly in political science, for thinking about the inequalities based on perceived gender differences. The second part of the course addresses the question of gender and sex, caught between "nature" and "culture". The third part of the course focuses on the contributions of gender in political science. Thus, we shall re-examine the classic objects of study in this field in light of the most recent research on the subject.

Recommended Prerequisite(s)

This course is an introduction. There are no prerequisites other than reading or listening to the documents made available online.

Bibliography

• Achin (Catherine), Bereni (Laure), dir., Dictionnaire genre & science politique, Concepts, objets, problèmes, Paris, Presses de Sciences Po, 2013.
• Bereni (Laure), Chauvin (Sébastien), Jaunait (Alexandre), Revillard (Anne), Introduction aux études sur le genre, Bruxelles, De Boeck Supérieur, 2008 (2012).
• Buscatto (Marie), Sociologies du genre, Paris, A. Colin, 2014.
• Clair (Isabelle), Sociologie du genre, Paris, A. Colin, 2013.

Educational formula

Regular attendance and participation and prior reading of the preparatory texts are mandatory. Before each session, a variety of questions (on the Moodle platform) help you in your reading of the texts and prepare you to discuss the concepts. Students are invited to share the difficulties they encounter via Moodle and email. The course is designed in such a way as to allow students to ask questions about the concepts, which makes it possible to adjust the lessons to the needs of the audience.