Ateneo - UPO

The course proposes an introduction to gender as a concept and as an analytical perspective, in a interdisciplinary way. The course will combine in particular socio-historical perspective to explore the processes of social construction of masculinity and femininity, gendered division of work and power relations.

1. Fraser, Nancy. La fine della cura. Le contraddizioni sociali del capitalismo contemporaneo. Mimesis, 2017. 2. Federici, Silvia. Calibano e la strega: Le donne, il corpo e l'accumulazione originaria. Mimesis, 2018. 3. Bertone, C., Il familiare è politico. Attrezzi di ricerca per uno sguardo posizionato, 2024 (except for chapter 4) 4. Integrating texts that will be available at the Dir site of the course 5. A text to be chosen among the following ones, or to be agreed upon with the teacher: a. Davis, Angela, Donne, razza e classe, Alegre, 2018. b. De Leo, Maya, Queer. Storia culturale della comunità LGBT+, 2021. c. Bellé, Elisa, L'altra rivoluzione. Dal Sessantotto al femminismo, Rosenberg & Sellier, 2021. d. Bellassai, S., L'invenzione della virilità. Politica e immaginario maschile nell'Italia contemporanea, Carocci, 2011 e. Farris, S.R., Femonazionalismo. Il razzismo nel nome delle donne, Alegre, 2019 f. Acquistapace, L.(A.), Tenetevi il matrimonio e dateci la dote: Il lavoro riproduttivo nelle relazioni di intimità, solidarietà e cura oltre la coppia nell’Italia urbana contemporanea, Mimesis, 2022 g. Killomba, G., Memorie della piantagione. Episodi di razzismo quotidiano, Edizioni Capovolte, 2021 h. Segato, R., La guerra contro le donne, Tamu, 2023. i. Donà, A., Pansardi, P., Prearo, M., Prospettive di genere. Potere, politica e istituzioni, Il Mulino, 2025

By providing knowledge about how the concept of gender has been used, the course aimes at providing the ability to use gender as an analytical perspective

Lectures and project work

Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/servicesstudents-physical-or-learning-disabilities Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

Oral exam.
Regular attendees can substitute the texts from n. 5 with a written essay, to be agreed upon with the teacher.

We will analyze the processes of social construction of masculinity and femininity by exploring the origins and transformations of capitalism. We will look at how, changes in the social position of women and men are related to new understandings of the body and the relation with nature, and to the production of racial differences as well. This perspective will allow us to tackle with historical and theoretical depth the most topical questions in current debates on gender: the social roots of gender violence, the relations between care and climate crisis, an intersectional vies of inequalities, connecting gender, sexual, racial and class differences.

Students will acquire both knowledge on the concept of gender and on gender studies, and the ability to use gender as an analytical perspective