Ateneo - UPO

The development of international queer theories and their theoretical and activist reception in Italy

1) Marco Pustianaz, a cura di, Queer in Italia. Differenze in movimento, ETS Pisa 2) Marco Pustianaz, a cura, Queer in Italia 2, ETS Pisa 3) Susan Stryker, Storia transgender, Luiss 2023 4) Lauren Berlant, Ottimismo crudele, Timeo 2025

* To acquire a historical knowledge of queer theories and political and activist practices in Italy from the 1990s to the present. * To establish links between theories, everyday practices and political positions around gender, race and sexuality from a contemporary perspective. * To be able to present and discuss different positions in the texts and visual materials examined during the workshop, both orally (in class discussions) and in writing (short reports or final essay), avoiding generalisations and * To be able to write an argumentative essay on a theme related to the workshop, observing the main rules and conventions of academic writing, and acquiring a relative autonomy in bibliographical research, at first under the teacher's supervision, then autonomously.clichés

Preferable knowledge of English in order to have access to further critical literature. Ability to write an argumentative text in Italian.

Introductory lectures; seminar discussions on texts and visual materials weekly assigned by the teacher or recommended by invited guests.

Given the nature of this seminar module, regular attendance is highly advisable (min. 80%). Maximum number of participants: 20. Non-attending students are able to participate remotely during the course of the seminar through the following acitivities: 1) answering to questions on each assigned text 2) writing a 300-word abstract on each assigned text. This program is designed to be consistent with Goals 4, 5, 16) of the UNESCO 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Quality Education, Reducing Gender Gap; Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via reference office consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-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.

Writing of short argumentative texts to summarise the topics and texts discussed in class. Oral presentation at the end of the module with reasoned bibliographical research on scientific and popular sources. Assessment will be based on attendance and participation (20%); intermediate short texts 20%; final presentation 60%.

The workshop presents an introductory overview of the theoretical and political debates related to the development of the queer, LBGTQ+ and transfeminist movement from the 1990s to the present, specifically in Italy. Primary instrument will be the reading and commentary of the volumes Queer in Italia. Differenze in movimento and Queer in Italia 2 (both published by ETS), which the students are expected to purchase. INTEGRATION OF THE GENDER DIMENSION: The entire workshop focuses on these issues and, in this sense, places the gender dimension at the centre rather than simply integrating it into the module.

- Knowledge and comprehension skills: ability to read argumentative essays, identify key concepts and different points of view discussed therein; development of critical thinking around commonly held notions and their naturalization; ability to place the contemporary debates around body politics, gender and sexuality in their historical, political and cultural context, with a particular focus on complexity, non-neutrality, and the intersectionality of differences. - Applied knowledge and comprehension skills: ability to compare and present, both orally and in a written essay, various positions by highlighting both differences and commonalities, while keeping analytically distinct the positions being discussed; ability to write an academic paper, adequately structured; knowledge of bibliographical tools and database search strategies.