Gender and Sexuality Studies

(Formerly Women’s Studies)

Subject abbreviation: GSST College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences

Brandon Robinson, Ph.D., Chair brandon.robinson@ucr.edu genderandsexualitystudies.ucr.edu

Professors

Katja M. Guenther, Ph.D. Sherine Hafez, Ph.D.

Professor Emeriti

Alicia Arrizón, Ph.D.

Associate Professors

Crystal Baik, Ph.D. Tamara Ho, Ph.D. Victoria Reyes, Ph.D. Brandon Robinson, Ph.D. Jade Sasser, Ph.D.

Assistant Professors

Jack Cáraves, Ph.D. Elizabeth Rubio, Ph.D.

The Department of Gender and Sexuality Studies offers the B.A. in Gender and Sexuality Studies and the B.S. in Sustainability Studies.

The Department of Gender and Sexuality Studies offers two minors: a minor in Feminist Studies that emphasizes feminist history, theory, and practice, and a minor in Queer Studies (formerly Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Intersex, and Transgender Studies) that emphasizes queer history, theory, and practice.

See Undergraduate Studies section.

See College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, Colleges and Programs section.

The major in Gender and Sexuality Studies is committed to providing undergraduate students with intersectional feminist perspectives on gender and sexuality and to fostering critical feminist and queer research. The major integrates interdisciplinary and transnational approaches to the theorizing and study of gender and sexuality. The major offers a range of courses that facilitate student learning about the diversity of genders and sexualities in the United States and globally. Majors learn about the history and contemporary structures of cisheteropatriarchy and white supremacy and engage with strategies for resistance. Students completing the major are exposed to a wide range of feminist theories and epistemologies through required core courses and electives. This major educates students to be global citizens who are prepared for future feminist and queer activism, for graduate-level study in gender and sexuality studies, and/or for careers in education, law, non-profit work, public policy, social justice, social work, health care, and related fields. This major also encourages students to participate in internships with local feminist and queer social justice organizations and/or to enrich and enhance their undergraduate experience and learning through study abroad.

The major requirements for the B.A. degree in Gender and Sexuality Studies are as follows:

• 1. Lower-division requirements (three courses

[at least 12 units])

• a) GSST 001 or GSST 001H or GSST 001S

• b) One of the following: GSST 010, GSST 020, GSST 020H, GSST 020S, GSST 030 or

GSST 030H

• c) One additional lower-division GSST

course

• 2. Upper-division requirements (ten courses

[at least 40 units])

• a) GSST 100

• b) GSST 191A and GSST 191B

• c) Seven courses of electives chosen from

the list below with the following distribution requirements:

• (1) One course focusing on African

American women, Asian American women, Chicanas/Latinas, or Native American women in the United States or on women from societies in Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, or Africa

• (2) One course focusing on issues of

sexuality, sexual orientation, sexual identification, or masculinity and femininity

• (3) The following courses may only be

counted one time towards the major: GSST 190, GSST 195, GSST 198G

Upper-division Gender and Sexuality Studies courses or courses in another department that are cross-listed with Gender and Sexuality Studies.

Closely related upper-division courses from other programs or departments may be substituted upon approval.

The Sustainability Studies Bachelor of Science degree offered by the Gender and Sexuality Studies Department offers a comparative, interdisciplinary, transnational approach to the theories and practices of building a sustainable future. Major coursework focuses on a range of social and scientific challenges to sustainability including: climate change, air and water pollution, toxic contamination, energy demands, economic growth, agricultural production, and environmental injustices associated with differences in advantages due to race and ethnicity, socio-economic class, gender, sexuality, religion and ability. Courses in gender and sustainability, cultural studies, policy, media, and social sciences, natural and earth sciences, engineering, and health and medicine prepare students to respond to challenges to local, regional, and global sustainability. Students will be trained in feminist paradigms and methodologies associated with intersectionality, dialogue, and relation. Through in-depth, engaged learning experiences, this major educates global citizens who will be prepared for careers in industry, health care, public service, policy advocacy, education, and social activism relevant to sustainability.

Majors are strongly encouraged to complete internships with local environmental organizations, health advocates, and other institutions as well as to broaden their perspectives through the study abroad program. This major may accommodate CNAS transfers who have considerable amounts of training in science, yet desire an interdisciplinary education in sustainability that recognizes environmental change is gendered.

• 1. Lower-Division Requirement (4 courses,

14–16 units)

• a) GSST 001

• b) GSST 021

• c) Two courses from the following list of

courses in natural, earth, and environmental sciences. (Cannot double count with the CHASS math and science 20 unit requirement): BIOL 003, BIOL 005C, BIOL 040, BPSC 011,BPSC 021, ENTM 010, ENTM 020, ENTM 050/BPSC 050, GEO 002, GEO 004, GEO 009, GEO 010, GEO 011, GEO 012, CEE 010 (2 units), ENGR 096/NASC 096/HASS 096, ENSC 001, ENSC 002, ENSC 006/ECON 006, ME 004, PHYS 007, PHYS 010, PHYS 016, PHYS 024, PHYS 037

• 2. Quantitative Method Requirement (one

course, 4 units) One of the following courses or sequences OR an additional science course with a lab: SOC 001/SOC 004/SOC 005, STAT 008, STAT 100A, PSYC 011, POSC 114, ECON 101, GEO 157

• 3. Upper-Division Requirements (9 courses,

36 units)

• a) GSST 100

• b) Two GSST courses, of which at least one

is from the following courses on gender & sustainability: GSST 131, GSST 161, GSST 171/SEHE 105, GSST 173/SEHE 141, GSST 181, GSST 183

• c) Four courses from any of the follow

ing lists.(Students may concentrate in one or two areas or take courses from all areas. Up to two courses for this requirement may be replaced by any of the following CNAS courses. Students are responsible for fulfilling the relevant prerequisites: BIOL 100/ENTM 100, BIOL 165/BPSC 165, ECON 143A/ENSC 143A, ENSC 101, ENSC 102, ENSC 141, ENTM 124, ENTM 125, ENTM 126, GEO 160, GEO 161, GEO 167, GEO 169.)

• (1) Environmental policy and politics:

PBPL 129, POSC 106/SEHE 136, POSC 127/SEHE 127, POSC 137/SEHE 137, POSC 139/SEHE 139, POSC 160, POSC 180, POSC 189

• (2) Health & medicine: ANTH 144E,

ANTH 144F/GSST 185, ANTH 144J, ANTH 144M, ANTH 144N, ETST 116, HIST 107

• (3) Science, technology, and related

topics: ANTH 110, ANTH 132, ANTH 140T, AST 107, ETST 183, HIST 105, HIST 106, HIST 109/ENGR 109, MCS 122, PHIL 117, RLST 164, SOC 137, SOC 161, SOC 184

• (4) Internship or Honors Thesis focusing

on sustainability: GSST 195, GSST 198-I

• d) Capstone course sequence, required

for all seniors: GSST 191A + GSST 191C

Feminist Studies The minor in Feminist Studies exposes students to critical feminist and intersectional theory and research. The minor welcomes students engaged in crossdisciplinary learning and offers an outstanding opportunity for students in other majors to develop expertise in the field of feminist studies. Minors are encouraged to participate fully in the activities and offerings in the Department of Gender & Sexuality Studies, including the department’s internship program and study abroad.

The minor in Feminist Studies consists of six courses (at least 24 units) distributed as follows:

• 1. Lower-division requirements (two courses

[at least 8 units])

• a) GSST 001 or GSST 001H or GSST 001S

• b) One GSST lower-division course

• 2. Upper-division requirements (four cours

es [at least 16 units])

• a) GSST 100

• b) Three upper-division GSST courses.

See Minors under the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences in the Colleges and Programs section of this catalog for additional information on minors.

Queer Studies (formerly LGBIT Studies) The minor in Queer Studies reflects current critical, theoretical, and methodological developments across several disciplines that focus on lesbian, gay, bisexual, intersex, and transgender issues. The field of queer studies is by nature interdisciplinary, and this minor is meant to encourage new crossdisciplinary research in the field for interested students in the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. The curriculum addresses such issues as sexual identity and orientation; queer and trans representation; queer and trans perspectives on the arts; retheorizations of gender; sexuality and cultural diversity; intersections of sexualities and ethnic identities.