SC510-7-SP-CO:
Gender and Digital Culture

PLEASE NOTE: This module is inactive. Visit the Module Directory to view modules and variants offered during the current academic year.
The details
2025/26
Sociology and Criminology
Colchester Campus
Spring
Postgraduate: Level 7
Inactive
Monday 12 January 2026
Friday 20 March 2026
20
27 September 2024

 

Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)

 

(none)

Key module for

(none)

Module description

The prime concern of this module is to provide an introduction to the relationship between gender, sexuality, and feminist theory. The module will explore sociologically significant developments around the study of sexuality.


It will trace the development of gender and sexual rights from the 1950s - including cultures, identities, homophobia, sex wars, visual culture, politics, law, and rights - and discusses the implications of such changes for social theory. More recent developments in relation to citizenship, globalisation, heteronormativity, and feminism will also be explored. Finally, the module considers the rise in the ‘sexualisation of culture’ and its implications for the study and theorising of gender, sexuality and visual culture more widely.

Module aims

The aim of this module is:



  • To consider the sociologically significant developments around the study of gender, sexuality and intimacy.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:



  1. Critically evaluate theories of intimacy including Digital Intimacies

  2. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of queer feminism

  3. Evaluate a range of debates in relation to new Reproductive Technologies;

  4. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of Gender, Sexuality and Visual Culture;

  5. Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of Sexuality and Globalization;

Module information

Overview of Lectures:



  1. Feminist concepts

  2. Theorising gender and sexuality

  3. Reproductive Rights

  4. Queering Kinship: Rethinking Transgression

  5. Researching Sexualities: Notes from the Field

  6. Cross-cultural images of same-sex behaviours

  7. Violence Against Women as a Human Rights Issue

  8. Gender and Culture

  9. Sexing and gendering visual culture

  10. Digital Intimacies

Learning and teaching methods

This module will be delivered via:

  • One 2-hour seminar each week.

Attendance in person is expected.

Bibliography

This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.

Assessment items, weightings and deadlines

Coursework / exam Description Deadline Coursework weighting

Additional coursework information

Assessment details can be found on Moodle

Exam format definitions

  • Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
  • In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
  • In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary, for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.

Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.

Overall assessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%

Reassessment

Coursework Exam
100% 0%
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Prof Roisin Ryan-Flood, email: rflood@essex.ac.uk.
Professor Roisin Ryan-Flood
socpgtad@essex.ac.uk

 

Availability
Yes
No
Yes

External examiner

Dr Luke Yates
University of Manchester
Senior Lecturer in Sociology
Resources
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.

 

Further information
Sociology and Criminology

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