Race and Gender: Philosophical Issues

This subject is not offered in 2014.

102 hours, an average of 8.5 hours each week

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Students enrolling in this subject should have completed at least one prior philosophy subject.

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For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This course surveys recent developments in our philosophical understanding and critiques of the social categories of race and gender. The subject will first explore issues in metaphysics, epistemology, and philosophy of language that arise for biological vs social constructivist accounts of race and gender. Special attention will be paid to the similarities and differences between race and gender and the ways in which they interact. If race and gender are biological categories, they may involve erroneous assumptions. If they are socially constructed categories, it follows that our current categories can be reshaped. This raises a number of moral and political questions regarding the best means to bring about change, including whether limiting freedom of speech can be justified. Philosophers studied include Anthony Appiah, Elizabeth Anderson, Sally Haslanger, Tommie Shelby, and Rae Langton.

Students who successfully complete this subject will

• gain a sound general comprehension of the major recent advances in our philosophical understanding of social categories such as gender, race.
• understand and apply techniques from critical social theory to the evaluation of social practices.
• gain an understanding of contemporary views about the social dynamics involved in categorising people in terms of race and gender, and of how these categorising practices might be changed.

A written assignment of 2000 words 50% (due mid-semester), a take-home written examination of 2000 words 50% (due at the end of semester).

This subject has a minimum hurdle requirement of 75% tutorial attendance. Regular participation in tutorials is required. Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10% per day. After 5 working days late assessment will not be marked. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

Subject readings will be available online

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Science

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

Students who successfully complete this subject should:

• develop the ability to analyse and critique arguments.
• be able to think and write rigorously, imaginatively and coherently on issues relating to race and gender.
• have an appreciation of the way in which philosophical theorizing about race and gender has application to questions of social policy.