Gender and Power in Religious Thought

Gender has often been posed as the fundamental distinction of the human condition, creating the original opportunity for relation across that distinction. In some strands of religious thought, this distinction comes second to the creation of the world distinct from the divine. Religious and secular thinkers have turned to ordinary experiences of interpersonal relations for insight into these purportedly more fundamental relations and the connection between them. This seminar examines the role of interpersonal relationships in recent religious, ethical, and political thought, with particular attention to the way they bring gender and sexual desire more centrally into view. NOTE: Students should have some training in theory or philosophy, and are welcome from any department or discipline. Experience in religious thought (in any religious tradition), ethics, or gender theory will be helpful, but is not required.Anyone interested in taking the course with concerns about their preparation should contact the instructor with a brief description of their interest and related coursework and research.