First-Year Seminar (101-6-21)

Topic

Intro to Queer Indigenous Studies

Instructors

Enzo Enrique Vasquez Toral

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 2-435: Tues, Thurs 3:30PM - 4:50PM

Overview of class

Topic: Introduction to Queer Indigenous Studies.

How have colonization processes shaped our current understandings of gender and sexuality? In what ways are contemporary identities such as queer and trans* expansive yet reductive to approach the experiences of Indigenous and Native people across time? This course is an introduction to the study of Indigenous ways of knowing of gender and sexuality in the Americas with a focus on the experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Two-Spirit (LGBTQ2) individuals. By introducing and relying on concepts such as settler colonialism, decoloniality and coloniality, performativity, and indigeneity, we will build an Indigenous-centered understanding of gender and sexual non-normativity. As we move across several communities and geographical spaces, students will engage first-person accounts, films, short literary texts, performance and art pieces, and theoretical works. This course thoroughly focuses on a handful of representative case studies that will invite students to explore new ones on their own for their final projects. Overall, students will develop writing skills and strategies to read theory in the humanities while expanding their knowledge on gender and sexual minorities beyond western ideas. This course assumes no prior knowledge on gender and sexuality studies or Indigenous studies and offers strong foundation for further study in these fields of knowledge.

Teaching Method

Class discussions, lectures, readings.

Evaluation Method

Short writing assignments, class participation, final project.

Class Materials (Required)

All course materials will be provided on Canvas.

Class Attributes

WCAS First-Year Seminar

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Reserved for First Year & Sophomore only