Approaches to History (393-0-25)
Topic
Drag Queens in Modern History
Instructors
Gil Engelstein
Meeting Info
Harris Hall L05: Mon, Wed 12:30PM - 1:50PM
Overview of class
In 2023, the art of drag has reached a fateful juncture. While drag now enjoys unprecedented levels of mainstream, commercial success, it once again stands at the heart of polarizing political discourses. With five US states introducing bills to regulate and ban drag, and a growing pattern of armed protests against drag events, one might ask: why do cross-dressing acts elicit such extreme responses, and how did we get here?
In this course, we will dive into the tumultuous history of drag as an object of heated public debate in the modern era. We will evaluate the different ways in which states, communities, and people responded to drag in different temporal and national contexts, with a focus on Europe and North America. What do these debates teach us about how norms of citizenship, morality, gender, and sexuality were negotiated on and off the stage? What distinguishes drag as an art form, and when and how did it truly begin? Is drag inherently liberatory, radical, and progressive, or actually conformist, oppressive, and misogynist? What is the relationship between drag and social movements? How did the World Wars transform and revolutionize drag? And what do queens and kings have to do with any of this?
Using primary and secondary sources, including memoirs, documentaries, and memorabilia, we will explore the significance of drag as an art form and a political subculture.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, students will be able to explain key concepts in the history of gender and sexuality, gain skills of historical thinking and argumentation, interpret primary sources in their historical context, and think critically about uses of the past in current cultural and political debates.
Evaluation Method
Class participation, reading response papers, and final writing project.
Class Materials (Required)
All the assigned readings will be uploaded on Canvas
Class Notes
Concentration: Americas, European
Class Attributes
Historical Studies Distro Area