Critical Fat Studies (260-0-20)

Instructors

S. B. West

Meeting Info

Annenberg Hall G01: Mon, Wed 11:00AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

This course explores fat studies as a corpus of theory and research that critically examines the medical, social, and cultural pathologization of weight and size. In the first half of the course, we use feminism to examine cultural flashpoints that inform anti-fat biases, including the pathologizations of black and brown bodies, the emergence of the body mass index scale, the invention of "diet" foods, and the shortcomings of studying fatness in empirical studies. Scholarly readings will be organized around Aubrey Gordon & Michael Hobbes podcast "Maintenance Phase." In the second half of the course, we will consider multiple responses to anti-fatness that attempt to reimagine health and wellness by reducing weight stigma. These include the queer fat liberation movement, the "body positivity" movement and the "Health at Every Size" paradigm. We ask, what logics do these paradigms mobilize to either pathologize against fatness or fight against anti-fat bias? We emphasize gender, feminism, ability, class, race and the role of whiteness in fat bias throughout this course.

Teaching Method

lecture, discussion

Class Attributes

Ethical and Evaluative Thinking Foundational Disci
U.S. Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Pre-registration is reserved for Gender & Sexuality Studies students