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“The opposition between masculine and feminine extends far beyond the relation between men and women.” (Claire Colebrook)

The MA in Gender and Writing explores the pervasive significance of gender and sexuality to systems of literary and cultural representation and to our understandings of identity and subjectivity, aesthetics, the canon, race, ethnicity, class, nation, religion and the varying forms of emancipatory politics linked to these. Students will examine the power of cultural representations (literature, criticism, drama, film, visual and popular culture) to both articulate and interrogate established hierarchies of power through the dynamics of gender and sexuality. The meaning and constitution of gender and sexuality are not constant and universal, but change across time, place and culture. These historical, cultural and political differences and intersectionalities are also explored in relation to literary and cultural representations of and transformations in understandings of gender, the body and desire.

The MA in Gender and Writing is a one-year programme and requires participants to take five taught modules and to complete a dissertation of 15 - 20,000 words. Modules for 2009-10 include four core courses and three option courses, from which students choose one option. Three core courses are taken in the first semester. These include ‘Literary Research Methods’, which will train students in the skills required to undertake independent advanced scholarly research; ‘Gender and Sexuality in Theory, and Representation’, which will explore a multiplicity of frameworks and contexts for the cultural analysis of gender, sexuality and desire across time and geopolitical location; and ‘Historical Perspectives on Gender and Sexuality in Writing’, a co-taught course which draws from the strong interest and expertise in gender and writing within the School, ranging from the Medieval to the Modern period. In the second semester, students take one core course, ‘Race, Sex and Nation’, which will focus on the vital and often conflictual intersections between nation, ‘race’, ethnicity and gender, with a particular focus on the analysis of popular culture, film and visual texts in addition to literary representation. Students also choose one out of three option modules on offer. These modules include ‘Chick Flicks: Women and Hollywood Storytelling’ (offered in semester 1), a module on offer in the MA in Film Studies with a number of places open to our MA students; and two modules offered in semester 2, ‘Gender in Irish Poetry’ and ‘Gender and Identity in Performance’ (a module offered by the MA in Drama Studies with places open to our MA students). In some cases, and in consultation with the MA convenor, students may take their option module from other postgraduate courses throughout the Colleges of Arts and Celtic Studies and Human Sciences, thereby availing of established expertise in such areas as History, Sociology, Women’s Studies, Philosophy, Modern Languages, Celtic Studies, and Geography.

Students take 4 core modules, 1 option module and complete a dissertation.

ENG40160 Gender and Sexuality in Theory and Representation (Semester 1)

(A. Mulhall & E. Radley)

ENG40930 Historical Perspectives on Gender, Sexuality and Writing (Semester 1)

(D. Clarke, F. Dillane, N. McAreavey, M. O’Connell, N. Pattwell)

ENG40190 Race, Sex and Nation (Semester 2)

(Gerardine Meaney)

ENG40330 Literary Research Methods (Semester 1)

(Porscha Fermanis)

ENG40210 Dissertation (Semester 2) 40 ECTS

(Anne Mulhall)

ONE of the following:

Chick Flicks: Women and Hollywood Storytelling (semester 1)

(Diane Negra)

ENG41220/ ENG41230 Gender and Irish Poetry (semester 2)

(Catriona Clutterbuck)

ENG40180 Gender and Identity in Performance (semester 2)

(C Leeney & F Cronin)

The MA in Gender and Writing comprises a total of 90 credits. Each of the five taught modules have a credit weighting of 10 ECTS each, and will be assessed by continual assessment (journals, workbooks, project work, presentations etc), and/or end-of-semester examinations/essays. The final minor dissertation of 15-20000 words has a credit weighting of 40 ECTS and is normally submitted in early – mid August.

The final deadline for application for this MA is May 1st. You are encouraged to apply early if your application, including the transcript of your degree result, is complete. Decisions on some places in the MA will be made prior to this final deadline. Applications received after this deadline may not be considered.

Gender, Sexuality and Culture Links

Gender, Sexuality and Culture

MA Courses