HIS 356 Sexuality, Gender, and Culture in Muslim Societies

3 hours 

This course reviews relevant concepts and analyzes various constructions of gender norms, gender roles and sexual morality in selected past and present Muslim societies. Sexual categories (heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex) are examined in a variety of contexts and through a range of sources - from Ottoman homoerotic poetry to Mughal India. Topics may include the connections between feminism and nationalism in 19th-century Egypt, to transsexuality in Iran and Pakistan. We will also consider transnational relations - how did Western colonization shape intimate relations; and how were colonial processes, in turn, impacted by gender and sexuality? Finally, how are the tensions between advocates and opponents of gender equality currently playing out?