[(Activities for Teaching Gender and Sexuality in the University Classroom)] [ By (author) Michael Murphy, By (author) Elizabeth Ribarsky ] [April, 2013]

by Michael J. Murphy

Activities for Teaching Gender and Sexuality in the University Classroom is the first interdisciplinary collection of activities devoted entirely to teaching about gender and sexuality. It offers both new and seasoned instructors a range of exciting exercises that can be immediately adapted for their own classes, at various levels, and across a range of disciplines. Activities are self-contained, classroom-tested, and edited for ease of use and potential to remain current. Each activity is thoroughly described with a comprehensive rationale that allows even those unfamiliar with the material/concepts to quickly understand and access the material, learning objectives, required time and materials, directions for facilitation, debriefing questions, cautionary advice, and other applications. For the reader’s benefit, each activity is briefly summarized in the table of contents and organized according to themes common to most social science Work, Media, Sexuality, Body, etc. Many activities also include handouts that can be photocopied and used immediately in the classroom. Activities for Teaching Gender and Sexuality in the University Classroom will be the standard desk-reference on this topic for years to come, and will be indispensable to those who regularly teach on these topics.

Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The activities in the book tend to skew hard toward media and communications and so tend to draw upon theories more dominant in those disciplines. While some of those activities are interesting, and I'll likely try a few in upcoming classes, I was more excited by the ones that branched into other fields. Activities involving dance and writing were particularly of interest to me for their combination of embodiment, creativity, and critical analysis.

I did have qualms about a few of the activities, which I'd be hesitant to use with students because of the risk of reinforcing gender binaries. I could imagine several of the activities either spotlighting trans* folks or making trans* experiences even more invisible than they already tend to be. Also, some of the activities seemed a little obvious or easy for university students.

Still, I can probably chalk much of my unease with certain activities to differences in pedagogical philosophies, and there's lots in the book that, with a deft facilitator, would encourage productive risk-taking in students.

[Mills College Library]

370.81 A1887 2013