This module is designed to give students a thorough grounding in the main areas of feminist linguistic enquiry. The module requires a significant amount of independent study, as would be expected at level three. This is reflected in the reading and oral presentations and research and writing of the assignment.
Language, sexuality and gender is a fascinating and often controversial field, which gives rise to radically opposed theories of language. Theories and topics covered on the module include: `deficit¿, `dominance¿ and `difference¿ approaches to the study of gender and language; contemporary discourse-based approaches to gender and language; language and sexuality; the construction of gender in media discourse; multi-modality and gender; attempts to `reclaim¿ the language in terms of gender and sexuality. The main aim of the module is that, after being presented with these theories and issues, students will be able to take up and argue for their own, informed, position and use the grounding they have received as a starting point for their own work and ideas.