What examples in contemporary society can you think of where we still see bias going un-checked for how interpretation of the body privileges some bodies, while oppressing/violating others?

Exam Directions:

Please choose 2 of the following short essay questions to complete for your exam. The questions will ask you to discuss / compare/ engage with more than one article. You should only be using to the textbook and the articles mentioned to answer the essay question (i.e.- ZERO internet, UFV library, or other resources).

Length: Each Question should be approx. 1.5-2 pages long (double spaced, size 12 font) or approx.. 500-700 words. Yes, you can go over the word count. Your final exam should be between 3-4 pages long.

Method: Think about the flow of your answer before you begin. Refresh to your reading notes, the PowerPoints, marked assignments before beginning. Ensure your discussion provides some context, including an explanation of concepts and definitions. (Helpful Hint: Put yourself in the seat of the educator or pretend your audience is very unfamiliar with the topics being discussed).

Structure: You can think of your final exam as short essay style answers. This might include a strong introduction with corresponding paragraphs to demonstrate the linkages and connections that the exam question is looking for.

Style: First person is okay. Personal examples are okay too. However, you should be always using academic and professional language. You can bring in your own opinions and personal reflections as along as these do not take up the bulk of the discussion. Instead of being the central focus, the examples you provide should help your reader in building an understanding of the essay question topics.

Presentation: The editing process is key too. Please spend the extra time to ensure your grammar and sentence structures are at a high level. Avoiding this phase results in unnecessary lost marks.

Citations: You do not need to provide a bibliography or citations unless you are using outside sources.

Due Date: You may hand in your final exam any time between August 3rd and August 11th. The earlier you can hand in, the earlier you will receive your final mark for the course.

(Note: You may use your learning journals, the PowerPoints, and quiz assignments to help you formulate your answers. Avoid copy and pasting large excerpts… use assignments to make better/ strengthen your previous answers. Plagiarism will result in a zero).
Final Exam Questions

Question 1:
Throughout the course we have discussed the importance of identity and colonial frameworks for how Othering and Stereotyping occurs. Two articles that highlight the processes and problems with Stereotyping and Labeling are Hall’s “Stereotyping as a Significant Practice” (Chapter 27) and Uma Narayan’s “Undoing Picture Perfect of Cultures” (Chapter 28).

Provide explanation for how both authors define who is Othered and the processes by which “Othering” occurs, such as root causes and how certain ideas are reproduced/practiced in society. Include in your answer the role colonial mentalities and imperialistic thinking plays to solidify how the Other is seen. Compare and contrast the examples that each author provides.

Question 2:
The articles Women’s Brains (Chapter 16) and Beyond The Natural Body (Chapter 12) both highlight how dominant biomedical discourses and scientific claims act to reinforce the “constitutional inferiority of certain groups” (p.147). How has science has been used as a weapon against certain populations (by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex identity, disability, etc.)?

What examples in contemporary society can you think of where we still see bias going un-checked for how interpretation of the body privileges some bodies, while oppressing/violating others? Do the points made by the articles offer insight into Georgiann Davis’ story (Chapter 14) and how certain identities become normalized, while others are stigmatized or marginalized in wider society.

Question 3:
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls in Canada is a national issue that affects communities and families across the country. In Section 3 we are introduced to readings and discussion about how identity is constructed, stigmatized, stereotyped and represented. Chapter 33, The Construction of a Negative Identity by Kim Anderson, provides some historical and relevant context for how Indigenous women have been abused, used and violated since first contact.

What examples does Anderson provide that give us an understanding for how stereotypes of Indigenous women have been created and perpetuated though out time? In what ways does Anderson discuss how Indigenous women’s sexuality has become romanticized while also socially penalized and degraded? Refer to Figure 34.1: The Triangle of Oppression (p. 314) to discuss the cycle of oppression and harm and how you think this connects to the issue of MMIW&G in Canada today.

Question 4:
What is the difference between gender and sex? What does it mean to construct a “binary” and how might this be problematic? Chapter 15: Dueling Dualisms by Fausto-Sterling insists that “labelling someone as a man or a woman is a social decision”, not a scientific one. What does this statement mean?

Chapter 20, Gender in Personal Life, continues the discussion of how gender and sex identity is socially constructed. The authors discuss the role of socialization and how we all internalize norms through our interactions at school, in the family, with peers and through mass media. We learn what behaviours are acceptable and rewarded, and what behaviours are unacceptable or punishable. Think about the ways in which you have encountered the policing of your identity and gender identity.

Discuss the concepts of Embodied Learning and social construction from the readings provided in the above two chapters. How do the readings challenge the binary and models we use to distinguish between “male” and “female”? (You can use/include any material used in class to help frame your answer). Where is power vested in how gender or sex identity become defined? Do you think the social environment is more powerful in shaping who we are, or our biological make-up? Explain your answer.

Bonus Question:
What article spoke the most to you and how did it shift your understanding of gender, sex and sexuality

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