From the publication of John Newbery’s A Little Pretty Pocket-Book in 1744, which came with tie-in merchandise of a pincushion for a girl and a ball for a boy, children’s literature and media has shaped our evolving cultural conceptions of gender. In this course we will consider such questions as: how have children been gendered over the past two centuries, by and within the literature and media they consume? How do ideas about gender intersect with concepts of race, class, age and sexuality? How might we use literature to challenge gender stereotypes and bring new perspectives to the primary school classroom? We will combine close readings of primary texts with critical theory to think through questions about gender essentialism, gender norms, and the performativity of gender. Among other cultural productions for young people, we will examine L.M. Alcott’s Little Women (1868), including the 2019 film adaptation directed by Greta Gerwig; Louise Fitzhugh’s 1964 novel Harriet the Spy; and the picturebooks Piggybook (1986) by Anthony Browne, The Paper Bag Princess (1980) by Robert Munsch, Oliver Button is a Sissy (1979) by Tomie de Paola and Juliàn is a Mermaid (2018) by Jessica Love. Students are especially encouraged to read the Alcott and Fitzhugh in advance. Secondary reading will be made available on Learnweb.

Kurs im HIS-LSF