GWSS

Methodology Courses – Required

Subject

GWSS

Credits (min)

6

Credits (max)

6

Credit unit

credits

Type

course

Edition

2025-2026

Source

cdn.carleton.edu

From Audre Lorde’s biomythography detailing black lesbian life in 1950s Harlem, to Alison Bechdel’s tragicomic comic books, Chelsea Manning’s whistleblower tell-all, or Carmen Maria Machado’s experimental memoir about same sex domestic abuse, LGBTQ+ autobiographical works provide us with richly subjective, historically situated insights into the lived experiences of queer and trans individuals. Interdisciplinary in scope, this course considers a variety of LGBTQ+ takes and twists on the memoir genre, including photo diaries; video selfies; illustrated works; self-ethnographies; life-as-art performances; stand-up specials; auto theoretical works; and literary or lyrical forms centering on the personal. Offered: Fall 2025

Subject

GWSS

Credits (min)

6

Credits (max)

6

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

2025-2026

Source

cdn.carleton.edu

From Disney fairytales to blockbuster rom-coms; dating apps to hook-up culture; and ongoing debates in mainstream media concerning reproductive, trans, and LGBTQ rights— love and sex are ever-present concepts in our day-to-day lives. This course offers an opportunity to critically explore, discuss, and challenge our understanding of love and sex through an interdisciplinary lens. We will explore questions like: What is the difference between the way we love our friends, parents, and lovers? How do intersections of race, gender, class, and ability affect experiences of love and sex? How does technology affect the future of love and sex? Offered: Winter 2026 Liberal Arts Requirements: HI, Humanistic Inquiry Tags: CL: 100 level GWSS Elective PHIL Interdisciplinary 2 PHIL Value Theory 1 Faculty: Cynthia Marrero-Ramos

Subject

GWSS

Credits (min)

6

Credits (max)

6

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

2025-2026

Source

cdn.carleton.edu

Feminist mobilization around reproductive rights in the US has changed in its focus and intensity over the past 50 years. Black American and other transnational feminists have argued about the necessity of distinguishing between reproductive rights and reproductive justice. How has this argument impacted the ideology and collective-change strategies of different feminist communities mobilizing for reproductive rights? What collective-change strategies have they proposed and what obstacles have they faced? This course has a major civic engagement component that requires students to work with feminist non-profit organizations in and around Northfield or in the greater Twin Cities area. Offered at both the 100 and 200 levels; coursework will be adjusted accordingly. Offered: Spring 2026 Liberal Arts Requirements: IDS, Intercultural Domestic Studies SI, Social Inquiry Tags: ACE Applied ACE Theoretical AFST Social Inquiry AMST Democracy Activism AMST Race Ethnicity Indigeneity CL: 100 level GWSS Elective

Subject

GWSS

Credits (min)

6

Credits (max)

6

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

2025-2026

Source

cdn.carleton.edu

Subject

GWSS

Type

course

Edition

2025-2026

Source

cdn.carleton.edu

Theory Seminar Courses – Required

Subject

GWSS

Credits (min)

6

Credits (max)

6

Credit unit

credits

Type

course

Edition

2025-2026

Source

cdn.carleton.edu

across Europe This course investigates the concept of biopolitics and applies intersectional feminist theories to examine how European states control the biological aspects of human life, including birth, health, mortality, and sexuality. It examines how health serves as a domain of power, shaping the lives and well-being of individuals and populations while reinforcing disparities based on race, class, gender, sexuality, and disability. Analyzing the biopolitics of health across different Western and East Central European political systems, case studies include medicalized childbirth, forced sterilization, immigration policies, and LGBT rights. Critical theories of gender, sexuality, and race are central to the course’s analysis. This course is offered at both the 200 and 300 levels; coursework will be adjusted accordingly. Offered: Fall 2025 Liberal Arts Requirements: HI, Humanistic Inquiry IS, International Studies Non-Carleton OCS course with a grade of C- or better.

Subject

GWSS

Type

course

Edition

2025-2026

Source

cdn.carleton.edu

Prerequisite

Student has enrolled in any of the following course(s): Any Carleton OCS course or

Subject

GWSS

Type

course

Edition

2025-2026

Source

cdn.carleton.edu

Subject

GWSS

Type

course

Edition

2025-2026

Source

cdn.carleton.edu

Political Systems and Gender Issues Across Europe (not offered 2025-26)

Subject

GWSS

Type

course

Edition

2025-2026

Source

cdn.carleton.edu

Subject

GWSS

Type

course

Edition

2025-2026

Source

cdn.carleton.edu

Subject

GWSS

Type

course

Edition

2025-2026

Source

cdn.carleton.edu

This seminar offers students an opportunity to engage closely with key concepts, figures, and arguments in the Black Feminist intellectual tradition. We will focus primarily on texts by key figures/scholars from the Americas/Caribbean—in order to situate Black Feminisms within a transnational feminist context. We will take a historical approach, starting in the 19th century and work our way to more contemporary figures and texts throughout the term. Some of the key figures we will examine are Sojourner Truth, Anna Julia Cooper, Ida B. Wells, Angela Y. Davis, Sylvia Wynter, Hortense Spillers, Saidiya Hartman, Audre Lorde, bell hooks, and Patricia Hill Collins. Offered at both the 200 and 300 levels; coursework will be adjusted accordingly. Offered: Fall 2025 Liberal Arts Requirements: HI, Humanistic Inquiry IDS, Intercultural Domestic Studies Tags: AFST Humanistic Inquiry AMST Democracy Activism CL: 200 level GWSS Elective PHIL Interdisciplinary 2 PHIL Social and Political Theory 1 AMST

Subject

GWSS

Credits (min)

6

Credits (max)

6

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

2025-2026

Source

cdn.carleton.edu

This seminar offers students familiar with the foundational terms and concepts in gender and sexuality studies the opportunity to engage in more advanced explorations of relevant topics and debates in contemporary queer and trans theory. Seeing queer theory and trans theory as theoretical traditions that are historically and philosophically entangled but which at times necessarily diverge, the course focuses on “state of the field” essays from Gay and Lesbian Quarterly and Transgender Studies Quarterly as well as works that put gender and sexuality studies into conversation with disability studies, critical race theory, indigenous studies, and critiques of neoliberalism and imperialism. Offered: Winter 2026 Liberal Arts Requirements: HI, Humanistic Inquiry IDS, Intercultural Domestic Studies WR2 Writing Requirement 2 or GWSS 334 with grade of C- or better. Tags: CL: 300 level GWSS Elective GWSS Theory Faculty: Candace Moore

Subject

GWSS

Credits (min)

6

Credits (max)

6

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

2025-2026

Source

cdn.carleton.edu

Prerequisite

Student must completed any of the following course(s): GWSS 110 or GWSS 212

Subject

GWSS

Type

course

Edition

2025-2026

Source

cdn.carleton.edu

Elective Courses – Required 30 credits Students must complete an additional five electives (30 credits) from the GWSS Elective/Additional Courses List below. These 30 credits must be spread across at least two disciplines and should include: General Elective Courses –

Subject

GWSS

Credits (min)

24

Credits (max)

24

Credit unit

credits

Type

course

Edition

2025-2026

Source

cdn.carleton.edu

This seminar offers students an opportunity to engage closely with key concepts, figures, and arguments in the Black Feminist intellectual tradition. We will focus primarily on texts by key figures/scholars from the Americas/Caribbean—in order to situate Black Feminisms within a transnational feminist context. We will take a historical approach, starting in the 19th century and work our way to more contemporary figures and texts throughout the term. Some of the key figures we will examine are Sojourner Truth, Anna Julia Cooper, Ida B. Wells, Angela Y. Davis, Sylvia Wynter, Hortense Spillers, Saidiya Hartman, Audre Lorde, bell hooks, and Patricia Hill Collins. Offered at both the 200 and 300 levels; coursework will be adjusted accordingly. Offered: Fall 2025 Liberal Arts Requirements: HI, Humanistic Inquiry WR2 Writing Requirement 2 Tags: ACE Theoretical CL: 300 level GWSS Elective LTAM Electives PHIL Prac/Value Theory PHIL Social and Political Theory 1 PHIL Value Theory 2 Faculty: Cynthia Marrero-Ramos

Subject

GWSS

Credits (min)

6

Credits (max)

6

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

2025-2026

Source

cdn.carleton.edu

This course focuses on transnational feminist activism in an era of globalization, militarism and religious fundamentalism. We will learn about the debates around different theories of social change, the challenges and pitfalls of global sisterhood and the various "pedagogies of crossing" borders. We will explore case studies of how feminists have collaborated, built networks, mobilized resources and coalitions for collective action, in addition to the obstacles and constraints they have encountered and surmounted in their search for gender and sexual justice. Offered: Spring 2026 Liberal Arts Requirements: IS, International Studies SI, Social Inquiry WR2 Writing Requirement 2 Tags: ACE Theoretical CL: 300 level GWSS Capstone GWSS Elective SOAN

Subject

GWSS

Credits (min)

6

Credits (max)

6

Credit unit

Credits

Type

course

Edition

2025-2026

Source

cdn.carleton.edu

This directed independent study course supports students as they make progress on the conception, research, writing, and presentation of their comprehensive exercise project during their senior year. Students should sign up for Integrative Exercise credit with the primary advisor of their project. The six credits required are generally split between Fall and Winter terms of a student's senior year, unless otherwise explicitly arranged with the GWSS director and both comps advisors. Students will meet with both their primary and secondary advisors for scheduled check-ins during the term and will be expected to make all agreed upon deadlines for turning in and editing drafts. Offered: Fall 2025, Winter 2026, Spring 2026 Grading: S/NC Liberal Arts Requirements: No Exploration Faculty: Cynthia Marrero-Ramos · Meera Sehgal · Candace Moore

Subject

GWSS

Type

course

Edition

2025-2026

Source

cdn.carleton.edu

Prerequisite

Student is a GWSS major and has Senior Priority.