The Politics of the Body

Module title	The Politics of the Body
Module code	POL2124
Academic year	2024/5
Credits	15
Module staff	Dr Kate Goldie Townsend (Convenor)

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks	11

Number students taking module (anticipated)	30

Module description

This module examines normative political debates around contentious contemporary practices involving the body within multicultural democracies, for instance, abortion, surrogacy, sex work, beautification, religious dress codes, child genital cutting and modification. We will ask questions such as: How do cultural norms impact on women’s bodies? What should take priority, the child’s right to bodily integrity, or collective rights to conduct cultural practices?

The module challenges students to think critically about practices conducted by majority and minority groups that impact on people’s bodies, it will draw attention to inconsistency in attitudes and policies on practices, and ask why these inconsistencies persist.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The main aim is to challenge students to think critically about practices and norms affecting bodies within multicultural societies and to examine policy and attitudes towards practices conducted by diverse groups. Students are encouraged to evaluate their own assumptions about group practices and norms that affect bodies and to consider whether their assumptions and reactions to practices that are materially similar are different depending on the cultural character of the practising group.

The right to bodily integrity, and the distinction between bodily integrity and bodily autonomy, are central concepts and concerns running throughout the module, and an idea that we will apply to each of the practices examined.

We will consider the nature of sociocultural norms and values that influence decision-makers’ actions concerning bodily practices – both those affecting their own bodies, and those affecting other people’s bodies.

Students will produce two main pieces of writing that will center on one or two practices: 1. a case study of a practice which will require students to conduct research into the laws and policies about (eg.) FGC, and 2. an essay defending an argument about the practice they researched in the case study.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. Critically evaluate practices and norms affecting the body
2. Analyse and apply concepts of bodily autonomy and integrity

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

3. Evaluate normative political arguments
4. Apply political and legal thought to contemporary practices

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

5. Research into the laws and policies concerning a contemporary bodily practice
6. Write a well-organised and well-researched essay defending a single argument

Syllabus plan

Whilst the precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover all or some of the following topics:

The module is divided into three parts. The first introduces students to the fundamental concepts and theories for discussing and assessing the practices. The second and third examine current contentious practices. Students will read academic literature, current laws and policies, and look at popular media discussing contentious practices to give them a range of perspectives and help them assess and discuss the topics. The introductory session will include an overview of expectations, some guidance on research methods and writing skills, the final session will review the main conceptual issues as applied to diverse practices, reiterate assessment expectations and include some deeper writing guidance following the first set of assessments and to prepare for their final submissions.

Part I: Concepts and issues

This part of the module will focus on understanding and distinguishing the core concepts necessary for discussing and analysing practices affecting the body.

We will discuss literature on bodily autonomy and bodily integrity, consent, cultural norms and practices.

Part II: Culture and religion

This part of the module will focus on contentious contemporary practices that are central to debates around culture and religion in culturally diverse societies.

For instance, child genital cutting and modification for religious and non-religious purposes, honour killings, dress codes and beauty norms.

Part III

This part of the module will focus on contentious practices that concern sex and reproduction.

For instance, abortion, pregnancy and maternity, surrogacy.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
22	128

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	22	11 x 2 hour seminars
Guided Independent Study	44	Preparing for seminars, reading and research
Guided Independent Study	84	Completing assignments, reading, research, and writing

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Essay plan	500 words	1-6	Written

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
100	0	0

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Case study	30	750 words	1-5	Written
Essay	70	2000 words	1-6	Written
	0
	0
	0
	0

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Case study	750 word case study	1-5	August/September assessment period
Essay	2000 word essay	1-6	August/September assessment period

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Seyla Benhabib, The Claims of Culture: equality and diversity in the global era (Princeton Uni Press, 2002)

Clare Chambers, ‘Are breast implants better than FGM? Autonomy, gender equality and Nussbaum’s political liberalism’, CRISP vol 7, issue 1 (2004)

Clare Chambers, Sex, Culture, and Justice: the limits of choice (Pen State Uni Press, 2008)

Karisa Cloward, When Norms Collide: local responses to activism against Female Genital Mutilation and Early Marriage (OUP, 2016)

Wim Dekkers et al. ‘Bodily integrity and male and female circumcision’, Medicine, Health Care, and Philosophy, vol 8, issue 2 (2005)

Rosie Duivenbode and Aasim I Padela, ‘Female genital cutting (FGC) and the cultural boundaries of medical practice’, The American Journal of Bioethics, vol 19, issue 3 (2019)

Jonathan Herring and Jesse Wall, ‘The nature and significance of the right to bodily integrity’ The Cambridge Law Journal, vol 76, issue 3 (CUP, 2017)

Bonnie Honig, ‘My culture made me do it’, in Is Multiculturalism Bad for Women? Essay and responses (1999)

Serene J. Khader, Decolonizing Universalism: a transnational feminist ethic (Oxford Uni Press, 2019)

Anne Phillips, Multiculturalism without culture (Princeton Uni Press, 2009)

Anne Phillips, Gender and Culture (Polity Press, 2010)

Susan Moller Okin, Is Multiculturalism Bad for Women? (Princeton Uni Press, 1999)

Arianne Shahvisi, ‘“FGM” vs. female “cosmetic” surgeries: why do they continue to be treated separately?’ IJIR (2021)

Charles Taylor, Multiculturalism and the Politics of Recognition (Princeton Uni Press, 1992)

Kate Goldie Townsend, ‘The child’s right to genital integrity’, Philosophy and Social Criticism, vol 46, issue 7 (2020)

Key words search

Bodily integrity, bodily autonomy, sex, gender, culture, norms and practices

Credit value	15
Module ECTS	7.5
NQF level (module)	5
Available as distance learning?	No
Origin date	28/01/2022
Last revision date	23/02/2022