Gender and Sexuality in Japanese Culture and Arts

The course looks into the representations of gender constructions in various media such as literature, theatre, film, or manga. It explores the role of the arts for investigating the human condition, critically evaluating existing social practice and imagining alternatives. Topics include but are not limited to: Kabuki/onnagata, Takarazuka, Crossdressing, LGBTQI. Scrutinizing a broad range of cultural materials, the course will question, for example, how artists participate in shaping perceptions about gender, and discuss the sociopolitical potentials of art works. The readings will introduce students to theories and methods of analyzing artistic discourse and help them to situate their findings in the wider context of Japanese society and culture.