Topic: Anthropological Perspective of Women and Warfare

Catalog description

War and peace are gendered concepts; specifically, peace is considered "feminine" and war is thought to be "masculine." This course investigates both the validity and ramifications of such assumptions. The reading discuss the impact of war on women as civilians, victims, refugees, widows and combatants. This course provides cross-cultural perspectives on war in its relation to society, major anthropological interpretations of warfare, changing concepts of masculinity and heroism, human rights, theories of sexuality and aggression, and the effects of militarization on society. We will cover a number of warzone areas such as Iraq, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Israel/Palestine.