INTRODUCTION:

This page briefly discusses the contents of the Gender web-site, created in partial-requirement for the Research Skills module of the MA in Humanities.

When you navigate the web-site, you will clearly see that each topic is very distinct from every other one, however, they all have one common element. Namely, gender.

The areas covered include:

•  A critical analysis of the Alien films

•  Evolutionary theory

•  Analysis of Language

•  Victorian Paintings

Each topic has its own dedicated page and includes links to other relevant web-sites. The use of images and pictorial representations are key to enhancing the visual impact of the web-site. Therefore, each image can be enlarged to aid people with visual impairments.

DISCOURSE ANALYSIS:

A wide range of discourses are covered within this web-site, such as:

•  Analysis of Language

•  Contemporary Feminist Theories (including Cyborg Theories)

•  Cultural and Media Studies

•  Engineering, Technology and Technoscience

•  Evolutionary Theory

•  Film Studies

•  Gender Studies

•  History of Art

•  Literature and Literary Theory

•  Science

•  Women's Studies

This is clearly a multidisciplinary project and therefore, encompasses the whole ethos of the MA in Humanities degree course offered by the Faculty of Arts (in the University of Leicester ).

"WHAT IS GENDER"?

From modern cultural and social theory, gender is a key term with complex meanings. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the term prior to analysing contemporary theories and discourses.

Gender:

The dictionary definition of gender is the state of being male, female or neuter.

Basic texts discuss gender in terms of attributes of individuals, social roles and social structures (ie social construction based upon a material-biological base: sex difference) [Sutherland 2004].

However, Sandra Harding [1996] furthers these definitions by looking at representation and locating gender on three levels:

•  As a property of individuals

•  As a relation between groups (ie as a property of social structures)

•  As a property of symbolic systems.

Harding [1996] furthers her argument to include intersectionality which refers to the impossibility of isolating gender relations from other social relations (eg social class and race).

These issues all form the basis for arguments and the social constructions observed within each category presented within this web-site. Therefore, it is the intention of the web-site contributors to present this information in a professional, effective, yet easy to follow manner.

We hope that you will enjoy reading this web-site and that you will also take the time to read the "About Us" section.

• Clare Cameron Author of the Introductory Section and the Alien vs Ripley page
• Graham Riddleston Author of the Genderlects page
• Mayumi Kotani Author of the Victorian Paintings page
• Rishabh Prasad Web-page designer and author of the Evolution page

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to thank Mr Alex Moseley, for his cooperation and advice in constructing a web-page.

Acknowledgement is also due to Mrs Kathy Baddiley (Course Administrator) and Professor Martin Stannard (Faculty Sub-Dean and Course Director), for their continuing support and encouragement during this post-graduate degree course.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Harding S (1996): Multicultural and Global Feminist Philosophies of Science: Resources and Challenges, In Nelson LH & Nelson J (Eds): Feminism, Science and the Philosophy of Science , Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht , pp 274-275.

Sutherland J (2004): Gendered Discourses, Palgrave MacMillian, Basingstoke , UK .