Unseen Risks: Gender & the Everyday

Taught by: Dr Shivani Gupta

Reviews

AY 24/25, Sem 2

Content (Structure/Organization): 5

The syllabus is divided into 4 sections:

1. Risk and gender in the everyday

W1 Introduction to Women, Gender, and Risk Studies

W2 Everyday and Intersectionality

W3 Risk Management Discourse

W4 Gendering Risk

2. Doing risks

W5 Methodology

W6 Writing Exercise

3. Embodied risks

W7 Fieldwork

W8 Public vs Private Risk

W9 Bodies

W10 Violence

W11 Reproductive Discourse

4. Socio-spatial-temporal risks

W12 Migration and Risks

W13 Work and Labour

The first half focuses on theories, which I found to be slightly difficult to understand first, and the second half focuses on the contextualizing the risks, which is more enjoyable and where the theories from the first half fall into place. 

We also get to analyze some films as well. 

Other than the readings, the course also spends some time developing your writing skills, specifically ethnographic style of writing. 

I would say the course is pretty nicely structured. 

Manageability of Workload: 3

The workload is manageable. There are 3 to 4 readings and 1 film per week, which takes about 5-6 hours per week, if you really spend time on them, but I usually spend about 5 hours max. I watched the film on x2 speed, and I didn't dwell too long on readings that I don't understand completely. 

We have 2 big assignments. One is an ethnography where we had to visit a field site and write about it (~ 1.5k words). Another is a risk biography, where we had to interview someone and write about them (~ 4k words). 

Each person also had to do a group presentation on one of the readings and a film as well. 

If you pace yourself well, the assignments and presentation are not too difficult or too much. But they are definitely not something you can do last minute. 

Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades:

To get a good grade, you need to write decently well while also showcase your understanding of the theories and how they apply to the contexts/situations you are analyzing. 

Learning Value/Recommendation: 5

The ethnography writing helps me learn how to analyze and link ideas to the real worlds, and the interview for the risk biography teaches me how to ask the right questions respectfully. The subject matter opens my eyes to a lot of understated things in society, and it gives me a new tool to look at problems and their root cause. But I think most importantly, it has instilled in me a higher level of understanding and compassion for the choices that people make to navigate risks in their daily life because of who they are in society. 

About the Instructor:

Prof is very passionate about the subject matter, and she is very friendly and supportive of her students. 

Additional Comments:

If you are interested in learning about genders and risks, I highly recommend this course. 

AY 24/25, Sem 2

Content (Structure/Organization): 4

I think the course is rich in content, allowing for a great mix of prof's lecture and student discussions. 

Manageability of Workload: 4

The workload is very manageable, 1 presentation, 1 site visit risk essay and 1 final risk biography essay written on someone else. 

Ease/Difficulty of Attaining Grades:

I think the prof is generally quite nice and not strict in marking, but it also depends on the rest of your class. 

Learning Value/Recommendation: 5

It helps to frame your thinking and provide you with relevant vocabularies to use in discourse with regards to gender studies, risk and every day life phenomenon. 

About the Instructor:

She is very knowledgeable in her field of risk and gender studies.

Additional Comments:

Do it! Prof Shivani is incredibly passionate, understanding and you will have the best time in class!