Overview
Minor in Global Queer Studies at The College of Wooster
Global Queer Studies centers queer lives and lived experiences as both its theoretical and practical focus, taking a global, transnational, and intersectional perspective. The minor is a part of the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program, drawing from feminist approaches to LGBTQIA+ Studies. The Global Queer Studies minor does not direct students toward a specific career goal, but rather expands students’ perspectives to contribute to a wide range of interdisciplinary academic trajectories and a range of different careers. The Global Queer Studies minor embodies queer praxis – putting theory into practice – by incorporating practica, peer mentorship, and student-led tutorials and reading groups.
Global Queer Studies Learning Goals
The Global Queer Studies minor is offered through the Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies Program, drawing from feminist approaches to queer studies, LGBTQIA+ activism, and public scholarship.
Explore Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies at WoosterStudents will learn to:
- Understand key concepts, terminology, controversies, and theories in queer theory, empirical research, and creative endeavors
- Identify and critique historical biases in the production of knowledge about LGBTQIA+* histories, communities, and. social activism locally, nationally, and globally
- Examine how queer lives are experienced, performed, and embodied in ways that are intersectional, transnational, and politicized in different cultural, social, and political structures
- Interrogate heteronormative and homonormative cultural, social, and political structures
- Articulate in oral, written, and visual form the utility of queer research methodologies toward the goals of social justice locally and transnationally
- Create opportunities in leadership and social justice-oriented collaborations, such as a queer mentorship program or intersectional social justice activism
* LGBTQIA+ is an intentionally broad acronym which stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and other minoritized sexual and gender identities. We use the “plus” to include indigenous categories that are not encompassed in English vernaculars, as well as evolving and emerging terminology to describe queer experience.
Alyssa Clark
Walter D Foss Distinguished Visiting Assistant Professor of Psychology
Christa Craven
Professor of Anthropology and Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies; Program Chair of Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies
Katherine Holt
Aileen Dunham Professorship in History; Latin American Studies; Global and International Studies; Co-Liaison to Digital and Visual Storytelling Pathway
Zareen Thomas
Assistant Professor of Sociology and Anthropology; Latin American Studies; Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies
Zhenyu Tian
Assistant Professor of Communication Studies; Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies (On leave Fall 2025)
Minor
Minors in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) and Global Queer Studies (GQST) consist of six courses spanning Africana Studies, Anthropology, English, History, Communication Studies, Political Science, and World Languages.
Offered every semester:
WGSS-11000 Introduction to Women’s, Gender & Sexuality
Offered annually:
GQST-12000 Introduction to Global Queer Studies
HIST-27514 Queer America: LGBT History of the 20th Century U.S.
HIST-10191 History of Sexualities
WGSS-330 Doing Feminist & Queer Research: Theory & Practice
Offered on 3-Year Rotation
ANTH-299 Global Politics of Reproduction
COMM-22300 Communication, Gender and Sexuality
COMM-22800 Communication & Queer Studies
COMM-23300 Mediated Race, Gender and Sexuality
GMDS-35007 Transnational Queer Cinema
THTD-30301 Theatre for Social Change
Special Topics:
SOCI-21600 Masculinities
HIST-30159 Intersectionality
SPAN-31100 Gender & Sexuality in Latin American & Latinx Literature