Northern Virginia Community College Annandale Campus

SEXUALITY AND LOVE IN THE WESTERN WORLD | 22373 | HUM 201 H01N |
Fall 2015 | TR 12:30-1:45 | CM 317 | Dr. Ivn Castaeda | office hours: TR 10:00-11:00 and
by appointment | office CM 352 | (703) 764-7396 | icastaneda@nvcc.edu
Required Texts:

Michel Foucault, The History of Sexuality, Vol. 1: An Introduction (Vintage)

Denis de Rougemont, Love in the Western World (Princeton)
The Romance of Tristan and Iseult (Vintage Classics)
John Boswell, Christianity, Social Tolerance, and Homosexuality (Chicago)

Description: An interdisciplinary examination and analysis of sexuality and love in the West from
prehistoric times to the Renaissance. We will begin by considering the genesis of sexuality in
Paleolithic hominids and the eventual conceptions of love through early civilizations. We will then
turn to a close examination of sexuality and love in the classical world of ancient Greece and Rome
and their transformations in early Christianity, paying close attention to theological and
philosophical doctrines and developments. Next, we will study medieval notions of sexuality and love
and the development of romantic love in the late Middle Ages. We will conclude with an inquiry into
Renaissance concepts of sexuality and love as influenced by Christian Humanism. Throughout the
course we will focus on the religious, social, philosophical, economic, and cultural contexts of the
Wests conceptions of sexuality and love.

Requirements: Students will diligently follow reading and other assignments, follow and review
lectures and terms from class, and participate in class discussions. There will be 3 announced quizzes
as well as a final. There will also be periodical pop quizzes. The announced quizzes and final will
involve questions based on class lectures and readings, which students will have ahead of time and
will answer in written in-class essays. Excellent writing skills are crucial for success in this course.
Quizzes and tests will be based entirely on lectures. The final will not be cumulative. Grading will
break down, roughly: Quizzes: 75% ; Final: 25%.
Quizzes and Final: All quizzes and the final exam will be essay tests. You are expected to write a
clear, well-thought-out essay articulately answering both question thoroughly (each quiz/test
consists of 2 questions). You will be expected to answer each questions based only on class lectures
and course materials when applicable. You will be graded according to your display of thorough
comprehension of the material and clear articulation thereof. As stated above, excellent writing skills
are crucial for success in this course. It is imperative that you attend all lectures, take excellent notes
during lecture, study and review regularly, and constantly work on your writing skills if you wish to
get a good grade in the course. You will not be given credit for simple memorization, regurgitation, or
otherwise un-explicated answers.
Attendance: Attendance will be taken for administrative purposes but it does not have any
quantitative bearing on your grade that is, you do not get points for attendance. Nonetheless, this
is an Honors course and attendance is not just expected, it is imperative if you wish to pass the
course. Given that it will be literally impossible for you to pass any of the quizzes without absolute
attendance at lectures and copious lecture notes, any inconsistency in your attendance will simply
result in failure in the class. There is no apparatus to catch up when you miss class; even if you
secure notes from another student they will never substitute for actual attendance, actual attention,
and actual (extensive) note-taking by you, yourself in class itself. In this course you will not be able to
avail yourself of that perennial safety net for slacker students: Blackboard (sorry) and Google (sorry).
There will be no opportunity to make-up missed quizzes (sorry). Obviously, failure to attend class
will make it extremely unlikely that you will do well in the course.
Academic Integrity: Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated under any circumstance. If any student in
any manner violates the academic dishonesty policy of NVCC he/she will automatically receive a final
grade of F for the course. See Section VI: Academic Dishonesty, NVCC Student Handbook, p.73 for
specifics of this policy.
Disabilities and Learning Environment: Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact a Counselor
for Disability Services in CG 211 to discuss possible accommodations. All information is kept confidential
and August increase your chances of success in the academic setting. NVCC is a place for learning and
growing. You should feel safe and comfortable anywhere on this campus. In order to meet this objective,
you should: a) let your instructor, his/her supervisor, the Dean of Students or Provost know if any unsafe,
unwelcome or uncomfortable situation arises that interferes with the learning process; b) inform the
instructor within the first two weeks of classes, if you have special needs or a disability that August affect
your performance in this course.
Fire / Emergency Evacuation Procedures: In case of emergency, please follow the emergency procedure
as discussed on the first day of class and as posted in the classroom.

Course Outline1:
Tuesday, August 25: Introduction
Thursday, August 27: The birth of the human and the question of sexuality
Tuesday, September 1: Sexuality and agriculture
Thursday, September 3: The family in Neolithic culture
Tuesday, September 8: (NO CLASS)
Thursday, September 10: Sexuality, religion, and the incest taboo
Tuesday, September 15: Sexuality, love, and civilization: the legality of sexuality and love
Thursday, September 17: QUIZ 1

Tuesday, September 22: Sexuality and love in ancient Greece

Thursday, September 24: Sexuality and love in ancient Greece
Tuesday, September 29: Rome, ideology, and sex and love
Thursday, October 1: Sexuality and love in Monotheism: The Judaic concepts of sexuality and love
Tuesday, October 6: Jesus, Christ, and Christianity: The sexuality of Christ and Christian love
Thursday, October 8: Early Christianity and concepts of sexuality and love
Tuesday, October 13: NO CLASS
Thursday, October 15: NO CLASS
Tuesday, October 20: Sexuality and love in the Christian Middle Ages
Thursday, October 22: QUIZ 2
Tuesday, October 27: Romantic Love
Thursday, October 29: Romantic Love
Tuesday, November 3: The Aesthetics of Love
Thursday, November 5: The economies of sexuality and love in the late Middle Ages

Subject to change

Tuesday, November 10: Sexuality, love, and power: Capitalism and love
Thursday, November 12: QUIZ 3
Tuesday, November 17: The Renaissance and Christian Humanism
Thursday, November 19: The Renaissance and Christian Humanism
Tuesday, November 24: NO CLASS
Thursday, November 26: NO CLASS
Tuesday, December 1: The sexuality of Christ in Renaissance philosophy, theology, and art
Thursday, December 3: The sexuality of Christ in Renaissance philosophy, theology, and art

Tuesday, December 8: Michelangelo and the Erotic in Renaissance Aesthetics

Thursday, December 10: Michelangelo and the Erotic in Renaissance Aesthetics
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15: FINAL: 12:00-1:50