ATS2560 Breaking binaries: How gender is lived and theorised
Faculty of Arts
ATS2560 Breaking binaries: How gender is lived and theorised is a level 2, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Arts, offered in 2026 in Semester 1 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 1
- Clayton
- Assessment
- No exam
- 4 tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before ATS2560
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After ATS2560
No unit lists ATS2560 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Prohibition: ATS3560
Prerequisite: Twelve credit points of first-year Arts units. It is highly recommended that you only take this unit after you have completed two gateway units in Sociology.
Overview
In this unit you will explore how gender is theorised, embodied, and lived in social life. You will be introduced to a range of exciting contemporary feminist theories and contextualise these within histories of feminist and queer thought and political action. You will critically analyse fundamental feminist theories of gender, bodies and sexual difference, and how they help us to understand and critique binary thinking around gender, the cultural and social regulation of shifting forms of gendered identities and performance and the norms of sex, reproduction and desire. Topics covered include sexed bodies and science, gendered violences, gender at work, intersections of race, sex and gender, and gendered futures.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | Flexible |
Assessment
- Quiz/QuizzesQuiz / Test10%
- Analytical exerciseExercise25%
- Case studyWritten30%
- EssayWritten35%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Identify and explain key concepts in gender theory and contemporary feminist theories;
- 2
Explain how patterns of gender operate in social structures and critically analyse the social and political effects that emerge;
- 3
Critically read and analyse theoretical texts and apply this knowledge to everyday social contexts;
- 4
Use evidence to develop and sustain theoretical arguments related to gender and sociological theory;
- 5
Communicate theoretical concepts clearly and effectively.
Workload and teaching
- Workshops24 hours
- Lectures12 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
This unit engages you in actively applying your knowledge, skills and attributes in interactive, collaborative and reflective activities.
Where it fits
ATS2560 is part of 4 areas of study in the 2026 handbook.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Jessica Grahame
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Jessica Grahame
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for ATS2560?
ATS2560 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is ATS2560 offered?
In 2026, ATS2560 runs in Semester 1 at Clayton.
How much work is ATS2560?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does ATS2560 have an exam?
No. ATS2560 has 4 assessment tasks and no exam.
Which majors and minors include ATS2560?
ATS2560 is part of Gender studies and Sociology.