Sex, Work and Reproduction (609L5)

30 credits, Level 7 (Masters)

Spring teaching

On this module, you’ll explore the links between sex, work and reproduction in today’s society. While ‘work’ is often seen as a separate (public) sphere from reproduction (private), this module will integrate the two.

Using feminist and social reproduction theory, you’ll examine the social processes and human relations that produce the need for work, the conditions of sex and ‘desirable’ reproduction. You’ll also explore how gender, race and class are tied to these processes.

Marxist theory has traditionally had a monopoly on questions of work and social reproduction. However, using an eclectic approach, you’ll ask whether Marxist theory fully accounts for gender and race oppression. You’ll ask if Marxist theory is structurally related to and shaped by capitalism, rather than on the margins of analysis or add-ons to class-based analysis.

You’ll explore the mental, physical and emotional work of life under capitalism. Themes include:

• sex work
• desire and dating
• abortion
• domestic labour
• trans pregnancy
• queering parenting
• intimate violence.

While focusing upon social theory, you’ll also take an interdisciplinary approach across the humanities and social sciences.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 300 hours of work. This breaks down into about 33 hours of contact time and about 267 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2026/27. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.