My upcoming courses
Queering Deafhood
This special topics course examines lessons learned from research with Deaf-LGBTQIA+ adults in the United States, emphasizing lessons learned about community driven research as well as how Queer Theory, Deaf Studies, and Critical Disability Studies intersect.
Syllabus in progress**
Sociology of Gender(s) and Sexuality(-ies)
This course addresses the intersection of gender and sexuality in U.S. society, social institutions and movements, families, and the individual. Topics include the history of sexuality as practiced and politicized since colonial times, major theoretical approaches to genders and sexualities, and how gender and other social status (ie: race, body, class) characteristics influence the meanings of sexualities. This course is a collaborative effort involving instructors and students; the course will ask students to consider topics from a sociological perspective, considering the individual, group, and societal levels of genders and sexualities.
Logics of Inquiry on the Margins: Queer, Crip, and Indigenous Approaches to Research
Proposed for 2023-2024 School Year at UW
This specialized research course closely examines the way approaches to research have been shaped and revolutionized by Queer, Crip, and Indigenous scholars pushing back on the canon within traditional fields.
Syllabus in progress**
Special Topics: Indigenous Worldviews
Indigenous Worldviews is an introduction to Indigenous Ways of Knowing and Decolonial Thought. This course emphasizes the centrality of land, kinship, story, language, and religious traditions in understanding the lived reality of Indigenous peoples around the globe. This course will explore pivotal work in the field of Native American and Indigenous studies from a sociological perspective. The course will ask students to consider topics on the micro, mess and macro levels. We will engage with socio-historical realities of Indigenous peoples while critically interrogating important social institutions and interactions with Indigenous worldviews at the center. Indigenous sociology is a way of framing sociological work in relation to Indigenous worldviews to produce research that is produce with, by and for Indigenous peoples. This course will ask students of sociology to consider the sociological perspective on work from a variety of disciplines and styles.
Courses I’ve TA’d and Graded for:
DIST ST 230: Intro to Disability Studies, University of Washington
LSJ 476: Miscarriages of Justice, University of Washington
SOC 155: Sociology of Gender, UC Santa Barbara
RGST 193/ENVS. 189: Religion & Ecology, UC Santa Barbara
SOC 352B: Sociology of the Family, University of Washington
SOC 250: Media and Society, University of Washington
SOC 374: Sociology of Law and Society, University of Washington
SOC 374: Sociology of Law and Society, University of Washington
Visual Teaching Materials
Topic: Gender and Masculinity in Media
PopCulture Detective Jonathan McIntosh provides analysis of the way that media limits how men may display emotions. His work here and in all his videos showcase sociological analysis of media and culture broadly.
Topic: Trans Representation in Media
“Director Yance Ford, historian Susan Stryker, and actors Brian Michael Smith and Alexandra Billings look back on the early silent films that included some of the first representations of a trans people in the new documentary Disclosure.”
Topic: Disability Rights
Crip Camp is a documentary around a groundbreaking summer camp for teens with disabilities proves so inspiring that a group of its alumni join the radical disability rights movement to advocate for historic legislation changes.
Topic: Black Feminist Sociology
Clip of talk from Professor Carolette Norwood on her work in Black Feminist Sociology. Dr. Norwood, PhD is Associate Professor and Assistant Department Head in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Cincinnati (UC). Dr. Norwood’s research and teaching interests include US and Comparative Black Feminism(s); and how Violence informs Reproductive and Sexual Health (In)Justice at the intersection of gender, race, sexuality, place and space.
Guiding Principles
The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house..
Audre Lorde
It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have.
James Baldwin
Teaching Philosophy Part 1: The Ground Rules
In all courses I teach, I set forth these 7 expectations or ground rules that I believe foster a strong environment for students to critically engage with material while also remaining safe and supported.
Students are expected to…
| 1. Practice Self-care – Always strive for a balance between school, work, and taking care of yourself. Everyone in this course and at this university face different stressors. If you are feeling overwhelmed by any aspect of your life, especially my course, take a moment and relax! I believe above all else learning should be something positive in your life and sometimes we need to take breaks to get the most out of it. Drink lots of water, eat good healthy food, and get sleep!!! |
| 2. Practice belief (or suspend disbelief) – The topics covered in most of my classes will ask you to think in ways you have not before and ask you to think both as a scholar and human being. In my courses, we accept the basic premises that identity and power are often co-constituted in violent ways across systems and structures to which we belong. The worldwide European colonization of Indigenous peoples was an intentional act of subjugation and genocide that shaped modern day. Today neo-colonial legacies and ways of being attempt to erase and continually oppress Black, Indigenous and Pople of Color in the United States and beyond. If you do not believe this is the case—or you are not comfortable talking in detail about how the multiple iterations of this violence are staged physically, affectively, rhetorically, and environmentally—you may want to reach out to me before hand and discuss how to get the most out of my courses. |
| 3. Learn together… ie: no “experts” – As a learning community we will critically engage with the course materials and topics. We will ask the hard questions and support each other as we attempt to find answers. We will make space for our peers and always maintain a safe environment for all peoples from all backgrounds. It is okay to disagree and it is okay to debate ideas, however, all students must not ever act out homophobic, transphobic, racist, ableist, or misogynist beliefs in our class. |
| 4. Take a second look at everything – Always consider who is writing what you read; check the author, their background, their potential bias, or potential insight. Consider the publication date, the footnotes, and consider where it fits within other similar works. |
| 5. Never presume someone’s background – We will share about ourselves when we speak and over time the amount we know about each other will grow. We will share pronouns and other relevant information as needed and respect the complexities of identities held. |
| 6. Never be afraid to ask – In this class, everyone is always welcome to ask questions or bring up concerns. We are a community based on mutual respect where we aid each other to think through ideas. Thinking out loud is always welcome. |
| 7. Communicate to the best of their ability – If you have any matter that I should know of, please communicate as soon as possible. If you are not comfortable bringing it to me, please know other resources exist and you should never feel unheard in my courses. |
*(Inspired by Dr. Adeyemi’s 2020 Black Queer Sexualities Syllabus)
Ryan DeCarsky 