Global Intimacies: Sex, Power, Gender and Migration (FutureLearn)

This course will develop your understanding of how our notions of intimacy have been changed by the intersection of money, mobility, and power with gender, love, and sex.
Discover the socio-cultural impact of migration, from domestic work to sex work

Through an exploration of common migration practices in society today, you’ll explore the shifting meaning of intimacy.

As you explore ideas on gender migration and domestic service, you’ll consider the millions working abroad in intimate settings as nannies or caretakers, as well as those in cross-border marriages, and living in transnational families.

You’ll also discuss LGBTQ+ migrants, sex tourism, and overseas surrogacy as you examine how global mobility is challenging traditional ideas of femininity and masculinity.
Explore feminism, queer and gender studies, globalisation, and migration studies concepts

You’ll be introduced to scholarly approaches to gender and queer studies, as well as ethnographic case-studies on globalisation and migration.

You’ll analyse how capitalism and its resulting economic disparity is challenging our concept of love, labour, and sex and ponder the agency of the individual in a capitalist society.
Learn with cultural anthropology and gender studies expert, Francisca Y K Lai

Holding a PhD in cultural anthropology with an emphasis on gender studies from Purdue University, Francisca is highly experienced in the intersection between gender, sexuality, and migration.

Francisca has also published an academic book as well as multiple international journals on the topics of gender, sexuality, and migration.

What topics will you cover?

1) Examine the changing notions of intimacy in a globalizing world.

2) Topics will include: (a) domestic work, (b) LGBT migrants, (c) sex tourism, (d) cross-border marriages, and (e) overseas surrogacy.

3) Approaches of feminism, queer studies, globalization, and migration studies will be examined.

4) Learning materials will be provided with a focus on ethnographic case studies.

Learning on this course

You can take this self-guided course and learn at your own pace. On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

- Explore ideas on gender, sexuality, money, mobility, and intimacy from a socio-cultural perspective

- Discuss how global mobility is challenging traditional ideas of femininity and masculinity

- Investigate the agency of the individual in a capitalist society

- Reflect on personal values and respect others who have different values and ideas

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone interested in gender studies, sexuality issues, and migration studies.

It will be of particular interest to those with an academic interest in the intersections of sex, love, and labour in the context of global capitalism.