We tend to think of sexuality and sexual practices as one of the
most private domains in our world today. Yet, what happens when sex
and scandal; come together in more public places such as courts of
law? This seminar will examine the issues of privacy, gender,
testimony, and the body in some landmark cases. We shall also
examine other materials that deal with political and sexual
scandals. Some of the questions we shall address include: How does
the gender of an individual alter the nature of the testimony? How
are male and female bodies portrayed and subjected to investigation,
as they become themselves the domain of inquiry? How does the
investigation of the privacy of sexuality intersect with our notions
of privacy and shame? How do the different media (include electronic
ones) contribute to this erosion of privacy? How do the languages of
the different media help us to understand the complex issues of
privacy?