Why is abortion politically controversial in the United States but
not a major issue in most other countries? How are governments deciding
whether 65-year-old women can use reproductive technology to have children?
What are the ethics of surrogacy? What are the political issues lurking
behind that age-old question: who owns a man's sperm? How has AIDS become a
political issue and do different governments resolve the AIDS dilemma
differently? Can it be resolved politically? What is the relation between
religion and politics when sexual issues are legislated?
	In this course, you will have the opportunity to examine these
questions in light of politics in the countries of the Americas, Europe,
Asia and Africa. Readings will primarily be from compilations of historical
writings, newspaper articles, government reports, United Nations research,
and policy analyses by lawyers, doctors, and social and physical scientists.
In addition to relying on written texts, we will also use interesting films,
have expert speakers as guests, and lots of opportunity to engage in
discussion and debate. There will be regular quizzes and writing
assignments, but no final exam. There is however a final research paper and
a group project.
	REQUIREMENTS : If you fulfill all requirements you will  pass the
class. If you do well, you will get a good grade! Focus on the latter
objective! Attend all classes.  You will be required to:
	Do all the readings. Quizzes and class discussions as well as
projects will depend on your having read and thought about the reading
assignments.
	Participate in class discussion. Much of class will be spent having
small group discussions, debates, and other forms of oral (as well as the
previously discussed written) participation. You must participate in some
way.
	Take all quizzes. There will be 4 in-class quizzes. Three of them
will be short answer/multiple choice; one will be an in-class essay.
	Participate in a group project. At the end of the semester, we will
be holding a mock UN Conference on Sexuality. Each of you will be assigned
to one of 10 countries attending the conference. You will have to meet with
your group, outside of class, at the library, to gather materials for your
oral arguments on the 6 issues we will address at the Conference. You will
need to contribute, in a tangible way, to your group's oral presentation,
the Conference debates, and the discussion of issues.
	Write a 5 page paper on one of the 6 issues, for your assigned
country. The paper must be a formal, typed research paper, with
footnotes/endnotes, a thesis, and a conclusion.