Sexuality is a hot topic for many students outside the classroom.
But since August, Ara Wilson, director of the Study of Sexualities and visiting associate professor in women's studies, has been working to make sexuality studies a topic discussed in the classroom as well.
Wilson, a new hire for the University, said she hopes to use her position to enhance the quality and depth of the Sexuality Studies certificate program, which has been in place at the University since Spring 1996.
She added, however, that few students have graduated with the certificate since the program's inception.
"The first priority is making the program fully functional, with a capstone course offered to seniors," Wilson said. "Next is to publicize the program to students. Another dimension will be to get various faculty to support it."
The revamping of the program aims to offer a more interdisciplinary approach to sexuality studies, she said.
"I'm an economics major and this certificate and this course [Introduction to the Study of Sexualities] provides me with a different perspective on things-how things we assume to be neutral and objective might actually not be neutral and they are all constructed within society," said Sejin Lim, a sophomore who plans to receive the certificate.
Senior Shadee Malaklou, a women's studies major, said she believes that sexuality, especially female sexuality, is a taboo subject at Duke.
"This certificate will be a great opportunity for women to inform themselves about their own sexuality," she said.
Wilson noted, however, that the courses cross-listed as sexuality studies attract a diverse group of students, ranging from economics majors to markets and management certificate students to pre-medical students.
"Sexuality studies can undeniably be controversial, and there are many people who feel that sex is not an appropriate topic for academic work," Wilson said. "Sexuality studies link gender issues with race and politics and examine the social construction of sexuality."
Lim and senior Amy Levenberg, a women's studies major taking the introductory sexualities class, both said the classes helped them to understand the overlap between gender and politics.
"The most interesting thing I have learned is about the military and government sponsored (or else purposely overlooked) prostitution of local women," Levenberg said in an online correspondence.
The sexuality studies and women's studies programs aim to further the discussion of gender and race on campus by co-sponsoring an international conference on ethnopornography next semester.
Coming to Duke on the heels of the lacrosse scandal, Wilson said she believes sexuality studies can examine how race, sex and campus culture intersect.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.