Letter from the President
At the Waldoboro Sexuality Institute (WSI), we value a holistic approach to sexuality studies. As such, WSI places itself at the vanguard of a non-deterministic and non-preferential movement in the modern sexuality conversation. Practicing descriptive observation and dismissing normativity as just that, WSI fosters in its students an open-minded approach. As president and senior instructor, I cannot stress enough the emphasis that the Waldoboro school places upon exploring one's own sexuality in the pursuit of higher learning.
Introductory courses posit many questions relating to power and free will in the sexuality canon. Issues discussed include Foucault's treatise on sexuality vis a vis power dynamics, Nietzsche's master-slave discourse, Ayn Rand's Objectivism, Lacan's "the Phallus," Beauvoir's "The Second Sex," and Sartre's bad faith. These texts serve to engender rich debates on why contemporary American culture, including much of the gay community, views sexuality as predetermined. The Waldoboro School, conversely, presents sexuality as a social construct. We use a phenomenological and empirical approach to sexual studies that dismisses bias as readily as it does rationalism and predetermination. Course work also includes field research, fictional literature, and film screenings.
Field research banks heavily on the vast degree of lesbian, gay, hetero-normative, and bisexual interplay in the Midcoast region. Rockland and Camden are veritable hubs of sexual exploration, making WSI's location a boon to its research capabilities and output. In one particular example, seminar students within the theatre and film division conducted qualitative research on a gay man working at a local Burger King. Students noted the man's high pitched flamboyance around others compared to his more subdued nature when alone. Besides seeing theory put to practice, one student utilized his observations to inform his senior thesis -- a student film where he played Tracy Tinkle, a gay man haunted by both his sexuality and a fanatic killer.
Fictional literature plays a huge role in WSI's approach to sexuality. We examine classic American novels such as Moby Dick to Huck Finn in a quest to understand the latent or hidden sexuality in their male subjects. For example, did Melville consciously or subconsciously use Ahab's quest for the "dick" as a metaphor for his own pursuit of the phallus? And did Twain have Finn whitewash the fence to imply that sex and race issues are in a constant state of erasure? Such discussions put us into contact with our more theoretical readings, e.g. Foucault and Lacan. This give and take between text and context helps construct a hermeneutic circle for our students, in turn letting them tease out more meaning from the texts.
Film screenings are divided into subject matter. Initially, we situate masculinity as a touchstone for understand non-hegemonic sexualities. Masculine screenings include classics from Willis and Stallone. Then we move to femininity with the modern romantic comedy, including a student favorite, You've Got Mail. There is also a week-long series on the effects of Oprah on modern femininity. Homosexuality and bisexuality concludes this survey, as Milk and Brokeback Mountain are regularly screened. The first season of The L Word is another staple of our core curriculum.
WSI also receives recognition for its study-abroad program and its scholarship on current events. The value of observing sexual phenomenon in situ cannot be stressed enough, and WSI encourages students to visit Parisian whore houses and Italian gay night clubs while studying overseas. Current event research is a pillar of the Waldoboro School; students examine headlines, YouTube videos, social media, etc. to decipher sexuality hidden within the modern media. Recent examples include a day-to-day study of Marcus Bachmann's repressed homosexuality. One student notes Bachmann's exaggerated pitch and movement as telling signs of his repressed homosexuality. Without the rigorous study and commitment of scholars at WSI, such phenomena would be lost in the deluge of information assaulting our senses.
Departments at WSI include Women's Studies, Masculinist Studies, Homosexuality and Bisexual Studies, Sexuality and Modern Culture, Film and Theatre Sexual Theory, and Government, Military, and Legal Performance. The latter is an emerging department at WSI and houses a pilot program that teaches gay men to disguise their sexuality to constituents, comrades, and colleagues. It is truly inspiring to see our school leading the charge on practical, pragmatic use of sexuality performance training. WSI also prides itself for finding a balance between masculinist and feminist ideologies.
WSI is now taking applications for Spring 2012. Our school houses 100 undergradates, 20 master's students, and 4 doctoral fellows. With small class sizes, progressive pedagogy, and an interdisciplinary approach, WSI is a leader in the sexuality discussion. I hope you consider the Waldoboro School as you plan your journey into higher education.
Application letters, with an attached $50 application fee, may be sent to:
Waldoboro Sexuality Institute
696 Finn Town Rd.
Waldoboro, ME 04572
Sincerely,
President Steve Nizer, Ph.D. Oklahoma
Introductory courses posit many questions relating to power and free will in the sexuality canon. Issues discussed include Foucault's treatise on sexuality vis a vis power dynamics, Nietzsche's master-slave discourse, Ayn Rand's Objectivism, Lacan's "the Phallus," Beauvoir's "The Second Sex," and Sartre's bad faith. These texts serve to engender rich debates on why contemporary American culture, including much of the gay community, views sexuality as predetermined. The Waldoboro School, conversely, presents sexuality as a social construct. We use a phenomenological and empirical approach to sexual studies that dismisses bias as readily as it does rationalism and predetermination. Course work also includes field research, fictional literature, and film screenings.
Field research banks heavily on the vast degree of lesbian, gay, hetero-normative, and bisexual interplay in the Midcoast region. Rockland and Camden are veritable hubs of sexual exploration, making WSI's location a boon to its research capabilities and output. In one particular example, seminar students within the theatre and film division conducted qualitative research on a gay man working at a local Burger King. Students noted the man's high pitched flamboyance around others compared to his more subdued nature when alone. Besides seeing theory put to practice, one student utilized his observations to inform his senior thesis -- a student film where he played Tracy Tinkle, a gay man haunted by both his sexuality and a fanatic killer.
Fictional literature plays a huge role in WSI's approach to sexuality. We examine classic American novels such as Moby Dick to Huck Finn in a quest to understand the latent or hidden sexuality in their male subjects. For example, did Melville consciously or subconsciously use Ahab's quest for the "dick" as a metaphor for his own pursuit of the phallus? And did Twain have Finn whitewash the fence to imply that sex and race issues are in a constant state of erasure? Such discussions put us into contact with our more theoretical readings, e.g. Foucault and Lacan. This give and take between text and context helps construct a hermeneutic circle for our students, in turn letting them tease out more meaning from the texts.
Film screenings are divided into subject matter. Initially, we situate masculinity as a touchstone for understand non-hegemonic sexualities. Masculine screenings include classics from Willis and Stallone. Then we move to femininity with the modern romantic comedy, including a student favorite, You've Got Mail. There is also a week-long series on the effects of Oprah on modern femininity. Homosexuality and bisexuality concludes this survey, as Milk and Brokeback Mountain are regularly screened. The first season of The L Word is another staple of our core curriculum.
WSI also receives recognition for its study-abroad program and its scholarship on current events. The value of observing sexual phenomenon in situ cannot be stressed enough, and WSI encourages students to visit Parisian whore houses and Italian gay night clubs while studying overseas. Current event research is a pillar of the Waldoboro School; students examine headlines, YouTube videos, social media, etc. to decipher sexuality hidden within the modern media. Recent examples include a day-to-day study of Marcus Bachmann's repressed homosexuality. One student notes Bachmann's exaggerated pitch and movement as telling signs of his repressed homosexuality. Without the rigorous study and commitment of scholars at WSI, such phenomena would be lost in the deluge of information assaulting our senses.
Departments at WSI include Women's Studies, Masculinist Studies, Homosexuality and Bisexual Studies, Sexuality and Modern Culture, Film and Theatre Sexual Theory, and Government, Military, and Legal Performance. The latter is an emerging department at WSI and houses a pilot program that teaches gay men to disguise their sexuality to constituents, comrades, and colleagues. It is truly inspiring to see our school leading the charge on practical, pragmatic use of sexuality performance training. WSI also prides itself for finding a balance between masculinist and feminist ideologies.
WSI is now taking applications for Spring 2012. Our school houses 100 undergradates, 20 master's students, and 4 doctoral fellows. With small class sizes, progressive pedagogy, and an interdisciplinary approach, WSI is a leader in the sexuality discussion. I hope you consider the Waldoboro School as you plan your journey into higher education.
Application letters, with an attached $50 application fee, may be sent to:
Waldoboro Sexuality Institute
696 Finn Town Rd.
Waldoboro, ME 04572
Sincerely,
President Steve Nizer, Ph.D. Oklahoma
