Wednesday 25 March 2009

Feminist Event: Seminar on 'The 5cm Rule' at UOA

What: Sociology Seminar on ‘The 5cm Rule’: Biopower, Sexuality and Schooling
Who: Louisa Allen, Critical Studies in Education, Faculty of Education
When: Wednesday April 1st, 11am - 12noon
Where: HSB 901, Human Sciences Building, Princes St, University of Auckland

From the Faculty of Arts event listing:
This seminar will explore ‘the 5cm rule’, a regulation around student contact discovered during an investigation of the sexual culture of schooling with 16-19 year olds in New Zealand. Implemented to stem ‘inappropriate and unwanted’ touching, it stipulates that students must maintain a physical distance of 5cm at all times. It will be argued that this rule represents a contemporary type of biopower which forms part of the sexual culture of schooling. As a technique of corporeal regulation it is characterised by a ‘loose’ exercise of power, that allows for student resistance while producing subjects’ ‘docility-utility’ (Foucault, 1980). I will contend that the rule contributes negatively to ‘the sexual culture of schooling’ by constituting student sexuality as ‘unruly’ and ‘problematic’. This stipulation also prescribes a set of gender relations that are inhibitive of mutually negotiated and pleasureable corporeal experience.

All Welcome!

4 comments:

Stephanie said...

When I see the 5cm rule I think of the maximum length a skirt can be from the ground when one is kneeling.

Giovanni Tiso said...

It will be argued that this rule represents a contemporary type of biopower which forms part of the sexual culture of schooling.

And if that sentence doesn't turn people away in droves from the event, I don't know what will.

Cactus Kate said...

Ex-expat

I think of women who would even contemplating a man with a 5cm c**k.

I think you did as well.

Anonymous said...

"All Welcome"

Just as long as you keep 5 cm away from each other so not to offend the silly people. How stupid is this? The whole idea of school is to grow up and learn. Not to hide people in bubbles and prevent human nature.

Whatever next? School princpals walking around with metre rulers during school dances?