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Syllabus WOMEN'S STUDIES 3050 Feminist Theories

Irt.aled

- ^ r i o gender,, .̂ men̂ women

T e x t s

• T o n g , Feminist Thought

• Mil l and Mi l l , R o s s i , e d . . Essays on Sex Equality

o M\\\, The Subjection of Women , 1 8 6 9

o MiW, Enfranchisement of Women , 1 8 5 1

• h o o k s . Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center

• addi t ional t ex t s as a s s i g n e d

o Y o u migh t f ind he lp fu l : R e s o u r c e s for Readers

L e a r n i n g G o a l s : Upon c o m p l e t i o n of th is cou rse , s tuden ts shou ld be able to

• s u m m a r i z e the ma jo r cha rac te r i s t i c s of seve ra l f em in i s t theor ies

• exp la in the h is tor ica l c o n t e x t for e a c h of t h e s e theor ies

• apply the theor ies s tud ied to i s s u e s , e v e n t s , and ar t i fac ts

A c t i v i t i e s i n s u p p o r t o f l e a r n i n g

• T w o Oral P resen ta t i ons on pr imary t ex t s (10 points each ) .

o P resen ta t ion s h o u l d inc lude :

• a handout to be d is t r ibu ted to c l ass m e m b e r s ( s u m m a r y s t a t e m e n t s , c i ta t i ons of s o u r c e s )

• a 1 0 m inu te oral p resen ta t i on

• responses to ques t i ons

• O n e Oral P resen ta t i on app ly ing a f e m i n i s t theory to : the news , fa i ry ta les , l i terature , adve r t i semen ts

, Y o u T u b e , or f i lm . ( 2 0 po in ts e a c h )

o P resen ta t ion s h o u l d inc lude :

• inc lude a handout to be d is t r i bu ted to c l ass m e m b e r s ( s u m m a r y s t a t e m e n t s , c i ta t ions of s o u r c e s )

• a 10 m inu te oral p resen ta t i on

• responses to q u e s t i o n s

• O n e 4 - p a g e paper ( 2 0 po in ts ) - in r e s p o n s e to Essays on Sex Equality

• T w o 4 - p a g e papers ( 2 0 po in ts e a c h ) - in r esponse to ques t i ons about e a c h of two f em in i s t theor ies .

Class par t ic ipat ion s t a t e m e n t (20 po in ts ) - P l e a s e note that c l a s s participation requires not only a t tend ing c l a s s ,

but a t tend ing c l ass p repared to par t i c ipa te in d i s c u s s i o n s on the mater ia l a s s i g n e d for e a c h day and then

ac tua l ly par t ic ipat ing in t h o s e d i s c u s s i o n s . Femin is t theory , as we shal l see th roughou t the semes te r , is

par t ic ipatory . S tuden t s wi l l a s s e s s their par t ic ipa t ion this s e m e s t e r in shor t wr i t ten s t a t e m e n t - w h i c h inc ludes

descr ip t ion of their work in c l ass and ou t s i de of c lass about fem in i s t theor ies .

Paper Evaluation An "A" paper will contain at least the following elements: - demonstration of clear understanding of the course material covered in the paper - a clearly articulated thesis statement that directly addresses the specific question you are answering - convincing supporting arguments, including textual support - demonstration of independent/original thought - effective organization - near-perfect mechanics, including spelling and punctuation

Sources may be cited using the in-text, or parenthetical citation style, e.g. (Tong, p.112). A bibliography is not necessary unless you utilize material not assigned in the syllabus

Oral Presentation Evaluation • Clarity of

presentation ( including handout summarizing text(s) and providing relevant information to class members)

• Delivery: Was the speaker natural, enthusiastic; did they speak clearly; were appropriate gestures, posture, expressions used?

• Discussion: Were questions answered accurately, clearly, effectively?

• Adherence to time limit

G r a d i n g sca le :

93 - 1 0 0 % = A ; 90 - 9 2 % - A -

87 - 8 9 % = B + ; 83 - 8 6 % = B; 80 - 8 2 % = B-

77 - 7 9 % = C + ; 73 - 7 6 % = C; 70 - 7 2 % = C-

67 - 6 9 % = D+ ; 63 - 6 6 % = D; 60 - 6 2 % = D-

0 - 5 9 % = E

Course Schedule 2015 Schedule Of Presentations

L i n k s t o

i n f o r m a t i o n T o p i c s R e a d i n g s A c t i v i t i e s

What is

f e m i n i s m ? Wha t is

theory?

Wha t are the

ca tegor ies of

f em in i s t theory

and w h y do w e

use t h e m ?

• T o n g :

in t roduc t ion ,

c o n c l u s i o n

Jan . 13 -

In t roduct ions

Jan 15 -

d i s c u s s i o n

of T o n g , Intro and

c o n c l u s i o n

Notes

L i b e r a l

F e m i n i s m

• A t t e m p t s to

re form or use

ex i s t i ng

pol i t ica l

s t ruc tu res to

a d v a n c e

w o m e n ' s

in te res ts

a long a c iv i l

r ights m o d e l .

• A r g u e s that

w o m e n

d e s e r v e the

s a m e

pr iv i leges ,

p ro tec t i ons ,

pay , and

oppor tun i t ies

tha t m e n do .

T o n g , Chap te r 1

Mil l and Mil l

• Mary

Wo l l s tonec ra f t : A

Vindication of the

Rights of Women

, 1792, Read

at least chap te r I

and X I I I

• Declaration of

Sentiments

(1848)

• A T i m e Line f

or A m e r i c a n

W o m a n Su f f rage

• Bradwel l v .

I l l inois (1873)

• 19th A m e n d m e n t

to the U.S.

Cons t i t u t i on

• Be thune , hear or

read her

s p e e c h : " Wha t

does A m e r i c a n

D e m o c r a c y Mean

to M e ? "

(1939)

• Fr iedan, Femin ine

M y s t i q u e

, (1963) . Read

J a n . 20 -

d i s c u s s i o n of

T o n g , c h . 1

J a n . 22 -

d i s c u s s i o n of

R o s s i :

In t roduc t ion

J a n . 27 -

d i s c u s s i o n of

Ross i :

Sec t i ons 2 &

3

J a n . 29 -

d i s c u s s i o n of

Ross i :

Sec t i on 4

Feb. 3 -

pr imary

d o c u m e n t s

Feb. 3 Liberal

f e m i n i s m

paper draft

due - required

of

e v e r y o n e . P e e r

rev iew. Final

paper due:

chap te r 1

Equa l Rights

A m e n d m e n t

Feb. 5

Notes

R a d i c a l

F e m i n i s m

• P roceeds

f rom the

a s s u m p t i o n

that the f i rs t

t ype of

exp lo i ta t ion

in h u m a n

history w a s

sexua l

exp lo i ta t ion

of w o m e n

• W o m e n

shou ld be in

the cont ro l of

m e a n s of

reproduc t ion

• Rad ica l

f e m i n i s t s

t end to be

skep t i ca l of

pol i t ical

ac t ion w i th in

the cur rent

s y s t e m , and

ins tead

suppor t

cu l tura l

c h a n g e tha t

unde rm ines

pat r iarchy

and

a s s o c i a t e d

h ierarch ica l

s t ruc tu res

T o n g , chap te r 2

• R e d s t o c k i n g s

M a n i f e s t o

• C o m b a h e e River

Co l l ec t i ve S t a t e m e n t

. F rom the B lack

Femin i s t Reader

• The S C U M

M a n i f e s t o

• In teA/ iew of Mary

Daly

• A n d r e a

Dwork in , "P ros t i t u t i on

and Ma le

S u p r e m a c y "

• Read 1 of the 27

p o e m s by

A d r i e n n e R ich

. Feb. 5 & 10 -

d i s c u s s i o n

of T o n g c h .

2 - r e s p o n d to

d i s c u s s i o n

ques t i ons 2, 3, 4

• Feb. 1 2 - o r a l

p resen ta t ions

• F e b . 1 7 : R a d i c a l

F e m i n i s m p a p e r

d u e

M a r x i s t / S o c i a l

F e m i n i s m

• A c c o r d i n g to

Marx is t

Notes

theory ,

people's

capac i t i es ,

needs and

in terests are

seen to be

de te rm ined

by the m o d e

of p roduc t ion

that

cha rac te r i zes

the soc ie t y

they inhabi t .

Marx is t

f em in i s t s see

gender

inequal i ty as

de te rm ined

u l t imate ly by

the cap i ta l is t

m o d e of

p roduc t ion .

Gender

opp ress ion is

c l ass

oppress ion

and women 's

subord ina t ion

is seen as a

fo rm of c l ass

opp ress ion .

T o n g , Chpt 3

o "The Or ig ins of the fami l y .

P r i va te Proper ty and the

S ta te " (read

in t roduc t i on , the 2

p re faces , s t a g e s , the

f am i l y )

o C h o o s e one:

• Ko l lanta i " In ternat iona l

W o m e n ' s Day"

• E m m a G o l d m a n , "The

Tragedy o f Women's

Emanc ipa t ion"

• Eh ren re i ch "Wha t is Soc ia l i s t

F e m i n i s m ? "

• T a k e the soc ia l i s t f em in i s t

qu iz

Feb. 17 & 1 9 -

d i s c u s s i o n of T o n g ,

chap te r 4 - respond

to ques t i ons 3, 4 , 6

Feb. 24: oral

p resen ta t ions

F e b .

26 Marxist/socialist feminism paper due

P s y c h o a n a l y t i c

F e m i n i s m

• gender is not

b io logical but

is based on

the p s y c h o -

sexua l

d e v e l o p m e n t

of the

ind iv idua l .

• gender

inequal i ty

c o m e s f rom

early

T o n g , Chap te r 4

P B S w e b s i te on

Freud

Freud , Th ree

Cont r ibu t ions to the

Theory of Sex (read

Feb. 26 & Mar .3

d i s c u s s i o n of

T o n g c h . 4 -

ch i l dhood In t roduc t ion , P re face , - r e s p o n d t o

expe r i ences , and 1 of the e s s a y s ) q u e s t i o n s 1 , 4 , 5

wh ich lead • Ju l ie t • Mar. 5; oral

Notes m e n to M i t che l l , " W o m e n ' s p resen ta t ions -

be l ieve E s t a t e ," 1971 phmary

t h e m s e l v e s • " E v e r y b o d y ' s Mother d o c u m e n t s

to be is a W o m a n , " 1990 • Mar.

m a s c u l i n e . rev iew of 1 7 : P s y c h o a n a l y t i c

and w o m e n Chodorow 's Feminism f e m i n i s m paper

to be l ieve and Psyciioanalytic due

t h e m s e l v e s TIneory

f em in ine . • pe ruse K a t e Mi l let 's

• a soc ia l w e b sit e

s y s t e m that

is d o m i n a t e d

by m a l e s .

in f luences

the ind iv idual

p s y c h o -

sexua l

deve lopmen t .

Notes

E x i s t e n t i a l i s t

f e m i n i s m

• W o m e n have

b e c o m e the

"other" or

ob jec t of

m e n ' s

sub jec t i v i t y .

• Pr imar i ly due

to one ' s

b io logy ,

w o m e n ' s

o p p r e s s i o n

c o n s i s t s of

be ing den ied

t r a n s c e n d e n c e

and

sub jec t i v i t y .

T o n g : chap te r

5

Beauvo i r

A r c h i v e • Mar. 17:

read the d i s c u s s i o n of

in t roduc t ion T o n g - c h . 5

and (173-190

c o n c l u s i o n • Mar. 19: oral

of Second presen ta t ions

Sex and the • Mar .

two 24: Ex is ten t ia l i s t

i n ten / iews . Paper paper due

1963 and

1976.

P o s t m o d e r n

• human experience is located "inescapably within language." Power

is exercised not only through direct coercion, but also through the

Tong : Chap te r 5 191-209)

S tan fo rd Pres iden t ia l la r . 14 -

way in which language shapes and restricts our reality. Lec tu res in the D i s c u s s i o n of

• because language is always open to re-interpretation, it can also be Hunnani t ies and A r t s . T o n g , c h . 5 ( 1 9 1 -

Notes used to resist this shaping and restriction, and so is a potentially Helene C i xous 210)

fruitful site of political struggle • Luce Ir igary, This Sex Mar. 26 - oral

• Sex is not something natural, nor is it something completely Which is Not One , read presenta t ions

determinate and def inable. Chap te r 2 Mar .31 -Pos t ­

• sexual difference constrains but never completely determines what • pe ruse Ju l ia Kr is teva 's mode rn paper

one can do with it. w e b s i te due

one can do with it.

M u l t i c u l t u r a l / P o s t -

c o l o n i a l F e m i n i s m s

• IV Iu l t i cu l tu ra l

f e m i n i s m f o c u s e s

on the w a y s in

wh i ch race, c l a s s .

and gender in te rsec t

in w o m e n ' s l ives

and to e x a m i n e

cr i t ica l ly

representa t ions of

w o m e n in A m e r i c a n

cu l ture .

• P o s t c o l o n i a l

f e m i n i s m a rgues

that opp ress ions

relat ing to the

co lon ia l expe r i ence ,

part icular ly rac ia l .

c l ass , and e thn ic

opp ress ions , h a v e

marg ina l i zed w o m e n

in pos tco lon ia l

soc ie t i es . T h e y

cha l lenge the • h o o k s . Feminist Theory

a s s u m p t i o n that • F rom Gender Forum: "Key

gender o p p r e s s i o n is I s s u e s in pos tco lon ia l

the pr imary f o r ce of F e m i n i s m : A W e s t e r n

pat r ia rchy. P e r s p e c t i v e "

• T r a n s n a t i o n a l • p e r u s e t h e S t o c k t o n

f e m i n i s m has P o s t c o l o n i a l S t u d i e s p r o j e c t

emerged as a

hetero top ic s p a c e • pe ruse : W o m e n W a t c h

cons i s t i ng of d i ve rse • pe ruse A f r i c a n Gender Ins t i tu te

approaches . Key

cont r ibu t ions have

inc luded:

o cal ls for

a t ten t ion to

spec i f i c

h is tor ica l

con tex t s and

co lon ia l

legac ies

o exp lo ra t ions of

how w o m e n

relate a c r o s s

na t ion -s ta te

borders and how

those re la t ions

have been

s t ruc tu red by

neo-co lon iza t ion

and

g loba l i za t ion

o c r i t iques of

os tens ib l y

t ransna t iona l

h u m a n r ights

o rgan iza t ions

that reproduce

unequal

re lat ions of

power.

T ransna t iona l

f e m i n i s m has

e n c o m p a s s e d

though t fu l

e n g a g e m e n t

w i th emergen t

pol i t ica l

m o v e m e n t s ,

l ike the

t ransna t iona l

r is ing of

ind igenous

peop les , an t i -

g loba l i za t ion

and

h t t p : / / w w w . y o u t u b e . c o m / w a t c h ?

v = i Q 7 m m M e 4 k l Q

C h o o s e o n e :

• V i e w at least 60 minutes

o f Judi th Butler's videos

• In te rv iew w i th Glor ia A n z a l d u a

• C o n v e r s a t i o n wi th

Pat r ic ia Hill Col l ins

(v ideo)

Mar . 31 &

Apr. 2 -

d i s c u s s i o n of

T o n g . c h . 6

Apr . 7 - oral

p resen ta t i ons

Apr. 9 -

Mul t i cu l tu ra l

f em in i s t

paper due

Notes

env i ronmen ta l i s t

m o v e m e n t s .

E c o - f e m i n i s m

• the opp ress ion

of w o m e n and • T o n g : Chap te r 7

nature as • In te rv iew w i th S u s a n Gri f f in

i n te rconnec ted . • peruse : h t t p : / / w v w . e c o f e m . o r g /

B e c a u s e of the • P e r u s e Char lene Spre tnak 's

c lose t ies of w e b p a g e

nature and • Eco - fem in i sm Now, a v ideo

spi r i tua l i ty , p roduced by Gre ta Gaa rd . a

goddess lead ing eco - fem in i s t act iv is t and

worsh ip and scho lar , f ea tu r i ng in te rv iews w i t h

the d iv ine m a n y w e l l - k n o w n eco- femin is ts . f e m a l e are

o f ten t ied to

e c o - f e m i n i s m .

Apr i l 9 & 14:

- d i s c u s s i o n of T o n g : chap te r 7 Apr i l 16: oral

p resen ta t i ons - e c o -f e m i n i s m

Apr i l 2 1 : e c o -

f em in i s t

paper due

Notes

bell hooks is Scho la r - i n -Res idence a t t h e N e w S c h o o l A p r i l 2 1 & 2 3 : h o o k s , Feminist

Ttieory