REPRESENTATIONS OF WOMEN Women and Gender Studies 100 ...
REPRESENTATIONS OF WOMEN Women and Gender Studies 100-02 SYLLABUS Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:00-4:15 – Robinson Hall B111 Christina Kappel [email protected] PhD Candidate, Cultural Studies, George Mason University Office Hours: Tuesdays 11:30-1:30 (Please notify me if you will attend)
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES: This is an introductory course that seeks to examine the role of gender in various social institutions. We will begin by exploring the origins of sex differences as well as discuss the role of socialization in gender differences. The majority of the semester we will be examining gender as an analytical tool that affects and is affected by individuals, social structures, and their intersection. Additionally, this course explores portrayals of women and gender, primarily by using film, television and novels, both in the US and globally.
Student will gain an understanding of the concepts of sex, gender, sexuality and identity Students will be exposed to various portrayals of women and gender both in the US and globally Students will be exposed to feminist and intersectional theory as a framework for critical analysis of gender and sexuality and institutions as well as in the media Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the interconnectedness, difference, and diversity of a global society Apply awareness of global issues to a consideration of individual or collective responsibilities within a global society Devise analytical, practical, or creative responses to global problems or issues IMPORTANT DATES:
FEBRUARY 27 – First Integrative Essay Due APRIL 3 – Second Integrative Essay Due APRIL 17 – Collage Due MAY 1 – Cultural Events Due MAY 8 – Third Integrative Essay Due
REQURED READINGS: The following are a list of texts that are required for the course and are available in the bookstore. In addition to these texts there are articles that are either available on Blackboard as a PDF or a hyperlink (hyperlinks are also available through clicking directly on the syllabus). Jennifer Finney-Boylan, She's Not There Khaled Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye Stephanie Meyer, Twilight Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games PROCEDURAL MATTERS: Although I will be giving some lectures, this is primarily a discussion course. Therefore, I expect you to come to class having done the assigned reading. Use the schedule as your guide. There is a lot of reading, try not to get behind! Secondly, I want to point out that some of the material we will cover in this course will be emotionally charged and sensitive, especially to some people. Therefore, please think before you speak and make every effort to be considerate of the feelings and opinions of others. It is only in a safe and open environment that true learning can take place. I will demand that we maintain such an environment. Finally, please be particularly sensitive when I have invited visitors to class. Ground Rules: 1. Open, frank discussion without referring to groups by derogatory manner, that is, the use of terms that are or have been used to describe groups of people in a demeaning way will NOT be used in class. 2. Confront ideas, concepts, theories. Do NOT confront/attack individuals. 3. Emotion is great, but so is cognition. 4. To make this course work we’ll all need to: a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.
Afford each other mutual respect Confidentiality with regard to discussions in class Agree to disagree, agreeably! Examine self/explore Non-judgmental of others Know and say what you feel Value each other Be honest with self and others Show humility and keep an open mind Use appropriate humor
k. l. m. n. o.
Be direct Attack issues not individuals Listen constructively Question and participate Share responsibility REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING:
ALL FORMAL ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED THROUGH BLACKBOARD BY 11:59PM on the DUE DATE. (This does NOT include Daily Memos which must be submitted IN CLASS in hard copy or emailed before class if you are to be absent.) NO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED. NO EXCEPTIONS. This means that you must be responsible enough to afford extra time should you run into problems with internet, partners, etc!! To submit on Blackboard you must click on the ASSESSMENTS TAB to upload your document; when you are working on group assignments, you only need to submit ONE COPY via Blackboard, but be sure to check with your partners that the work has been successfully submitted. If you ever have an issue with Blackboard, be sure to email me your assignment BEFORE THE DEADLINE so that you will not be penalized. ALL PAGE REQUIREMENTS ASSUME THIS FORMAT: **TIMES NEW ROMAN FONT **DOUBLE SPACED **1-INCH MARGINS ASSESSMENTS: INTEGRATIVE ESSAYS You are required to write THREE integrative essays throughout the semester, choosing a partner (or two) with whom you will correspond. (Note: You will work with the same partner for ALL your integrative essays, CHOOSE WISELY!) There are a total of three sets of integrative essays due. Please note that no late work will be graded. These integrative essays are designed to help me assess your individual progress in the course, observe your reactions to the material, and witness the relationships that you are making between the course discussions and activities, texts, and out-of-classroom events and experiences. Integrative Essays should be 6-9 pages in length. Your integrative essays will be evaluated using the following criteria: • Analyzes and responds to assigned course readings and films. • Incorporates specific examples from the non-fiction and representational texts to make observations and build arguments
• Demonstrates complexity and depth in analyses and responses to course texts and ideas. • Provides evidence of significant engagement in the course ideas. • Reflects on evidence and ideas from the world outside the classroom (e.g., media stories, personal experiences, community events on- and off-campus) in the context of classroom texts & discussions. • Demonstrates thoughtful reactions to partner’s ideas, raises questions, and continues the dialogue. • Shows attention to writing style (e.g., clarity in writing; evidence of having edited and proofread the work) COLLAGE This assignment asks you to create a collage that represents your perspective on images of gender in the media. You will trace the ways that your thinking has changed or moved across the semester as well as represent different issues that we have addressed during the course of the semester. You may choose to create a hard copy project, or you may create your collage technologically. You may include your own art work as part of the collage. You will also turn in a short essay (no more than 2 typed pages) in which you discuss the issues represented in your piece. You must submit the short essay via Blackboard; you may choose to turn in a hard copy of your collage in class, or you may choose to submit via Blackboard if you opt to create your collage electronically. Please note that no late work will be graded. Your collage and essay will be judged on your clarity in representing and explaining: o Your specific perspective on representations of gender in the media o How your perspective on gender in the media has changed/moved (or not?) across the semester o Represents a breadth of different issues addressed during the course of the semester o References specific texts and ideas from the curriculum o Collage shows investment and creativity o Essay clearly explains the collage itself o Essay shows attention to writing style (e.g. clarity in writing; evidence in having edited and proofread the work) CULTURAL EVENTS You are required to attend 2 events across the semester that is outside of your own tradition and write a brief reflection (1-2 pages) on your experience of the event. Ideally you should attend the events with another member of the class or a friend who is different from you. You must choose 2 distinct experiences from the general list below, or choose events from the list of events supported by the WGST Program at the bottom of this syllabus. You may not count events that are required. You can attend events anytime during the semester but you must complete this portion of the course before
May 1. NO CULTURAL EVENT WRITE-UPS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER MAY 1. Attending a meeting of a gender, sexuality, or identity group on campus Attending a social event (i.e. a Gym Jam, concert, club event, dance….) A holiday celebration (Easter, passover, springfest) A lecture A concert A film A dramatic performance A religious worship ceremony During the course of the semester, you should attend and then write critically about a minimum of two outside events you attend during the semester that make you reflect upon the issues or theories we have studied this semester. Write-ups for these events should be submitted via Blackboard. For each entry, reflect upon the following: 1) What makes this event different from those you normally attend? 2) Describe the audience at the event, thinking in terms of race, gender, ethnicity, age, etc. 3) Describe the event and your response to it. 4) Critique the event by connecting it to an idea, issue, or theory we have studied in class. CLASS PARTICIPATION Through class discussions and group/individual assignments, you will have the opportunity to discover new perspectives and examine ideas that were previously unchallenged. Open discussion depends on the development of trust and safety among participants, as well as risk-taking and effective facilitation. Participation means more than coming to class, it means being fully present in class. It means coming to class ready to participate (having done the readings and otherwise prepared). It means participating in class discussion and debates. It means asking questions. If you are not sure what it means to actively participate in class, ask! During the first week of class we will establish community guidelines for learning and you will be expected to adhere to these. Because this topic deals with issues that are happening every single day, I encourage you to bring to class relevant materials from newspapers and other media forms. Additionally , in order to help you keep up with the reading, a necessary element of being prepared for class, you will be required to turn in daily reading memos.
DAILY READING MEMOS Each day you are required to write and bring to class a half page “memo” based on the readings assigned for the day. This memo can include questions from the reading that remain unclear, questions that are designed for further discussion based on the reading, or a critique of the reading. MEMOS MAY NOT SIMPLY BE A SUMMARY OF THE READING.
Memos will guide our daily discussions and will be turned in at the end of each class. A PASS: YOU MAY CHOOSE 3 DAYS THROUGHOUT THE SEMESTER IN WHICH YOU CHOOSE NOT TO SUBMIT A MEMO AND YOUR GRADE WILL NOT BE ADVERSELY IMPACTED. GRADING: Your grade will be calculated as follows: Integrative Essays (20% each X 3) Collage Cultural Events (5% each X 2) Class participation Total
60% 20% 10% 10% 100%
The following grading scale will be used to determine your final grade: 94-100% A 66-69% D+ 90-93% A63-65% D 86-89% B+ 60-62% D83-85% B Below 60% F 80-82% B76-79% C+ 73-75% C 70-72% CSCHEDULE WEEK 1: COURSE OVERVIEW January 21 – Class Canceled due to Inclement Weather January 23 – Introductions, Review Syllabus and Course Expectations, Choose Partners WEEK 2: CONSTRUCTIONS OF GENDER AND SEX January 28 – Fausto-Sterling Chapter 1 "Dueling Dualism" (PDF) Fuchs-Epstein, "Great Divides: The Cultural, Cognitive, and Social Bases of the Global Subordination of Women" (PDF) Lorber, "Night to His Day, The Social Construction of Gender" (PDF) January 30 – Fausto-Sterling Chapter 3 "Of Gender and Genitals" (PDF) Schilt and Westbrook "Doing Gender, Doing Heteronormativity" (PDF) In-Class Screening: Orange is the New Black WEEK 3: TRANSGENDER ISSUES AND REPRESENTATIONS
February 4 – Finney-Boylan PART 1 James, "J. Crew Ad With Boy's Pink Toenails creates Stir" http://abcnews.go.com/Health/crew-ad-boy-painting-toenails-pink-stirstransgender/story?id=13358903 - .ULLOQxz-2sY February 6 – Finney Boylan PART 2 In-Class Film Screening: Normal WEEK 4: TRANSGENDER ISSUES AND REPRESENTATIONS February 11 – Finney Boylan PART 3 In-Class Film Screening: Normal February 13 – Finney-Boylan PART 4 and AFTERWORD WEEK 5: GLOBALIZATION AND GENDER February 18 – Abu-Loghod "Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving?" (PDF) al Yafai "What Western Feminists Should Do About the Veil" http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/sep/08/religion.gender Joseph, "Gender and Citizenship in Middle Eastern States" http://www.merip.org/mer/mer198/gender-citizenship-middle-easternstates?ip_login_no_cache=a4064edf41414ee89264e09465f20cd0 February 20 – Beyer, "The Women of Islam" http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,185647,00.html Lewis, "Malala the Powerful" http://www.scholastic.com/scopemagazine/pdfs/SCOPE-090113Nonfiction.pdf Shah, "Did Malala Teach Us Anything?" http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/17/opinion/shah-did-malala-teach-usanything.html?_r=0 In-Class Screening: Class Dismissed, Malala's Story WEEK 6: GLOBALIZATION AND GENDER February 25 - Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Ch. 1-27 February 27 – Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Ch. 28-40 ****FIRST INTEGRATIVE ESSAY DUE**** WEEK 7: GLOBALIZATION AND GENDER March 4 – Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Ch. 40-51 March 6 – Zinn and Dill, "Theorizing Difference from Multiracial Feminism" (PDF)
Lorde, "An Open Letter to Mary Daly" http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/lordeopenlettertomarydaly.html "The Combahee River Collective Statement" http://circuitous.org/scraps/combahee.html ***SPRING BREAK*** WEEK 8: RACE, ETHNICITY, AND GENDER March 18 – Morrison, The Bluest Eye Ch. 1-3 March 20 – Morrison, The Bluest Eye Ch. 4-7 WEEK 9: RACE, ETHNICITY, AND GENDER March 25 – Morrison, The Bluest Eye Ch. 8-11 March 27 – In- Class Film Screening: Precious WEEK 10: RACE, ETHNICITY, AND GENDER April 1 – In- Class Film Screening: Precious April 3 –
Tasker and Negra, "Interrogating Postfeminism" (PDF) Gill, "Gender and the Media, Ch. 1 and 3" (PDF) McRobbie, "Postfeminism and Popular Culture" (PDF) In-Class Television Screenings: Clips of Sex and the City, Bridget Jones's Diary, select advertisements ****SECOND INTEGRATIVE ESSAY DUE****
WEEK 11: POSTFEMINISM AND GENDERED REPRESENTATION April 8 –
Roberts, "The Fashion Police: Governing the Self in What Not to Wear" (PDF) Banet-Weiser and Portwood-Stacer "'I just want to be me again!': Beauty Pageants, Reality Television, and Postfeminism" (PDF) Cohan, "Queer Eye for the Straight Guise: Camp, Postfeminism, and the Fab Five's Makeovers of Masculinity" (PDF) In-Class Television Screenings: What Not To Wear, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
April 10 – In-Class Film Screening: Missrepresentation WEEK 12: POSTFEMINISM AND GENDERED REPRESENTATION April 15 – Connell, "Hegemonic Masculinity" (PDF)
Fuchs, "The Buddy Politic" (PDF) In-Class Film Screening: Fight Club April 17 – In-Class Film Screening: Fight Club ****COLLAGE DUE**** WEEK 13: POSTFEMINISM AND GENDERED REPRESENTATION April 22 – Meyer, Twilight, Ch. 1-13 Petersen, "That Teenage Feeling" (PDF) April 24 – Meyer, Twilight, Ch. 14-Epilogue James, Fifty Shades of Grey EXCERPTS (PDF) Roiphe, "Working Women's Fantasies" http://www.newsweek.com/working-womens-fantasies-63915 WEEK 14 April 29 – Berlatsky, "'Twilight vs. 'Hunger Games: Why Do So Many Grown-Ups Hate Bella?" http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/11/twilight-vs-hungergames-why-do-so-many-grown-ups-hate-bella/248439/ Pynchon, "Katniss and Bella as Feminist Role Models" http://www.forbes.com/sites/shenegotiates/2012/03/29/katniss-and-bella-asfeminist-role-models/ Collins The Hunger Games, PART I "The Tributes" and PART II "The Games" In-Class Film Screening: The Hunger Games ****CULTURAL EVENTS DUE**** May1 – Collins The Hunger Games, PART III "The Victor" In-Class Film Screening: The Hunger Games WRAP UP ****CULTURAL EVENTS DUE**** May 8 – ****THIRD INTEGRATIVE ESSAY DUE****
Women and Gender Studies Center Academic Event Calendar Spring 2014 Friday and Saturday, February 14-15th The Vagina Monologues (Partnering with WAVES) Wednesday, February 19th Until the Violence Stops Film Screening Time: 4:00-7:00pm Location: JC Cinema Until the Violence Stops is a documentary that follows the grassroots movement of V-Day, the global movement to end violence against women and girls that was inspired by Eve Ensler's play The Vagina Monologues Thursday, February 20th Contemporary Women Writers Book Club Kick Off Time: 4:00-5:00pm Location: WGST Center This Book Club will consist of short stories and poetry. This circle is open to all students and will meet every Thursday at this time. WE will read women authors who are currently writing and there will also be time set aside for students who want to present their own writing. Wednesday, February 26th Annual Faculty, Staff, and Student Breakfast Time: 10:00am-12:00pm Location: WGST Center Wednesday, February 26th Invisible War Documentary Screening Time: 4:00-7:00pm Location: Meese Room, Mason Hall Tuesday, March 4th Sojourner Truth Lecture Time: 1:00-5:30pm Location: Meese Room, Mason Hall The Sojourner Truth Lecture bridges Black History Month and Women's History Month. This year's speaker will be Crystal Endsley. In addition to her academic career, she is internationally recognized as a spoken word artist, activist, and actor, performing and presenting workshops and lectures both in the United States and abroad. Her performances and current research focus on issues of performance and identity and the ways they intersect with feminist pedagogy, race, and popular culture; Hip Hop and cultural production as activism; and the connections between academic/home communities, motherhood and knowledge production.
Wednesday, March 5th Laverne Cox Lecture Time: 8:00-10:00pm Location: HUB Ballroom Partnering with the LGBTQ Resources, Laverne Cox, a trans actress of color in the critically acclaimed show Orange is the New Black will present her lecture "Ain't I a Woman: My Journey to Womanhood." Thursday, March 6th Dark Girls Documentary Screening Time: 5:00-7:00pm Location: Johnson Center Cinema Dark Girls explores the classism and racism faces by women of color through personal narratives. A question and answer panel will follow the documentary. Thursday, March 20th After Tiller Documentary Screening Time: 7:00-10:00pm Location: Johnson Center Cinema After Tiller focuses on four doctors who continue to conduct third trimester abortions for women. After Dr. George Tiller's death, few doctors agree to these procedures. The documentary discusses these doctor's stories and their ideas about their work. Tuesday, March 25th Latina Feminism Lecture (Women's History Month Lecture Series) Time: 4:00-7:00pm Location: Johnson Center Meeting Room G Featured Lecturer: Professor Silvia Bermudez from the University of California – Santa Barbara Thursday, March 27th Open Mic Night Time: 7:00-10:00pm Location: Johnson Center Bistro The Open Mic Night concludes Women's History Month. Students, Faculty, and Staff are encouraged to bring poetry, songs, and stories to perform for this event. Also, two female soul artists from D.C. will perform during this event. Tuesday, April 1st Somewhere Between Documentary Screening (Partnering with ODIME) This film follows the lives of four teenaged girls adopted from China and now living in the United States. In profiling Chinese adoptees in contemporary America, Linda Goldstein Knowlton has created a deeply moving documentary illustrating that even the most specific of experiences can be universally relatable.
Wednesday, April 9th Still Black Film Screening Time: 4:30-7:00pm Location: Johnson Center Meeting Room B This film features the stories of six diverse transmen. Preachers, teachers, students and activists enlighten audiences by making their presence known. Each man brings a colorful and complex richness as he describes his relationship to himself, as well as others in his life. IN this film, it is brought to the audience's attention that the transition of a gender within the same race will comes with social prejudices and consequences. Director, Kortney Zeigler will participate in a Q&A portion of the event.
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES: This is an introductory course that seeks to examine the role of gender in various social institutions. We will begin by exploring the origins of sex differences as well as discuss the role of socialization in gender differences. The majority of the semester we will be examining gender as an analytical tool that affects and is affected by individuals, social structures, and their intersection. Additionally, this course explores portrayals of women and gender, primarily by using film, television and novels, both in the US and globally.
Student will gain an understanding of the concepts of sex, gender, sexuality and identity Students will be exposed to various portrayals of women and gender both in the US and globally Students will be exposed to feminist and intersectional theory as a framework for critical analysis of gender and sexuality and institutions as well as in the media Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the interconnectedness, difference, and diversity of a global society Apply awareness of global issues to a consideration of individual or collective responsibilities within a global society Devise analytical, practical, or creative responses to global problems or issues IMPORTANT DATES:
FEBRUARY 27 – First Integrative Essay Due APRIL 3 – Second Integrative Essay Due APRIL 17 – Collage Due MAY 1 – Cultural Events Due MAY 8 – Third Integrative Essay Due
REQURED READINGS: The following are a list of texts that are required for the course and are available in the bookstore. In addition to these texts there are articles that are either available on Blackboard as a PDF or a hyperlink (hyperlinks are also available through clicking directly on the syllabus). Jennifer Finney-Boylan, She's Not There Khaled Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye Stephanie Meyer, Twilight Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games PROCEDURAL MATTERS: Although I will be giving some lectures, this is primarily a discussion course. Therefore, I expect you to come to class having done the assigned reading. Use the schedule as your guide. There is a lot of reading, try not to get behind! Secondly, I want to point out that some of the material we will cover in this course will be emotionally charged and sensitive, especially to some people. Therefore, please think before you speak and make every effort to be considerate of the feelings and opinions of others. It is only in a safe and open environment that true learning can take place. I will demand that we maintain such an environment. Finally, please be particularly sensitive when I have invited visitors to class. Ground Rules: 1. Open, frank discussion without referring to groups by derogatory manner, that is, the use of terms that are or have been used to describe groups of people in a demeaning way will NOT be used in class. 2. Confront ideas, concepts, theories. Do NOT confront/attack individuals. 3. Emotion is great, but so is cognition. 4. To make this course work we’ll all need to: a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. j.
Afford each other mutual respect Confidentiality with regard to discussions in class Agree to disagree, agreeably! Examine self/explore Non-judgmental of others Know and say what you feel Value each other Be honest with self and others Show humility and keep an open mind Use appropriate humor
k. l. m. n. o.
Be direct Attack issues not individuals Listen constructively Question and participate Share responsibility REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING:
ALL FORMAL ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED THROUGH BLACKBOARD BY 11:59PM on the DUE DATE. (This does NOT include Daily Memos which must be submitted IN CLASS in hard copy or emailed before class if you are to be absent.) NO LATE WORK WILL BE ACCEPTED. NO EXCEPTIONS. This means that you must be responsible enough to afford extra time should you run into problems with internet, partners, etc!! To submit on Blackboard you must click on the ASSESSMENTS TAB to upload your document; when you are working on group assignments, you only need to submit ONE COPY via Blackboard, but be sure to check with your partners that the work has been successfully submitted. If you ever have an issue with Blackboard, be sure to email me your assignment BEFORE THE DEADLINE so that you will not be penalized. ALL PAGE REQUIREMENTS ASSUME THIS FORMAT: **TIMES NEW ROMAN FONT **DOUBLE SPACED **1-INCH MARGINS ASSESSMENTS: INTEGRATIVE ESSAYS You are required to write THREE integrative essays throughout the semester, choosing a partner (or two) with whom you will correspond. (Note: You will work with the same partner for ALL your integrative essays, CHOOSE WISELY!) There are a total of three sets of integrative essays due. Please note that no late work will be graded. These integrative essays are designed to help me assess your individual progress in the course, observe your reactions to the material, and witness the relationships that you are making between the course discussions and activities, texts, and out-of-classroom events and experiences. Integrative Essays should be 6-9 pages in length. Your integrative essays will be evaluated using the following criteria: • Analyzes and responds to assigned course readings and films. • Incorporates specific examples from the non-fiction and representational texts to make observations and build arguments
• Demonstrates complexity and depth in analyses and responses to course texts and ideas. • Provides evidence of significant engagement in the course ideas. • Reflects on evidence and ideas from the world outside the classroom (e.g., media stories, personal experiences, community events on- and off-campus) in the context of classroom texts & discussions. • Demonstrates thoughtful reactions to partner’s ideas, raises questions, and continues the dialogue. • Shows attention to writing style (e.g., clarity in writing; evidence of having edited and proofread the work) COLLAGE This assignment asks you to create a collage that represents your perspective on images of gender in the media. You will trace the ways that your thinking has changed or moved across the semester as well as represent different issues that we have addressed during the course of the semester. You may choose to create a hard copy project, or you may create your collage technologically. You may include your own art work as part of the collage. You will also turn in a short essay (no more than 2 typed pages) in which you discuss the issues represented in your piece. You must submit the short essay via Blackboard; you may choose to turn in a hard copy of your collage in class, or you may choose to submit via Blackboard if you opt to create your collage electronically. Please note that no late work will be graded. Your collage and essay will be judged on your clarity in representing and explaining: o Your specific perspective on representations of gender in the media o How your perspective on gender in the media has changed/moved (or not?) across the semester o Represents a breadth of different issues addressed during the course of the semester o References specific texts and ideas from the curriculum o Collage shows investment and creativity o Essay clearly explains the collage itself o Essay shows attention to writing style (e.g. clarity in writing; evidence in having edited and proofread the work) CULTURAL EVENTS You are required to attend 2 events across the semester that is outside of your own tradition and write a brief reflection (1-2 pages) on your experience of the event. Ideally you should attend the events with another member of the class or a friend who is different from you. You must choose 2 distinct experiences from the general list below, or choose events from the list of events supported by the WGST Program at the bottom of this syllabus. You may not count events that are required. You can attend events anytime during the semester but you must complete this portion of the course before
May 1. NO CULTURAL EVENT WRITE-UPS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER MAY 1. Attending a meeting of a gender, sexuality, or identity group on campus Attending a social event (i.e. a Gym Jam, concert, club event, dance….) A holiday celebration (Easter, passover, springfest) A lecture A concert A film A dramatic performance A religious worship ceremony During the course of the semester, you should attend and then write critically about a minimum of two outside events you attend during the semester that make you reflect upon the issues or theories we have studied this semester. Write-ups for these events should be submitted via Blackboard. For each entry, reflect upon the following: 1) What makes this event different from those you normally attend? 2) Describe the audience at the event, thinking in terms of race, gender, ethnicity, age, etc. 3) Describe the event and your response to it. 4) Critique the event by connecting it to an idea, issue, or theory we have studied in class. CLASS PARTICIPATION Through class discussions and group/individual assignments, you will have the opportunity to discover new perspectives and examine ideas that were previously unchallenged. Open discussion depends on the development of trust and safety among participants, as well as risk-taking and effective facilitation. Participation means more than coming to class, it means being fully present in class. It means coming to class ready to participate (having done the readings and otherwise prepared). It means participating in class discussion and debates. It means asking questions. If you are not sure what it means to actively participate in class, ask! During the first week of class we will establish community guidelines for learning and you will be expected to adhere to these. Because this topic deals with issues that are happening every single day, I encourage you to bring to class relevant materials from newspapers and other media forms. Additionally , in order to help you keep up with the reading, a necessary element of being prepared for class, you will be required to turn in daily reading memos.
DAILY READING MEMOS Each day you are required to write and bring to class a half page “memo” based on the readings assigned for the day. This memo can include questions from the reading that remain unclear, questions that are designed for further discussion based on the reading, or a critique of the reading. MEMOS MAY NOT SIMPLY BE A SUMMARY OF THE READING.
Memos will guide our daily discussions and will be turned in at the end of each class. A PASS: YOU MAY CHOOSE 3 DAYS THROUGHOUT THE SEMESTER IN WHICH YOU CHOOSE NOT TO SUBMIT A MEMO AND YOUR GRADE WILL NOT BE ADVERSELY IMPACTED. GRADING: Your grade will be calculated as follows: Integrative Essays (20% each X 3) Collage Cultural Events (5% each X 2) Class participation Total
60% 20% 10% 10% 100%
The following grading scale will be used to determine your final grade: 94-100% A 66-69% D+ 90-93% A63-65% D 86-89% B+ 60-62% D83-85% B Below 60% F 80-82% B76-79% C+ 73-75% C 70-72% CSCHEDULE WEEK 1: COURSE OVERVIEW January 21 – Class Canceled due to Inclement Weather January 23 – Introductions, Review Syllabus and Course Expectations, Choose Partners WEEK 2: CONSTRUCTIONS OF GENDER AND SEX January 28 – Fausto-Sterling Chapter 1 "Dueling Dualism" (PDF) Fuchs-Epstein, "Great Divides: The Cultural, Cognitive, and Social Bases of the Global Subordination of Women" (PDF) Lorber, "Night to His Day, The Social Construction of Gender" (PDF) January 30 – Fausto-Sterling Chapter 3 "Of Gender and Genitals" (PDF) Schilt and Westbrook "Doing Gender, Doing Heteronormativity" (PDF) In-Class Screening: Orange is the New Black WEEK 3: TRANSGENDER ISSUES AND REPRESENTATIONS
February 4 – Finney-Boylan PART 1 James, "J. Crew Ad With Boy's Pink Toenails creates Stir" http://abcnews.go.com/Health/crew-ad-boy-painting-toenails-pink-stirstransgender/story?id=13358903 - .ULLOQxz-2sY February 6 – Finney Boylan PART 2 In-Class Film Screening: Normal WEEK 4: TRANSGENDER ISSUES AND REPRESENTATIONS February 11 – Finney Boylan PART 3 In-Class Film Screening: Normal February 13 – Finney-Boylan PART 4 and AFTERWORD WEEK 5: GLOBALIZATION AND GENDER February 18 – Abu-Loghod "Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving?" (PDF) al Yafai "What Western Feminists Should Do About the Veil" http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2008/sep/08/religion.gender Joseph, "Gender and Citizenship in Middle Eastern States" http://www.merip.org/mer/mer198/gender-citizenship-middle-easternstates?ip_login_no_cache=a4064edf41414ee89264e09465f20cd0 February 20 – Beyer, "The Women of Islam" http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,185647,00.html Lewis, "Malala the Powerful" http://www.scholastic.com/scopemagazine/pdfs/SCOPE-090113Nonfiction.pdf Shah, "Did Malala Teach Us Anything?" http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/17/opinion/shah-did-malala-teach-usanything.html?_r=0 In-Class Screening: Class Dismissed, Malala's Story WEEK 6: GLOBALIZATION AND GENDER February 25 - Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Ch. 1-27 February 27 – Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Ch. 28-40 ****FIRST INTEGRATIVE ESSAY DUE**** WEEK 7: GLOBALIZATION AND GENDER March 4 – Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Ch. 40-51 March 6 – Zinn and Dill, "Theorizing Difference from Multiracial Feminism" (PDF)
Lorde, "An Open Letter to Mary Daly" http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/lordeopenlettertomarydaly.html "The Combahee River Collective Statement" http://circuitous.org/scraps/combahee.html ***SPRING BREAK*** WEEK 8: RACE, ETHNICITY, AND GENDER March 18 – Morrison, The Bluest Eye Ch. 1-3 March 20 – Morrison, The Bluest Eye Ch. 4-7 WEEK 9: RACE, ETHNICITY, AND GENDER March 25 – Morrison, The Bluest Eye Ch. 8-11 March 27 – In- Class Film Screening: Precious WEEK 10: RACE, ETHNICITY, AND GENDER April 1 – In- Class Film Screening: Precious April 3 –
Tasker and Negra, "Interrogating Postfeminism" (PDF) Gill, "Gender and the Media, Ch. 1 and 3" (PDF) McRobbie, "Postfeminism and Popular Culture" (PDF) In-Class Television Screenings: Clips of Sex and the City, Bridget Jones's Diary, select advertisements ****SECOND INTEGRATIVE ESSAY DUE****
WEEK 11: POSTFEMINISM AND GENDERED REPRESENTATION April 8 –
Roberts, "The Fashion Police: Governing the Self in What Not to Wear" (PDF) Banet-Weiser and Portwood-Stacer "'I just want to be me again!': Beauty Pageants, Reality Television, and Postfeminism" (PDF) Cohan, "Queer Eye for the Straight Guise: Camp, Postfeminism, and the Fab Five's Makeovers of Masculinity" (PDF) In-Class Television Screenings: What Not To Wear, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
April 10 – In-Class Film Screening: Missrepresentation WEEK 12: POSTFEMINISM AND GENDERED REPRESENTATION April 15 – Connell, "Hegemonic Masculinity" (PDF)
Fuchs, "The Buddy Politic" (PDF) In-Class Film Screening: Fight Club April 17 – In-Class Film Screening: Fight Club ****COLLAGE DUE**** WEEK 13: POSTFEMINISM AND GENDERED REPRESENTATION April 22 – Meyer, Twilight, Ch. 1-13 Petersen, "That Teenage Feeling" (PDF) April 24 – Meyer, Twilight, Ch. 14-Epilogue James, Fifty Shades of Grey EXCERPTS (PDF) Roiphe, "Working Women's Fantasies" http://www.newsweek.com/working-womens-fantasies-63915 WEEK 14 April 29 – Berlatsky, "'Twilight vs. 'Hunger Games: Why Do So Many Grown-Ups Hate Bella?" http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/11/twilight-vs-hungergames-why-do-so-many-grown-ups-hate-bella/248439/ Pynchon, "Katniss and Bella as Feminist Role Models" http://www.forbes.com/sites/shenegotiates/2012/03/29/katniss-and-bella-asfeminist-role-models/ Collins The Hunger Games, PART I "The Tributes" and PART II "The Games" In-Class Film Screening: The Hunger Games ****CULTURAL EVENTS DUE**** May1 – Collins The Hunger Games, PART III "The Victor" In-Class Film Screening: The Hunger Games WRAP UP ****CULTURAL EVENTS DUE**** May 8 – ****THIRD INTEGRATIVE ESSAY DUE****
Women and Gender Studies Center Academic Event Calendar Spring 2014 Friday and Saturday, February 14-15th The Vagina Monologues (Partnering with WAVES) Wednesday, February 19th Until the Violence Stops Film Screening Time: 4:00-7:00pm Location: JC Cinema Until the Violence Stops is a documentary that follows the grassroots movement of V-Day, the global movement to end violence against women and girls that was inspired by Eve Ensler's play The Vagina Monologues Thursday, February 20th Contemporary Women Writers Book Club Kick Off Time: 4:00-5:00pm Location: WGST Center This Book Club will consist of short stories and poetry. This circle is open to all students and will meet every Thursday at this time. WE will read women authors who are currently writing and there will also be time set aside for students who want to present their own writing. Wednesday, February 26th Annual Faculty, Staff, and Student Breakfast Time: 10:00am-12:00pm Location: WGST Center Wednesday, February 26th Invisible War Documentary Screening Time: 4:00-7:00pm Location: Meese Room, Mason Hall Tuesday, March 4th Sojourner Truth Lecture Time: 1:00-5:30pm Location: Meese Room, Mason Hall The Sojourner Truth Lecture bridges Black History Month and Women's History Month. This year's speaker will be Crystal Endsley. In addition to her academic career, she is internationally recognized as a spoken word artist, activist, and actor, performing and presenting workshops and lectures both in the United States and abroad. Her performances and current research focus on issues of performance and identity and the ways they intersect with feminist pedagogy, race, and popular culture; Hip Hop and cultural production as activism; and the connections between academic/home communities, motherhood and knowledge production.
Wednesday, March 5th Laverne Cox Lecture Time: 8:00-10:00pm Location: HUB Ballroom Partnering with the LGBTQ Resources, Laverne Cox, a trans actress of color in the critically acclaimed show Orange is the New Black will present her lecture "Ain't I a Woman: My Journey to Womanhood." Thursday, March 6th Dark Girls Documentary Screening Time: 5:00-7:00pm Location: Johnson Center Cinema Dark Girls explores the classism and racism faces by women of color through personal narratives. A question and answer panel will follow the documentary. Thursday, March 20th After Tiller Documentary Screening Time: 7:00-10:00pm Location: Johnson Center Cinema After Tiller focuses on four doctors who continue to conduct third trimester abortions for women. After Dr. George Tiller's death, few doctors agree to these procedures. The documentary discusses these doctor's stories and their ideas about their work. Tuesday, March 25th Latina Feminism Lecture (Women's History Month Lecture Series) Time: 4:00-7:00pm Location: Johnson Center Meeting Room G Featured Lecturer: Professor Silvia Bermudez from the University of California – Santa Barbara Thursday, March 27th Open Mic Night Time: 7:00-10:00pm Location: Johnson Center Bistro The Open Mic Night concludes Women's History Month. Students, Faculty, and Staff are encouraged to bring poetry, songs, and stories to perform for this event. Also, two female soul artists from D.C. will perform during this event. Tuesday, April 1st Somewhere Between Documentary Screening (Partnering with ODIME) This film follows the lives of four teenaged girls adopted from China and now living in the United States. In profiling Chinese adoptees in contemporary America, Linda Goldstein Knowlton has created a deeply moving documentary illustrating that even the most specific of experiences can be universally relatable.
Wednesday, April 9th Still Black Film Screening Time: 4:30-7:00pm Location: Johnson Center Meeting Room B This film features the stories of six diverse transmen. Preachers, teachers, students and activists enlighten audiences by making their presence known. Each man brings a colorful and complex richness as he describes his relationship to himself, as well as others in his life. IN this film, it is brought to the audience's attention that the transition of a gender within the same race will comes with social prejudices and consequences. Director, Kortney Zeigler will participate in a Q&A portion of the event.
