WMS205: Introduction to Women’s Studies Kimberly L. Dennis, PhD Fall, 2010 TTh 3:30-4:45 e-mail: [email protected] Office: CFAC 121c Classroom: Olin Library, Room 260 Office hours: by appointment web.me.com/kim.dennis/WMS205F10 username: kdennis password: WMS205

What Is Women’s Studies? Women’s Studies, the academic branch of the feminist movement, seeks to redress the exclusion of women’s accomplishments and experiences from the traditional university curriculum. Women’s Studies is an inherently interdisciplinary field which both critiques and draws on the perspectives of the social sciences, the arts and humaniti1es, and the sciences, recognizing that no single subject can adequately address women’s diverse experiences. Women’s Studies scholars recognize that women’s experience has always been and continues to be influenced by a complex matrix of forces, including race, class, sexuality, age, ability, and many others.

Course Description This course will explore the history and goals of the academic discipline of Women’s Studies and the social and political movement of feminism. We will begin with an investigation of a fundamental principle that shapes the thinking of both feminists and students of women’s issues: the difference between sex and gender and the social institutions through which male and female children are shaped into adult women and men. We will then complicate our understanding of the category ‘woman’ by exploring some of the ways one’s experience of ‘womanhood’ can be shaped by race and class. Next, we will examine the myths and facts surrounding and children. After the midterm, we will study the feminist debate over and sex work and then turn to sexuality, considering how we might begin to think of sexualities in terms of a spectrum rather than a binary. Next, we will address women’s bodies, exploring how cultural ideals of beauty affect women’s emotional and physical well-being. These topics will lead us to an exploration of women’s health issues including menstruation, breast cancer, and reproductive health. Toward the end of the semester we will study the wage gap, housework, and the challenges faced by mothers who also work outside the home. In our final week, we will address the cultural “backlash” against the feminist movement and ways we can become involved in “third wave” feminism.

Grading Attendance and Participation 20% Midterm 15% Blog Participation 5% Service Site Hours/Journals 15% Service Group Project 15% Service Group Presentation 10% Final Exam 20%

Make up quizzes, final exam, and/or extensions on assignment due dates will be given ONLY in cases of documented dire emergencies.

Instructor Availability I encourage you to come see me in person to discuss any questions or concerns you may have about this course, your grades, or the material we’re covering. I am also easy to reach via email and happy to communicate with you that way. Please don’t hesitate to contact me early and often!

Attendance and Preparation It is essential that you come to class prepared and ready to participate. Please note that class participation counts for 20% of your final grade, and you cannot participate unless you are present and prepared. Please also keep in mind that I am interested in the quality of your contributions to our discussions rather than the quantity. Quality contributions include thoughtful responses to the reading and to my questions as well as coming to class prepared to ask your own questions about the material.

Participation grades will be calculated based on the following system: • students who come to class on time and are alert, attentive, and not disruptive during the class period will earn a 1 for that day’s participation ‘grade;’ a 1 is approximately equivalent to a C • students who come to class on time, are alert and attentive, and contribute thoughtfully to class discussion (by responding to questions about the readings, bringing in questions that have come up as they reflected on the material outside of class, or otherwise contributing substantively to the discussion) will earn a 2 for that day’s participation ‘grade;’ a 2 is approximately equivalent to a B • students who come to class on time and clearly demonstrate that they have done the reading, reflected on the content of the reading as well as how it relates to previous readings for this course (and/or other courses), and who stand out as discussion leaders will earn a 3 for that day’s participation ‘grade;’ a 3 is approximately equivalent to an A • absences will be recorded as a participation ‘grade’ of 0 • students who come to class late will receive a .5 for that day’s participation ‘grade’

At the end of the semester, each student’s participation grade for the term will be calculated based on the average number of points s/he accumulated over the course of the semester. Thus, a student who comes to class on time and quietly takes notes will earn a C for the term, as s/he has neither detracted from nor enhanced the dynamic of our class meetings, and a C represents an average effort. A student who consistently contributes to our class discussions of the material in a way that demonstrates a thoughtful engagement with the readings and the visual evidence will earn a B or an A for the participation component of her/his grade, depending on the extent to which s/he contributed to our exploration of the material as a group.

Discussion and Etiquette This course will address a number of controversial and personal issues and is likely to challenge many aspects of your current system of beliefs. Thus, courtesy and open-mindedness are necessities. You should be prepared to respect others’ opinions, positions, and experiences, even when they are different from your own. You should be willing to consider adjusting your opinion from time to time to accommodate new information. You are encouraged to think of this course as an opportunity to ‘try on’ new perspectives—some you’ll discard and others you may carry into your life beyond this class. You don’t have to agree with your instructor or your classmates, but you are expected to conduct yourself with civility and respect for your peers at all times. Interruptions, derogatory remarks, and private conversations will not be tolerated. If you are uncomfortable speaking in class for some reason, please talk with me about it. One of my primary goals for this course is to help foster an environment in which all students feel comfortable exploring new ideas and expressing their perspectives on the issues.

Blog A portion of each student’s class participation grade will come from her/his contributions to our blog--see class website url on page 1 of syllabus. This forum will allow you to continue our class discussions throughout the week and between our class meetings. Building on the feminist principle that “the personal is political,” the blog will also allow you to discuss how the course material relates to your own everyday experiences outside of class.

Service-Learning Projects A major component of this course will be the service projects we will conduct throughout the semester with local non-profit organizations that serve women and/or girls. Each student will work with a single agency, learning about the organization’s mission and practices and, in most cases, working closely with the individuals served by the agency. Each student will keep a journal in which s/he reflects on connections they identify between their service experiences and our course material. At the end of the semester, the students working at each site will work together to prepare a presentation for the class based on their service experiences. Group members will also work together during the second half of the semester to develop a final project designed to benefit the agency in some way or to raise awareness of the issues addressed by the organization.

Readings We will use the following books in this course: • Amy Kesselman, Lily D. McNair, Nancy Schniedewind, eds. Women: Images and Realities, A Multicultural Anthology. 4th ed. (Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2007). *referred to below as KMS • Margaret L. Andersen and Patricia Hill Collins, eds. Race, Class, and Gender: An Anthology. 7th ed. (Wadsworth Publishing Company, 2010). *referred to below as AHC • Susan M. Shaw and Janet Lee, eds. Women’s Voices, Feminist Visions: Classic and Contemporary Readings. 4th ed. (Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2009). *referred to below as SL • Eve Ensler, The Vagina Monologues. (New York: Villard, 2001).

Additional readings from other sources will be posted on e-reserve and are indicated accordingly on the schedule below. Please bring the textbooks and/or copies of all readings to each class meeting, as we will frequently refer to particular passages in our discussions.

Since there are a number of readings assigned for each class meeting, we will not have time to discuss all of them in detail. However, you will be responsible for understanding all of the material they cover for the exams. Thus, I encourage you to take responsibility for your own learning process by bringing any questions you have about the readings to class so we can be sure to cover them in our discussions. If we are unable to get to your question or comment during our class meeting, please post your thought(s) on the blog so your classmates can discuss them there. To help ensure that you understand and retain the information presented in the readings, I also strongly encourage you to take notes on them—either as you read them, or as a review after you finish each one. If you take careful notes as you do the readings, you will find that you’re better prepared to participate in class and to study for the exams. Please do your best to understand as much of each reading as possible before you come to class, even if that means you need to consult a dictionary, re-read particular passages, etc. Bring any remaining questions you have to class so we can all learn from them.

Outside Lectures In addition to our regularly-scheduled class meetings, you are required to attend 4 outside lectures/cultural events for this course. Three of those must be the following:

· one film during the Global Peace Film Festival. Wwe are very fortunate that Rollins participates in the Global Peace Fillm Festival each year, bringing films and film-makers from around the world to our campus and community. The GPFF will be held this year September 21-26. Please visit peacefilmfest.org for scheduling details and descriptions of the films -- notice that there are a number of films that deal with issues of race, class, gender, and sexuality.

· one event sponsored by the Winter Park Institute. Rollins brings nationally- and internationally- recognized scholars and artists to our campus each year through the WPI. These luminaries speak and perform on our campus throughout the year, offering opportunities for you to be exposed to some of the most influential thinkers of our time. I will announce WPI events periodically, but you can also visit rollins.edu/wpi to view the schedule.

· one event on 11/4, the celebration of Rollins’ 125th anniversary. We will not have class on this day so everyone can participate in celebrating this important milestone in Rollins history. I will provide details when the schedule is made available.

· one of the two films I will show in conjunction with this course. I will show two films this semester outside of class time, “Tough Guise,” a study of the relationship between contemporary media and American understandings of masculinity, and “Busting Out,” a documentary about women’s breasts. Dates, times, and locations TBA.

I will announce additional lecture/event opportunities throughout the semester. To get credit, you should turn in a one- to two-paragraph reflection essay on the event you attend. Your essay should be at least 12 sentences long and should explain what the lecture/event was about and how you responded to it. You can earn extra credit by attending more than four outside lectures or campus events during the semester. Please see below under “Extra Credit” for details about this option.

Writing/Rollins Writing Center There is a significant amount of writing in this course, though most of it is relatively informal writing. Nonetheless, you should take the writing you do in this course seriously. In evaluating your writing, I will look primarily for the analytical quality of your thinking, but the quality of your prose always impacts your ability to communicate your ideas effectively. In other words, remember that even the most brilliant idea is unlikely to have much impact if communicated ineffectively. I ask you to write a lot in this course because I believe that writing is hard work for every- one, and even if you’ve usually gotten positive feedback on your writing in the past, there is always room for improvement. Developing an understanding of how to evaluate and improve your own writing is among the most important skills you can acquire in college, regardless of what you plan to do after graduation. I strongly encourage all my students to visit the Rollins Writing Center in person and/or at their website (www.rollins.edu/wc). The Writing Center serves writers of all levels and at all stages of the writing process, and their website contains links to many useful resources. Please also use me as a resource for questions about writing.

Special Accommodations Rollins College is committed to equal access and does not discriminate unlawfully against persons with disabilities in its policies, procedures, programs or employment processes. The College recognizes its obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to provide an environment that does not discriminate against persons with disabilities. If you are a person with a disability and anticipate needing any type of academic accommodation in order to participate in this class, please make appropriate arrangements with Gail Ridgeway, Disability Services Coordinator. Her office is located in TJ’s, and she can be contacted by phone at (407) 646-2354 or by e-mail at [email protected]. It is also your responsibility to let me know about your needs right away. Please make an appointment with me during the first two weeks of class to discuss any special needs you may have. As long as you speak to me early in the semester about your needs, I will be happy to work with you in any way necessary.

Emergencies If you experience a personal emergency during the course of the semester, such as a serious illness, hospitalization, surgery, or the death of an immediate family member, please contact me as soon as possible. You should also notify the Dean of Student Affairs right away if you have a personal emergency. The Dean can provide official documentation of your situation to me and your other professors so that we can attempt to accommodate your circumstances. I cannot offer special accommodations without official documentation of a personal emergency.

Exams No make-up exams will be given in this course except in the case of a documented dire emergency. Missing an exam is extremely serious, and students should be aware that a make-up exam, if permitted, is likely to be more difficult. Students who arrive late for an exam will not be given extra time to work on it, so their grade is likely to suffer. If you have an emergency before an exam, please contact me by email as soon as possible to let me know what is going on and when you plan to talk to the Dean of Students about documenting your situation. If a make-up exam is permitted, you will be expected to take it as soon as possible, depending on the circumstances of your emergency.

Grades We will use the following grading scale in this course:

A+ = 98 B+ = 88 C+ = 78 D+ = 68 A = 95 B = 85 C = 75 D = 65 A- = 92 B- = 82 C- = 72 D- = 62

• An ‘A’ will be given for excellent work that demonstrates a fully ‘three-dimensional’ understanding of the course material and which is written in a clear and concise manner. • ‘B’ work shows a good understanding of the material, is well-written, thorough, and demonstrates the student’s thoughtful engagement with the material. • ‘C’ work is of average quality and demonstrates a satisfactory mastery of the material but contains some errors, failure to complete the assignment according to some aspect of the guidelines provided, and/or difficulty expressing ideas clearly. • A ‘D’ will be given for work which indicates a mastery of the material that is below average and/or which is poorly communicated or incomplete. • An ‘F’ is reserved for work that fails to demonstrate a clear understanding of material and/or fails to follow the guidelines of the assignment in some way.

Late Work Grades on assignments turned in late will be lowered one letter grade per day. ‘Day two’ begins at 3:31pm on the date an assignment is due. Exceptions will not be made for cases of computer and/or printer problems. Please take the necessary precautions to ensure that your work is safely backed up or preserved on a thumb drive or hard copy. In exchange for your responsibility regarding preparation and deadlines, you may expect me to come to class prepared to facilitate discussion, to return assignments as promptly as possible, to be available via e-mail, and to meet with you to discuss any problems and/or questions you may have concerning the course material.

Extra Credit I do not believe in permitting students to complete extra assignments in order to bring up low grades, so please do not ask me to allow you to write an extra paper for this course. Such extra credit assignments distract students from completion of regular assignments, and I believe that students’ time is much better-spent on the work built into the syllabus. The distribution of grades and assignments in this course is carefully designed to allow students a diverse range of learning and evaluation opportunities. If you do poorly on one or two assignments, the grade distribution is deliberately structured to offer you a number of additional opportunities to improve your grade for the course. I am always eager to work with you to ensure your success with this material, and I encourage you to also take advantage of the resources offered by the Writing Center and TJ’s (see above, “Writing/Rollins Writing Center”). We are fortunate that this semester, the Sociology tutor, Shannon Frey, is a WMS minor. If you need help with any of the concepts in this course or with exam preparation, I encourage you to make an appointment with Shannon. I do offer extra credit for attending lectures outside of our class time. I am willing to ‘reward’ students for attending outside lectures and events because I believe that one of the most important components of your college education is the opportunity to learn about a variety of ideas in a diverse range of disciplines. Rollins College uses some of your tuition money to bring interesting speakers and performances to our campus, and your attendance at those events allows you to take advantage of one of the many opportunities a college campus affords. Any extra credit rewarded for outside lecture attendance will be added to your participation grade.

Honor Code We are required by the College to adhere to the guidelines of the Rollins Academic Honor Code in this class. In essence, the Code states that: (1) All work you turn in must be entirely your own unless the assignment explicitly states that collaboration is permitted. Any information that did not come directly from your own brain must be properly cited. See me in advance if you need help with citing your sources or if you have any questions about what constitutes “authorized assistance” for any particular assignment. I am more than happy to discuss any questions you may have about plagiarism and/or citation. (2) Each assignment you turn in, including papers and exams, must bear the Rollins Honor Pledge: “On my honor, I have not given, nor received, nor witnessed any unauthorized assistance on this work.” The pledge must be complete, handwritten, and followed by your signature. For assignments submitted electronically, the pledge may be typed, and your name on the assignment will be considered equivalent to an electronic signature. Five points will be subtracted from your grade on any assignment or exam turned in without the complete pledge and signature. For incomplete or otherwise incorrect pledge statements (for example, without a signature or typed rather than handwritten), up to 5 points will be subtracted at the discretion of the instructor.

Plagiarism Plagiarism is an extremely serious offense and will not be tolerated in this course. The penalties for plagiarizing in this course include (but may not be limited to): assignment of a zero for the work or failure for the entire course–-at the discretion of the professor—and notification of the Honor Council, the Dean of Students, and other appropriate officers of the College administration. Ignorance of the rules of proper citation will not be accepted as an excuse for plagiarizing. If you have any questions about what constitutes plagiarism and/or how to properly cite the sources you use in this course, please ask them in class, email me, or come talk to me in my office. I am always available and eager to discuss this issue with students.

TurnItIn.com I reserve the right to submit any paper I suspect of plagiarism to Turnitin.com.

Changes to the Syllabus This syllabus has been thoughtfully prepared, and it is my intention to stick as closely to it as possible as the semester unfolds. However, a variety of circumstances can impact the progress of a course, and it is often necessary to alter a syllabus. Thus, this syllabus will be subject to changes which may be made at my discretion as necessary. If and when I make any adjustments, I will provide you with ample notification and explanation of those changes so you can plan accordingly.

Laptops & Cell Phones I regret that due to laptop and cell phone misconduct in previous courses, I no longer allow the use of laptops or cell phones in my classes—even if your calendar is on your laptop or phone. Please do not take your laptop or cell phone out of your bag or pocket during class time. Of course, please also remember to silence your cell phone before class begins.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: Your continued enrollment in this course will signify your agreement to adhere to the terms stated in this syllabus.

Reading Schedule

**Some days’ reading lists may extend from one page to the next, so be sure to flip ahead to the next page to be sure you’ve done all the reading for each day!**

Tuesday, 8/24: Introductions

Thursday, 8/26: What is Feminism? What is Women’s Studies?

• understand the evolution of feminism in the US, including the “waves” and their connections to American women’s history • define the scope and objectives of the field of Women’s Studies • understand the historical and political relationship between Women’s Studies and the American feminist movement • consider the symbiotic relationship between privilege and oppression • learn the terms “consciousness raising” and “the personal is political”

“The First and Second Waves of Feminism in the U.S.,” Amy Kesselman (KMS, 542-548) “The Seneca Falls Women’s Rights Convention, 1848” (KMS, 548-550) “Sojourner Truth’s Defense of the Rights of Women” (KMS, 551) “What Feminism Means To Me,” George Middleton (KMS, 552) “Consciousness Raising: A Radical Weapon,” Kathie Sarachild (KMS, 553-555) e-reserve: Betty Friedan, “Battling for Women While Being Beaten at Home,” George (May, 2000): 82-87 & 113-114. e-reserve password: WMS205

“A Day Without Feminism,” Jennifer Baumgardner & Amy Richards (SL, 28-31)

Tuesday, 8/31: Feminism/Women’s Studies, cont’d

“Oppression,” Marilyn Frye (SL, 84-86) e-reserve: Allan G. Johnson, “Patriarchy, the System: An It, Not a He, a Them, or an US,” Women’s Lives: Multicultural Perspectives, ed. Gwyn Kirk and Margo Okazawa-Rey, 3rd ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004) 25-32.

“Talking Back,” bell hooks (KMS, 15-18) “Claiming an Education,” Adrienne Rich (KMS, 19-21) “Voices of Women’s Studies Students,” Danista Hunte, et al. (KMS, 29-34)

Thursday, 9/2: Sex vs. Gender—How do we learn gender?

• distinguish between sex and gender • consider the relationships between “nature” & “nurture” in gender development

• explore how female children are shaped into women and how male children are shaped into men • consider how gender norms for children impact men’s and women’s social and political roles as adults

“X: A Fabulous Child’s Story,” Lois Gould (KMS, 108-113) “An Educator’s Primer On the Gender War,” David Sadker (KMS, 75-81) “Reality Versus Perception,” Jo Sanders and Sarah Cotton Nelson (KMS, 82) “Checklist For Inclusive Teaching,” Mercilee Jenkins (KMS, 82-83) “The Sexual Politics of Interpersonal Behavior,” Nancy Henley and Jo Freeman (KMS, 84-93) e-reserve: Ruth Hubbard, “Rethinking Women’s Biology,” Women: Images and Realities: A Multicultural Anthology, ed. Amy Kesselman, Lily D. McNair, and Nancy Schniedewind, 2nd ed. (Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing, 1995) 25-31.

“The Egg and the Sperm: How Science Has Constructed a Romance Based on Stereotypical Male Female Roles,” Emily Martin (KMS, 40)

Tuesday, 9/7: Privilege and Oppression, Commonalities and Differences—Race

• define the term “racism” and understand its personal and political implications • further explore the connections between privilege and oppression • consider how we have experienced privilege and oppression in our own lives • understand the connection between language and oppression • explore how oppression can happen within an oppressed group • learn the term “internalized oppression” e-reserve*: Peggy McIntosh, “White Privilege and Male Privilege: A Personal Account of Coming to See Correspondences Through Work in Women’s Studies,” Race, Class, and Gender: An Anthology, ed. Margaret L. Andersen and Patricia Hill Collins, 3rd ed. (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1998) 94-105.

“Defining Racism: ‘Can We Talk?’,” Beverly Daniel Tatum (KMS, 380-385) “An Autobiography (excerpt),” Angela Davis (KMS 392-393) “Something About the Subject Makes It Hard to Name,” Gloria Yamato (SL, 99-101)

*Note: There is a shorter version of this essay in your SL textbook, but we will discuss the slightly longer version I’ve posted on e-reserve so please read that version.

Thursday, 9/9: Race, cont’d

“Seeing More Than Black and White,” Elizabeth Martinez (AHC, 87-92) “Of Race and Risk,” Patricia Williams (AHC, 93-95) “Optional Ethnicities: For Whites Only?,” Mary C. Waters (AHC, 201-209) “Racist Stereotyping in the English Language,” Robert B. Moore (AHC, 368-379)

“Challenging Your Assumptions” (SL, 63)

Tuesday, 9/14: Privilege and Oppression, Commonalities and Differences—Class

• add “class” to our evolving understanding of the “matrix” of oppression • consider how class has impacted our own life experiences • re-evaluate our understanding of America’s “merit-based” economy • learn about poverty in America and the experiences of the working poor • understand how experiences of racial- and/or class-based oppressions and privileges may divide and create conflict among women • consider how commonalities and differences among women can positively shape both Women’s Studies and the feminist movement e-reserve: Holly Skiar, “Imagine a Country—2006,” Race, Class, and Gender in the United States, ed. Paula S. Rothenberg, 7th ed. (New York: Worth, 2006) 329-338. e-reserve: Gregory Mantsios, “Class in America—2006,” Race, Class, and Gender in the United States, ed. Paula S. Rothenberg, 7th ed. (New York: Worth, 2006) 182-195. e-reserve: Chuck Collins and Felice Yeskel, “Billionaires R Us,” Race, Class, and Gender in the United States, ed. Paula S. Rothenberg, 7th ed. (New York: Worth, 2006) 343-344.

Thursday, 9/16: Race & Class e-reserve: Dorothy Allison, “A Question of Class,” Women’s Lives: Multicultural Perspectives, ed. Gwyn Kirk and Margo Okazawa-Rey, 3rd ed. (Boston: McGraw Hill, 2004) 78-85. e-reserve: Johnetta B. Cole, “Commonalities and Differences,” Race, Class, and Gender: An Anthology. ed. Margaret L. Andersen and Patricia Hill Collins, 3rd ed. (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1998) 175-180.

Audre Lorde, “Age, Race, Class and Sex: Women Redefining Difference” (AHC, 505-511)

“Poverty, Hopelessness and Hope,” Kendall A. Johnson (KMS, 411-414) e-reserve: Associated Press, “More Blacks Live with Pollution,” Race, Class, and Gender in the United States, ed. Paula S. Rothenberg, 7th ed. (New York: Worth, 2006) 314-316. e-reserve: Alejandro Reuss, “Cause of Death: Inequality,” Race, Class, and Gender in the United States, ed. Paula S. Rothenberg, 7th ed. (New York: Worth, 2006) 386-391.

Tuesday, 9/21: Masculinity/ies e-reserve: Michael S. Kimmel, “Masculinity as Homophobia: Fear, Shame, and Silence in the Construction of Gender Identity,” Race, Class, and Gender in the United States, ed. Paula S. Rothenberg, 7th ed. (New York: Worth, 2006) 80-92.

e-reserve: Don Sabo, “Pigskin, Patriarchy, and Pain,” Race, Class, and Gender in the United States, ed. Paula S. Rothenberg, 7th ed. (New York: Worth, 2006) 451-454. e-reserve: Tommy Avicolli, “He Defies You Still: The Memoirs of a Sissy,” Race, Class, and Gender in the United States, ed. Paula S. Rothenberg, 7th ed. (New York: Worth, 2006) 458-463. e-reserve: Richard Morin, “The Baby Boy Payoff,” Race, Class, and Gender in the United States: An Integrated Study, ed. Paula S. Rothenberg, 6th ed. (New York: Worth Publishers, 2004) 271-272. e-reserve: Kevin Powell, “Confessions of a Recovering Misogynist,” Gender Through the Prism of Difference, ed. Maxine Bacca Zinn, et al., 3rd ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2005) 555-559.

Thursday, 9/23: Men’s Violence Against Women & Children—

• understand the extent, severity, and variety of violence against women and girls • learn the facts and dispel the myths surrounding men’s violence against women • consider the impact of individuals’ experiences of sexual & domestic violence on women and girls as a social class • explore our cultural prejudices about women survivors of violence and the assumptions behind those prejudices • understand the relationships between patriarchy, social control, and violence against women • learn about the resources that are in place to help survivors—and what still needs to be done to improve our societal response to this issue • consider how men’s violence against women impacts our own lives and what we can do to end it

“Battering: Who’s Going to Stop It?,” Ann Jones (KMS, 482-488) “Violence in Intimate Relationships: a Feminist Perspective,” bell hooks (KMS, 495)

“Holding Up More Than Half the Heavens,” Margaretta Wan Lin and Cheng Imm Tan (KMS, 496-498) “Bringing Women’s Studies to a Battered Women’s Shelter,” Colleen Farrell (KMS, 498) e-reserve: Del Martin, “A Letter From a Battered Wife,” Women: Images and Realities, A Multicultural Anthology, ed. Amy Kesselman, Lily D. McNair, and Nancy Schniedewind, 3rd ed. (Boston: McGraw Hill Higher Education, 2004) 454-456.

“The Violence Against Women Act of 1994” (SL, 557) “Cyberstalking” (SL, 559-561) “The Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence” (SL, 567) “Check Up on Your Relationship” (SL, 570) “The Cycle of Violence” (SL, 571) “Beyond the Politics of Inclusion: Violence Against Women of Color and Human Rights,” Andrea Smith (SL, 578-580)

Tuesday, 9/28: Men’s Violence Against Women & Children—

“Rape: The All-American Crime,” Susan Griffin (KMS, 499-507) “Rape Law Reform,” Amy Silvestro (KMS, 506)

“Whose Body Is It, Anyway?,” Pamela Fletcher (KMS, 507-510) “High-School Gauntlet,” Rachel (KMS, 510) “With No Immediate Cause,” Ntozake Shange (KMS, 510-511) “Naming and Studying Acquaintance Rape,” Peggy Reeves Sanday (KMS, 511-518) “Rape and Gender Violence: From Impunity to Accountability in International Law,” Rhonda Copelon (KMS, 518-20) “Stronger Than You Know,” Rachel Modell (KMS, 520-22)

“Betrayed by the Angel: What Happens When Violence Knocks and Politeness Answers?,” Debra Anne Davis (SL, 589-593) “Campus ,” Joetta L. Carr (SL, 593-599) “War Crimes,” Helen Clarkson (SL, 605-606)

Thursday, 9/30: Men’s Violence Against Women & Children—Rape, cont’d, and Child Sexual Abuse e-reserve: Bruce Kokopeli and George Lakey, “More Power than We Want,” Race, Class, and Gender: An Anthology. ed. Margaret L. Andersen and Patricia Hill Collins, 5th ed. (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 2004) 494-499. e-reserve: Inga Muscio, “Rape Not Cunts,” Cunt: A Declaration of Independence. (Seattle: Seal Press,1998) 149-179.

“Lisa’s Ritual, Age 10,” Grace Caroline Bridges (SL, 600) “Reclaiming Our Mojo,” Jane Fonda (SL, 606-610)

“Protecting Male Abusers and Punishing the Women Who Confront Them: The Current Status of Child-Sex Abuse in America,” Lanette Fisher-Hertz (KMS, 522-528) “Making Sense of the Experience of Incest Survivors,” Peri L. Rainbow (KMS, 528-533) “Bubba* Esther, 1888,” Ruth Whitman (KMS, 533)

Tuesday, 10/5: Pornography and Sex Work

• learn about the feminist debate over pornography and censorship • consider the meaning of the words “pornography” and “sex work” • explore the connections between pornography as an industry and individual women’s experiences • examine the connections between pornography and violence against women and children e-reserve: Rebecca Whisnant, “Confronting Pornography: Some Conceptual Basics,” Not For Sale: Feminists Resisting Prostitution and Pornography, ed. Christine Stark and Rebecca Whisnant (North Melbourne: Spinifex Press, 2004) 15-27. e-reserve: Ann Simonton, “Who Are Women in Pornography?: A Conversation,” Not For Sale: Feminists Resisting Prostitution and Pornography, ed. Christine Stark and Rebecca Whisnant (North Melbourne: Spinifex Press, 2004) 352-361.

e-reserve: , “Prostitution as a Harmful Cultural Practice,” Not For Sale: Feminists Resisting Prostitution and Pornography, ed. Christine Stark and Rebecca Whisnant (North Melbourne: Spinifex Press, 2004) 386-399.

Robert Jensen, “A Cruel Edge: The Painful Truth About Today’s Pornography – and What Men Can Do About It,” http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/%7Erjensen/freelance/pornography&cruelty.htm

Thursday, 10/7: Pornography and Sex Work, cont’d

“Human Rights: Sex Trafficking and Prostitution,” Alice Leuchtag (SL, 581-587) “Pornography and Freedom,” (SL, 601-604) e-reserve: Kevin Bales, “Because She Looks Like a Child,” Gender Through the Prism of Difference, ed. Maxine Bacca Zinn, et al., 3rd ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2005) 193-202. e-reserve: Julia O’Connell Davison, “The Sex Tourist, the Expatriate, His Ex-Wife, and Her ‘Other’: The Politics of Loss, Difference, and Desire,” Gender Through the Prism of Difference, ed. Maxine Bacca Zinn, et al., 3rd ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2005) 203-215.

e-reserve: Margaret A. Baldwin, “Strategies of Connection: Prostitution and Feminist Politics,” Not For Sale: Feminists Resisting Prostitution and Pornography, ed. Christine Stark and Rebecca Whisnant (North Melbourne: Spinifex Press, 2004) 295-305.

Tuesday, 10/12: No Class—Fall Break

Thursday, 10/14: Midterm

Tuesday, 10/19: Sexuality & Love

“The Invention of Heterosexuality,” Jonathan Ned Katz (AHC, 242-253) e-reserve: Jason Schultz, “Getting Off On Feminism,” Race, Class, and Gender: An Anthology, eds. Margaret L. Andersen and Patricia Hill Collins, 5th ed. (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 2004) 474-482. e-reserve: Naomi Wolf, “Radical Heterosexuality,” Women’s Lives: Multicultural Perspectives, ed. Gwyn Kirk and Margo Okazawa-Rey, 3rd ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004) 155-158.

“Romance: Sweet Love,” bell hooks (SL, 193-197)

“Demanding a Condom,” Kat Doud (KMS, 155)

Thursday, 10/21: Sexuality, cont’d: Privilege and Oppression, Commonalities and Differences

• understand the terms “homophobia,” “heterosexism,” “compulsory heterosexuality,” and “heterosexual privilege” and their relationship to other forms of oppression, such as those based on race, class, and/or gender • consider the notion of sexuality as a spectrum rather than a binary • explore the intersections of race, class, and sexuality as parts of the “matrix” of oppression • learn how homosexuality—and homophobia—can impact families • consider some of the influences of patriarchal society on the development of girls’ sexualities • debate what “feminist sexuality” might look like

“Loving Another Woman,” Anne Koedt (KMS, 156-161) “Bisexuality, Feminism, Men and Me,” Robyn Ochs (KMS, 165-167) “Homophobia and Sexism,” Suzanne Pharr (KMS, 416-419) “Sexual Desire and Gender,” Pepper Schwartz and Virginia Rutter (SL, 186-193) “What is Bisexuality?,” Jennifer Baumgardner (SL, 197-203) e-reserve: Judy Peet, “Lesbian Sues School District Over Harassment,” Race, Class, and Gender in the United States, ed. Paula S. Rothenberg, 7th ed. (New York: Worth, 2006) 317-318. e-reserve: “Boy Punished for Talking About Gay Mom,” Race, Class, and Gender in the United States, ed. Paula S. Rothenberg, 7th ed. (New York: Worth, 2006) 319.

Tuesday, 10/26: Women’s Bodies—Beauty

• trace historical changes as well as race and class differences in ideas about feminine beauty • define “body image” and understand how we learn what we ‘should’ look like • consider some of the ways cultural ideals of female beauty affect individual women’s mental and physical health • examine how ideals of female beauty impact interactions between individuals

“The Beauty Myth,” Naomi Wolf (KMS, 120-125) “When I Was Growing Up,” Nellie Wong (KMS, 125-126) “To Other Women Who Were Ugly Once,” Inés Hernandez-Avila (KMS, 126) “Nose Is a Country . . . I Am the Second Generation,” Aishe Berger (KMS, 127-129) “Homage to My Hair,” Lucille Cliffton (KMS, 129) “Our Crown, Our Glory, Our Roots,” Meah Clay (KMS, 129) “The Body Politic,” Abra Fortune Chernik (KMS, 130-134) “Breaking the Model,” Graciela (Chely) Rodriguez (KMS, 134-138) “Revenge Against the Scale,” Jennifer Ollendorf (KMS, 137) “The Fat Girl Rules the World,” July Siebecker (KMS, 138) “Homage to My Hips,” Lucille Clifton (KMS, 139) e-reserve: Ann Gerhart, “More and More Young Women Choose Surgical ‘Perfection’,” Race, Class, and Gender in the United States, ed. Paula S. Rothenberg, 7th ed. (New York: Worth, 2006) 480-484.

e-reserve: Olivia Chung, “Finding my Eye-Dentity,” Race, Class, and Gender in the United States, ed. Paula S. Rothenberg, 7th ed. (New York: Worth, 2006) 485-486.

“Designer Vaginas,” Simone Weil Davis (SL, 287-294)

Thursday, 10/28: Women’s Bodies—Health

• consider women’s relationship to the patriarchal medical community and the implications of that relationship on women’s health • understand the ways in which women’s sexual and reproductive health has constituted a particularly strained aspect of that relationship • evaluate the argument that the medical profession has helped to perpetuate gender inequality • understand the current US breast cancer epidemic • explore the relationship between race, class, sexuality, and health care • evaluate both sides of the abortion argument • consider how societal attitudes toward women’s reproductive systems and their functions affect women’s physical and mental health and their personal and professional opportunities and experiences • learn about the global impact on women of the AIDS epidemic

“The Boston Women’s Health Book Collective,” Susan Brownmiller (KMS, 555-558) “The Politics of Women’s Health in the United States,” Boston Women’s Health Book Collective (KMS, 317-323) “Uninsured, Exposed and at Risk—But Not Powerless,” Lourdes A. Rivera (KMS, 324-328) “Women Speak Out About the Health Care System” (KMS, 324) “Mandatory Doctor’s Visit,” Diane Hugs (KMS, 328-331) “The Feminization of AIDS,” Marielena Zuniga (KMS, 331-334) “Necessity Was the Midwife of Our Politics,” Deborah R. Grayson (KMS, 334-338) “For Better Lesbian Health, Fewer Barriers to Care,” Leah Thayer (KMS, 342-343) “Breast Cancer Activism Moving Beyond the Mammography Debate,” Sabrina McCormick (KMS, 343-344) “Top 10 Breast Cancer Myths Debunked” (KMS, 345-346)

“If Men Could Menstruate,” Gloria Steinem (SL, 254-255)

Tuesday, 11/2: Health Cont’d

“My Fight for Birth Control,” Margaret Sanger (SL, 358-360)

“Abortion: Is a Woman a Person?,” Ellen Willis (KMS, 348-351) “Lost Woman Song,” Ani di Franco (KMS, 351) “Talking With the Enemy,” Anne Fowler, et al. (KMS, 351-355) “Prochoice/Prolife” (KMS, 356) “Parental Consent Laws: Are They a ‘Reasonable Compromise’?,” Mike Males (KMS, 357-359) “Testimony of William Bell (On Raised Bill #5447),” Connecticut State Legislature (KMS, 359-360) “Using Pregnancy to Control Women,” Ruth Hubbard (KMS, 360-364)

“Killing the Black Body,” Dorothy Roberts (KMS, 365-366) “Abortion in the U.S.: Barriers to Access,” Marlene Gerber Fried (KMS, 367-373)

Thursday, 11/4: no class—Rollins 125th Anniversary celebration

Tuesday, 11/9: Women’s Health, cont’d

Eve Ensler, The Vagina Monologues. (New York: Villard, 2001).

Thursday, 11/11: Women, Work, and Families

• define “sex segregation,” “division of labor,” “reproductive labor,” “the wage gap,” “the second shift,” and “the feminization of poverty” • evaluate popular stereotypes of women on welfare • understand the political implications of housework and the challenges of fully incorporating women into the workforce • consider the impact of globalization on women, work, and families

“The Politics of Housework,” Pat Mainardi of Redstockings (SL, 448-451) “A Brief History of Working Women,” Sharlene Hesse-Biber and Gregg Lee Carter (SL, 451-464) “Maid to Order: The Politics of Other Women’s Work,” Barbara Ehrenreich (SL, 464-470) “Surviving Globalization: Immigrant Women Workers in Late Capitalist America” (SL, 470-482) “An Overview of Women and Work,” Ellen Bravo and Gloria Santa Anita (KMS, 180-184) “Gender Segregation and Pay Differentials in Occupations” (KMS, 185) “Office Double Standards” (KMS, 188) “The Price of Motherhood: Why the Most Important Job in the World is Still the Least Valued,” Ann Crittenden (KMS, 191-194) e-reserve: Aaron Bernstein, “Women’s Pay: Why the Gap Remains a Chasm,” Race, Class, and Gender in the United States, ed. Paula S. Rothenberg, 7th ed. (New York: Worth, 2006) 370-372. e-reserve: “The Wage Gap and Its Costs” Race, Class, and Gender in the United States, ed. Paula S. Rothenberg, 7th ed. (New York: Worth, 2006) 373-378.

Tuesday, 11/16: Women, Work, and Families, cont’d

“Power Plays: Six Ways the Male Corporate Elite Keeps Women Out,” Martha Burk (SL, 483-485) “The Women’s Movement Against Sexual Harassment” (SL,486-493) “European Child-Care: Policies and Programs,” Karen Fredriksen-Goldsen and Andrew Scharlach (KMS, 226) “Exploding the Welfare Stereotypes,” Rita Henley Jensen (KMS, 226-231)

Thursday, 11/18: Presentations & Discussion of Service Project Experiences

Tuesday, 11/23: Presentations & Discussion of Service Project Experiences

Thursday, 11/25: no class—Thanksgiving

Tuesday, 11/30: Presentations & Discussion of Service Project Experiences

Thursday, 12/2: “Becoming the Third Wave”

• understand the term “backlash” and its implications for the feminist movement • understand the goals of “third wave” feminism • consider how we can support this phase of the feminist movement

“Blame it on Feminism,” Susan Faludi (KMS, 577-582) e-reserve: selections from Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, “Why Women’s Rights Are the Cause of Our Time,” New York Times Magazine (August 23, 2009).