UNIVERSITY OF MADRAS M.A .DEGREE COURSE IN WOMEN'S STUDIES CHOICE-BASED CREDIT SYSTEM DEPARTMENT OF WOMEN STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF MADRAS REGULATIONS (With effect from the academic year 2016–17) 1. CONDITIONS FOR ADMISSION Any Bachelor (Under-graduate) Degree holder of the University of Madras or any other University or a qualification accepted by the Syndicate of this University as equivalent thereto. 2. DURATION OF THE COURSE The course of the Degree of Master of Arts in Women's Studies shall consist of four semesters over two academic years. Each semester will have a minimum of 90 working days and each day will have five working hours. Teaching is organized into a modular pattern of credit courses. Credit is normally related to the number of instructional hours a teacher teaches a particular subject. It is also related to the number of hours a student spends learning a subject or carrying out an activity. 3. EXAMINATION AND EVALUATION 3.1.Continuous Internal Assessment (CIA) • Sessional Test I will be conducted during the sixth week of each semester for the syllabus covered till then. • Sessional Test II will be conducted during the eleventh week of each semester for the syllabus covered between the seventh and eleventh week of that semester. • Sessional tests (of one to two hours duration) may employ one or more assessment tools such as assignments and seminars suitable to the subject. Students will be informed in advance about the nature of the assessment and shall have to compulsorily attend the two sessional tests, failing which they will not be allowed to appear for the End-semester examination. • Each Sessional test will carry 40% (20%+20%) of total marks for the subject. The marks of the two Sessional tests shall be taken into account for the computation of Grade. 3.2.End-Semester Examination (ESE) • End-Semester Examinations will be conducted at the end of each of the four semesters for each subject covering the entire syllabus prescribed for the course. • The examinations will be of three hour duration carrying 60% marks. • The first semester examination will be conducted in the middle of the first academic year and the second semester examination at the end of the first academic year. Similarly, the third semester examination will be conducted in the middle of the second academic year and the fourth semester examination at the end of the second academic year respectively. • A candidate who does not pass an examination in any subject(s) in any semester will be permitted to appear for such failed subject(s) along with the papers of the following semesters. • End-semester examination will be in the form of viva-voce for Internship and Dissertation. 3.3.Allocation of Marks • Continuous Internal Assessment = 40 marks • End-Semester Examination = 60 marks 3.4.End-semester Evaluation Pattern for Internship • Report = 40 marks • Attendance = 20 marks • Viva-voce = 40 marks Total = 100 marks 3.5.End-semester Evaluation Pattern for Dissertation • Internal = 40 marks • External = 60 marks Total = 100 marks 3.6.Passing Minimum • No passing minimum is stipulated for the Continuous Internal Assessments. • For the End-Semester Examinations, the required minimum aggregate of external and internal marks is 50% for each paper, project work and viva-voce , to pass in that subject. A candidate who has not secured a minimum of 50% marks in a subject shall be deemed to have failed in that subject. 4. ELIGIBILITY FOR THE AWARD OF DEGREE A candidate becomes eligible for the award of the degree of M.A. Degree in Women's Studies subject to the fulfillment of the following conditions: • Completes the Post-graduate course of study in Women's Studies offered by the Department of Women Studies over the period of four semesters (that is, two years full-time) and has earned 91 credits. • Passes all the theory examinations, completes the internship and prescribed projects. • Completes four courses on Soft Skills, earning a total of eight credits over the period of two years (that is, one course earning two credits per semester). • Meets all other requirements as prescribed by the Board of Studies in Women's Studies of the University of Madras at the time of admission and the amendments included in the regulations by the Board of Studies in Women's Studies and the Academic Council from time to time. 5. COURSE OF STUDY The course of the study for the four semesters shall be as follows: Syllabus Course Code Title of the Course C/E/S/I Credits Semester I Introduction to Feminist Theories C 4 Evolution of Family, Social Structures and C 4 Institutions Women in Indian Literature and Culture C 4 Women and Wellness C 4 Elective I – Introduction to Women and Gender E 3 Studies Elective II E 3 Soft Skill I S 2 Semester II Gender Sensitisation and Resolving Gender C 4 Conflict Women in Literature, Media and Arts C 4 Gender Based Violence and Laws C 4 Men in Feminism C 4 Elective III –Key Concepts and Issues in Gender E 3 Studies Course Code Title of the Course C/E/S/I Credits Elective IV E 3 Soft Skill II S 2 Internship I 2 Semester III Basics of Research Methodology C 4 Gender in Historical and Religious Thought C 4 Gender, Language and Etiquette C 4 Life Narratives of Women in Science C 4 Elective V – Status of Women in India Through E 3 the Ages Elective VI – Preparatory Course in Women's E 3 Studies for Competitive Exams Soft Skill III S 2 Semester IV Education, Employment and Empowerment C 4 Dissertation & Viva Voce C 4+4=8 Elective VII – Evolution of Women’s Writing in E 3 India Soft Skill IV S 2 Total Credits 91 Semester I Core I – Introduction to Feminist Theories Unit I- Overview of Classical Theories Background to feminism/s - Marxism/ Socialism - Psychoanalytic theory - Postcolonial theory – Post-modernism - Eco-criticism Unit II- Waves and Schools of Feminism First, second and third waves of feminism - Radical feminism - Liberal/ Cultural feminism - Marxist / Socialist feminism - Psychoanalytic approach to feminism - Care focused approach to feminism - Postcolonial feminism - Postmodern feminism / Global feminism, Third world feminism - Eco feminism/ Gender and development Unit III- Women’s/ Gender Terms and Concepts Patriarchy - Gender Roles - Gender Mainstreaming - Performing Gender – Intersectionality – Positionality – Perspectives – Stereotyping - Feminism and Feminazism - Feminization of Poverty - Five Sexes - The Other – Agency – Empowerment - Gender Continuum – LGBT Unit IV- Structural and Philosophical Background to Feminist ideologies Moral theory - Normative theory – Vulnerability - Human Rights - Equality and Equity - Ecofeminism and Development from Gender Perspective Unit V- Limitations and Scope of the existing body of Feminist theories and ideologies Feminist Ideologies – Mainstream feminism, feminism from the margins, white feminism, black feminism, Indian feminism – Importance of interdisciplinary/ multidisciplinary approach to feminism – Limitations and scope for research using perspectives of feminism References: Cixous, Helene. 1981.“The Laugh of the Medusa” in New French Feminisms, Ed. Elaine Marks & Isabella Courtviron. New York: Schocken Books. DeBeauvoir, Simone. 1961. The Second Sex. New York: Bantam. Friedan, Betty. 1963. The Feminine Mystique. USA: W W Norton & Co. Hughes, Christiana. 2002. Key Concepts in Feminist Theory and Research. London: Sage. Millet, Kate. 1970. Sexual Politics. USA: Doubleday & Co. Putnam Tong, Rosemarie. 2013. Feminist Thought: A More Comprehensive Introduction. Westview. Showalter, Elaine. 1979. Towards a Feminist Poetics. Warhol- Down, Robyn & Diane Price-Herndel. 1997. Feminisms: An Anthology of Literary Theory and Criticism. New Jersey: Rutgers University Press. Core II – Evolution of Family, Social Structures and Institutions Unit I – Roles of Women in Family and Society Archeology of the evolution of women’s role - Gender roles in the domestic sphere - Kitchen space feminism - Gender roles in the social sphere - Matriarchy and Matrilineal societies Unit II – Feminist Schools of Thought Background to Material feminism - Women’s labour and wages within various structures of the society - Gender and class conflicts in society - Urban/ Rural/ Margin conflicts within feminism Unit III – Women/ Gender within the Private and Public Spheres Being the ‘Other’ - Spaces - Personal/ Private and Intimate space/ Domestic space of a woman - Social politics – Class, Caste, Race, Urban/Rural Politics - Institutional politics – Gender roles within private spheres – Social/Civic code and conduct Unit IV – Role Playing and Performativity Gender roles and Normative Theory - ‘Being’ and ‘Doing’ - Self empowerment and Agency - Appropriating the Gender – The Politics and Ethics of it - Culture-Specific Societal, Familial and Institutional norms and conditions Unit V – Anthropological Enquiry of Gender Roles for Development Socio-cultural Practices such as Dowry, Female Infanticide, Foeticide, Abortion, Sex selective abortion, etc - Overcoming Gender Biases and Gender Restrictions - Importance of Women’s roles for Development within the domestic and social spheres - Gender Based Development - Gender Mainstreaming and Inclusive approach towards Development References: Agarwal, Suresh. 2015. Social Problems in India. New Delhi: Rajat Publications. Daly, Mary. Beyond God the Father. Mitchell, J. 1975. Women in a Man Made World. Chicago: Rand McNally & Co. Scott, John (ed). 2006. Sociology: The Key Concepts. New York: Routledge. Shenoy-Packer, Suchitra. 2014. Society, Socialization and Agency: India’s Working