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ECOFEMINIST & RELS-V265 Spring 2020 Section 1 (001) MWF 1:30 – 2:20 PM, Bobet 332 Section 2 (002) MWF 2:30 – 3:20 PM, Bobet 332

Dr. Anne Daniell Office: Bobet 440 [email protected] Office Hours: Thursdays, 10:15 – 12:15 E-mail for other meeting times.

Course Overview

Students become familiar with the ecofeminist and ecowomanist intellectual and activist movements of the late twentieth century to the present day, coming to understand how these perspectives have shaped and continue to shape contemporary and . Throughout the course, we examine ’s claim that patriarchal institutions and other- worldly concepts of divinity are mutually reinforcing, serving to create and maintain a hierarchical worldview that subjugates women, , and all those who are “othered.” We read and unpack the meaning of significant ecofeminist/womanist theological texts, considering the diverse influences that different social locations (e.g., ethnic, socioeconomic, religious, and -sexuality differences) have on people’ lives and theological thinking. Through student-created Wikis, all of us will learn about ecofeminist spokespersons and activist groups representing a variety of different religions and .

Reading and Source Material

All assigned articles, excerpts, chapters, films & links to websites will be accessed via Blackboard (Bb) Course Material. DVDs will be placed on Bb Streaming Video.

It is important that students familiarize themselves with Blackboard and check Check Bb Week-by-Week and Bb Announcements at least once a week to keep up with assignments, changes in the schedule, extra credit opportunities, etc.

Types of Assignments: 100 pts. Total 10 pts. Participation* (includes attendance**) 10 pts. Assignment: Wiki Collaborator or Discussion Leader 10 pts. Responsive Writings (worth approx. 3.33 pts. each) 20 pts. 1st test 15 pts. 2nd test 15 pts. 3rd test 20 pts. Final Exam/4th test.

*Participation: Everyone begins with a 7-pt. (average) participation grade. You can work your way up or down from there. Points will be subtracted for poor attendance, for being habitually late to class, and for being disruptive in class. Points will be added for attentive listening and note-taking (i.e., “active listening”); bringing relevant readings and notes to class; and participating in class through discussions and asking questions.

**Attendance: Attendance will be taken at the beginning of class. It is the student’s responsibility to talk to the professor if they arrive late, or if they will be, or have been, absent. Absences are only excused if students provide an official excuse. Four (4) classes can be missed before a student’s grade is affected. After 4 missed classes, students

2 cannot get more than 7 points in their participation grade. Students absent 15% (6+) of classes cannot get higher than a B+; more than 20% (8+) cannot get higher than a B; 30% (12+) cannot get higher than C; 40% (17 +) cannot get higher than D. If a student misses half or more of the class periods they will fail (F).

Hand-written vs. computer-written notes: You are advised to take notes during class, especially (but not only) on those days when there is no power-point accompanying the lecture. There will be many days when take an in-depth look at scriptures or at assigned readings and videos. You will be tested on this material. Students who take hand-written notes are typically more successful than those who take notes on electronic devices, or who do not take notes at all.

Grading scale: A = 95 – 100 A- = 90 – 94 B+ = 88 – 89 B = 83 – 87 B- = 80 – 82 C+ = 78 – 79. C = 73 – 77 C- = 70 – 72 D+ = 68 – 69 D = 60 – 67 F = 0 – 59

How students will be informed of grades & course progress: Notes on attendance, participation & grades on assignments and tests are recorded in the professor’s gradebook. Students are encouraged to consult with the professor (during office hours, or you may email to arrange a different meeting-time) to discuss how they are doing in the class. Midterm & final grades will be posted on LORA.

Assignments:

A. Response-Papers comprise 10% of the final grade. These are short, informal papers (1.5 – 2.5 pages) written in response to a prompt. No footnotes or endnotes are needed. The papers will either be written in class or assigned as a take-home assignment on Bb. Depending on the flow of the class, there will be 1 - 3 responsepapers over the course of the semester. If 3 Response Papers are assigned, they will each be worth approximately 3.33 points. If two are assigned, they will each be worth 5 points. If for some only one (1) paper is assigned, that paper will be worth the entire 10 points.

B. Wiki collaborator OR Discussion-group Leader: Students will choose a topic during the second or third week of class. Groups of 2 to 3 students will work together on a Wiki in relation to their chosen topic, and they will give a group presentation (5 – 7 mins.) on their assigned day. The other option is to lead a small discussion

group either on the film, Rachel’s Daughters or on the essay, The Clan of One-Breasted Women.

Sequence of Topics & Assignments: approximate dates*

*The schedule and assigned readings will be posted every week on Bb Week-by-Week. If there is a major change to the syllabus, the Syllabus will be updated on Bb and an announcement will be sent out via email asking you to consult the updated syllabus. Students should check Bb Week-by-Week and Bb Announcements at least once a week.

Mon. Jan. 6 Introduction: Syllabus

Wed. (part 1) & Ecology: What are they & why are they connected? Jan. 8 Bb: King, Ynestra, “The Ecology of Feminism & the Feminism of Ecology”

Fri. (part 2) Feminism & Ecology: What are they & why are they connected? Jan. 10 (finish) Bb: King, Ynestra, “The Ecology of Feminism & the Feminism of Ecology”

Mon. Ecofeminist Classics Jan. 13 & Susan Griffin (Copies of excerpts will be brought to class.)

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Wed. (finish) Ecofeminist Classics (Walker & Griffin) Jan. 15 (part 1) Ortner’s theory: , Nature & Women’s Intermediacy Bb: Ortner, Sherry, “Is Female to Male as Nature is to ?”

Fri. Sign Up for Assignment: Wiki Collaborator or Discussion Leader Jan. 17 (part 2) Ortner’s theory: Patriarchy, Nature & Women’s Intermediacy (See reading above.)

Mon. Jan. 20 MLK DAY: No class.

Wed. U.S. Feminist “Waves” & 2nd Wave “personal is political” slogan Jan. 22 Waves of Feminism & The Personal is Political

Fri. Basic Types of modern, U.S. Feminism Jan. 24 Types of Feminism

Mon. Jan. 27 Walker, Alice: excerpt on Womanism Williams, Delores: excerpt; short video of Delores Williams (in-class)

Wed. Jan. 29 Kimberle Crenshaw & other short video (in-class)

Fri. of women & nature in (part 1) Jan. 31 Bb: Merchant, Carolyn. The Death of Nature (excerpt)

Mon. Oppression of women & nature in Europe (part 2) Feb. 2 Bb: Merchant, Carolyn. The Death of Nature (excerpt)

Wed. Catch Up Feb. 4 Go over format for Test 1

Fri. Feb. 7 TEST 1 (20% of final grade)

Mon. Early (pt. 1): Feb. 10 Bb: Daly, Mary: article

Wed. Early Feminist Theology (pt. 2): Nelle Morton Feb. 12 Bb: Morton, Nelle: article

Fri. Early Feminist (pt. 3): Carol Christ Feb. 14 Bb: Christ, Carol: “Why Women Need the ”

Mon. Feminist Hermeneutics of Suspicion Feb. 17 What is ? What are feminist hermeneutics of suspicion? ...of remembrance & performance? Bb: Phyllis Trible article(s): excerpts

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Wed. Feminist Hermeneutics: (continue) Genesis’ Creation stories Feb. 19 Bible: Genesis 1& 2; Bb: Phyllis Trible article(s): excerpts

Fri. Jewish Feminist Hermeneutics: Lilith, Miriam & Vashti stories Feb. 21 Feminist hermeneutics of remembrance and performance

Mon. Feb. 24 - MARDI GRAS Week Fri. Feb. 28 No Class

Mon. Feminist Hermeneutics of suspicion & remembrance: Hagar story Mar. 2 Bible: Genesis 9 – 16; Read one of the following & be ready to report on: Bb: Tamez, Elsa: “The who Complicated History” Bb: Weems, Renita: “A Maid, A Mistress, and No Mercy”

Wed. Womanist & Feminist Hermeneutics: Women in the New Testament Mar. 4 Bb: Weems, Renita: “Certain Women”

Fri. Review/Catch Up: Feminist and Womanist Hermeneutics Mar. 6 Go over format for Test 2.

Mon. TEST 2: Feminist & Womanist Hermeneutics (15% of final grade) Mar. 9 Begin Constructive Ecofeminist Theology

Wed. Ecofeminist Theology Mar. 11 Bb: Nicene Creed & El Shaddai

Fri. Ecofeminist Theology: Source, Grace & Mar. 13 Bb: Elizabeth Johnson, “Images: , Wisdom, Spirit”

Mon. Ecofeminist Theology: Jesus & Christ Mar. 16 Bb: Denis Edwards on Jesus & Christ Communitarian Christology of Ivone Gebara from Bilgrimage blog

Wed. Ecofeminist Theology: Wisdom (part 1) Mar. 18 Bb: Wisdom Texts & D. Edwards on biblical Wisdom (pt. 1)

Fri. Ecofeminist Theology: Wisdom (part 2) Mar. 20 Bb: Wisdom Texts & D. Edwards on Wisdom & Christ (pt. 2) Responsive Writing on Wisdom (last 20 – 30 mins. of class)

Mon. Ecofeminist Theology: Spirit (part 1) Mar. 23 Bb: Baker-Fletcher, Karen (excerpts)

Wed. Ecofeminist Theology: Spirit (part 2) Mar. 25 Bb: Chung Hyun-Kyung, “Welcome the Spirit: Hear Her Cries”

Fri. Ecofeminist Theology: Trinity (& Catch Up) Mar. 27 Go over format for Test 3.

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Mon. TEST 3: Constructive Ecofeminist Theology Mar. 30 (15% of final grade)

Wed. Ecofeminism & (pt. 1) April 1 Interview with Melanie L. Harris; other video excerpts (in-class)

Fri. Ecofeminism & Environmental Justice (pt. 2) April 3 Student Wiki presentation on EcoWomanism. possible: video clips from Rachel’s Daughters DVD-003287

DUE Sun. Apr. 5 Response Paper to Rachel’s Daughters, DVD-003287 (Bb Streaming Video) 11:59 PM Watch video on your own (2+ hours) & write response paper: See Bb Prompt.

Mon. Student-led Discussion Groups: Meet in Library (approx. 4 groups) April 6 Small-group discussions Rachel’s Daughters DVD-003287

Wed. Student-led Discussion Groups: Meet in Library (approx. 4 groups) April 8 Bb: Tempest Williams, Terry: Clan of One-Breasted Women

April 9 - 13 Easter Holidays No classes.

Wed. Hindu / Indian Ecofeminism April 15 Bb: Gnanadason, Aruna article and/or Shiva Vandana article

Fri. Apr. 17 Student Wiki Presentation: Hindu/Indian Ecofeminism

Mon. Indigenous Women & Environmental Activism April 20 Bb: Canas, Mercedes, “In Us Life Grows”; NRDC blog: Indigenous Women as Enviro. Leaders

Wed. April 22 Student Wiki Presentation: Indigenous Women & Environmental Activism

Fri. Goddess, Gaian & Pagan Ecofeminism April 24 Bb: Eisler, Riane: excerpt; Student Wiki Presentation: Goddess, Gaian & Pagan Ecofeminism

Mon. Non-binary/Queer Subjectivity & Ecology April 27 Bb: Gaard, Greta article OR Sandilands, Catriona article

Wed. Student Presentations: Non-binary/Queer Identities & Ecology April 29 Go over format for Final Exam. Final Exam will be cumulative & count for 20% of final grade.

Final Exams May 1st – 7th

Eco-Fem. Final Exam 001: Fri. May 1, 11:30 – 1:30 PM Cumulative 002: Mon. May 4, 2:00 – 4:00 PM

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Student Assignment: Wiki Collaborator or Discussion Leader

Students will sign up either to serve either as a discussion leader for a small-group or to collaborate with 1 - 2 other students in creating a Wiki on a specific subject (see below). --For small-group discussions, students may work alone or with one other person. --For Wiki Collaboration, students may work in groups of 3 or 4. --Sign-Up Sheet will be passed around during the third week of class.

Small-group discussion leaders: Discussion leaders will lead a small-group discussion of about 7-10 students. You will submit a reflection (1.5 – 2 pages) that includes your questions for discussion and your thoughts about the following: --How did it go? (What was your experience like leading a discussion group?) --What did you find most frustrating? What was most satisfying/what worked best? --What questions provoked the best responses, and what got people talking the most? --What questions did you find to be the most challenging for those in your group? -- Anything else you want to share about the experience? . . .

Wiki Collaborators: Create a Wiki in collaboration with others. One (1) – three (3) students may participate in a Wiki group. The following are major topics to choose from (CHOOSE ONE): 1.) EcoWomanism in relation to Environmental Justice 2.) Hindu / Indian Ecofeminism 3.) Indigenous Women and 4.) Pagan and Goddess Ecofeminism 5.) Gaian Ecofeminism 6.) Queer / Non-binary Gender Identities in relation to Environmentalism

Although the following are not covered in this class, it is possible to do a Wiki on one of them. It will be more difficult to fine information on these than than on the topics listed above. Presentation date TBD (after Easter). A. Muslim Women and Environmental Activism B. Buddhist Ecofeminism C. African Ecofeminism/EcoWomanism

You will present the Wiki to the class in approximately 5 – 10 min. presentation, going over your opening page and highlighting some of your other pages. Everyone who works on the Wiki must be part of the presentation. You should also come up with two questions based on information included in your Wiki that could be used in the final exam. (Send your proposed questions to the professor; professor will choose some of these questions to be included in the final exam.)

The following information should be included in your Wiki: --Opening page: Introduction. Includes general information (overview). --Links to other pages should go into further detail about major figures (significant people related to your topic); major groups; key historical dates and events; major sub-movements, etc. --Images/pictures; links to You-tubes and/or articles; etc.

Information gathering is the most important part of the Wiki. You should also spend quality time on formatting and organizing the Wiki. This is a project that should be worked on gradually over the entirety of the semester. It cannot be completed the day before it is due. Though much of the collaborative work can be done through sharing on-line, you should plan to get together occasionally to discuss who is going to do what, etc.