WGSST 2550 HISTORY OF FEMINIST THOUGHT Class meetings: Wednesdays and Fridays 11:10 am-12:30 pm University Hall 86 Fall Semester 2013 (August 21-December 3, 2013) University Documented DisABilities Students with a university-documented disability certified by the Office of Disability Services should discuss with me any special accommodations needed for the course. Please make me aware of your needs as soon as possible. The Office of Disability Services, located at 150 Pomerene Hall, offers services for students with documented disabilities. Contact the ODS at 2-3307292-3307, TDD 292-0901; http://www.ods.ohio-state.edu/. Instructor: Dr. Debra Burrington, Senior Lecturer in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies Office: TBA Email: [email protected] or [email protected] Office Hours: By appointment in office or more flexibly via email or phone (310) 592-0854 Course Description and Objectives The primary objective of this course is to provide students majoring and minoring in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies with a foundation in the history of feminist thought, a category of inquiry that is both an intellectual and a political construction. However, this enterprise is not as straightforward as it may sound, and the construction of this singular sounding entity called ‘history of feminist thought’ is fraught with at least a few difficulties. Thus, while attempting to understand developments in feminist thinking about key concepts and experiences we must also take up the project of recasting the central terms – ‘history’ (singular), ‘feminist’ (singular) and ‘thought’ (singular) – to consider who has written the narratives of intellectual history, who benefits from these narratives, and who has been excluded. This will require that we be open to deconstructing the predominant wave narrative of feminism and its white, western centrality while at the same time considering the historical voices in feminist thought beginning roughly in 19th century Europe and continuing into the early 21st century. We will engage in our endeavors with an eye focused on feminist thinking within the context of histories of imperialism, colonialism, racism, heterosexism, classism and increasing globalization in an effort to weave a richer tapestry comprised of multiple, intersectional narratives, Western-influenced though they may be. No matter how we approach this enterprise we will encounter gaps, flaws, exclusions, erasures and injustices, but we will take our best shot at approaching our material from a variety of angles while also recognizing that each is incomplete by itself. Our approach to the course will emanate from the structure of our primary required text, Feminist Theory Reader: Local and Global Perspectives (2013), edited by Carole R. McCann and Seung-kyung Kim. Rather than being another attempt to contain the diversity of feminist thought within a historical-chronological frame that implicitly accepts the ‘wave metaphor’ for understanding developments in feminist thought over time, this newly available text anchors the material included in the anthology in key theoretical concepts that are central to feminist thinking, places them into conversations and debates within ‘multiracial and transnational U.S. feminism’ and in turn situates these within a global perspective. As the editors state in their introduction to the text, “…our guiding principle has been to make the theoretical foundations of U.S. women’s studies intelligible to contemporary students by including a mixture of old and new material, which represent pivotal moments of intellectual insight.” This material will be supplemented by readings that provide important touchstones to primary writings from particular periods of time, location and perspective. Course Texts Required: Carole R. McCann and Seung-kyung Kim, eds. Feminist Theory Reader: Local and Global Perspectives (Routledge, 2013) ISBN 978-0-415-52102-4 (Shown As FTR on reading list) Angela Y. Davis, Women, Race and Class (Vintage, 1983) ISBN 0-394-71351-6 (Shown as AngelA Davis on reading list) Estelle B. Friedman, ed. The Essential Feminist Reader (Modern Library, 2007) ISBN 978-0-8129- 7460-7 (Shown As EFR on reading list) Emma Goldman, Anarchism and Other Essays (CreateSpace, 2013) ISBN 9-781456-494872 (Shown as Emma Goldman on reading list) (These texts all have been ordered from SBX.) Note: A small handful of readings can be accessed via Carmen and are designated as such by ‘(Carmen)’ after the article title. Assignments And ResponsiBilities ParticipAtion (200 pts = 20%): This is defined as your physical and intellectual presence. Please arrive at each class session on time and fully prepared to take part in our ongoing discussion. Being fully prepared means that you will have completed the assigned readings, reflected upon them, and formulated some questions and themes to contribute to the conversation. In addition to lecture-discussion where participation opportunities will be plentiful, we will also engage in small group activities to help us address aspects of the topics. Attendance will not be taken in the class; it is your responsibility to choose to be here. However, you will be asked for your own self-assessment of your presence and overall contributions to the class around the mid-point and end of the semester. The mid-point self-assessment will enable you to target areas where you feel your participation could be improved, and the end-point self-assessment will allow you to evaluate whether you met your own targets for participation. Important note: You may be called upon randomly from the course roster at any time to comment upon or respond to a question about an assigned reading. TAke Home Mid-Term Exam (300 pts = 30%): This will be a cumulative exam of several short essay questions through Part II of the syllabus. It will be distributed in class on Friday 10/4 and will be due via the Carmen Dropbox on Friday 10/11 by 5:00pm. Late exams will be accepted only under really, really extenuating circumstances. ProposAl for FinAl EssAy (200 pts = 20%): A one-page proposal will be submitted identifying your final paper topic, key questions you plan to investigate, and a bibliography of at least five possible research sources you intend to employ. This is due in class on Wednesday 10/23. If you have to miss class on this date the proposal is still due but can be submitted via email by 5:00pm. FinAl EssAy (300 pts = 30%): Your final paper for the course is to be a 7-10 page essay that explores the genealogy of a contemporary feminist issue, tracing its conceptual framework and situating its key assumptions and aims in the various histories of feminist thought we engage in this course. The essay must pay careful attention to both differences from and transformations of previous theories/ways of thinking about this issue. This is due by 5:00pm Wednesday December 4th in the Carmen Dropbox. Late essays will not be accepted. Course GrAding Grading A = 93-100% B- = 80-82% D+ = 67-69% A- = 90-92% C+ = 77-79% D = 63-66% B+ = 87-89% C = 73-76% D- = 60-62% B = 83-86% C- = 70-72% F = below 60% AcAdemic Integrity/PlAgiArism Students are expected to maintain complete academic integrity. Please become familiar with the Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Department’s statement on plagiarism: As defined by University Rule 3335-31-02, plagiarism is “the representation of another’s works or ideas as one’s own; it includes the unacknowledged word for word use and/or paraphrasing of another’s work, and/or the inappropriate unacknowledged use of another person’s ideas.” Plagiarism is one of the most serious offenses that can be committed in an academic community; as such it is the obligation of this department and its instructors to report all cases of suspected plagiarism to the Committee on Academic Misconduct. After the report is filed a hearing takes place and if the student is found guilty, the possible punishment ranges from failing the class to suspension or expulsion from the university. Although the existence of the Internet makes it relatively easy to plagiarize, it also makes it even easier for instructors to find evidence of plagiarism. It is obvious to most teachers when a student turns in work that is not his or her own and plagiarism search engines make documenting the offense very simple. You should always cite your sources (I can help you with this if you are unfamiliar with proper styles of documentation). Always ask questions before you turn in an assignment if you are uncertain about what constitutes plagiarism. Always see your TA or professor if you are having difficulty with an assignment. To preserve the integrity of OSU as an institution of higher learning, to maintain your own integrity, and to avoid jeopardizing your future, DO NOT PLAGIARIZE! Writing Center The Writing Center allows you to make appointments to get assistance from trained writing tutors. To utilize this university-sponsored service, contact the Writing Center at (614) 680-4291 or visit their website at http://cstw.osu.edu/writingcenter. Please also note that the Resources section of the Writing Center website contains a variety of extremely helpful materials on topics such as source citation, drafting and style, editing and grammar. Course Topic Outline and Reading Schedule Introduction to the Class “…how and why did things get to be the way they are?” “…there are many histories of feminist theory…” W 8/21 The course framework; key concepts, issues and questions that are our focus Read: “Introduction” (FTR, 1-10) Part I: Feminist Thought in Times And SpAces “As A frAmework for telling feminist histories, the wAve metAphor oBscures more thAn it illuminates.” A Few ‘Pre-Feminist’ Beginnings “…because of doubt and a low opinion of myself and because of diverse sayings of men, I refused for a long time a call to write…” F 8/23 Scheherazade as an early feminist: http://www.npr.org/2013/06/09/189539866/scheherazade-from-storytelling-slave-to-first- feminist Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179): http://www.hildegard.org/documents/flanagan.html http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/med/hildegarde.asp Female Troubadors (Trobairitz) ca.