Course Description
Interdiciplinary examination of social issues of race, class, ethnicity, and sexuality as they contribute to the lives and identity formation of diverse women in the United States. Special attention paid to African American, Asian American, Latin American, and Native American women.
Athena Title
Gender Race Class Sexuality
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in WMST 3110
Non-Traditional Format
This version of the course will be taught as writing intensive, which means that the course will include substantial and ongoing writing assignments that a) relate clearly to course learning; b) teach the communication values of a discipline—for example, its practices of argument, evidence, credibility, and format; and c) prepare students for further writing in their academic work, in graduate school, and in professional life. The written assignments will result in a significant and diverse body of written work (the equivalent of 6000 words or 25 pages) and the instructor (and/or the teaching assistant assigned to the course) will be closely involved in student writing, providing opportunities for feedback and substantive revision.
Prerequisite
WMST 1110 or WMST 1110E or WMST 1110H or WMST 2010 or WMST 2010H or permission of department
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
After completion of the course, the student should be able to: 1. Understand how the historical and contemporary status of women in the U.S. has been shaped by their gender, race, class, and ethnic background. 2. Be familiar with the major theoretical and methodological issues in feminist scholarship on questions concerning social constructions of gender, race, and class. 3. Describe common and distinctive experiences of women in different spheres of activity, including how race, class, and ethnicity interact to shape these experiences. 4. Evaluate and discuss creative approaches employed by women of varying race, class, and ethnic backgrounds to respond to conditions of oppression individually or collectively. 5. Develop appropriate research skills to participate in a team project and an independent research project which will result in an oral presentation and a written paper.
Topical Outline
Through a variety of written assignments, this course will be focused on low-stakes and high-stakes written work to develop skills necessary to meet disciplinary writing standards, including editing and rough drafts. The written assignments include 20 reading reflections and a final paper. The topics include: What do we Mean by Gender, Race, and Class? What is Oppression? Theoretical Perspectives and Interpretation of Gender, Race, and Class Feminist Perspectives on Gender, Race, and Class: Commonalities and Differences Women and Work Family and Household Women and Health Reproduction Sexuality Violence Politics and Strategies of Empowerment African American Women Asian American Women Latina American Women Native American Women Jewish American Women Building Multi-Cultural Alliances: U.S. Approaches Building Multi-Cultural Alliances: International Approaches
Syllabus