Introduction to Women's Studies (WMS 101)
Introduction to Women's Studies is an interdisciplinary course clearly reflecting and acquainting students with recent scholarship on women, gender, and feminist theory. It critically examines cultural assumptions about gender. The readings and assignments reflect women's experiences with race, class, and gender, and provide information about women's psychology, biology, roles, experiences, contributions, and history.
The course is required for the Women's Studies Option in General Studies (see College Catalog).
TEXTBOOKS: available at College Bookstore or online
Burn, Women Across Cultures: A Global Perspective. 2nd. Ed. McGraw-Hill, 2005..
Schneir, Feminism in Our Time: The Essential Writings, World War II to the Present. Vintage 1994.
How to find me: Dr. Anne Mills King
Blackboard: http://pgcconline.blackboard.com
Link on Blackboard to find your assignments, other links, communications from me and your classmates.
Office Prince George's Community College, Marlboro3056 Office hours posted on the door
Phone: 301-322-0594 aking@pgcc.edu
This syllabus and other information will be on my web page: http://academic.pgcc.edu/~aking/
COURSE OUTLINE: 12 units, each to be completed in a week. Three weeks of review, testing, presentations.
Unit 1: Developing frameworks for study:
A. The Social Construction of Difference
B. Understanding Racism, Sexism, and Class Privilege
C. The Economics of Race, Class, and Gender in the United States.
Unit 2. Institutions and the consequences of Inequality
A. Women's silences
B. Patriarchal attitudes
Unit 3. Race and Gender Issues in the Law
A. Sexual orientation
B. Class
C. Race
Unit 4: Gender issues in Education
A. Inequalities in education
B. Math and science anxiety in women
Unit 5. Women and Religion
A. Mythology
B. Spirituality
Unit 6. Women in the Media
A. Depiction of stereotyped roles of men and women
B. Feminism and creativity
Unit 7. Women's Health issues
A. The body
B. Age
Unit 8. Choices and Control: relationships
A. Violence, abuse
B. Harassment
Unit 9. Choices and Control: Families
A. children-- education, attitudes
B. Sexual orientation
C. Cross cultural, cross-generational
Unit 10. Choices and Control: Work
A. The "glass ceiling"
B. Sexual harassment
Unit 11. Feminism, the world, and the future
A. Influence of feminist research across the curriculum
B. How feminism has challenged traditional epistemologies
Unit 12. Future Changes
A. Power, authority, leadership
B. Integration of issues of difference
WHAT TO EXPECT: You are expected to turn in assignments on time. You must have the proper hardware and software to access this course, as outlined on Blackboard. When deadlines are announced, they will be firm. You are responsible for much of the research, using the library facilities and the internet. I will tie it all together with communications, materials, and lists of videos and web sites to make your introduction to women's studies more rewarding and fascinating. You can always communicate with me by email, and I will repond. You will be amazed at how the subjects we study mesh with what you have learned in history, literature, psychology, and sociology courses. I expect mature, responsible behavior. See "Nettiquette" for what that means in an online course.
GRADING
Here's how I figure grades: A= 3.6-4.; B= 2.6-3.5; C= 1.6-2.5;
D= .8-1.5; F= 0.
You will receive separate handouts on the paper and reports.
Grades will be reported on Blackboard—on the Gradebook—but not instantly!
Assignments: These are readings from Women Across
Cultures, supplemented by selections from Feminism
in Our Time. For each week's module, these assignments,
quizzes, and the accompanying Journal entries must be completed by the deadline
and posted on Blackboard Digital Drop Box or sent to me by email. You will find
more information, including due dates, on each week's assignment in the
"Assignments" section of Blackboard.
|
Dates |
Women Across Cultures |
Feminism in Our Time |
Journal (Write a short page on one question from Women Across Cultures) |
|
Orientation at
|
Read introduction to book |
Read introduction |
On Blackboard Discussion Board, read my introduction and then introduce yourself |
|
Week 1 |
Chapter 1: Overview of the book |
Brownmiller, 272- |
Choose one question: 1 or 2, p. 15 |
|
Week 2 |
Chapter 2 Women’s Low Status and Power |
de Beauvoir, 3-20 Plath 33- Friedan 48- |
Discussion questions p. 42-43 (1-4) |
|
Week 3 |
Chapter 3: Reproductive Rights |
"Our Bodies Ourselves" 351 Roe v Wade 399 |
p. 70-71 |
|
Week 4 |
Chapter 4: Lesbianism |
Radicalesbians 160 Lorde 168, Rich 310 |
p. 993-94 |
|
Week 5 |
Chapter 5:Women’s Work |
read 369-393 for documentation Individual reports on web sites; see Assignments |
p. 131 |
|
Week 6 |
Film Reviews: see Assignments |
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Week 7 |
Chapter 7: Women and Globalization |
Eisler 439, Daly 260 |
p. 187 |
|
Week 8 |
Chapter 8: Women and Religion |
Abzug 393 |
p. 221-222 |
|
Week 9 |
Chapter 9:Women in Politics |
Civil Rights Act 71 Faludi 454 |
p. 260, or “Action Opportunities” #2 or 3. |
|
Week 10 |
Chapter 10 and |
Find and evaluate web sites. See Assignments for directions. |
Sites at the ends of chapters |
|
Week 11 |
Project or paper due |
See list of topics; documentation information. TURNITIN information |
Discussion Board |
|
Week 12 |
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Share your papers-abstracts posted on line about your paper |
Discussion Board |
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Final Exam due date |
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