Women's Changing Roles

TITLE OF COURSE AND COURSE NUMBER:
Women's Changing Roles, WS 110

DESCRIPTION OF COURSE:
A history and analysis of the origins, philosophies, issues and activities of the women's movement. Deals with gender roles in changing society and role conflicts for both women and men resulting from this transition. Explores the impact of sexism, racism, heterosexism, classism, ableism, ageism, and other oppressions on women's lives.

COURSE PREREQUITIES: None

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The course will:
--demonstrate how women's history (herstory) has been kept hidden.
probe the ideology of patriarchy and the history of its development.
explore feminisms.
--analyze sexism in major institutions and the interaction of gender with race, class, sexuality and other structures in our society.
--explore numerous issues which impact female lives including sexual terrorism, ableism, ageism, lesbianism, homophobia, racism, economics, health care, AIDS, body image, motherhood, children's rights, etc.
--critique the position of women in contemporary society.
--critique images of women in various media.
--require written and oral presentations which demonstrate critical thinking.
--encourage cooperative work in small and large groups.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students will:
--show knowledge of women's history (herstory) in an exam or paper.
--critique the ideology of patriarchy and the history of its development in an exam or paper.
--discuss multiple definitions of feminism and formulate their own definition in classroom discussions.
--demonstrate understanding of the intersections of oppression in an exam or paper.
--discuss issues including sexual terrorism, ableism, ageism, lesbianism, homophobia, racism, economics, health care, AIDS, body image, motherhood, children's rights, etc. in individual or group project presentations.
--relate women's position in contemporary society in current event presentations or other classroom presentations.
--show the exploitation of women by commercial media during an individual or group project presentation.
--critically write about and discuss the issues addressed in this course in a paper or exam.
work cooperatively with others in small class discussion groups and on a collaborative project.

TOPICAL OUTLINE OF THE COURSE CONTENT

Week one: Course overview, introductions, definitions of systems of oppression. What is women's studies?
Week two: Patriarchy and the social construction of gender.
Week three: Women's history (herstory).
Week four: Sexism. What does it mean to be a woman?
Week five: Female body image.
Week six: Sexuality: lesbianism, heterosexuality, bisexuality, asexuality, questioning sexuality.
Week seven: Race/racism, ethnicity/ethnocentrism
Week eight: Work, class, and economics.
Week nine: Women and legal issues.
Week ten: Health and age issues.
Week eleven: Sexual terrorism issues.
Week twelve: Reproductive rights.
Week thirteen: Religion.
Week fourteen: Women organizing for social change
Week fifteen: Transnational feminism and global issues
Week sixteen: Student presentations, course summation

GUIDELINES/SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHING METHODS AND STUDENT LEARNING ACTIVITIES:
Lectures
Small group discussions
Plenary discussions
Experiential activities such as role plays
Films
Guest speakers
Reading logs
Journals
Essays
Research papers
Exams
Quizzes
Group projects
Individual projects
Service learning

GUIDELINES/SUGGESTIONS FOR METHODS OF STUDENT ASSESSMENT
Exams, graded journals, presentation of projects--oral and/or written, student led discussions, class participation.

SUGGESTED READINGS, TEXTS, OBJECTS OF STUDY

--Freeman, Jo, ed. Women: A Feminist Perspective, most recent edition. Mayfield.
Hunter College Women's Studies Collective, eds. 1995. Women's Realities, Women's Choices.
--Kesselman, Amy, Lily D. McNair, Nancy Schniedewind, ed. 1999.Women: Images and Realities: A Multicultural Anthology, most recent edition. Mayfield.
--Ruth, Sheila, ed. 1998. Issues in Feminism: An Introduction to Women's Studies, most recent edition. Mayfield.
--Evans, Sara. Born for Liberty: A History of Women in America. Free Press.
--Brumberg, Joan Jacobs. An Intimate History of American Girls, Vintage.

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SUPPORTIVE TEXTS AND OTHER MATERIALS:

-- Albrecht, L. and R. M. Brewer, eds. 1990. Bridges of power: Women's multicultural alliances. Published in cooperation with the National Women's Studies Association. Philadelphia, PA: New Society Publishers.
--Anzaldua, G., ed. 1990. Making face, making soul/haciendao caras: Creative and critical perspectives by women of color. San Francisco, CA: Aunt Lute Foundation Books.
--Brownmiller, S. 1975. Against our will: Men, women and rape. New York: Simon & Schuster.
--Brumberg, J. J. 1988. Fasting girls: The history of anorexia nervosa. Cambridge, MA: The Harvard Univerity Press.
--Culley, M. Ed. 1985. A day at a time: The diary literature of American women from 1764 to the present. New York: The Feminist Press.
--Dubois, E. C. and V. L. Ruiz. Eds. 1990. Unequal sisters: A multi-cultural reader in U. S. women's history. New York: Routledge.
--DuPlessis, R. B. and A. Snitow. Eds. 1998. The feminist memoir project: Voices from women's liberation. New York: Three Rivers Press.
--Faderman, L. 1991. Odd girls and twilight lovers: A history of lesbian life in twentieth-century America. New York: Columbia University Press.
--Faludi, S. 1991. Backlash: The undeclared war against American women. New York: Crown.
--Gomez, J. 1996. Forty-three Septembers.
--Lorde, A. 1984. Sister outsider: Essays & speeches by Audre Lorde. Trumansburg, NY: The Crossing Press.
--Moraga, C. and G. Anzaldua, eds. 1981. This bridge called my back: Writings by radical women of color. New York: Kitchen Table Women of Color Press.
--Morgan, R. Ed. 1984. Sisterhood is global: The international women's movement anthology. New York: Doubleday.
--Zimmerman, B. and T. A. McNaron, eds. 1996. The new lesbian issues: Into the twenty-first century. New York: The Feminist Press.

PREPARER'S NAME AND DATE:
Dr. Arlene Holpp Scala, 1979

ORIGINAL DEPARTMENT APPROVAL DATE: 1979

REVISER'S NAMES AND DATE:
Dr. Arlene Holpp Scala, September 2000

DEPARTMENTAL REVISION APPROVAL DATE: September 2000