Home | Womens Gender and Sexuality Studies



WGSST 326: Women and Addiction

Instructor: Sarah Carnahan

Virtual/Phone Office Hours: By Appointment

Email: carnahan.24@osu.edu

Google: carnahan.24

Skype: scarnahanosu

Phone: 207-233-2450

Accommodation of students with Disabilities:

Students who have verification from Disability Services are responsible for contacting the instructor as soon as possible to make necessary arrangements. The Office for Disability Services (150 Pomerene Hall; 614-292-3307) verifies the need for accommodations and assists in the development of accommodation strategies.

Course Description

This course offers a multicultural feminist perspective on women and addiction. Using an interdisciplinary approach, students will explore addiction within the contexts of social construction, popular culture, mental health, and public policy. Discussion topics explore the socially constructed meanings of addiction, gender, power, and privilege. Particular attention will be given to the various ways these social constructions can create cultural beliefs about addictions. Careful attention is paid to the ways in which popular culture shapes cultural beliefs and knowledge about women and addictions and how those beliefs impact public policy and even the recovery process. Students will engage in an interactive approach to learning about women and addiction. Through lectures, class discussions, readings, popular culture analyses, blogging/journaling, group work, and in-class activities, students will gain a better perspective on gender, intersectionality, and addiction.

A Note About Course Readings:

With the exception of the book that you will focus on for your group presentation, all of the readings for the course can be accessed on Carmen or the internet. You will be responsible for buying or borrowing a copy of the book that you choose with your group.

Learning Objectives:

• Acquire an understanding of how issues of addiction might be viewed within an intersectional feminist framework, and how such perspective relies on and departs from traditional addiction theories.

• Consider how addiction can operate as a tool of social control based on the social construction of difference, i.e. race, sex, class, and sexual orientation.

• Examine how systems of oppression and inequality can be factors in the development of addiction.

• Explore the relationships between gender ideology, socialization, and addiction.

• Challenge dominant beliefs about addiction within the contexts of intersectional identities and oppressions, motherhood, and reproduction.

Because this is a women's studies course, all assignments are expected to reflect an understanding of feminist scholarship. This does not mean that you are expected to be or become a feminist, but it does mean that you will be expected to demonstrate the ability to apply feminist theories and critical methods in your work. We will practice looking through a feminist lens throughout the semester in our discussions.

Summer Online Course Considerations:

Because online courses do not require time in the classroom, it is expected that you will be doing a lot of reading and writing in order to account for both the time in the classroom and the outside-of-class work that is typical for a 3-credit class. Additionally, because this is a short summer semester, typical class periods and expected weekly readings are significantly longer than during the academic year, as we have to cover the same amount of material in half the time. (This is why it is recommended to only take 1-2 courses in the summer.) Please bear this in mind as you manage your time and approach the assignments in this course.

Though you will be working independently in this class, there are due dates for readings and assignments, and it is vital that you keep up with the assignment schedule at the beginning of class. Because of the heavy reading load typical of online classes, it will be difficult to catch up if you fall behind.

Carmen News Feed: Any announcements pertaining to the course will be posted on the Carmen news feed, which is located on the homepage of our Carmen course site. It is extremely important that you check the news feed at least a couple of times a week, as the information posted there may be crucial, such as any change in assignments, grading updates, etc.

Lectures: Lectures will be posted at least twice over the semester. Lectures will typically take the format of a narrated powerpoint, though there may be some variation in format. In order to hear the narration on the powerpoint lectures, simply press the speaker icon on each slide. The two lectures in the first week of class are mandatory; you will need to listen to these in order to respond to the writing assignment due for that week. Lectures may be added during the semester based on the needs of the class; these lectures are optional, but will enhance your understanding of the class material.

Office Hours: As I am living in Maine while teaching this course, in-person office hours are not possible. However, I am more than happy to hold virtual or phone office hours by appointment. Simply email me if you would like to arrange a time to Skype, talk on the phone, or chat via Google. All of my contact information is listed at the top of this syllabus.

Course Assignments:

Syllabus Quiz (10%): Because this is an online class, it’s essential that you read the entire syllabus. This syllabus quiz can be found on Carmen and must be completed by the time noted in the schedule of assignments. You are allowed to reference the syllabus when you do the quiz, but you will only have 15 minutes to answer 12 questions, so it is recommended that you read the syllabus before doing the quiz.

Journal Entries (35%): Throughout the quarter you will write five journal entries that respond to prompts posted on Carmen. Each entry will be graded out of 20 points and is worth 7% of your final grade. A more detailed description and the grading rubric for this assignment will be posted in the content section of our Carmen page.

Journal entry prompts will build off of course readings. Prompts will be posted on Friday night, and journal entries must be submitted to the appropriate Carmen dropbox by the end of the following Monday. (The one exception is the last journal entry.) There will only be one journal dropbox, so you will add a file each time you write a new journal entry. Files with feedback will be uploaded for each journal entry, and I strongly recommend that you look at the feedback, as it will strengthen your other assignments.

Group Book Presentation (20%): In groups of 5 that I will assign, students will choose a book that is related to the topic of women and addiction. The book may be factual, fiction, memoir, etc. The book must be pre-approved by the instructor. On the dates noted in the syllabus, a representative from each group will upload a group presentation to the Carmen dropbox and every student will upload a self and peer evaluation form to the dropbox. More information will be given about the group presentation in the assignment description handout and rubric on Carmen. The assignment is designed so that you can successfully complete it even if your group members are not able to all meet in person.

Digital Artifact Analysis (35%): Throughout the quarter, you will collect artifacts (newspaper articles, internet articles from places like Lexus Nexus, popular magazine articles and/or images, films, music videos, and advertisements) that reflect the breadth of materials and issues we have explored in class. For your final project, you will choose 5 items that speak to course materials and theoretical concepts; each item will be the focus of a feminist intersectional analysis. Each analysis must be a minimum of 600 words and will reflect your understanding of the class material. You are required to cite class material (lecture notes, class readings, class discussions) within each. The final project is due on the date noted on the assignment schedule. More information will be provided in the assignment description and corresponding video.

Please note that assignments are due on the dates designated in the syllabus. If an emergency arises and you make arrangements with me ahead of time, I may agree to accept a late assignment. If I do not agree or if prior arrangements have not been made, you will receive a lowered grade for that assignment. Journal and project grades will be dropped by two points for each day that they are late. A computer malfunction is not an acceptable excuse for not completing an assignment on time.

Additionally, I reserve the right to make changes to the syllabus if needed throughout the quarter. If changes become necessary for the benefit of the class, I will post them to the Carmen news feed.

Academic Misconduct:

All students are responsible for doing their own work and plagiarism will NOT be tolerated. 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 person’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.

Make sure to:

* Always cite your sources (I can help with this) and ask questions before you turn in an assignment if you are uncertain about what constitutes plagiarism

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!

Resources

Your instructor: Please feel free to contact me at any time over the course of the quarter if you are struggling with papers, course work, etc. I am willing to work with you. Email is the best way to contact me. I will do my best to respond to your email within 24-hours on weekdays, and by Sunday evening at the latest on weekends (beginning Friday evening). Also, I encourage you to make a phone or digital appointment with me if you have questions/concerns about the course or course assignments/material.

If there is an urgent matter, you may use my cell phone number on this syllabus. Please reserve this for issues that need immediate attention; also, please text me before you call so that I know to pick up, as I will not recognize the number.

The OSU Writing Center: OSU Writing Center consultants are an excellent resource for writers at any level or stage in the writing process. Take advantage of the free individual tutoring that you can receive there. Information and appointment scheduling can be found at:

Your Health

WGSS classes often include material that students find personal or challenging, and this can especially be the case with a course centered on addiction. I encourage you to seek support either through me, friends, and/or professional and campus resources if you find yourself struggling.

A recent American College Health Survey found stress, sleep problems, anxiety, depression, interpersonal concerns, death of a significant other and alcohol use among the top ten health impediments to academic performance. Students experiencing personal problems or situational crises during the quarter are encouraged to contact the OSU Counseling and Consultation Service (614-292-5766) for assistance, support and advocacy. This service is free and confidential

Schedule of Assignments

Week 1 (June 16th): Introduction to Feminist Thought

* Watch Welcome Video

* Read Syllabus and complete Syllabus Quiz on Carmen by 5pm on Friday, June 20th

* Watch Brené Brown TED Talk and Lectures #1 & 2 on Carmen

* Reading on Carmen:

Weiss, “’I’m not a feminist, but . . . ‘”

Crenshaw, “Mapping the Margins”

Frye, “Oppression”

* Journal Entry #1 due in dropbox on Monday, June 23rd.

Week 2 (June 23): Feminist Approaches to Addiction

* Reading on Carmen:

Kasl, “Defining Addiction: “Patterns of Chemical and Psychological Addictions”

Kasl, “Is Addiction Inevitable? Patriarchy, Hierarchy, and Capitalism”

Northrup, “The Patriarchal Myth and Addictive System”

Kandall, “Women and Addiction: A Historical Perspective”

* Email Sarah group book choices by 5pm on Friday, June 27th

* Journal Entry #2 due in dropbox on Monday, June 30th

Week 3 (June 30): Gender, Power, and Addiction

* Reading on Carmen:

Fassel & Shaef “A Feminist Perspective on Work Addiction”

Covington, “Women and Addiction: A Trauma-Informed Approach”

Johnson, “Concurrent Drug and Alcohol Dependency and Mental Health Problems Among Incarcerated Women”

Grant, “Rural Women’s Stories of Recovery from Addiction”

* Work on Group Book Projects

* Journal Entry #3 due in dropbox on Monday, July 7

Week 4 (July 7th): Addiction, Identity, and Sexuality

Reading on Carmen:

Washington, “Burning Love: Big Tobaccco Takes Aim at LGBT Youth”

Staddon “Labeling Out: The Personal Account of an Ex-Alcoholic Lesbian Feminist”

McCabe, “The Relationship Between Discrimination and Substance

Use Disorders Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults in the U.S.”

Schaef “Sexual Addiction”

Ferree “Females and Sex Addiction”

* Work on group book presentations

Week 5 (July 14): Addiction & Reproduction

Reading on Carmen:

Campbell “Introduction: Drug Policy, Social Reproduction, and Social Justice”

Gallagher “Collective Bad Faith: ‘Protecting the Fetus’”

Daniels “Fathers, Mothers, & Fetal Harm: Rethinking Gender Difference & Reproductive Responsibility”

* Group book projects due in dropbox by 5pm on Friday, July 18

* Peer Review sheets due in dropbox by 12pm on Sunday, July 20

Week 6 (July 21): Body Image, Disordered Eating, Food Addiction

Reading on Carmen:

Maine “Chapter One” of Effective Clinical Practice in the Treatment of Eating Disorders: The Heart of the Matter

Liu, excerpts from “Gaining: The Truth about Life after Eating Disorders”

Moss, “The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food”

Hornbacher, excerpts from “Wasted”

Hornbacher, “ On Recovery”

* Journal Entry #4 due in dropbox on Monday, July 28

* Begin collecting digital artifacts for final project.

Week 7 (July 28): Recovery

Reading on Carmen:

Morell “Radicalizing Recovery: Addiction, Spirituality, and Politics” Kurtz “Recovery, the 12-Step Movement, and Politics”

Berenson, “Powerlessness – Liberating or Enslaving?”

Chodron “How We Get Hooked, How We Get Unhooked”

hooks, “Growing Away from Addiction”

* Journal entry p #5 due in dropbox by 10pm on Sunday, August 3rd

* Digital Artifact Projects due in dropbox no later than 12pm (noon) on Tuesday, August 2nd.

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