Weekly Topics and Readings Term Two:



Women’s Studies 1100

Introduction to Women’s Studies (Winter Term)

Contemporary Women’s Issues

Dr. Jenny Roth

Contact Details:

jroth@lakeheadu.ca

x 8218

RB-3016

Office hours: Thursdays 1:00 – 2:00, or by appointment.

Lectures (Winter): UC 2011 T 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. and some TH 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.

WELCOME to Women’s Studies 1100, winter term. This term is an interdisciplinary introduction to contemporary women’s local and global issues in Canada and examines how women are shaped by and help to shape the world around them from fairy tales to media representations and beyond. During the term we will explore how gender intersects with race, class, ethnicity, sexuality, culture, ability and age to affect women’s lives differently, and how individual, ideological and institutional power relations work to influence how Canadian women experience their lives.

Course Website

There is a website for this course where you will find lecture outlines, frequently asked questions, announcements and more. All documents will be in .DOC format. The website can be accessed through WebCT. The easiest way to access WebCT is by typing it into the “Search” menu on the Lakehead Homepage.

Try to check the site before each lecture. I strongly recommend that you print the lecture outlines and bring them with you to class to help with taking lecture notes. WebCT can be accessed from any of the labs on campus, if you do not have the internet at home.

TEXTS

The following Coursepack is required and is on sale at the Bookstore.

Women’s Studies 1100 (Term 2)

ASSIGNMENTS & GRADING

Participation 10% in tutorials (4% attendance / 6% participation)

Mid-Term In-Class Test 7.5% in class Tuesday, February 7th.

Gender Matters Paper 12.5% before or in class Tuesday, March 7th.

Final Exam 20% Date to be set by Registrar

We will be using MLA Referencing Style. Examples of this style are provided in the “Resources” section of the Coursepack. It is your responsibility to reference correctly. Failure to do so will result in a loss of marks.

Deadlines are firm. Late assignments will be penalized 5% per day, including Saturdays and Sundays up to one week. Assignments more than one week late will not be accepted without appropriate documentation. Faxed and emailed assignments will not be accepted. Poor time-management (e.g.: “I have a number of other papers/a test/etc. due that week”) is not grounds for an extension. Assignments must be handed in during lecture on the due date. In case of an emergency, assignments can be deposited in the Women’s Studies office (RB-2012) during regular office hours. DO NOT SLIP ASSIGNMENTS UNDER MY OFFICE DOOR. Assignments not turned in using the appropriate channels will not be marked.

Special Needs – If you have special needs regarding the format or the due dates for the assignments, you must inform me. The appropriate form can be obtained from the Learning Assistance Centre.

Keep a printout or photocopy of all your submitted assignments. You are also required to keep the research notes and drafts of your work that produced the assignments. Failure to do so may result in loss of credit for the assignment.

CRITERIA FOR GRADING ESSAYS

A+ (90-100): Near-Perfection: The essay clearly develops a near-irrefutable argument concisely and convincingly. Ideas are linked and flow clearly from sentence to sentence and paragraph to paragraph. The argument leads clearly and inexorably to its conclusion, is stimulating to read and shows analytical abilities well in excess of expectations for the level. There are no errors in scholarly documentation or formatting, and the work is virtually free of errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation. Secondary sources never stand in for student’s own thoughts and are used intelligently to evidence the argument.

A-, A (80-89): Excellent: The essay thoughtfully develops an interesting thesis; secondary source material is used intelligently, and not as a substitute for the student’s own thinking. The student is in command of the topic and shows some originality and enthusiasm in discussing it. The essay is well organized, convincingly argued, and clearly expressed – a pleasure to read. It is mainly free of errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation, and uses the conventions of scholarly documentation correctly.

B-, B, B+ (70-79): Very Good to Good: A competent, accurate treatment of its topic. The essay is well written and has a clear thesis. Essays at the bottom of this range may not have fully digested the material, and may lean uncritically on secondary sources. The organization is good and the sentences are all comprehensible. There are few errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation. The essay follows standard conventions of scholarly documentation.

C-, C, C+ (60-69): Good to Fair: A pedestrian presentation. The thesis is unclear, or trivial, or undeveloped. Much of the essay is summary or paraphrase, with only occasional analytical comment. There may be inaccuracies; essays at the bottom of this range may rely exclusively on secondary sources instead of the students’ own thoughts. The essay is disjointed; some sentences may be convoluted and incomprehensible. There may be mistakes in grammar, spelling and punctuation, as well as carelessness about scholarly documentation.

D-, D, D+ (50-59): Poor: Has serious inaccuracies and inconsistencies. The student has some grasp of the topic, but not much. Where sources are cited, they tend to be misused or misinterpreted. The student may express opinions, but does not support them with evidence or argument. The essay lacks coherence, is unclear, and has many errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation, as well as carelessness about scholarly documentation.

E (40-49): Failure Grade: Near-total misunderstanding. The student has very little grasp of the materials or subject. The essay is disorganized, obscure, full of grammatical errors and is unscholarly.

F (0-39): Failure Grade: Total misunderstanding. The student seems to have no grasp of the materials or subject. The essay is disorganized, obscure, full of grammatical errors and is unscholarly. This grade is also given for plagiarism.

Participation (10%)

Based on tutorials (4% tutorial attendance + 6% tutorial participation)

Each week, tutorial reading questions will be posted on WebC. You are responsible for coming to tutorials prepared to participate. A full grade will not be awarded simply for talking a lot. In fact, if you talk so much that others don’t have the opportunity to speak, or you silence them, you may well receive a failing grade for participation. Be conscious that you are one member of a group. Your contribution will be thought-provoking, respectful of others’ opinions and life experiences, contribute to and lead to discussion, and will illustrate a clear grasp of the materials or will ask questions about the materials if you need clarification. Do not hesitate to ask questions – if you have a question about something, chances are, someone else does too!

Please bear in mind that all participants have the right to hold, defend, and promote their views. However, this right exists alongside regulations that protect an individual’s right to education without discrimination or harassment on the basis of gender, race, colour, religion, class, sexual orientation, ability, age, place of origin, etc. Students are required to respect these social and cultural differences. Intents to insult an individual or group of individuals on the basis of their gender, race, etc. and words or symbols that convey hatred or contempt constitute harassment and will not be tolerated. Respect for differences in political awareness and educational development is essential.

Please note: I protect all students’ right to access learning. Therefore, students who disrupt the learning environment by talking during lectures are not welcome in the lecture hall (for example you chat with those around you – even when that chatter is topic-related, or you do not raise your hand when you want to contribute to the lecture and simply speak out). If you are told to leave because your disrespect for those around you negatively affects their right to learn without interruption or distraction, you must make an appointment with me to discuss your re-entry into the lecture hall.

Mid-term in-class test (7.5%)

Tuesday February 7th: Question will read:

Analyze the image using integrative feminism. Explain how the image perpetuates current social power structures, and discuss how the image relates to issues that we have covered so far in the term. Prove your analysis by using evidence from one film and three readings.

The image will be handed out on Tuesday, January 31st. You will have one week to prepare your answer.

You will write your response in class on Tuesday February 7th, in a test environment. No aids may be used (i.e.: you may not consult notes, and this is not an “open book” exam).

“Gender Matters” paper (12.5%)

Due Tuesday, March 7th

Maximum 5 pages (excluding your Bibliography and your Title Page), typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman, 1-inch margins.

The social construction of genders takes place every day of our lives. Think of an incident in your life, from your distant past or just yesterday, in which gender mattered, and analyse it using an integrative feminist perspective. Use course readings and lectures to support your analysis of why you experienced the moment or incident the way you did. Specifically, consider how your own social location (class, race, age, sex, sexuality, ability, ethnicity, etc.) impacted on how you experienced your gender during the incident in question.

Please note: gender matters in ways that are both overt (i.e.: rape, prostitution, pay inequity, etc.) and ways that are covert (i.e.: make-up, dieting, clothing, artistic expression, access to resources, etc.). You can discuss either a covert or an overt incident; what is most important is your analysis. Once you have described the incident you must analyze it by asking questions of yourself such as: Why did the incident occur? Why did I perform my gender the way I did? Why was gender a factor? What does the incident say about women/men in society? What did I learn from the incident [whether or not you were conscious of it at the time]?

This is a formal paper in which you will use the “I” voice, and you will prove your analytical assertions using evidence from the course materials (readings and films), course lectures, and tutorial discussions.

Final Exam (20%): Exam date to be set by Registrar

Activism Project

Optional opt-out of an essay worth 20% of the Final Exam

Self-Assessment Form and a brief Group Presentation (5 minutes)

Activism is an important part of Women’s Studies. If you decide to do activism, you are responsible for forming groups, deciding what type of activism to do, and who will benefit from it. The Self-Assessment Forms are in the “Resources” section of the Coursepack, and give some idea of what is expected; however activism takes many forms and can be incredibly creative. All activism projects need to be cleared with me before you start so I can ensure that they conform to University Ethics Guidelines.

|Doing activism | |why do activism? |

| | | |

|Consciousness-raising | |Women and poverty |

|Anti-racism | |Stereotypes |

|Working with women, for women | |Battered Women |

|Women’s shelters always need help | |Breast Cancer |

|Raising funds for a cause | |Women and HIV/AIDS |

|Education | |Street Workers |

|Gay rights awareness | |Body image, body politics |

|Sing / Dance / Paint / Laugh / Write | |Anorexia nervosa and bulimia |

|Use humour to make a political point | |Racism |

|Film / Photograph | |Rape awareness |

|Encourage accessibility | |Menstruation / Menopause |

|Put on a Workshop | |The environment |

|& so many more…. | |& so many more…. |

the process

➢ Form a group and decide on a topic

➢ Clear your project with me before you start

➢ Email me a list of group members and a brief description of the project by February 28th.

➢ I will put groups who are working on the same or similar project in touch with each other – work together!

➢ I will email you a date on which your group will be presenting in March

➢ Hand in your Self-Assessment form (1 per group member) the day you do your presentation

Bonus Credits (1 page, double-spaced)

You can earn a small bonus (up to a maximum of 3 points) during the term by completing extra credit assignments. I will post Bonus Credit Events on WebCT in the Announcements section. Attend up to three of these events and write a short response [how did the event make me feel? what is it about my age, race, class, sex, gender, ethnicity, etc. that made me feel that way? what did I learn that I did not know before?]. Bonus Credit papers will not be accepted after March 31st.

Academic Dishonesty

Academic dishonesty consists of misrepresentation by deception or by other fraudulent means and can result in serious consequences, e.g. the grade of zero on an assignment, loss of credit with a notation on the transcript, and/or suspension or expulsion from the university.

It is your responsibility to understand what constitutes academic dishonesty. The following illustrates only three forms of academic dishonesty:

1. Plagiarism, e.g. the submission of work that is not one’s own or for which other credit has been obtained.

2. Improper collaboration in group work.

3. Copying or using unauthorized aids in tests and examinations.

Some guidelines to avoid academic dishonesty are in the “Resources” section of the course pack.

Weekly Topics and Readings

Wk. 1 (3/5 Jan): Introduction – Feminisms We Come in Waves (NB: Ignore: Women, Law and History, that was for my other class!)

Readings:

Truth, Sojourner. “Ain’t I a Woman?” Women images & realities: A Multicultural Anthology. Eds. Amy Kesselman et. al. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003.

Friedan, Betty. “The Problem That Has No Name.” Women images & realities: A Multicultural Anthology. Eds. Amy Kesselman et. al. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003.

young, debbie. “ain’t i a ooman, sojourner.” Fireweed. Vol. 73 (Fall 2001): 28-29.

Ahn, Christina. “Not Post-Feminism.” Turbo Chicks: Talking Young Feminists. Eds. A. Mitchell, et. al. Toronto: Sumach Press, 2001.

Mackenzie, Elizabeth. “Approval.” Canadian Woman Studies Vol. 21/22, No. 4.1 (2001).

Hurdis, Rebecca. “Heartbroken: Women of Color Feminism and the Third Wave.” Colonize This! Young Women of Colour on Today’s Feminism. Eds. D. Hernandez, et. al. Seattle: Seal Press, 2002.

Kimmel, Michael. “Men and Women’s Studies: Premises, Perils, and Promise.” Women images & realities: A Multicultural Anthology. Eds. Amy Kesselman et. al. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003.

Film: My Feminism

Wk. 2 (10/12 Jan): Popular Culture and Gender Production

Readings:

Rowe, Karen. “Feminism and Fairy Tales.” Don’t Bet on the Prince: Contemporary Feminist Fairytales. Ed. J. Zipes. N.p.: Gower, 1986.

Levine, Melissa. “Charmed and Dangerous: The So-Called Power of Celluloid Witches.” Bitch: Feminist Response to Pop Culture No. 12 (2000): 58-63, 80.

Boone, Rebecca. “Britney and the Backlash.” Off Our Backs (Jan/Feb 2002): 48-49.

Gilman, Susan. “Klaus Barbie and Other Dolls I’d Like to See.” Women images & realities: A Multicultural Anthology. Eds. Amy Kesselman et. al. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003.

Film: Mickey Mouse Monopoly

Wk. 3 (17/19 Jan): Intersections: The Power Is/n’t All Mine

Readings:

Frye, Marilyn. “Oppression.” The Politics of Reality: Essays in Feminist Theory. N.p.: Crossing Press, 1983.

“The Flower of Power”

Olsson, Jona. “For White Anti-Racists: Avoiding the Detours in the Journey Towards Justice.” Women’s Education des Femmes Vol. 12, No. 4 (1996/97).

Lorde, Audre. “Age, Race, Class & Sex: Women Redefining Difference.” Out There: Marginalization & Contemporary Culture. Eds. R. Ferguson et. al. N.p.: MIT Press, 1990.

McIntosh, Peggy. “White Privilege & Male Privilege: A Personal Account of Coming to See Correspondences Through Work in Women’s Studies.” Race, Class & Gender: An Anthology. Eds. M. Andersen et. al. Toronto: Thomson Learning, 1992.

Chrystos. “I Am Not Your Princess.” Women images & realities: A Multicultural Anthology. Eds. Amy Kesselman et. al. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003.

Film: The Angry Eye

Wk. 4 (24/26 Jan): Thinking Critically About Visual Culture

Readings:

Hall, Stuart. “Introduction: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices.” Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices. Ed. S. Hall. N.p.: Open University Press, 1997.

Jalabi, Afra. “Western Women Have Veiled Minds.” The Martlet December 3, 1992.

Nelson, E. D. and B. W. Robinson. Gender in Canada [excerpt]. Toronto: Prentice Hall, Allyn & Bacon, 1999.

Bordo, Susan. “Normalisation and Resistance in the Era of the Image.” Feminisms. Eds. S. Kemp et. al. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.

Pinsky, Rachel & Lisa Miya-Jervis. “Our Bodies, Our Bus Shelters.” Bitch: Feminist Response to Pop Culture No. 12 (2000).

Film: Killing Us Softly 3

Wk. 5 (31/2 Jan-Feb): Intersections: Sexualities

Readings:

Pyne, Cat. “A Question for Feminism.” Turbo Chicks: Talking Young Feminists. Eds. A. Mitchell, et. al. Toronto: Sumach Press, 2001.

Oikawa, Mona. “Coming Out at the Sushi Bar.” Piece of My Heart: Lesbian of Colour Anthology. Ed. M. Silvera. N.p.: Sister Vision Press, 1991.

Rich, Adrienne. “Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence.” Feminist Frameworks. Eds. A. Jaggar, et. al. Toronto: McGraw Hill Cos., 1984.

Rochlin, Martin. “Heterosexual Questionnaire.” Available at .

Udis-Kessler, Amanda. “Challenging the Stereotypes.” Bisexual Horizons: Politics, Histories, Lives. Eds. S. Rose et. al. N.p.: Humanities Press Int. Inc., 1996.

Warder, Kristen. “Feminist Invitations.” Turbo Chicks: Talking Young Feminists. Eds. A. Mitchell, et. al. Toronto: Sumach Press, 2001.

Wk. 6 (7/9 Feb): Mid-Term Test (Image):

***There will be no tutorials this week, instead we will watch and discuss Keepers of the Fire during class time on Thursday; because there will be a film component on the final exam, I highly recommend you do not miss it.

Analyze the image using integrative feminism. Explain how the image perpetuates current social power structures, and discuss how the image relates to issues that we have covered so far in the term? Support your analysis using evidence from one film and three readings.

Wk. 7 (14/16 Feb): Intersections: Home, Families, Unpaid Work & Poverty

Readings:

Das Gupta, Tania. “Families of Native Peoples, Immigrants, and People of Colour.” Canadian Families: Diversity, Conflict and Change. Eds. A. Mandell et. al. Toronto: Harcourt Brace & Co., 1995.

Million, Dian. “The Housing Poem.” Reinventing the Enemy’s Language. Toronto: W. W. Norton & Co. Inc., 1997.

Lorde, Audre. “Man Child: A Black Lesbian Feminist’s Response.” Sister Outsider. New York: Crossing Press, 1984.

Syfers, Judy. “I Want a Wife.” Ms. Magazine (Dec. 1979).

Jiles, Paulette. “Paper Matches.” Poetry by Canadian Women. Ed. R. Sullivan. Don Mills: Oxford University Press, 1989.

Ghorayshi, Parvin. “Working Canadian Women: Continuity Despite Change.”

Chrystos, “Economics.”

Film: Brown Women, Blonde Babies

Wk 8 (21/23 Feb): Mid-Year Study Week – No Classes!

Wk. 9 (28/2 Feb-Mar): Body “Beautiful”, Body “Perfect”

*LAST WEEK TO CLEAR OPTIONAL ACTIVISM PROJECT WITH ME*

**GENDER MATTERS PAPER DUE NEXT WEEK**

Readings:

Higginbotham, Anastasia. “Teen Mags: How to Get a Guy, Drop 20 Pounds, and Lose Your Self-Esteem.” Women images & realities: A Multicultural Anthology. Eds. Amy Kesselman et. al. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003.

Lamm, Nomy. “It’s a Big, Fat Revolution.” Listen Up: Voices from the Next Feminist Generation. Ed. B. Findlen. N. p.: Seal Press, 1995.

Piercy, Marge. “What are big girls made of?” What Are Big Girls Made Of? New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1997.

Thompson, Becky. “Childhood Lessons: Culture, Race, Class and Sexuality.” Gender and Social Life. Ed. R. Satow. N.p.: Allyn and Bacon, 2001.

Wong, Nellie. “When I was Growing Up.” Women images & realities: A Multicultural Anthology. Eds. Amy Kesselman et. al. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003.

Zetlin, Elizabeth. “I am beautiful.” Canadian Woman Studies Journal Vol. 14, No. 3 (1994).

Joseph, Jenny. “Warning.” When I am an old Woman I shall Wear Purple. N.p.: Papier-Mache Press, 1987.

Wk. 10 (7/9 Mar): Health and Wellness

**Gender Matters Paper Due Tuesday, Mar. 7th**

Readings:

Sherwin, Susan. “Gender, Race and Class in the Delivery of Health Care.” No Longer Patient: Feminist Ethics and Health Care. N.p.: Temple University Press, 1993.

Ship, Susan and Laura Norton. “HIV/AIDS and Aboriginal Women in Canada.” Canadian Woman Studies Vol. 21, No. 2 (2001).

Egan, Carolyn and Linda Gardner. “Racism, Women’s Health, and Reproductive Freedom.” Scratching the Surface: Canadian Anti-Racist Feminist Thought. Eds. E. Dua et. al. Toronto: Women’s Press, 1999.

Martindale, Kathleen. “My (Lesbian) Breast Cancer Story: Can I Get a Witness?” Fireweed Vol. 42 (1994).

Lee, Janet. “Menarche and the (Hetero)sexualizing of the Female Body.” The Politics of Women’s Bodies. Ed. R. Weitz. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998.

Film: Exposure: Environmental Links to Breast Cancer

Wk. 11 (14/16 Mar): Language and Knowledge Production / Activism Presentations

Readings:

Miller, C. & Swift, K. “Sexist Language: One Small Step for Genkind.” The New York Times April 16, 1972.

Nourbese Philip, Marlene. “Bad Words.” Border/Lines Vol. 18 (Spring, 1990).

Chrystos. “Anthropology.” Dream On. Vancouver: Press Gang Publishers, 1991.

Beaver, Susan. “English and Biology.” Piece of my Heart: Lesbian of Colour Anthology. Ed. M. Silvera. Toronto: Sister Vision Press, 1991.

Som, Indigo. “Euphemism.” Piece of my Heart: Lesbian of Colour Anthology. Ed. M. Silvera. Toronto: Sister Vision Press, 1991.

Wk. 12 (21/23 Mar): (Resisting) Violences / Activism Presentations

Readings:

Armstrong, Jeanette. “Indian Woman.” Making a Difference: Canadian Multicultural Literature. Ed. S. Kamboureli. Don Mills: Oxford University Press, 1996.

Xiao Jia Chen, Linda. “Laundresses and Prostitutes: Deconstructing Stereotypes and Finding an Asian Feminist Voice.” Resources for Feminist Research Vol. 20, No. 3 & 4 (Fall/Winter 1991).

Kadi, Joanna. “Making Sense of My Happy Childhood: Creating Theory.” Thinking Class: Sketches From a Cultural Worker. N.p.: South End Press, 1996.

Patriarca, Gianna. “Daughters.” Italian Women and Other Tragedies. N.p.: Guernica, 1994.

Kholi, Rita. “Violence Against Women: Race, Class and Gender Issues.” Canadian Woman Studies Journal Vol. 11, No. 4 (1991).

McPherson, Cathy. “Violence Against Women with Disabilities: Out of Sight, Out of Mind.” Canadian Woman Studies Journal Vol. 11, No. 4 (Summer 1991).

Angela Davis. “We Do Not Consent: Violence Against Women in a Racist Society.”

Wk. 13 (28/30 Mar): Doing Feminism – Local and Global Visions / Exam Review & Handout

Readings:

Charlotte Bunch. “Bringing the Global Home.” Women images & realities: A Multicultural Anthology. Eds. Amy Kesselman et. al. 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003.

Rosetta Khalideen. “Globalization and the Domestic Worker.” Canadian Woman Studies Vol. 21/22, No. 4.1 (2001).

Kevin Bales. “Because She Looks Like a Child.” Global Woman: Nannies, Maids, and Sex Workers in the New Economy. Eds. Barbara Ehrenreich and Arlie Russell Hochschild. New York: Henry Hold and Co., 2002.

Starhawk. “Why We Need Women’s Actions and Feminist Voices for Peace.” Canadian Woman Studies Vol. 22, No. 2 (2002).

Gloria Steinem. “Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions.” Gender Basics: Feminist Perspectives on Women and Men. Ed. A. Minas. New York: Thomson Learning, 1993.

Bunch, Charlotte. “Feminism, Peace, Human Rights.”

Resources – end of course pack

Self-Assessment Form

MLA Citation Style

Guidelines to avoid plagiarism

Before you Hand it in...

Glossary of terms

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