College of Arts and Sciences Department of History

Northern Arizona University Spring 2002

Instructor: Dr. Sanjam Ahluwalia Office Hours: MW 12.45-2.00,

Office: LA 232 and by appointment

Phone # : 523-8709 Class Meetings: LA: 114;

E-mail: Sanjam.Ahluwalia@nau.edu MW: 3.00-4.15

Course Prerequisites: None

WST 291: Introduction to Women's Studies

IMPORTANT: Please look at the "Northern Arizona University Policy Statements" and the "Classroom Management Statement" at the back of this document before reading the syllabus.

COURSE DESCRIPTION & OBJECTIVES:

This course will introduce us to the rich interdisciplinary field of women's studies as it has emerged over the last few decades. This is a liberal studies class bearing the thematic focus "Valuing the Diversity of Human Experience." It is in the "Social and Political Worlds," distribution block. This course will address several of the essential skills which are features of the liberal studies program, including critical readings, critical and creative thinking, ethical reasoning, effective writing and oral communication.

We will explore numerous issues, themes, and debates that have animated feminist scholarship across the globe, making it a rich and vibrant area of intellectual inquiry. Rather than seeing women as a singular entity, we will seek to understand the complex and varied locations of women as political and social actors/subjects over time and space. Through the assigned readings, lectures, class discussions, films, fiction, and autobiographical accounts, this course will introduce us to current debates within the field of women's studies on issues of reproductive health, violence, family, sexuality, globalization, and environment. The course will broaden our understanding and appreciation of gender issues and how they differently impact women and men's lives across race, class, ethnic, national, and religious locations. The thematic foci and readings in this course will provide students an opportunity to familiarize themselves with current theoretical and ethical debates among feminists. We will conclude the course with imagining future goals and objectives for feminist politics and theory.

COURSE STRUCTURE:

The class will be a combination of lectures and discussions, with expectations of increasing student participation and performance. Students should feel free to speak their minds, but not at the expense of other's opinions and beliefs.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Students will be required to engage with weekly readings carefully and critically. Class discussions will be central to the course and, should be attended faithfully. This will contribute 15% of your class grade.

Informal Writing: In addition to the readings you will also be expected to submit written informal responses to the weekly readings, typed 2-3 pages. Each student will be responsible for submitting 5 written responses by the end of the semester. These papers are due in class on the day of our meetings as outlined in the syllabus below. No late papers will be accepted.

Class Presentation: You will do a short oral presentation on one of the recommended texts in class. Students are urged to select a book in the first week of the semester, no more than 6 students can select one text. Make sure you get your request in early! Book presentation will count towards 15% of your course grade.

Book Review: This is the final requirement of the course. It will be 4-5 pages of critical assessment of one of the recommended texts that you choose to read as part of the course requirement. In writing this review you should try to relate it to the themes covered during the course. More detailed instructions on the paper will be discussed in class before the assignment is due.

EVALUATION METHODS

Class Participation (15%) This includes attendance, short assignments based on readings for the week . It will also include media analysis. And most importantly ~ full participation in class and small group discussions. I'll be looking at your mastery of critical reasoning, critical reading, effective writing and oral communication skills.

Informal Reviews (50%) These will be short written responses to the weekly readings. These will help you to speak and discuss the weekly writings in class more effectively. It will ensure that you do all the readings and respond to each article. You will be evaluated for effective writing and reasoning. You will also be assessed for critical and ethical reasoning and thinking as part of your course grade. By the end of the semester each student should have submitted a total of 5 written responses on different thematic issues discussed through the semester.

Class presentation (15%) will give students a chance to discover and explore the role of women in other cultures. In the last two weeks each student will make an oral presentation of a specific text. I will be looking for effective oral skills and ability to respond to any questions that your fellow students might ask of you about your reading of the text.

Final Paper (20%). It will be 4-5 pages based on a careful reading of one of the recommended texts. I will be looking for your critical thinking skills, effective writings skills as well as your critical reading skills of the various material you will draw upon for this paper.

COURSE GRADES

Grades for the course will be calculated in the following way:

Class Participation 15%; Informal writing 50%; Class Presentation 15%; and Book Review 20%.

TOTAL FOR COURSE 100%

The grading scale for the course will be as follows:

90%+ = A; 80 - 89%= B; 70-79%= C; 60-69%= D; below 60%= F.

ASSIGNED TEXTS:

Gwyn Kirk and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women's Lives: Multicultural Perspectives, Second Edition. (Required)

bell hooks, Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics. (Required)

Students will select one of the following

Luci Tapahonso, Blue Horses Rush In.

Bapsi Sidhwa, Cracking India.

Fatima Mernissi, Dreams of Trespass.

Nawal El-Saadawi, Daughter of Isis.

COURSE POLICIES

ALL WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS ARE DUE IN CLASS.

PLEASE NOTE: I do not give extensions, or incompletes, except in cases allowed for by University Policy.

Plagiarism or other forms of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated in any of the assignments, and will result in failing the course. Please consult the section on "Academic Integrity" in the NAU Policy Statements appended to this syllabus for further details. IT IS THE STUDENTS' RESPONSIBILITY TO FAMILIARIZE HERSELF/HIMSELF WITH THESE MATTERS AS DEFINED BY THE UNIVERSITY.

ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY

While I will not take regular roll, frequent and repeated absence and/or lack of punctuality could effect your grade. As pointed out above 15% of your class grade will depend on participation in the various class discussions assigned in the syllabus. Whatever your reasons for arriving late or missing a class, it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to arrange to meet or call a classmate and find out what happened in that class.

COURSE SCHEDULE: SUBJECT TO MODIFICATION

January 14: Introduction.

January 16-28: Themes and issues within Women's Studies

January 16: lecture

January 21: Martin Luther Holiday-NO CLASS

January 23: Class Discussion of readings and First Written response due in class of the assigned readings.

January 28: Film, My Feminism.

Readings: Kirk and Ray, PP-1-46; hooks, Introduction, Chapter1-4.

January 30- February 6: Gender and the Beauty Myth

January 30: Lecture

February 4: Film, Black Women On : The Light, Dark Thang.

February 6: Class discussion of readings and second written paper due in class.

Readings: Kirk and Ray, PP100-128; hooks, Chapter 6, "Beauty within and without."

February 11-13: Gender and Sexuality

February 11: Lecture

February 13: Class discussion of readings and third paper due in Class.

Readings: Kirk and Ray, PP132-156; hooks, Chapter 15, "A Feminist Sexual Politic: An Ethics of Feminism."

February18-20: Politics of Families

February 18: Lecture

February 20: Class discussion of readings and fourth paper due in class.

Readings: Kirk and Ray, PP160-208; hooks, Chapter 13 & 14, "Feminist Parenting," and " Liberating Marriage and Partnership."

February 25-March 4: Violence against Women

February 25: Lecture

February 27: Class discussion of readings and fifth paper due in class.

March 4: Film You Can't Beat a Woman.

Readings: Kirk and Ray, PP 217-230, 232-263; hooks, Chapter 10 & 11, "Race and Gender," "Ending Violence."

March 6-20: Women's Health

March 6: Lecture

March 11-15: SPRING BREAK!!

March 18: Lecture

March 20: Class discussion and sixth paper due in class.

Readings: Kirk and Ray, PP 360-409; hooks, Chapter 5, "Our Bodies, Ourselves: Reproductive Rights.

March 25- April 1: Gender and Politics of Globalization

March 25: Lecture

March 27: Class discussion and seventh paper due in class.

April 1: Film Global Assembly Line.

Readings: Kirk and Ray PP 264-278, 292-312; Isabelle R.Gunning, "Cutting through the Obfuscation: Female Genital Surgeries in Neoimperial Culture," CLINE RESERVE

April 3-April 10: Women and Environment

April 3: Lecture

April 8: Class discussion and eight paper due in class.

April 10: Film, Science for Survival.

Readings: Kirk and Ray PP 492-532; hooks, Chapter 18, "Feminist Spirituality."

April 15: Imagining Future Feminisms

April 15: Class discussion and ninth paper due in class.

Readings: Kirk and Ray PP 545-576; hooks, Chapter 17 & 19, " To Love Again: The Heart of Feminism," "Visionary Feminism."

April 17-April 24: Student Presentations!!

MAY 7: FINAL PAPER DUE IN MY OFFICE BY 4.00 PM!