WGS 325
Feminist Theories
Spring 2005
Introduction, Learning Goals, and Assessment Learning activities
Calendar of Readings and Assignments
I. Feminism: Conversations and Actions
FIRST WEEK FOURTH HOUR: Class policy working groups
Tuesday, January 18 Introductions; scheduling of adopt-a-book journal; introduction to talking points assignment; organize task forces; "Feminist theory is...."
Friday, January 21
To prepare for class:
Review the full calendar and make three choices of theorists whose biography you will research. Once I have everyone's choices, I'll assign one class session to each member of the class. The assignment, which includes presenting the biography and facilitating discussion of the scheduled reading by your theorist, is described here.
Read (on SOCS):
Charlotte Bunch, "Not by Degrees: Feminist Theory and Education" (1979)
Audre Lorde, "Poetry Is Not a Luxury" (1977) from Sister/Outsider: Essays and Speeches (1984)
Maria Lugones and Elizabeth V. Spelman, "Have We Got a Theory for You! Feminist Theory, Cultural Imperialism and the Demand for 'The Woman's Voice'" (1983)
bell hooks, "Theory as Liberatory Practice" from Teaching to Transgress (1994)
third-wave manifesta??
Bring to class a quote from one of these readings that you find particularly useful, enlightening, or powerful. The Poster Task Force will collect these.
SECOND WEEK FOURTH HOUR: Pre-writing review groups
Tuesday, January 25 Prewriting for first essay due; select your Adopt-a-Book
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
"Introduction" to Section I, pp. 12-23
FTR: Inja Aflatun, "We Egyptian Women" (1949), 26-31
Margot Badran, "Feminism in a Nationalist Century" (for background on Egyptian feminism)
FTR: Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex, "Introduction" (1949), 32-41.
Organize prewriting review groups; reports from task forces
Friday, January 28
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
FTR: Bonnie Kreps, "Radical Feminism 1" (1970) 45-50
Christine Delphy, "Rethinking Sex and Gender" (1993), 57-67.
SOCS: Elizabeth V. Spelman, "Gender & Race: The Ampersand Problem in Feminist Thought" (1988) from Inessential Women, pp. 74-88 Facilitator: Stephanie D.
THIRD WEEK FOURTH HOUR: Individual conferences
Tuesday, February 1 First Essay due
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
Gwendolyn Mikell, "African Feminism: Toward a New Politics of Representation" (1995) 103-112. And take a look at: Wangari Maathai Page (by TCNJ students) and Feminist Africa Facilitator: Blakeley
Yvonne Corcoran-Nantes, "Female Consciousness or Feminist Consciousness? Women's Consciousness Raising in Community-Based Struggles in Brazil" (1997) 126-137
SOCS: Uma Narayan, "Contesting Cultures: 'Westernization,' Respect for Cultures, and Third-World Feminists" (1997) Facilitator: Grace L.
Friday, February 4
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
FTR: Sonia Correa and Rosalind Petchesky, "Reproductive and Sexual Rights: A Feminist Perspective" (1994) 88-102. Facilitator: Shannon
Robin Morgan, "No More Miss America!" (1970) 80-82. Facilitator: Mallory
SOCS: Bikini Kill, "Riot Grrrl Philosophy" (1995) Facilitator: Nicole G.
FOURTH WEEK FOURTH HOUR: Dialogue groups meet (explore connections among the first essay sources and other course readings)
Tuesday, February 8
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
SOCS: Larry May and Robert Strikwerda, "Men in Groups: Collective Responsibility for Rape" (1994) Facilitator: Nicole M.
FTR: Margaret D. Stetz, "Wartime Sexual Violence Against Women: A Feminist Response" (2001) 138-147
Friday, February 11
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
SOCS: V. Spike Peterson, "Gendered Nationalism" Facilitator: Sharon
FIFTH WEEK FOURTH HOUR: Peer critiques - respond to the two essays assigned to you for review by next Tuesday.
Tuesday, February 15 Draft of Adopt-A-Book essay due - e-mail your essay to your two peer reviewers.
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
Charlotte Bunch, "Lesbians in Revolt" (1987), 83-87 Facilitator: Amber
Elizabeth Martinez, "La Chicana" (1997), 41-45
bell hooks, "Feminism: A Movement to End Sexist Oppression" (1984) Facilitator: Chris
Friday, February 18
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
FTR: Amrita Basu, "Globalization of the Local/Localization of the Global: Mapping Transnational Women's Movements" (1995) 68-77
Take a look at: DAWN
FTR: Malika Dutt, "Some Reflections on United States Women of Color and the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women and NGO Forum in Beijing, China" (1996), 197-203
Beijing Declaration of Indigenous Women (1995)
SOCS: Winona LaDuke, "Mothers of Our Nations: Indigenous Women Address the World" (1995) Facilitator: Brittany
SIXTH WEEK FOURTH HOUR: Study for midterm
Tuesday, February 22 Peer critiques due
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
FTR: Noel Sturgeon, "Ecofeminist Appropriations and Transnational Environmentalisms" (1999) 113-125
SOCS: Vandana Shiva, "The Chipko Women's Concept of Freedom" (1993)
SOCS: Diamond and Orenstein, "Introduction" to Reweaving the World (1990)
Check out: Women's Environmental and Development Organization
Friday, February 25
Readings for midterm essay:
Marilyn Frye, "In and Out of Harm's Way: Arrogance and Love" Facilitator: Jessi B.
Maria Lugones, "Playfulness, 'World'-Traveling, and Loving Perception"
Isabelle R. Gunning, "Arrogant Perception, 'World'-Traveling, and Multicultural Feminism: The Case of Female Genital Surgeries"
II. Theorizing Intersecting Identities
SEVENTH WEEK FOURTH HOUR Study for midterm
Tuesday, March 1 Jackie Deitch visits
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
FTR: "Introduction" to Part II, 148-163
The Combahee River Collective, "A Black Feminist Statement" (1977), 164-171
SOCS: Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, "Integrating Disability, Transforming Feminist Theory" (2001)
Friday, March 4
Midterm essay questions distributed
FTR: Donna Kate Rushin, "The Bridge Poem" (1981), 172-3
Mitsuye Yamada, "Invisibility Is an Unnatural Disaster: Reflections of an Asian American Woman" (1981), 174-8
Gloria Anzaldua, "La Conscienzia de la Mestiza: Towards a New Consciousness" (1981) 179-88 Facilitator: Carlos
SOCS: Audre Lorde, "The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House" (1981) Facilitator: Caitlin
SOCS: Rebecca Aanerud, "Thinking Again: This Bridge Called My Back and the Challenge to Whiteness" (2002) 69-77
Spring Break
EIGHTH WEEK FOURTH HOUR: Women's History Month events
Tuesday, March 15
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
FTR: Marie-Aimee Heli-Lucas, “The Preferential Symbol for Islamic Identity: Women in Muslim Personal Laws” (1993) 188-196
Take a look at: Women Living Under Muslim Laws
SOCS: Suheir Hamad, "A Road Still Becoming," 2000; "First Writing Since," 2001
Friday, March 18 Midsemester reflections - bring completed questionnaire to class
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
Heidi Hartmann, “The Unhappy Marriage of Marxism and Feminism: Towards a More Progressive Union,” 206-221
Linda Y. C. Lim, “Capitalism, Imperialism, and Patriarchy: The Dilemma of Third-World Women Workers in Multinational Factories,” 222-230
Maxine Molyneux, “Mobilization without Emancipation? Women’s Interests, the State, and Revolution in Nicaragua” (231-239).
NINTH WEEK FOURTH HOUR: Dialogue Process
Tuesday, March 22 Dialogue essay - Round 1 due (e-mail it to me and to your dialogue partner)
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
FTR: Anne Koedt, “The Myth of the Vaginal Orgasm” (1970), 242-248.
SOCS: Jane Gerard, "'The Myth of the Vaginal Orgasm': The Female Orgasm in American Sexual Thought and Second Wave Feminism" (2000), 449-476.
Friday, March 25 Adopt-a-book Reading Log due
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
FTR: Monique Wittig, "One Is Not Born a Woman" (1981), 249-254
FTR: Audre Lorde, "I Am Your Sister: Black Women Organizing Across Sexualities" (1988), 255-259 Facilitator: Grace R.
SOCS: Adrienne Rich, "Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence" (1980), 304-312 (K&B)
SOCS: Judith Halberstam, "Transgender Butch: Butch/FTM Border Wars and the Masculine Continuum" (1998)
TENTH WEEK FOURTH HOUR: Dialogue Essay Process
Tuesday, March 29 Dialogue essay - Round 2 due
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
FTR: Gayatria Gopinath, “Funny Boys and Girls: Notes on a Queer South Asian Planet,” 1996, 260-266.
Karin Aquilar-San Juan, “Going Home: Enacting Justice in Queer Asian America,” 1998, 267-276.
SOCS: Inderpal Grewal and Karen Kaplan, "Global Identities: Theorizing Transnational Studies of Sexuality" (2000)
II. Theorizing Feminist Agency and Politics
Friday, April 1 Dialogue essay: forward Rounds 1 and 2 to your Active Listening Partner
11:30: Trinh T. Minh-Ha, Music Concert Hall
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
SOCS: Trinh T. Minh-Ha, "Difference"
FTR, Introduction to Part III, 278-289
Nancy C. M. Hartsock, "The Feminist Standpoint: Toward a Specifically Feminist Historical Materialism" (1983), 292-307
ELEVENTH WEEK FOURTH HOUR: Dialogue Essay Process
Monday, April 4 RECOMMENDED WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH EVENT 11:30 AM Brower 202W
Yanar Mohammed, "Women's Struggle for Equality and Freedom in Iraq" (Here's an article about her)
Tuesday, April 5 Dialogue essay - Active Listening round due
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
SOCS: Kimberle Crenshaw, "Intersectionality and Identity Politics: Learning from Violence Against Women of Color" (1997) Facilitator: LaKisha
FTR: Patricia Hill Collins, "The Politics of Black Feminist Thought" (2000) 318-333
Uma Narayan, "The Project of Feminist Epistemology: Perspectives from a Nonwestern Feminist" (1989), 308-317 (9 pp)
Friday, April 8
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
Cheshire Calhoun, "Separating Lesbian Theory from Feminist Theory" (1994) 334-352 (8 pp)
Maxine Baca Zinn and Bonnie Thornton Dill, "Theorizing Difference from Multiracial Feminism" (1996) 353-361 (8 pp) Facilitator: Aida
Lata Mani, "Multiple Mediations: Feminist Scholarship in the Age of Multinational Reception" (1990) 364-377 (7 pp)
TWELFTH WEEK FOURTH HOUR: Individual Conferences (optional)
Tuesday, April 12 Final Dialogue essay due
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
Joan W. Scott, "Deconstructing Equality-Versus-Difference: Or, the Uses of Poststructuralist Theory for Feminism" (1988) 378-390 (12 pp)
Some Basic Poststructuralist Tools for Feminism
Norma Alarcon, "The Theoretical Subject(s) of This Bridge Called My Back and Anglo-American Feminism" (1990) 404-414 (10 pp)
Friday, April 15
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
SOCS: Susan Bordo, "Feminism, Postmodernism, and Gender Skepticism" (1990)
FTR: Judith Butler, "Performative Acts and Gender Constitution: An Essay in Phenomenology and Feminist Theory" (1997) 415-424 (9 pp)
Carolyn Sorisio, "A Tale of Two Feminisms: Power and Victimization in Contemporary Feminist Debate," 428-436 (8 pp) Facilitator: Grace R.
THIRTEENTH WEEK FOURTH HOUR: Start manifesta process
Tuesday, April 19 Prospectus for Manifesta project due
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
FTR: Donna Haraway, "Situated Knowledges: The Science Question in Feminism and the Privilege of Partial Perspective" (1988) 391-403 (12 pp)
SOCS: Rosi Braidotti, "Meta(l)Morphoses: The Becoming Machine" (2003)
Friday, April 22
Prepare talking points on each of the following readings:
SOCS: Bernice Johnson Reagon, "Coalition Politics: Turning the Century" (1983) from Homegirls: A Black Feminist Anthology, 356-68 (8 pp)
FTR: Jude Jordan, "Report from the Bahamas," 438-446 (8 pp)
Adrienne Rich, "Notes Toward a Politics of Location," 447-459 (12 pp)
FOURTEENTH WEEK Manifesta process
Tuesday, April 26
SOCS: "Third Wave Manifesta"
FTR: Chandra Talpade Mohanty, "Feminist Encounters: Locating the Politics of Experience," 460-471 (9 pp)
JeeYeun Lee," Beyond Bean Counting," 472-476 (4 pp)
And go back to: Zinn & Dill, "Theorizing Difference from Multiracial Feminism" (1996) 353-361 (8 pp) Facilitator: Aida
FINALS WEEK
May 6, 9-11 AM: Breakfast party/manifesta sharing time
Manifesta project due; Manifesta project exhibit