WGST 250
The Politics of Sexuality
Spring 2005
Calendar of Readings and Assignments
The following schedule is tentative. Several speakers will visit with the class, and the schedule of readings may shift to accommodate dates when the speakers are available. You should check with this website regularly and watch your e-mail for adjustments to the calendar.
I. Introduction: Eros and Sex(uality)
FIRST WEEK
Tuesday, January 18
Introductions; the "politics of the personal"; setting ground rules for the class
Friday, January 21
Vote on ground rules draft
Readings on SOCS:
Audre Lorde, "Uses of the Erotic"
bell hooks, "Eros, Eroticism, and the Pedagogical Process"
Poems by William Shakespeare and Adrienne Rich
To prepare for class, think about: How do these readings define the "erotic"? And what shape does power take in each reading?
SECOND WEEK
Tuesday, January 25
Readings on SOCS:
Anne Fausto-Sterling, "The Five Sexes"
Emily Martin, "The Egg and the Sperm"
Also read: Ann Koedt, "The Myth of the Vaginal Orgasm"
Friday, January 28
Allan Johnson on videotape (continued)
Readings on SOCS:
Anne Fausto-Sterling, "The Five Sexes"
Kimmel and Plante, "The Gender of Desire"
Maticka-Dyndale, Herold, and Mewhinney, "Casual Sex on Spring Break"
And read: Hegemony
THIRD WEEK
Tuesday, February 1
Readings on SOCS:
Kimmel and Plante, "The Gender of Desire"
Maticka-Dyndale, Herold, and Mewhinney, "Casual Sex on Spring Break"
Friday, February 4
Readings on SOCS:
Rochlin, "The Heterosexual Questionnaire"
Seidman, Meeks, and Traschen, "Beyond the Closet? The Changing Social Meaning of Homosexuality in the United States"
Graff, "The M/F Boxes"
FOURTH WEEK
Tuesday, February 8
Readings on SOCS:
Alison et al., "Sadomasochistically Oriented Behavior"
Roberts et al., "Faking It: The Story of "ohh!"
Davis et al., "Characteristics of Vibrator Use Among Women"
Friday, February 11
Readings on SOCS:
Brewis and Linstead, "The Worst Thing Is the Screwing"
Abbott, "Creating a Scene"
And read the article at this link: Sun, "Revisiting the Pornography Debate"
8 PM: Vagina Monologues - Kendall Hall
Saturday, February 12
8 PM: Vagina Monologues - Kendall Hall
FIFTH WEEK Vagina Monologues
Sunday, February 13
4 PM: Vagina Monologues - Kendall Hall
Tuesday, February 15
First Essay due
Friday, February 18
Finish reading The Vagina Monologues
SIXTH WEEK
Tuesday, February 22
Readings on SOCS:
Fisher and Barak, "Internet Pornography"
Dines and Jensen, "Pornography and Media"
Friday, February 25
Tim Ross on masculinity in the military
Readings on SOCS:
Larry May and Robert Strikwerda, "Men in Groups: Collective Responsibility for Rape"
Pelka, "Raped: A Male Survivor Breaks His Silence"
SEVENTH WEEK
Tuesday, March 1
Readings on SOCS:
Hickman and Muehlenhard, "College Women's Fears and Precautionary Behaviors Relating to Acquaintance Rape and Stranger Rape"
Sanday, "Rape-Prone Versus Rape-Free Campus Cultures"
Friday, March 4 Beyond V-Day essay due
Facilitation sign-ups for Talk About Sex
Eros Scavenger Hunt!
THE POLITICS OF SEX EDUCATION
Additional readings may be assigned to supplement our reading of Irvine's Talk About Sex.
EIGHTH WEEK
Tuesday, March 15 CEL Proposal Due
Good Sex Day (at last)
Friday, March 18
Class visitor: Jackie Cornell, Planned Parenthood
Irvine, Talk About Sex, "Introduction" (1-16) and "On Methods and Terminology" (201-205)
SOCS: "Birth control: More and safer choices"; "The Content of Federally-Funded Abstinence Only Education Programs'; "Responsible Education About Life Act"
NINTH WEEK
Tuesday, March 22
Irvine, Talk About Sex, Chapter 1, "Redefining Sex" (17-34)
Friday, March 25
Class visitor: Anthony Milici, VOX
Irvine, Talk About Sex, Chapter 2, "Days of Rage" (35-62)
TENTH WEEK
Tuesday, March 29
Irvine, Talk About Sex, Chapter 3, "Born-Again Sexual Politics" (63-80)'
FACILITATORS: Tim, Megan, Cheerrese, Tiffany
Friday, April 1
Class visitors: Jackie Deitch-Stackhouse, Office of Anti-Violence Initiatives; Jackie DeVore, alumna
Readings on SOCS (rescheduled from March 1):
Hickman and Muehlenhard, "College Women's Fears and Precautionary Behaviors Relating to Acquaintance Rape and Stranger Rape"
Sanday, "Rape-Prone Versus Rape-Free Campus Cultures"
And explore: http://www.tcnj.edu/~wellness/antiviolence/
ELEVENTH WEEK
WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH EVENT
Monday, April 4 11:30 AM Brower 202W
Yanar Mohammed, "Women's Struggle for Equality and Freedom in Iraq"Tuesday, April 5
Irvine, Talk About Sex, Chapter 4, "The New Sexual Revolution" (81-106)
Facilitators: Natasha, Emilie, Tim, Liz
Friday, April 8
Irvine, Talk About Sex, Chapter 5, "Victims, Villains...and Neighbors" (107-130)
SPECIAL GUEST: Mary Lynn Hopps
TWELFTH WEEK
Tuesday, April 12
Irvine, Talk About Sex, Chapter 6, "Doing It With Words" (131-140)
Facilitators: Megan F., Dan, Elison, Renato
Friday, April 15
Irvine, Talk About Sex, Chapter 7, "The Passion of Culture Wars" (141-164)
Facilitators: Casey, Pri, Stephanie, Steve
THIRTEENTH WEEK
Tuesday, April 19
Irvine, Talk About Sex, Chapter 8, "The Politics of Aversion" (165-186)
Facilitators: Brian, Doug, Andrew, Shawn
Friday, April 22
Irvine, Talk About Sex, Chapter 9, "If Asked, Don't Tell" (187-199)
Facilitators: Adam, Christina, Francesca, Shannon
FOURTEENTH WEEK
Tuesday, April 26 - WRAP UP with REFRESHMENTS!
Beyond the Vagina Monologues - choose 4-5 to read
FINALS WEEK
Monday, May 2 Final essay due
Wednesday, May 4 Portfolio due