Moving to OAKS

As we discussed in class, we will be using OAKS for further discussion posts in the class.  Please post them there.  Thanks! 

January 15: Systems of Privilege Chapters 1 and 2 Class Outline

What will we do in class?

• Class business and announcements
• Mini-Lecture by Dr. Hudock - "When is Privilege Not Really Privilege?"including video clips from:
• Tough Guise
• Tough Guise 2
• The Boy Code
• Michael Kimmel On Gender
• Discussion of readings:
• get into a new group
• pick an essay to discuss (every group needs to have a different one)
• discuss
• get ready to teach the essay to the rest of the class
• choose a presentor
• present the essay to the class
• Break
• Discussion of interview results
  
• Stay in your group
• Discuss your interview
• Time to take the interview skills on the road. You have interviewed someone you know, now you are going to interview someone you don't know. 
• Come up with a few questions to ask someone your own age about the issues we've been discussing. 
• Go out onto campus
• Pick someone your own age to interview. 
• If you have video capability, you can video the interviews and upload the video to YouTube.  Email me the link. I can then put it on the class blog. 
• Gather your research on what young women and men on your campus today think about feminism and gender issues
• Come back to class to share your research.
• Sum up class
• Discuss next week's assignments

January 15: Systems of Privilege Chapters 1 and 2 Reading and Analysis Assignment

Every time you come to class, you need to write a short (at least 400 words) response to the reading and analysis assignments for that day (posted to the class blog and printed out for class). These responses might address something in the reading that’s gotten under your skin or made you uncomfortable. Others might discuss an idea that’s really surprised or excited you or ways in which you’ve carried concepts from the reading out into your daily life. You will need to use the terms from the readings and also use direct quotes. I will ask people to share their responses with the class, and I will take them up periodically throughout the semester. They will go in a portfolio and be graded as as a whole. These responses will not be graded individually, but your conscientious fulfillment of this assignment is worth 10% of your overall grade. I'm looking forward to hearing what you think about the readings. Remember, it's like a pot luck dinner. Everyone brings their own "dishes" - their views and ideas - and the whole "dinner" will be better for it

Reading Assignments

Read Chapter 1. You can also find many of these essays (and commentary about them) online. For example:

• "The Housewife's Moment of Truth" by Jane O'Reilly (one of the essays in the chapter)
• "How Do You Spell Ms" (commentary on the history and importance of this essay and the magazine that it originality appeared in)

Some key terms and concepts from Chapter 1:

women's studies

androcentrism

gender

How did women's studies come about?

rebalancing the curriculum

transformation of traditional knowledge

first wave feminism (suffrage) - definition, strengths, weaknesses, key people

second wave feminism - definition, strengths, weaknesses, key people

third wave feminism - definition, strengths, weaknesses, key people

Susan B. Anthony (activist)

turning points for women rights

the personal is political

patriarchy

interdisciplinary

goals of women's studies

relationship between women's studies and feminism

transnational feminism

liberal feminism

radical feminism

marxist feminism

socialist feminism

multiracial feminism

zines

myths associated with feminism

backlash

postfeminism

misogyny

lesbian baiting

Read Chapter 2. Pay careful attention to the key terms and concepts. Then, do the activity, and apply these terms and concepts. 

You and your group will teach one of the following essays to the class:

• Toward a New Vision:  Race, Class and Gender
• Oppression
• There is No Hiearchy of Oppression
• Homophobia:  A Weapon of Sexism
• White Privilege and Male Privilege
• What's Race Got to Do with It?
• Opening Pandora's Box
• Don't Laugh, It's Serious, She Says
• The Social Construction of Disability
• Report from the Bahamas
• Another essay is not in the book, but can be found online. It's Michael Kimmel's "Why Men Should Support Gender Equity". Please pay careful attention to this one. 

Some of the key terms and concepts of Chapter 2 include:

• colonialism and imperialism
• mythical norm
• the social construction of gender meanings
• compulsory heterosexuality
• ableism
• institutionalized
• micro versus macro
• hierarchical ranking of difference
• privilege
• racism
• sexism
• classism
• heterosexism
• looksism
• sizeism
• binary thinking
• hate crimes
• hate groups
• homophobia
• institutions
• women of color feminism
• inequitable distribution of resources
• ideology
• bootstrap myth
• prejudice
• bias
• internalized prejudices
• target group
• nontarget group
• horizontal hostility
• Fannie Lou Hamer (activist)
• sexual terrorism
• pseudogeneric "man"

Analysis Assignment:



By Klearchos Kapoutsis from Santorini, Greece

Interview an older woman about what life was like for women when she was young. How have things changed, or not changed in regards to gender, race, class, disabilities, and sexual orientation? Then, interview an older man. What was life like for men when he was young? We can learn so much from the women and men who came before us. Find out as much as you can!

Analyze your findings. Your analysis should be at least 400 typed words (posted to the class blog and printed out for class). These analysis assignments will not be graded individually, but your conscientious fulfillment of this assignment is worth 10% of your overall grade. In this analysis, you must assert an opinion about your research. Compare and contrast comments made during the interview. How are they similar? How are they different? What does has this exercise taught you about how gender roles have changed and remained the same? Make a point. Apply and use the terms and concepts from Chapter 1. Use quotes from the chapter in your analysis. Cite your sources.

Post to blog through the comment link below.

Print and bring to class.

 

January 8: Class Outline: Intro to Women's and Gender Studies

What will you do in class today?

• Writing prompt:  What do you think feminism is?  Why do you think it exists?  Do you think it is needed, or not?
• Share and discuss
• Viewed the powerpoint presentation and discuss the issues raised
• Discuss the syllabus and class expectatons
• Look over the blog and discuss how we will use it
• You can view the powerpoint below:

 


Preview of Chapter 1 ( in discussion and powerpoint)

Group work: 

• Get into groups
• Each pick one of the essays in Chapter 1
• Claiming an Education
• Forty Years of Women's Studies
• The Housewife's Moment of Truth
• A Day without Feminism
• Feminist Politics
• Facebook for Women vs. Facebook Design by Feminists
• Still Needing the "F" Word
• "My Heroines"
• Read
• Discuss
• Choose a spokesperson
• Teach the class the three most important points of your reading selection

Some key terms and concepts from Chapter 1:

• women's studies
• androcentrism
• gender
• How did women's studies come about?
• rebalancing the curriculum
• transformation of traditional knowledge
• first wave feminism (suffrage) - definition, strengths, weaknesses, key people
• second wave feminism - definition, strengths, weaknesses, key people
• third wave feminism - definition, strengths, weaknesses, key people
• Susan B. Anthony (activist)
• turning points for women rights
• the personal is political
• patriarchy
• interdisciplinary
• goals of women's studies
• relationship between women's studies and feminism
• transnational feminism
• liberal feminism
• radical feminism
• marxist feminism
• socialist feminism
• multiracial feminism
• zines
• myths associated with feminism
• backlash
• postfeminism
• misogyny
• lesbian baiting

Welcome

Welcome to the class blog for the Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies. You will use this site to:

• keep up with announcements for the class
• post reading responses and analysis assignments to share with your classmates
• use the reading reponses and analysis assignments as study guides for the exams
• find out about the larger world of Women's and Gender Studies

Breast Cancer Awareness Project

Activism Project Presentation: 3 Shots and You're Safe: HPV Vaccination in SC

Activism Project Presentation: Walking in a Woman's Shoes: A Women's History Tour of Charleston SC

Activism Project Presentation: Portraying the Ideal/Real: Media and the Female Body

Activism Project Presentation: Self-Defense is for Everyone

Nov 6: Class Summary Chapters 10 and 11 Resisting Violence Against Women and Public Policy

What will you do in class today?

What's the problem?

• Jackson Katz on the problem: Violence Against Women: It's a Men's Issue

Healthy relationships

• Take the "Healthy Relationship Quiz"
• What makes a healthy relationship? 
• What makes an unhealthy relationship?
• What makes a dangerous relationship?

When a relationship is unhealthy

• Emotional abuse
• Physical Abuse
• Sexual Abuse
• Why do abusers abuse?
• Why do the abused sometimes stay?
• How can you protect yourself?
• Abuser Tricks: Warning Signs of Domestic Abusers
• Signs of Domestic Abusers

Domestic Abuse in SC

• Men Killing Women, SC Ranks First, Again
• Six Dead, including Two Kids in Apparent Domestic Violence
• SC Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
• STOP Violence Against Women Program
• My Sister's House

Stalking Law in SC

• SC Anti-Stalking Law
• USC Office of Victim Services on Stalking

Rape and SC Rape Laws

• SC Rape Laws
• SC Statutory Rape Laws
• SC Marital Rape Laws
• PSA:  How to Treat a Passed Out Girl
• Rape Myths
• Spot possible problems at Skills for Youth
• Signs He is Potential Date Rapist
• Spotting the Warning Signs: Date Rape
• People Against Rape
• Cof C Office of Victim Services
• Column by Alison Piepmeier "Victim Blaming"

Incest Law in South Carolina

• The SC Code of Law
• Please Daddy No by Jan Goodwin (O Magazine, Nov 2006)

Role of Pornography and Rape Culture

• The Bro Code (trailer)

 
Group work:

• Discussion of readings and writings for today
• Propose solutions - what public policy could SC change to stop violence against women?
• Work in Activism Project groups

Responses to Women's and Gender Studies Events

If you attended a Women's and Gender Studies event, you can get credit by turning in a response.  In this response, explain what the event was, what happened, and what you thought of it.  Apply what we've been learning to class to what you encounter at the event.  Post it here, and print for your portfolio. 

Recruit Participants for Your Activism Project





You all can help each other with your activism projects by becoming participants.  If you would like to invite classmates to attend an event or otherwise participate in your project, please post the invitation here.  Your participation in others' events can count as one of your women's and gender studies events. 

Claim Your Activism Project

Last week, you had class time to discuss your group activism project. You developed some good ideas!    When you decide what you want to do,  please post it in the comment section with a list of the people (first names only) in your group.  Turn a more complete list (with last names) into me on paper.  Your formal proposal, including description, goals, steps, timeline, participant roles, resources required, and assessment, is due at the midterm. Some ideas for your activism project include: