Women's Studies 3050    Feminist Theories 
   Spring 2005    MacKay and Powell

MacKay kmackay@weber.edu; office: SS 244 ex 6782

Powell spowell@weber.edu; office: WB 270 ex 6103

Any student requiring accommodations or services due to a disability must contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) in room 181 of the Student Service Center. SSD can also arrange to provide course materials (including this syllabus) in alternative formats if necessary.

Syllabus: Course Description ‌ Class Format ‌ Texts and Online Resources ‌ Activities in Support of Learning ‌ ‌Grades

Calendar of Topics and Activities

Course Description: An Introduction to the study of feminist theories from the 18th Century to the present. Students will study historical accounts of feminism by looking at primary sources written by influential feminists, as well as theoretical treatises on different kinds of feminism, from liberal feminism, to radical feminism, socialist feminism, Black feminism, multicultural or global feminism, and so on.

This class satisfies a requirement for the Women Studies minor.

This course will have as its major objective the consideration of only one question: What are the mechanisms by which social changes occur? To answer this question we will consider a series of feminist "frameworks" which suggest how gender relations have in the past been and currently are unequal and oppressive and offer suggestions on how to make them more equal. We will consider the explanatory power of various feminist theories in terms of how they account not only for oppressive social relations, but for libratory social change as well. Class work will focus on placing each of these frameworks within their specific historical contexts.

Please bear in mind that theory is difficult. You may not understand every word you read. Please try not to become too frustrated by this. Put forth your best effort to understand these various theories in terms of where you are. We do understand that you will not necessarily master every concept in the class.

• Students will examine the questions: What is theory? What is the relationship between theory and practice? What is the role of theory in political and social action? In personal life? What are the main types and concepts of feminist theories? What does it mean to do theory?
• Students will hone their skills in reading, thinking, writing, presenting.

Class Format: The class will be taught using collaborative learning and will rely on class discussion and interaction, rather than traditional lecture format. The class  is to be student driven rather than instructor driven. We are here, finally, to answer your questions not ours; so that you might better understand the debates in feminist theory. You will not necessarily learn from us; rather the objective of the course is for us to construct knowledge collaboratively. Therefore, lectures by the instructors will be kept to a minimum. This means that if you have a question and you want a lecture, the responsibility is yours to ask for it. Otherwise, the class will focus on discussion of materials, small group discussions, writing and the sharing of writing, and group presentations of material.

Texts and Online Resources:

Bell, Feminism is for Everyone
Tong, Feminist Thought
additional texts as assigned

You might find helpful: Resources for Readers

Activities in Support of Learning:

The course is based on the idea that the more you read, the better off you will be. The course is also based on the principle that the more you talk about the theories, in class and to each other, the better off you will be.

• Participation
  The course will be conducted as a seminar. Students are required to complete all readings and to participate in class discussions. Occasional oral reports on readings will be assigned. Participation is highly valued in this class. Students will assess their participation in a short paper.  30 points.
• Reading Response Papers
  Students will write responses (2-3 pages) to various assigned questions, their readings and other assigned activities. These will be peer reviewed.  6 X 10 points = 60 points.
  Papers will be evaluated in terms of a rubric.
• News Analysis Project
  Students will make a short presentation in which they apply feminist theories to an analysis of a news report. 15 points
• Choose either:
  Literature Analysis Project
  Students will make a short presentation in which they apply feminist theories to an analysis of a short story or essay by a woman writer; or
  Film Analysis Project
  Students will make a short presentation in which they apply feminist theories to an analysis of 1 commercial film. 15 points
• Final exam
  Students will write short essays in response to exam questions. 30 points
• Ah-ha project
  Students will present their most important "eureka" moment in a visual display and short paper. 20 points

Grades

Grades are not assigned "on the curve." Grades are based on a percentage of the points possible. 90% = A