WS 3050

WS 3050: Feminist Theories
Resources for Readers

Reading feminist theory involves acquiring an expanded vocabulary of terms and concepts. We will be examining many of these in class, of course, but you may want to do some preliminary research as you grapple with assigned readings. This page will provide you with links to some online resources that may provide answers to some of your questions.

Begin, of course, with a dictionary. The Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary is a good standard. Sometimes you may want to consult the more extensive references, including quotations, in the Oxford English Dictionary, especially if you are interested in how a word was used in the past.

There are also more specialized resources for theory in particular. Begin with the Johns Hopkins Guide to Literary Theory and Criticism Online. Don't confine yourself to reading only assigned pages; remember that it indexes many general terms and movements. Do a little exploring to learn the extent of its resources. For contemporary theory, try Contemporary Philosophy, Critical Theory, and Postmodern Thought; for gender and media theory, the Media Theory Site.

Some of the clearest summaries of contemporary theorists can be found attached to Mary Klage's course in Modern Critical Thought; see her links to lecture notes.

For those who feel that the required readings and/or class discussion did not give them sufficient grasp of the subject, you might find helpful these theory resources on line:

A fine collection of articles and other references has been compiled by Karla Tonella at the University of Iowa, updated August 2006.
From MIT is an Open Source Classr on Feminist Theory
The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy includes articles on Feminism.
Feminist Theory Network (mostly bibliographies rather than online essays)
Feminism and Women's Studies
From the Voice of the Shuttle is a list of links on Gender and Sexuality Studies

Also Pat Samuel, Director of Women's Studies at St. Cloud University has posted a Study Guide - Review articles asking how each helps us understand how sexism (or oppression in general) operates and how sexism or oppression can be disrupted (ended or overthrown)