Honors Introduction to Women’s Studies
 

HUM 140-0H1…..3 Credits….No Prerequisites

Fall 2008

Dr. Hollace Graff

Course (Catalog) Description

Course introduces the interdisciplinary field of women’s studies which seeks to understand and challenge gender inequalities.  Course traces the historical emergence of feminist critiques and seeks to understand how these critiques address our experiences of work, family, sexuality, politics, culture, and religion.  Content also includes how women’s studies scholarship has transformed the social sciences and the humanities.  Course emphasizes critical thinking about the social construction of gender and the intersections of gender with class, race, ethnicity, and sexuality.

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to

A. Describe the historical emergence and the basic concepts of a number of competing feminist theories.

B. Explain how these theories lead to different strategies for ending the subordination of women and apply these theories to contemporary issues.

C. Critically evaluate these theories.

D. Discuss the interconnections of gender with race, ethnicity, class, and sexuality.

E. Be able to formulate and articulately express their own positions on these theories and issues and use arguments to defend their positions.

F. Describe the ways in women’s studies has transformed a number of major disciplines within the humanities and the social sciences.

G. Identify and assess the ways in which gender discrimination may still be present in the methodologies of humanities and the social sciences disciplines.

 

       Academic Integrity

Students and employees at Oakton Community College are required to demonstrate academic integrity and follow Oakton’s Code of Academic Conduct. This code prohibits:

·           cheating,

·           plagiarism (turning in work not written by you, or lacking proper citation),

·           falsification and fabrication (lying or distorting the truth),

·           helping others to cheat,

·           unauthorized changes on official documents,

·           pretending to be someone else or having someone else pretend to be you,

·           making or accepting bribes, special favors, or threats, and

·           any other behavior that violates academic integrity.

There are serious consequences to violations of the academic integrity policy. Oakton’s policies and procedures provide students a fair hearing if a complaint is made against you. If you are found to have violated the policy, the minimum penalty is failure on the assignment and, a disciplinary record will be established and kept on file in the office of the Vice President for Student Affairs for a period of 3 years.

Details of the Code of Academic Conduct can be found in the Student Handbook.

 

Outline of Topics and Tentative Schedule

 

During the first part of the class we will read Tong’s Feminist Thought, and we will do some additional primary source readings. 

This schedule is tentative.  For updates and links to primary source readings and event information, please go to the website for the class.

August 27, September 23…….Liberal Feminism

September 8, 10……..Radical Feminism

September 15, 17, 22…...Marxist and Socialist Feminism

September 29, October 1…..Psychoanalytic and Gender Feminism

October 6 …….Existentialist Feminism……Journals turned in

October 8, 13, 15……..Postmodern Feminism

October 15, 20 …..Multicultural and Global Feminism

October 22, 27…….Ecofeminism

October 29…….Midterm exam

November 3, 5, 10, 12…… Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development by Vandana Shiva

November 12……Journals turned in

November  17, 19, 24, 26…..Beloved by Toni Morrison

December 1, 3, 6……..Class Presentations

December 10…..Final Exam……Journals due

December 15…..Last day….Party

Methods of Instruction

a.     Lectures and discussion

b.     Student presentations

c.     Films and slide shows

d.     Selected field trips to public forums, galleries, plays, and museums

Course Practices Required

1.      You will keep a philosophical journal. In this journal you will record your reactions to the assigned readings and your responses to questions that we may pose in class. The journal should not consist of notes or summaries of the readings. Rather, you should take positions and offer arguments for those positions. You may also consider ways in which the material we read in class relates to your own experiences. Your journal will be collected several times during the semester, but your grade will be based on your completed journal.  Your final journal should be at least 20 typewritten pages. In the interest of preserving trees, your journal should not be more than double-spaced, should not use larger than 12-point type, and should not have extra-large margins or large blank spaces between sections. The precise format for your journal is up to you.

 

2.      In this class, participation is extremely important. You will earn participation points by attending class, by speaking during class, and by volunteering to give brief summaries of parts of the assigned readings.  You will receive one participation point for every class you attend.  If you come to class late, you will receive one-half credit for the day. You will also receive one-half to one participation point for every brief summary you give.  (You should plan to volunteer for about four summaries over the course of the semester.)  You will also attend at least three outside events – one of which must be the Women’s Art Show opening at Oakton.  You will receive 2 participation points for each outside event you attend if you hand in a brief reaction and a proof of attendance.   I will provide some extra credit opportunities to make up lost participation points.  These extra credit events will also be outside events.  I do not distinguish between excused and unexcused absences.  However, if you need to be absent because of something such as religious holidays, illness, family emergency, or anything else, you will be able to easily make up this absence by attending an event for extra credit.

 

3.      You have options!  Please do one of the following:

 

1.      Take a mid-term exam and/or a final exam.  I will provide a study guide for these exams.

2.      Read an additional book relevant to the class and approved by the instructor and present on that book to the class.

3.      Engage in a service learning or activist project relevant to the course and present on this to the class.

4.      Attend relevant events in Chicago and present on these to the class.

5.      If you plan to do option 2, 3, or 4, it would be good to meet with me briefly to discuss it.  You need to have your proposal for option 2, 3, or 4 handed in before the midterm exam. 

6.      You may also opt to take one exam and to do a smaller project.

Instructional Materials

Feminist Thought by Rosemary Tong

Beloved by Toni Morrison

Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Development by Vandana Shiva

In some cases, a student may choose to read one additional book as part of a class project.

Other reading will be available on the Internet or will not distributed by the instructor.

Methods of Evaluating Student Progress

 

The journal will count for 1/3 of your final grade.

Participation will count for 1/3 of your final grade. (A…37+ points, B…..34-36 points,  C….31-33 points, D….28-30 points)
The last third of your grade will be based on the exams or project and presentation.



 

Other Course Information

A.        Disabilities

If you have a documented learning, psychological, or physical disability you may be entitled to reasonable academic accommodations or services. To request accommodations or services, contact the ASSIST office in the Learning Center. All students are expected to fulfill essential course requirements. The College will not waive any essential skill or requirement of a course or degree program.

B.         Discrimination

The Oakton Community College Catalog states:

Oakton Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, or marital status in admission to and participation in its educational programs, activities and services, or employment practices.  The College does not tolerate sexual harassment or sexual assault by or of its students or employees.

In keeping with this policy of tolerance and non-discrimination, in this class all of us (myself included) should strive to listen and give careful consideration to all ideas expressed in class, especially those that are different from our own, without attacking or demeaning the people who have those views.  We should also strive to avoid using insulting terms or telling offensive jokes when talking to or about individuals or groups.

C.        Instructor information

 

Office: 3614

Phone: 847-376-7033
Email: hgraff@oakton.edu
Website: http://www.oakton.edu/~hgraff

Office hours: Mondays 10-11

                                Tuesdays 2-4

                                Wednesdays 10-11, 2-4

                                 Fridays 2:00-4:30

 Author: Hollace Graff
 Oakton Community College
 Updated: August 29, 2008