WGST 3500

Feminist Foundations: El Mundo Zurdo

Mondays and Wednesdays 2:00 to 3:20 PM

Wh 121

The vision of radical Third Wave Feminism necessitates our willingness to work with those people who would feel at home in El Mundo Zurdo, the left-handed world: the colored, the queer, the poor, the female, the physically challenged… For separatism by race, nation, or gender will not do the trick of revolution.

- Gloria E. Anzaldúa, “El Mundo Zurdo: The Vision”

“Shall we, as Third World women, decide to ‘join’ the ‘movement’?”

“We can’t join the movement… because we are the movement!”

-From a “NWSA Conference Dialogue,” Making Face, Making Soul

Feminism is the political theory and practice that struggles to free all women: women of color, working-class women, poor women, disabled women, lesbians, old women- as well as white, economically privileged, heterosexual women. Anything less than this vision of total freedom is not feminism, but merely female self-aggrandizement.

-Barbara Smith, But Some of Us Are Brave

…we delight in remembering that half the world is female… more than half the globe’s female half is yellow, brown, black, and red.

-Hortense Spillers

Instructor: Kristin Alder

Email:

Office: GAB 462

Office Hours: Mondays 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, or by appointment

Course description: The catalog describes this course as an exploration of “the women's movement in the United States from the 1960s to the present.Issues of gender equity, reproductive rights, economic disparity, work and the family, and political participation discussed within the contexts of second and third wave feminism.” In this particular class, we will consider the multiple origins of the modern American women’s movement by focusing on the experiences and voices of women of colors and queer persons. By doing so, we will challenge stereotypical narratives of the US women’s movement and feminisms by repositioning these marginalized voices at the center of the discussion. Through a broad range of diverse material, we will consider intersectionality, interconnectivity, gender equity, sexual orientation, activism, feminisms, and womanisms.

Course goals:

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1.Describe the continuity and diversity of feminist/womanist movements in the 20th century U.S.

2.Describe the impact of women of colors and queer persons upon the feminist/womanist movements in the 20th century U.S.

3.Develop a critical eye towards the social meaning and image of feminism(s).

4.Explain multiracial feminism, intersectionality, theory in the flesh, womanism, and other theories that the field of women’s and gender studies uses to discuss and analyze women’s lives in relation to race, sex, sexuality, and class.

5.Critically discern how socially constructed categories of identity have impacted the development of feminist/womanist movements in the U.S.

6.Explore the variety of philosophical frameworks and social contexts underlying feminist/womanist activism.

7.Improve their skills of critical thinking, observation, analysis, communication, and self-awareness.

Texts:

  1. Black Girl Dangerous.2014. Mia McKenzie
  2. This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color. 2015. 4th Edition. Edited by Gloria Anzaldúa and Cherríe Moraga.

3. Sister Outsider: Essays & Speeches by Audre Lorde. 2007. Audre Lorde

4. When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost. 1999. Joan Morgan.

5. This Bridge We Call Home. 2002. Edited by Gloria Anzaldúa and AnaLouise Keating

Classroom Policies:

Course Absence Policy: Attendance is mandatory. Attendance will be taken at every class meeting. I will excuse the following absences with documentation: 1) school-sponsored activities, 2) military service, and 3) observances of religious holidays. All other absences will be considered unexcused. Your final grade will be lowered by one letter grade if you have five or more unexcused absences. If you have ten unexcused absences, your grade will be lowered two letter grades, and so on. Use your four "free" absences judiciously.

All students with two or fewer absences at the end of the semester will be given 10 bonus points. In addition, attendance may play a role in decisions about final grades should they be borderline.

Punctuality is extremely important. Please be on time. Habitual tardiness or leaving class early will result in the accrual of absences. If you do arrive late or leave early, please be respectful of your classmates. Sleeping during class will accrue you an absence for the day.

If you are absent, please do not contact me to see what you missed. (And please do not contact me to tell me you will be missing class.) I advise each of you to find within the first two weeks of class at least one study partner you trust who can gather handouts and/or take notes for you. In addition to this you should know that all class materials will be posted to Blackboard in a folder entitled, “Class Materials.”

Class visitors: Please receive permission from me in advance before bringing any visitors to class.

Electronic devices policy: Laptop computers and tablets are allowed ONLY for accessing reading materials during class. If you are discovered to be facebooking, tweeting, emailing, or messaging, etc. during class time, you will lose your digital privileges. Cell phones are never allowed in class (unless, of course, they are being used to access readings.) Turn your cell phones off when you come into the classroom and put them away where they cannot be seen by me or you. (This does not mean your lap.) People using these devices in class will be dismissed and counted absent.

Classroom expectations:Class meetings will include a mixture of discussions and other activities. Students are expected to read assignments prior to the class period, to listen in class, and to participate meaningfully in discussions. We will be discussing very controversial and personal subjects and it is highly likely that your own system of beliefs will be challenged from time to time. You are under no obligation to agree with authors, other students, or the instructor. Rather, your obligation is to be respectful and to demonstrate comprehension and thoughtful consideration of perspectives you may not share. Critical thinking, a willingness to explore ideas, and respect for others are essential.

Also, expressing one's thoughts, ideas and opinions can be intimidating. As I've mentioned above, the topics themselves may at times make it hard for all of us to join discussions. One of my goals as your instructor is to create an environment where we can all not only meet our potential as communicators, but improve our abilities as well. Because of this, class participation is VERY important for your success in this class as well as for the success of the class as a whole. Remember that what is important is not the quantity of your participation but the quality. Please ensure that all remarks thoughtfully engage the material.

Private conversations in class will not be tolerated.

Please refrain from packing up until class has ended. It is distracting to students and instructor.

Food and beverages are allowed in the classroom as long as they do not become the focus of your attention or distract those around you. Please dispose of your trash properly.

Email: This is my preferred method of communication. Please do not email me via Blackboard. Utilize the address posted on the first page of the syllabus.

When sending me an email, please place your course number, name and reason for emailing in the subject head.

For example:

WGST 3500 Taylor Smith. Question about Reading on Intersectionality.

All emails not addressed in this way will be assumed to be junk mail and deleted.

Also, before emailing me, please read the Blackboard document, “How to Email your Professor.”

During the week, I will respond to your emails within 24 hours. Between the hours of Friday 6 PM and Monday 6 AM please give me up to 48 hours to respond to your emails. Please keep that in mind when emailing me. If, however, an emergency arises, please feel free to email me at any time. I will recognize the importance in your subject heading and respond as soon as I can.

Policy on Recording Class Sessions: Any recording of class sessions may only be done with the permission of the instructor and other members of the class. If permission is granted, all recording is for individual student use only and may not be distributed in any form or manner.

Grades:

Total points available in the course: 1000

A=90 - 100%=895-1000

B=80 - 89%=795-894

C=70 - 79%=695-794

D= 60 - 69%=595-694

F=59% and below =594 and below

Formatting: All assignments should be typed in 12 point font, double-spaced, with 1" margins, and using MLA-style bibliographic notation. A list of “Good Writing Guidelines” as well as directives on MLA are posted on Blackboard for your use. I will not accept handwritten work.

Assignment / Points
Discussion Questions
You will submit 10 discussion questions when assigned. Each question is worth 20 points.
10 discussion posts x 20 points each.
***No late DQs will be accepted.***
For details, please refer to the Discussion Question handout and rubric provided. / 200
Class Participation
You are expected to participate in each class.
Each class is worth 10 points.
20 classes x 10 points each.
Points will be rewarded as such:
10 points - Student has read material and participates fully in discussion.
5 points - Student has (not) read material and partially participates in discussion in a manner which does not engage with assigned material.
0 points - Student does not participate in discussion or is absent. / 200
Book Reflections
You will write and submit three short reflection papers on three out of the five assigned books for this course. Each is worth 100 points.
The book reflections are due: Wednesday, October 11; Monday, October 30; Wednesday, November 8; Monday, November 20; and Wednesday, December 6.
For details and a rubric, please refer to the Book Reflections handout provided. / 300
Final
On Monday, November 20th you will be provided with a take-home final and rubric. The final will consist of 10 to 12 discussion questions. You will pick 5 to answer in essay format. In answering each essay, you will cite and discuss at least three course readings. Each question will be worth 50 points.
The final is due Monday, December 11 at 1 PM via Blackboard/Turnitin.com. / 250
Presentation & Handout
On Monday, December 11th you will present a short 3 to 5 minute presentation summarizing what you believe to be the key points of the course material. You may also reflect on the importance of these points to your life. You will also complete a handout of your main points for your instructor.
For details and a rubric, please refer to the Presentation & Handout handout provided. / 50
Total Points Possible / 1000

Late Work:

All assigned work is due in class in accordance with the class schedule; late work will be heavily penalized. An assignment submitted within 24 hours after its due date/class will receive a 25% deduction. An assignment submitted within 48 hours after its due date/class will receive a 50% deduction. An assignment submitted within 72 hours after its due date/class will receive a 75% deduction. Assignments submitted after that will not be accepted and will receive a zero.

Example: If the assignment is due in class on Monday, then any work turned in Monday 3:21 PM to Tuesday 3:20 PM will be deducted 25%. If your assignment is turned in between Tuesday 3:21 PM and Wednesday 3:20 PM, it will be deducted by 50%. If turned in between Wednesday 3:21 PM and Thursday 3:20 PM, your assignment will be deducted by 75%. From 3:21 PM Thursday forward, your work will not be accepted and you will receive a zero for the assignment.

Late work will only be eligible for full credit if accompanied by a university approved absence excuse.

I understand that life can get complicated. If you fail to turn in an assignment or turn in an assignment late, please refer to my list of extra credit assignments to make up your points.

No emails of your work will be accepted without pre-approval. To submit an assignment due in class via email, please do the following things: 1) Email me with your exceptionally good reason for having to turn something in via email, 2) Wait for me to say yes or no. If I say ‘yes,’ you will be asked to email me your assignment within a window of time, say 2 to 3 PM. If you do so, you will receive a confirmation email. If you do not, you may not get credit for the assignment.

If you get into a bind, assignments can be placed in my mailbox located in the Women’s Studies Department office (GAB 467) or handed to me personally during office hours. DO NOT slide work under my office door.

Extra Credit: Extra credit points will be offered at my discretion throughout the semester. All extra credit will be offered to the class as a whole. A list of preliminary opportunities will be provided on Blackboard by the second week of class. The list will be added to throughout the semester. Additions will be announced in class and posted on Blackboard. It will be up to you personally to keep up with due dates.

University Policies:

Academic Dishonesty ( The University takes plagiarism and cheating very seriously. Plagiarized work will earn a zero for the assignment. Students will face action according to University guidelines for academic dishonesty. I reserve the right to submit any paper I suspect of plagiarism to Turnitit.com.

Academic Ethics: (http: Acts of academic dishonesty are subject to discipline at UNT. Cheating, plagiarism, and furnishing false or misleading information are acts of academic dishonesty. The definitions of these terms are clearly described in the Undergraduate Catalog ( and by the Center for Students Rights and Responsibilities.

Authorized Class Absence ( All travel by students off campus for the purpose of participation in UNT sponsored activities must be authorized by the dean of the school or college of the sponsoring department. Within three days after the absence, students must obtain authorized absence cards from the dean of students for instructors.

Absence for Religious Holidays ( A student absent due to the observance of a religious holiday may take examinations/ complete assignments scheduled for the day(s) missed within a reasonable time after the absence. Class participants should notify the instructor via email of planned absences for religious holidays.

Disability Support Services ( ODA Office in Sage Hall, Suite 167

University ODA Statement: “The University of North Texas makes reasonable academic accommodation for students with disabilities. Students seeking accommodation must first register with the Office of Disability Accommodation (ODA) to verify their eligibility. If a disability is verified, the ODA will provide you with an accommodation letter to be delivered to faculty to begin a private discussion regarding your specific needs in a course. You may request accommodations at any time, however, ODA notices of accommodation should be provided as early as possible in the semester to avoid any delay in implementation. Note that students must obtain a new letter of accommodation for every semester and must meet with each faculty member prior to implementation in each class. For additional information see the Office of Disability Accommodation website at . You may also contact them by phone at 940.565.4323.”

Drop Information: All information regarding deadlines for dropping or withdrawing this course can be found at:

Syllabus Information: This syllabus is tentative and subject to change at any point during the semester. If there are any policy changes (i.e. grading, attendance) during the semester, a new/ revised syllabus will be issued and given to all students. A copy of this syllabus will be on file in the department office (GAB 467). However, if you lose your personal copy, please refer to Blackboard.

Writing Lab: If you have any problems with your writing, please come see me for help or use our University Writing Lab (

You will be offered 10 bonus points on any non-extra credit assignment if you access the the Writing Lab as a resource. To receive the bonus points, please turn in three things when the assignment is due: 1) your final assignment, 2) your original work taken to the Writing Lab, and 3) written proof from your tutor at the Writing Lab that you used the lab.

Note: The Writing Lab only works if you give yourself adequate time to write, schedule, and rewrite. Plan accordingly.

Interested in a Women's Studies Minor?:

Come to the women's and gender studies office in the General Academic Building, Office 467, for more information or give us a call at 940-565-2098. For further information, go to

Class Schedule:

This schedule is tentative. As the instructor, I reserve the right to modify the reading or assignments. All changes will be announced in class and via Blackboard.

BB denotes readings to be found on UNT's Blackboard.

***Note: if you have problems with Blackboard, please access the Blackboard Help Desk, at 940-565-2324 or , not your instructor.

Monday, August 28
Course introduction, Syllabus, and Course Ground Rules for a Courageous Space
Wednesday, August 30 / BB: “Theorizing Difference from Multiracial Feminism” by Maxine Baca Zinn and Bonnie Thornton Dill
BB: “Multiracial Feminism: Recasting the Chronology of Second Wave Feminism” by Becky Thompson
BB: “Race and the Politics of Identity in U.S. Feminism” by Estelle B. Freedman
Monday, September 4
NO CLASS - Labor Day / If interested, read:
BB: “Feminism and the Labor Movement” by Eileen Boris and
Annelise Orleck
BB: “Rethinking The Feminine Mystique” by Daniel Horowitz
Wednesday, September 6 / Discussion question A due at 9 AM. / BB: “Gender & Race: The Ampersand Problem in Feminist Thought” by Elizabeth V. Spelman
BB: “Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference” by Audre Lorde
BB: “Traffic at the Crossroads: Multiple Oppressions” by Kimberlé Crenshaw
Monday, September 11 / Discussion question B due at 9 AM. / BB: “Double Jeopardy: To Be Black and Female” by Francis Beale
BB: “An Argument for Black Women’s Liberation as a Revolutionary Force” by Mary Ann Weathers
BB: “The Black Movement and Women’s Liberation” by Linda La Rue
BB: “Some Home Truths on the Contemporary Black Feminist Movement” by Barbara Smith
Recommended:
BB: “Multiple Jeopardy, Multiple Consciousness” by Deborah K. King
Wednesday, September 13 / Discussion question A due at 9 AM. / BB: “American Indian Women’s Activism in the 1960s and 1970s by Donna Hightower Langston