WGSST 110:Gender, Sex, and Power

WGSST 110:Gender, Sex, and Power

University Hall 147 Tuesdays & Thursdays 10:55am – 1:35pm Summer 2012

Instructor: Nicole Engel Email:

Office: 337B University Hall Office Hours: Tuesdays 9:00am-10:55am

ACCOMMODATION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:

We all have varying abilities. Students who have verification from Disability Services are responsible for contacting the instructor as soon as possible to make necessary arrangements. The Office for Disability Services verifies the need for accommodations and assists in the development of accommodation strategies. Please let me know early on in the quarter what we can do to maximize your learning potential, participation, and general access in this course. The Office for Disability Services is located at 150 Pomerene Hall,

1760 Neil Ave, (614) 292-3307, TDD (614) 292-0901.

Course Description

This course is an introduction to the field of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and to feminist scholarship. It is designed to give students from a diverse range of backgrounds and disciplines a basic understanding of the terminology, perspectives, and debates that constitute this field. We will examine the history offeminist political activism in the United States and we will learn some of the most significant concepts and frameworks feminists have developed.Although we will pay particular attention to the ways in which gender impacts our everyday lives, we will also examine the ways in which race, sexuality, class, physical ability, and age also impact our lives and inform public policies and institutions in the U.S. This course is a pre-requisite for both the major and minor in Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

Course Objectives

Understand feminist concepts and frameworks; i.e. privilege, social construction, intersectionality, the male gaze, etc.
Identify manifestations of privilege and oppression in society.
Develop and apply critical reading, writing, and thinking skills to issues of gender, race, class, sexuality, and ability.

Required Texts

Reading Women's Lives for Nicole Engel/WGSST 110/Summer 2012 available at SBX.
Additional readings can be found on CARMEN (these readings will be marked with an * on your syllabus)

Carmen

Carmen (OSU's online learning system) will be used in this course. To access Carmen, log on at and select this course from the list of Summer 2012 Classes.

I will use Carmen to post various class materials, changes to the syllabus, and any readings that are not included in Reading Women's Lives. You are expected to print the readings from Carmen and bring them to class with you on the day they are discussed.If you cannot bring the actual readings to class with you, then I expect you to bring notes on the readings to class with you. This last part is no joke. Showing up without the tools means you can't do the work.

Graded Assignments

Participation: 15 %

There are 2 components to your participation grade:

Attendance: Attendance will be taken every day. You are permitted 2 unexcused absences, no questions asked. After 2 absences, your absences will have a dramatic effect on your participation grade – after all, if you are not in class, you are not participating.
Tardyness:Arriving more than 15 minutes late, or leaving more than 15 minutes early, will count as an absence.
Discussion: This course is a dialogue intensive course. Both prepared discussions and spontaneous conversations will be essential elements in this course. Class discussion is designed to help you become engaged with, and think critically about, the materials presented in the essays, films, and lectures we encounter. It is mandatory that you complete all of the reading in order to participate meaningfully in class discussion.
We willbe discussing some controversial issues in this class. I ask that you be open to exploring the world through a feminist lens. Respect and sensitivity toward others is required. Our critical thinking will be deployed to analyze ideas and arguments - personal attacks are not permitted. We will be exploring issues of personal and cultural relevance to us all, and will question the values and assumptions apparent in a wide variety of texts. You are not being asked to change your beliefs, but we all must contribute to an environment where everyone feels welcome to participate.
*Note* In order to facilitate class discussion, turn off your computers and cell phones, refrain from talking while others are speaking, and do not pack up or leave early. Failure to do so will result in a lowered participation grade.

Reading Check-ins: 15 %

Check-ins are meant to ensure that you are completing and comprehending your reading assignments. 4 check-ins will be given over the course of the quarter. The lowest grade will be dropped. Check-ins are given at the beginning of class and CANNOT be made up unless you have an excused absence for that day.

Class Blog: 25%

A full 25% of your course grade is dependent upon your thoughtful use of the course blog. You must post at least once a weekthroughout the quarter (that means a minimum of 7 posts, including the introductory class survey). The week begins on Sunday at 8am and ends Saturday at midnight. A blog posted after midnight Saturday night will be considered lateand no credit will be given.You will be graded on the quality of your blog posts. Are they clear? Are they thoughtful? Do they show that you are completing the course reading assignments and attempting to apply what we are learning to the world around us?Postings should do one of the following:

Discuss an aspect of the author’s argument that you found difficult to understand.
Discuss an aspect of the author’s argument that you found compelling or that you disagreed with.
Highlight a connection between a reading and a media artifact – news, blogs, film, television, etc.
Engage another student’s posting.

Out of a total of 6 posts (not counting the introductory class survey), at least 3 of your 6 posts must be original posts started by you; in other words, no more than 3 of your 6 posts can be responses to another classmate’s post.

Although I hope this classroom will become a space where you feel confident sharing your thoughts and insights, I also know that sometimes it takes time to think through what we want to say. If you’re feeling quiet, additional postings to the blog throughout the quarter will greatly help your participation grade.

Our class blog will not be made public – only students in this course will be able to see/read/comment on it.
Our blog address:

Current Media Analysis: 20%

Much of what we read and discuss in class has implications for the world outside of the classroom. As a way of exploring these connections, you will be required to write one (1) 500 – 750 word (2-3 page) blog post that connects a feminist concept we discuss in class to the US media (newspapers, news programs, websites, music, music videos, television shows, films, books, magazines, advertisements, etc.). You must demonstrate that you are able to apply concepts from class to the “real world” by using terminology and concepts from class texts. (You may not use a media example that has already been discussed in class.) These blog posts will be graded as formal papers, so please treat them as such. This means that you must give your post a title, use a thesis statement to focus your post, use proper spelling and grammar, cite your sources using MLA citation style, and provide a works cited section at the end of the post.

*I highly recommend you write the post as a Word document, then copy and paste it onto the class blog. Save a copy of the post in Word so that you have a backup document in the case of technical difficulties.

For this analysis you must:

Directly engage with ONE classroom text and ONE media text.
Accurately and briefly describe the media example (no more than 250 words, one page). If it is at all possible, link us to the media piece in your post.
Thoroughly and thoughtfully analyze how the media text you have chosen relates to ONE concept from class (this concept must be properly defined).
Properly cite your sources (both the media text and classroom text) using MLA.
Carefully and thoroughly proofread your post for spelling and grammatical errors.

*In addition, you are required to read and respond to a minimum of 2 Current Media Analysesthat are not your own. These responses will count towards your overall participation grade.

Final Project: 25 %

Final Project Options:

(You are required to submit a brief project plan by EMAIL by July 5th at 10:55am, and no late projects will be accepted.)

Write a 6-8 page analysis of a film, television show, or other pop culture product that applies theories and concepts from at least three (3)sources used in class. You must use correct citations and attach a bibliography.
Write and illustrate a children’s book that explains a theme from class, such as: feminism, gender socialization, the history of the women’s movement, etc. The project should showcase critical thought and creative effort. You must include a 3-4 page artist statement that explains the choices you made in your project and draws on at least three (3) sources used in class. Correct citations and a bibliography are a must.
Create a piece of artwork or write three thoughtful poems that address personal experiences relating to course material. You must include a 3-4 page artist statement that explains the choices you made in your project and draws on at least three (3) sources used in class to relate your art to course themes.Correct citations and a bibliography are a must.
Write a 5-6 page nonfiction book review. Begin your review with a brief summary of the main points (1-2 pages), and conclude with a 4 page critical analysis of the text that addresses the strengths and weaknesses of the book, its intended audience, how the book fits into the field of Women’s Studies, discussions we’ve had in class, etc. Please cite three (3) related course materials in your analysis.

Please see me for a list of possible books.

Plan your own project. Examples: plan an action - such as a letter-writing campaign or a demonstration -in which five members of the class can take part; create a public service announcement or short video about a class theme; write a research paper about a topic that interests you, and demonstrate how it relates to feminist thought, etc. Any project that is not a traditional research paper will require the addition of a 3-4 page project description and analysis that requires that you incorporate at least three (3) course texts.

Additional Course Policies

Extra Credit: Extra credit may be earned by attending one campus or city event thatrelates to themes and topics discussed in class. A 1-2 page description of the event and how it relates to course concepts is due in my email inbox no later than one week after the event takes place.

Late/Make-Up Work: Assignments are due on the day and time listed on the syllabus. No exceptions. I will reduce an assignment’s grade by one half grade for every day it is late (A  A-  B+, etc.).

Do not assume that you will be granted an extension for anything until you have spoken with me.

Academic Misconduct and Plagiarism

As defined in University Rule #3335-31-02, plagiarism is “the representation of another’s works or their ideas as one’s own; it includes the unacknowledged word for word use and/or paraphrasing of another person’s work, and/or the inappropriate unacknowledged use of another person’s ideas.” Plagiarism is one of the most serious offenses that can be committed in an academic community; as such, it is the obligation of this department and its instructors to report ALL cases of suspected plagiarism to the Committee on Academic Misconduct. After the report is filed, a hearing takes place and if the student is found guilty, the possible punishment ranges from failing the course to suspension or expulsion from the university. Although the existence of the Internet makes it relatively easy to plagiarize, it also makes it even easier for instructors to find evidence of plagiarism. It is obvious to most teachers when a student turns in work that is not his or her own; plagiarism search engines make documenting the offense very simple.

Always cite your sources (your TA or instructor can help you with this)
Always ask questions before you turn in your assignment if you are uncertain about what constitutes plagiarism
Always see your TA or instructor if you are having difficulty with an assignment

To preserve the integrity of OSU as an institution of higher learning, to maintain your own integrity, and to avoid jeopardizing your future, DO NOT PLAGIARIZE!

This course counts for the following GE requirements:

CULTURE & IDEAS

Goals:Students evaluate significant cultural phenomena and ideas in order to develop capacities for aesthetic and historical response and judgment; and interpretation and evaluation.

Expected Learning Outcomes:

Students analyze and interpret major forms of human thought, culture, and expression.

Students evaluate how ideas influence the character of human beliefs, the perception of reality, and the norms which guide human behavior.

DIVERSITY: SOCIAL DIVERSITY IN THE US

Goals: Students understand the pluralistic nature of institutions, society, and culture in the United States and across the world in order to become educated, productive, and principled citizens.

Expected Learning Outcomes:

Students describe and evaluate the roles of such categories as race, gender and sexuality, disability, class, ethnicity, and religion in the pluralistic institutions and cultures of the United States.

Students recognize the role of social diversity in shaping their own attitudes and values regarding appreciation, tolerance, and equality of others.

SOCIAL SCIENCE: INDIVIDUALS & GROUPS

Goals:Students understand the systematic study of human behavior and cognition; the structure of human societies, cultures, and institutions; and the processes by which individuals, groups, and societies interact, communicate, and use human, natural, and economic resources.

Expected Learning Outcomes:

Students understand the theories and methods of social scientific inquiry as they apply to the study of individuals and groups.

Students understand the behavior of individuals, differences and similarities in social and cultural contexts of human existence, and the processes by which groups function.

Students comprehend and assess individual and group values and their importance in social problem solving and policy making.

Grade Breakdown

Participation: 15%

Reading Check-ins: 15%

Class Blog: 25%

Media Analysis: 20%

Final Project: 25%

Total: 100 %

A = 93-100 Excellent!

A- = 90-92

B+ = 87-89

B = 83-86 Above Average

B- = 80-82

C+ = 77-79

C = 73-76 Average/Meets expectations

C- = 70-72

D+ = 67-69

D = 63-66 Below Average

D- = 60-62

Unit 1: What is Women’s Studies? What is Feminism?
concepts: women’s studies, interdisciplinary, activism, academy, feminism, 1st wave feminism, 2nd wave feminism, 3rd wave feminism, suffrage, backlash, social constructivism,
biological essentialism
WEEK / DATE / TOPIC / READINGS
Week 1 / 6/19 TUE / Introduction to Course / *Penny Weiss. “I’m not a Feminist, but…” (1-16)
6/21 THU / The F-Word: A History of US Feminism
Film: Iron Jawed Angels / *Seneca Falls. “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions”
*Sojourner Truth. “Ain’t I A Woman?”
-- Susan Faludi. “Introduction: Blame it on Feminism” (105-122)
Unit 2: The Social Construction of Gender
concepts: sex, gender, gender role, gender identity, socialization, masculinity, femininity, gender norms, social construction, transgender, sexuality, intersexuality, homophobia
Week 2 / 6/26 TUE / Gender Socialization:
Learning Gender
Film: Tough Guise / -- Judith Lorber. “Night to his Day: The Social Construction of Gender” (17-32)
*Sarah. “My Son is Gay.”
*Susan Witt. “Parental Influence on Children’s Gender Roles.”
6/28 THU / Challenges to the Sex/Gender System
Film: Trained in the Ways of Men / *Myrhe. “One Bad Hair Day Too Many.”
*Julia Serano. Chapters 1 and 2 from Whipping Girl.
Unit 3: The Institutionalization of Inequality
concepts: oppression, privilege, power, social inequality, patriarchy, social institutions,
race, class
Week 3 / 7/3 TUE / CLASS CANCELLED / Enjoy the July 4th Holiday!
7/5 THU / Understanding Privilege and Oppression
Guest Lecturer: Andrea Breau
DUE: Final Project Proposal
Email by 10:55am / -- Marilyn Frye. “Oppression” (33-48)
-- Peggy McIntosh. “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack” (83-90)
-- Judith Katz. “Heterosexual Privilege: Owning My Advantage, Uncovering My Collusion” (91-94)
Week 4 / 7/10 TUE / Difference and Inequality / -- Audre Lorde. “Age, Race, Class, and Sex: Women Redefining Difference” (101-112)
-- Suzanne Pharr. “Homophobia: A Weapon of Sexism” (113-134)
Unit 4: Body Politics
concepts: the beauty myth, the male gaze, beauty norms, the myth of the vaginal orgasm,
the orgasm gap
7/12 THU / The Beauty Myth
Film: Killing Us Softly / -- Naomi Wolf. “Excerpt from The Beauty Myth” (123-136)
-- Stephen Hall. “The Bully in the Mirror” (137-156)
*T. Denean Sharpley-Whiting. “I See the Same Ho: Video Vixens, Beauty Culture, and Diasporic Sex Tourism”
Week 5 / 7/17 TUE / Sexuality and Pleasure
Film: Orgasm, Inc. / *Anne Koedt. “The Myth of the Vaginal Orgasm”
*Heather Corinna. “An Immodest Proposal”
*Seligson. “The Orgasm Gap”
Unit 5: Gender-Based Violence
concepts: dominance, subordination, sexual violence, domestic violence, media
7/19 THU / Gender-Based Violence
Film: Dreamworlds 3 / *Russ Funk. “The Culture of Rape.”
*Whitney Walker. “Why I Fight Back”
Week 6 / 7/24 TUE / Global Violence Against Women
Film: TBD / *Fontes and McClosky. “Cultural Issues in Violence Against Women.”
*Momigliano. “Honor Killing By Any Other Name.”
Unit 6: Family and Work Arrangements
concepts:marriage, the mommy track, mommy wars, the wage gap, the invisible ceiling
7/26 THU / Marriage and Parenting / -- Judy Brady. “I Want a Wife” (157-160)
-- Susan Douglas & Meredith Michaels. “The Mommy Wars: How the Media turned Motherhood into a Catfight” (161-)
*Drexler. “Lesbian Mothers Making Men.”
Week 7 / 7/31 TUE / Money and Work
Film: Mad Men or Roseanne / *Eagly and Carli. “Women and the Labyrinth of Leadership”
*Bernard and Leiber. “High Price of Being a Gay Couple.”
*Borowski. “The Myth of the Gender Wage Gap”
8/2 THU / Class Wrap-Up

WRITING ASSIGNMENTS