WOMEN, MADNESS, AND CULTURE Honors 137/SOC 137/WS 172 Spring 2002 Prof. Janet Wirth-Cauchon Department of Sociology 105D Howard Hall and 214A Meredith Office Hours: Monday, 11:00 AM-12:30 PM in Howard 105D Tues-Thurs. 11:00- 1:00 PM in Meredith 214A Phone: x4586 E-Mail: Janet.Wirth-Cauchon@drake.edu   A serious historical study of the female malady should not romanticize madness as one of women's wrongs any more than it should accept an essentialist equation between femininity and madness. Rather, it must investigate how, in a particular cultural context, notions of gender influence the definition and, consequently, the treatment of mental disorder. - Elaine Showalter   COURSE DESCRIPTION "Madness," writes Elaine Showalter, "...is metaphorically and symbolically represented as feminine: a female malady." What is this relationship between madness and the feminine? How are notions of "the female malady" socially constructed in different time periods and in different cultures? As we consider the history of the treatment of women in psychiatry, we will explore the relationship between socio-cultural definitions of madness and gender. The first major goal will be to understand the social relations of power within which psychiatry emerged, and within which women became defined as "hysterical," "irrational," or "mad." A major focus for this inquiry is to analyze the narratives of psychiatry (diagnoses, case histories) as reflecting and re-creating norms of gender. We will also consider a feminist framework from which to analyze women's madness as a kind of bodily and psychic language expressing the dis-ease of women in culture, a dis-ease that is not able to be voiced through verbal means. Can we de-code this language, "read" it? What might we understand this language to be saying about women's position in culture?   COURSE REQUIREMENTS   A word about pre-requisites: This course is intended for sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have the following prerequisites: Either WS 001 (Introduction to Women's Studies), or an entry-level sociology or anthropology course, or permission of instructor. If you have not met this pre-requisite, see me immediately. Secondly, this course is an Honors course. The Honors program describes Honors courses as follows: "The educational experiences common to all Honors courses involve active learning, expanded academic freedom, use of critical analysis, and enriched scholastic challenges. The classroom experience is characteristically different from regular classes. The format generally consists of discussion rather than lecture. Assignments and evaluation are based more on reading, writing, and continued revision rather than tests and exams. Honors classes provide a uniquely empowering environment where students and teachers interact on an equal level and where students take responsibility for their own learning and the direction of the class." For more information, see the following URL: http://www.drake.edu/honors/home.html Thirdly, this is a Women's Studies course. This means that women's experiences and histories, as well as feminist perspectives on women's lives and on gender relations, is at the center of our work. As a Seminar: This course will be run as an intensive seminar. You should not think of yourself as passive and waiting for something to "happen" in the classroom; rather, the quality of discussion is driven by what each of you contributes. It also depends on the quality of your ability to listen carefully to your classmates and to respond thoughtfully and respectfully. I would like us to think about knowledge not as a "thing", waiting to be transmitted to you, but as something more alive than that, emerging through our discussion and work together. At the heart of our activities, of course, is rigorous, careful, and thorough reading and writing. To facilitate this core, you will prepare weekly papers responding to the readings. These will be divided between summary of the author's argument and your discussion/interpretation of that argument. I. Course Participation (15%): a) Verbal Contribution to Class Discussion: This is an interactive class, and so the production of knowledge is a responsibility shared by teacher and students. Therefore each of you has a role to play in creating knowledge, and that includes being involved in discussion. Thus, a key requirement of this course is thoughtful contribution to class discussion, grounded in your understanding or questions about the readings or the topic at hand. While this contributes to the "Course Participation" percentage, it really goes far beyond a percentage, forming the foundation of the course and your experience of it. b) Attendance: One of the most important requirements of the course is to attend each class period, on time, and prepared to discuss the readings assigned for that week. I will take attendance through the use of a sign-up sheet. It is your responsibility to make sure you sign the sheet each class period. Of course, emergencies arise, and in this circumstance, you must communicate with me prior to the class period if you are going to be absent. The following policies will apply: More than 3 absences will result in the loss of all credit for attendance and a zero for the attendance/participation portion of the course. More than 5 absences means that you will not get a grade higher than a C in the course. More than 8 absences will result in a D or an F in the course. Simply stated, if you are not in class you are not contributing to the seminar and therefore not meeting the minimal requirements for the course.   II. Writings a) Short Reading Response Papers (15%) : There will be a series of short (1-2 pages) response papers. These will ask you to summarize and respond to readings. These will be graded. b) 2 6-8 page Essay Papers (40% total, 20% each paper): You will write 2 (6-8 page) Essay papers. I will grade these papers rigorously; you should therefore ensure that they are carefully prepared, grounded in the readings, and show your sustained effort to think through and analyze the theoretical arguments we will address. Success on these papers will require your careful development of critical questions, and in-class discussion of these questions with other students. ***Late Papers Policy***: Except in the event of extreme circumstances, late papers will be penalized. Late papers will have the grade lowered by one/half a grade per calendar day that it is late.   III. Final Group Project (10%) Throughout the semester you will work with a group to research a topic. You will use this as the basis for a final project, to be presented in class during the last two weeks of class. The project will entail ongoing investigation and can involve primary on-site research (for example, interviews or ethnographic research) or secondary library research. Final Individual Paper (20%) You will write a 10-12 page final paper in conjunction with the Final Group Project. A more detailed handout will be provided to you. Final Paper Due May 15.   Grade Summary: Class Participation (In-class discussion and Attendance): 15% Brief Response Papers 15% 2 6-8 page Essay papers 40% Final Project 10% Final Paper 20% --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total 100%   READINGS Books: Charlotte Perkins Gilman The Yellow Wallpaper New York: The Feminist Press, 1973 (Orig. pub. 1899). Susanna Kaysen Girl, Interrupted. New York: Vintage, 1994. Sylvia Plath The Bell Jar New York: Harper and Row, 1971 Course Packet: A course packet is required for the course, to be purchased at CopyCat, located at 2503 25th St. (next to the Varsity Theatre), phone 255-9284. COURSE OUTLINE This schedule is subject to change, depending on our progress. *Course Packet Readings are marked with an asterisk* Jan 23: Introduction and Course Overview Film, Dialogues with Madwomen, by Allie Light (1993). Jan 30: Concepts, Perspectives *Showalter, "Introduction" from The Female Malady" *Kaplan, "A Woman's View of DSM-III" *Astbury, Chapter 1, "Introduction: Proneness and Disorder," and Chapter 2: "The Razor's Edge: Ideology and Self-Limitation" from Crazy for You Feb 6: Women and Madness in Historical Perspective *Elaine Showalter, "Managing Women's Minds" Feb 13: The "New Woman" and Darwinian Psychiatry Gilman, The Yellow Wallpaper *Showalter, "Nervous Women" Film: Yellow Wallpaper Feb 20 : Difference and Pathology: Race, Gender and Madness *Laura Briggs, "The Race of Hysteria: "Overcivilization" and the 'Savage' Woman in Late Nineteenth-Century Obstetrics and Gynecology"   Feb 27 "The Birth of Psychoanalysis: Anna O., Shell Shock, and Hysteria *Dianne Hunter, "Hysteria, Psychoanalysis, and Feminism: The Case of Anna O." Film Excerpts: "Shell Shock" from The Great War Mar 6: Hysteria and Feminism: The Case of Dora *Elaine Showalter, "Hysteria and Feminism" *Toril Moi, "Representation of Patriarchy: Sexuality and Epistemology in Freud's Dora" Mar 13: Spirit Possession: Hysteria and Multinational Corporate Power *Aiwa Ong, "The Production of Possession: Spirits and the Multinational Corporation in Malaysia" *Nancy Scheper-Hughes, "The Madness of Hunger Mar 20: No Class - Spring Break *Mar 27: Schizophrenia and 1950s Containment Sylvia Plath The Bell Jar *Janet Walker, "Psychiatry After World War II: The Stake in Women" Film: Means of Grace April 3: Cultural Famine: Anorexia and the Regulation of Consumption *Susan Bordo, "Psychopathology as Crystallization of Culture" *Abra Fortune Chernik, "The Body Politic" *Becky Thompson, "'A Way Outa No Way': Eating Problems Among African-American, Latina and White Women," April 10: Borderline Disorder: Gender and Other Cultural Borders Susanna Kaysen, Girl, Interrupted *Wirth-Cauchon, "A Dangerous Symbolic Mobility" April 17: Memory and Trauma *Janice Haaken, selections from Pillar of Salt: Gender, Memory and the Perils of Looking Back April 24: Depression *Angela Bonavoglia, "After Prozac" Film screening for May 1 Discussion: Delirium May 1: Popular Film and Women's Madness *Liahna Babener, "Introduction: Fatal Attraction, Feminist Readings" Film: Fatal Attraction May 8: Final Projects Final Exam Period: May 15, 4:00-6:50