*Fulfills Sociology and ANSO Major Theory Intensive Course Requirement
*Can be Taken as Sociology and ANSO Major Senior Capstone Course; see Instructor
Instructor: Janet Wirth-Cauchon
105D Howard Hall, x4586
Email: janet.wirth-cauchon@drake.edu
Office Hours: Monday 2:30-3:30 PM
Tues. and Thursday 11:15-1:15
And by appointment
Course Description
This course is a critical, in-depth examination of contemporary feminist theories of subjectivity. Our central goal will be to gain an understanding of the relationships between gender, subjectivity, and social relations of power. A major concern of the course is to understand how social differences between women along the dimensions of race, class, and sexuality shape these relations of gender and power.
In the course we will consider the following questions:
How do history and power shape gender subjectivity? How are cultural images of gender embedded or anchored in our psyches? How do we enact these internalized images in social relationships?
How are gendered and racial systems of domination related? How do these identities intersect?
How does social class affect gender subjectivity? How does it pose challenges to feminist theorizing?
What is the relationship of sexuality to feminist theorizing and activism? How does "compulsory heterosexuality" shape gender consciousness?
How, in the face of powerful cultural norms, is it possible to account for resistance? What are some viable strategies of resistance through which the binding power of gender norms could be challenged?
READINGS
Course Packet: A course packet is required for the course, to be purchased at CopyCat, located at 2503 25th St., phone 255-9284.
Required Texts:
Bell Hooks, Wounds of Passion Henry Holt, 1997
Patricia Hill Collins Black Feminist Thought-2nd Edition Routledge, 2000.
Nella Larsen Quicksand and Passing. Deborah E. McDowell, Ed. Rutgers University Press, 1986.
Gloria Anzaldua Borderlands/La Frontera 2nd. Edition, Aunt Lute, 1999.
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 permission of instructor. If you have not met this pre-requisite, see me immediately.
1. Class Participation (15%):
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 (See below under Writings).
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. Absence Policy: Because this is a night course, one absence is equivalent to missing a week of daytime class. More than 3 unexcused absences will result in a zero for the attendance portion of the course and will put your grade in jeopardy. Of course, emergencies arise, and in this circumstance, you must make every effort to communicate with me prior to the class period if you are going to be absent.
E-Mail Discussion List: An electronic mail computer discussion listserv (Being-L) has been set up for this class. Instructions for subscribing are at the end of this syllabus.
Group Facilitation of Discussion: Early in the semester the class will form into small groups. The main responsibility of your group is to prepare and facilitate discussion on a given week's readings. This will entail meeting with your group to plan your presentation, and the preparation of a handout or outline, with questions or themes for discussion. Group Discussion schedules will be finalized early in the semester. *This is not graded, but is required as part of your group activities and course participation.
2. Brief Response Papers: (15%)
These are regular brief responses to the readings. I will provide the questions for your papers. You should be prepared to share your paper in class with other students for discussion.
3. Three Essay Papers (15% for Paper 1, 20% for Papers 2 and 3, for a total of 55%)
4. Final Group Project and Group Paper (15%)
For the Final Group Project you will work in groups of 3-4 to prepare a project on a particular theorist, theoretical perspective, or a specific topic through which you explore theoretical issues. This will entail defining a topic, researching your topic, writing a group paper, and preparing a 15-20 minute group presentation of your project to the class. More details will be provided early in the semester.
***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. For extreme or unavoidable circumstances, contact me prior to the due date if possible.
GRADE SUMMARY
Class Participation 15%
Brief response papers 15%
3 Essay Papers 55%
Final Group Project/Paper 15%
_____________________________
Total 100%
Tenative Schedule, subject to change depending on our progress
Readings marked with an asterisk * are in the course packet
August 28: Introduction: Course Overview and Policies/ Why Theory? Theory as Feminist Practice
Sept. 4: Theory as Feminist Practice (cont.)/ Gender and/as Subjectivity
*bell hooks, "Theory as Liberatory Practice"
*Chris Weedon, "Principles of Poststructuralism"
Sept. 11: The Politics of Location and the Feminist Subject
*Bronwyn Davies, "The Problem of Desire"
Adrienne Rich, "Notes Towards a Politics of Location"
Sept. 18: Theorizing the Body
*Susan Bordo, "Introduction" to Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture and the Body,
*Helene Cixous, "The Laugh of the Medusa"
Trinh T. Minh-ha, "Write Your Body" and "The Body in Theory"
Sept. 25: Intersections of Race, Gender, Class, Sexuality
*Audre Lorde, "The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House" and "An Open Letter to Mary Daly"
P.H. Collins, Black Feminist Thought, Chapters 1, 2 (pp. 1-43)
Donna Kate Rushkin, "The Bridge Poem"
Film: Audre Lorde: The Edge of Each Other's Battles
Oct. 2: Black Feminist Thought
P.H. Collins, Black Feminist Thought, Chapters 3, 4, 5 (pp. 45-121)
Oct. 9: : Bell Hooks, Wounds of Passion
bell hooks Wounds of Passion Preface and pp. 1-124 (Chapters 1-16)
Film: Cultural Criticism and Transformation: Bell Hooks
*** Oct 16: No Class--Fall Break ***
Oct. 23 Wounds of Passion (cont.)
Hooks, Wounds of Passion, finish (pp. 125-260)
Collins, Chapters 6,7, 9 (pp. 123-172; and 201-225)
Oct. 30: Passing: Race, Gender, and Dual Consciousness
Nella Larsen, Passing.
*Cheryl Wall, "Passing for What? Aspects of Identity in Nella Larsen's Novels"
Note: **In the article by Cheryl Wall, skim the discussion of Quicksand, then read discussion of Passing.
Nov. 6: Hybrid Identities: Borderlands
Anzaldua, Borderlands, Chapter 1-5
Nov. 13: Gender/Sexuality as Performativity
*Peter Osborne and Lynne Segal, "Gender as Performance: An Interview with Judith Butler"
Available at: http://www.theory.org.uk/but-int1.htm
*Judith Butler, Chapter 4 in Bodies That Matter, "Gender is Burning: Questions of Appropriation and Subversion"
Film: Paris is Burning
Nov. 20: Performing Masculinities
*Judith Halberstam, "An Introduction to Female Masculinity"
Nov. 27: Feminism and Queer Theory
*Suzanna Danuta Walters "From Here to Queer: Radical Feminism, Postmodernism, and the Lesbian Menace"
Dec 4: Strategies of Resistance: Feminist Theory and Activism
Anzaldua, Borderlands, Chapter 7, "Towards a New Consciousness"
Dec. 11: Final Group Projects
Dec. 18: Final Group Projects