Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Courses
GSWS 104: Chem of Health and Reproduction
(Chemistry of Human Health and Reproduction.) This course focuses on biochemical processes related to human health and reproduction. It introduces concepts necessary to understand how the structure and function of naturally occurring small molecules and pharmaceuticals modulate biological processes - with an emphasis on human health and reproduction. Topics include introduction to organic chemical structures, chemical reactivity, structure and function of proteins, hormones, birth control, fertility treatments, and hormone replacement therapy. Additional topics may include anti-depressants, painkillers, and antibiotics. No prerequisites. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Natural Sciences requirement. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Natural Science & Mathematics requirement.)
cross listed: CHEM 104
GSWS 110: Intro to Women's/Gender Studies
This course is an introduction to the study of gender and sexuality in the United States. Topics may include intersectional feminisms, politics, mass media, sexual violence, reproductive rights, masculinity and femininity, transgender and non-binary issues, work, and family. No prerequisites. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Domestic Pluralism and Writing requirements.)
GSWS 200: Philosophy & Gender
What is gender? Is it the same as one's sex? Is it inborn or learned? In this course, we'll investigate these questions, as well as how gender differences do or ought to change our theories of human existence and human good. A comparison of classical, modern, and postmodern treatments of the effect of gender on love, knowledge, and ethical obligation. Reading may include Plato, Aristotle, Rousseau, Mary Shelley, Freud, de Beauvoir, and Irigaray. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Humanities and Domestic Pluralism requirements. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Humanities and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: PHIL 200
GSWS 206: Human Sexuality
This course focuses on psychological aspects of human sexuality, including the sexual response cycle, intimate relationships, sexual orientations and identities, and sexual health and disease. The course aims to familiarize students with methods used in scientific research on sexuality, to encourage them to think critically about sexual issues, to help them develop a better understanding of sexual diversity, and to enable them to become responsible sexual decision makers. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing required. PSYC 110 recommended. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Social Sciences requirement. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Social Science requirement.)
cross listed: PSYC 206
GSWS 208: Tpcs: Africana Women's Relg Exprnce
(Spring 2019 Topic: Africana Women's Religious Experience.) New Description: This course explores the multidimensional religious experiences of Africana women, specifically Black women throughout the Americas, Africa, and the Caribbean, as they attempt to define and realize a sacred self across diverse periods and contexts. We give attention to the voices of Africana women in history and literature, film, performance, sacred speech and music to examine the ways religion has empowered and disempowered Black women in their individual and collective lives. Prerequisite: One course in either GSWS or AFAM. . (Under the old GEC, this course meets the Humanities and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: RELG 200, AFAM 208
GSWS 210: Developmental Psychology
An examination of the principles of development with an emphasis on interpretation of empirical studies and theories. We stress the ongoing interplay of biological and environmental forces as influences on development; place development in a broad context of culture, class, and history; view children and adolescents as active shapers of their environment; emphasize both continuity and the capacity for change; and consider implications of developmental psychology for educators, practitioners, parents and policymakers. Prerequisite: Psychology 110. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Social Sciences requirement. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Social Science requirement.)
cross listed: PSYC 210
GSWS 211: Adulthood & Aging
Examination of developmental processes associated with adulthood, maturity, and aging. Examination of evidence for continued development throughout the life span. Evidence from a variety of sources is used in examining the person in terms of physical, psychological, social, and cultural influences on development. Prerequisite: Psychology 110. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Social Sciences requirement. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Social Science requirement.)
cross listed: PSYC 211
GSWS 213: Women, Institutions, and Politics
This course focuses on women’s presence in politics. The number of women in positions of power in legislatures and beyond has increased in recent years. As these numbers grow, the career longevity of women in politics is not growing accordingly. Most women end their careers after a single period in the legislature or other offices. Women, it seems, are becoming the constant newcomers. This course hence puts particular emphasis in understanding the barriers women face in gaining access and maintaining their presence in positions of political power in public and private institutions in the American and global contexts. No prerequisites. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Social Sciences and Global Perspectives requirements. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Social Science requirement.)
cross listed: POLS 213
GSWS 224: A.I., Robots, and Gender
(Decoding the Feminine: 'Artificial' Intelligence, Robots, and Gender) With recent A.I. progress (artificial intelligence or machine learning) and technological advancements, the gap between reality and fiction has shrunk significantly; yet, from Villiers de l’Isle-Adam’s Future Eve (1886) to Alex Garland’s Ex Machina (2014), A.I and robots have long been represented in literature and films as women. Does science fiction only dream of female A.I. and robots? Why? This course analyzes how global literature and cinema have imagined the future of technology and the intersectionality of A.I., robots, and gender. Adopting a feminist and posthumanist approach, students examine how A.I. and technology are reshaping what it means to be human, and discuss social, political, and ethical considerations in both reality and fiction. Even if originally published in other languages, all texts and films will be available in English or with English subtitles.
cross listed: LCTR 224
GSWS 226: Religion and Gender in South Asia
This course examines representations of gender, divinity, and power in South Asia. Delving into epics, hymns, women's songs, animated films, scholarly articles, and observation of contemporary religious practices, we ask whether stories of Hindu goddesses empower women or serve the interests of a patriarchal culture. Through a variety of approaches, we investigate how women and men experience, negotiate, and subvert constructions of gender, femininity, and masculinity. The course culminates in a role-playing game, which uses an innovative methodology called Reacting to the Past to delve into legislation on Sati (ritual widow-burning) in colonial India. Students research and articulate opinions of historical characters, while learning to express themselves with clarity, precision, and force and developing their public speaking skills. No prerequisites. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Global Perspectives and Speaking requirements.)
cross listed: RELG 226, ASIA 226
GSWS 228: Women Writing Women
This course surveys selected women writers, in diverse genres past and present, with a focus on American women writers in the 20th and 21st centuries. As we read selected literary texts, we explore how they "write women," in other words, how they deconstruct and reinvent the meanings of "woman" in their work. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Domestic Pluralism and Writing requirements. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Humanities requirement.)
cross listed: ENGL 228, AMER 228
GSWS 232: The Pre-Modern Body
This course investigates the roots of contemporary European and American understandings of the human body in social, cultural, and religious traditions from the ancient and medieval Mediterranean world. Students explore texts that illuminate the importance of the body to individual and group identity and discuss how these texts’ definitions of "normal", "beautiful", and "healthy" bodies continue to wield influence. Among the course's questions: how was the central role of the body in identity (before and after death) shaped by Christian theology of a God who was embodied, suffered, and died? What assumptions were made about how biological sex dictated identity—and how did pre-modern authors reckon with those who fell outside the sex or gender binary? How was spiritual morality understood to be inscribed on the physical body in complex ways (skin color, physical features, illness, pain, sexual activity)? How did racism and nascent colonialism shape ideals of body size and appearance? Students read primary sources ranging from patristic theology to werewolf stories, as well as important works of scholarship. No prerequisites. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Global Perspectives and Writing requirements. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Humanities and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: HIST 282, RELG 282
GSWS 233: Latinx Chicago
This course explores the history of Chicago's diverse Latinx communities from 1900 to the present. We focus on Mexican and Puerto Rican Chicagoans, but students also have the opportunity to explore other communities. We examine migration experiences and community formation in Chicago neighborhoods, and how Latinx communities have understood their own identity. We study how Latinx groups organized social and political movements for empowerment; engaged in struggles around employment, education, and housing; and confronted policing, deportation, and displacement. Through these efforts, Latinx communities shaped public policy at the local and national level. Finally, we investigate how race, ethnicity, gender, class, and religion have been understood within Latinx communities and have shaped their experiences in the city. No prerequisites. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Domestic Pluralism and Speaking requirements.)
cross listed: HIST 233, LNAM 233
GSWS 237: Identity/Memory Spanish Film
(Identity and Memory in Contemporary Spanish Film.) Through the study of a selection of films and documentaries stretching from late Francoism through the Transición, until the 2008 economic crisis, this course provides a critical examination of the history and poetics of cinema in Spain, with particular attention to the relation between the representation of identity and the recovery of traumatic memory in contemporary culture. Regarding identity, this course addresses questions of national and regional identity (Spanish, Basque, and Catalan contexts), as well as the role of gender and sexual identity throughout late Francoism, the Transición, and democratic state. We also analyze how the directions problematize memory, especially traumatic memory, through their films. No prerequisites. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Humanities and Domestic Pluralism requirements. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Humanities and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: CINE 237, SPAN 237
GSWS 241: Gender and Territory in Latin Amer
Body-Maps: Decolonial Notions of Gender and Territory in Latin America. This course explores how socio-spatial and territorial relations are marked by gender, race, and class in Latin America. From a feminist anthropological and geographical perspective, we revisit different territorial struggles in Latin America and the role of gender in these mobilizations. Specifically, we examine how power functions in "the body" or the self, but also in human and non-human relations, which are traversed by colonial nation-State and imperialist formations. This course not only engages in critical dialogues on space, and the ways in which race, gender, and class are experienced in the everyday life, but also how these territorial spaces become contested places for Black, Indigenous and other racialized subjects to imagine and produce decolonial futures. No prerequisites. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Social Sciences and Global Perspectives requirements.)
cross listed: LNAM 241, SOAN 241
GSWS 251: Family Structure & Political Theory
Sexuality, child rearing, marriage, and family construction are crucial issues to political theorists, especially since the family is the fundamental social unit. Through an examination of traditional political theorists, this course explores the treatment of these issues, and how they affect other, more established political problems such as citizenship, property, and community. Current legal and practical problems involving families inform and illuminate our perusal of political theorists' approach to the relationship between the private family and the state. POLS 130 is recommended but not required. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Humanities requirement. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Social Science and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: POLS 251
GSWS 252: Dialogue: Gender Identity
In a culturally and socially diverse society, exploring issues of difference, conflict, and community is needed to facilitate understanding and improve relations between social/cultural groups. In this course, students will engage in meaningful discussion of controversial, challenging, and divisive issues in society related to gender identity. Students will be challenged to increase personal awareness of their own cultural experience, expand knowledge of the historic and social realities of other cultural groups, and take action as agents of positive social change in their communities. This course requires a high level of participation from all students. Note: This course earns .5 credits. No Prerequisites. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Humanities and Domestic Pluralism requirements. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Cultural Diversity requirement.)
cross listed: ETHC 252
GSWS 253: Family and Kinship
This course focuses on family and kinship in cross-cultural perspective. We will look at families in their social and cultural context and ask what relationships exist between family forms, practices, and values and the economic system, political organization, religions, and cultures of the larger community. We will also ask what the sources of love and support, as well as conflict and tension, are within families and among kin, and we will question why family forms and ideal family types change over time. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Social Sciences requirement. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Social Science and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: SOAN 253
GSWS 265: French Feminism
(Feminist Voices of the Francophone World.) This course, taught in English, introduces French feminist literature and theory. Students read foundational texts from writers such as Olympe de Gouges, Simone de Beauvoir, Benoîte Groult, and Monique Wittig, along with contemporary French and Francophone Feminist/Queer authors. While all literary texts were originally written in French, the theoretical component may include essays by non-Francophone authors. Moreover, the course also discusses the particularities of French feminism, its controversies (such as the reaction to the "me too" movement,) and how it differs from Anglo-American feminism. All readings, discussions, and assignments will be in English with an option for French majors to complete reading and writing in French. No prerequisites. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Global Perspectives and Writing requirements. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Humanities and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: FREN 265
GSWS 266: Philosophy of Love and Emotion
This course explores the nature of love and other emotions. We start the course with a unit on love to address questions such as: How does love for another reconfigure the self? At what point is love narcissistic? How do we distinguish love worthy of the name from its lesser forms (such as love that becomes an exercise of control or fulfilling a social script)? What are the underlying commitments and performances entailed in both traditional forms of love and queer love? How do the structures of race and culture affect our exercise and experience of love? In addition to attending to a range of questions related to romantic love, we will also reflect on other types of emotion (e.g. hatred, desire, empathy, compassion) and their function in key aspects of human life (such as political association, knowing, and morality). Our readings will be diverse, pulling from ancient traditions of the world, contemporary feminist and queer theory, political philosophy, and literary sources. No prerequisites. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Humanities and Domestic Pluralism requirements. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Humanities requirement.)
cross listed: PHIL 265
GSWS 271: Gender, Sex, Power in U.S. History
(Gender, Sex, and Power in U.S. History) From slave-holding plantations to tech company offices, from bedrooms to the halls of government, gender has fundamentally shaped the historical experiences of those living within the United States. This course explores the role of gender and sexuality in shaping U.S. politics, economy, and society. In particular, we examine the way that power itself is “gendered,” and explore expressions of gendered power from intimate interpersonal interactions to global foreign policy. In this course we will not assume “women” or “men” have been solid blocks with unified interests over time, but rather have always been divided along lines of class, race, ethnicity, sexuality, and political ideology. We explore these divisions by looking at political movements throughout U.S. history, including women’s suffrage, feminism, gay liberation, reproductive rights, sex-workers’ rights, contemporary LGBTQ rights, and the #MeToo movement. (Under the old GEC, this course meets the Humanities and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: HIST 288
GSWS 274: Black Her-story
This courses looks at the history of Black people and culture in the United States with a special focus on those who identify as Black women. From Harriet Tubman to Alicia Garza, Bessie Smith to Beyonce, this course examines how the intersectional identifies of Black women have enriched racial freedom struggles and the fight for women's rights, among other issues. We will use "A Black Women's History of the United States," the 2020 book by award-winning Black women historians, Daina Raimey Berry and Kali Nicole Gross, as the main textbook, and read other historical texts by Black women as well. No prerequisites. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Humanities and Global Perspectives requirements. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Humanities and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: HIST 275, AFAM 275
GSWS 280: Gender, Culture, and Society
Theories concerning the acquisition of sex-typed behavior; social and biological influences on the roles of males and females in the twentieth- century United States as well as in other cultures. Feminist and anti-feminist perspectives. Images of future lifestyles and implications for social policy. Prerequisite: SOAN 110. . (Under the old GEC, this course meets the Social Science and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: SOAN 280
GSWS 285: Constructing Gender and Sexuality
Taking as its starting point the idea that both gender and sexuality are socially constructed, this course explores the ways in which gender identity and sexual orientation are developed and expressed across different cultures and historical eras. A central question for the course is how biological/physiological components of sex and desire are given meaning by cultures, with particular focus on the late 20th-early 21st century United States. The course will explore the US hegemonic binaries of male vs. female, masculine vs. feminine, and man vs. woman, examine how they articulate with one another, and consider various nonbinary responses. It also will look at the ways that social activism around sexuality and gender identity have simultaneously improved and undermined our understandings of both. Prerequisite: SOAN 110 or GSWS 110. (Under the old GEC, this course meets the Social Science requirement.)
cross listed: SOAN 285
GSWS 300: Topics: Feminist Controversies
This course will explore selected controversial topics among feminists, such as: the institutions of motherhood and reproduction, including surrogacy, abortion, and breastfeeding; the Michigan Womyn's Music Festival; sex work (pornography and prostitution); and definitions of sexual assault. In the course of debating these topics, students will learn distinctions and connections between different strands of feminist thought, such as: liberal feminism, Marxist and socialist feminisms, radical feminism, cultural feminism, lesbian feminism, queer feminism, psychoanalytic feminism, postmodern feminism, African American feminism, 3rd world feminism. No prerequisites. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Domestic Pluralism and Writing requirements.)
GSWS 301: Romantic Comedies & Phil of Love
(Romantic Comedies and Philosophy of Love) Why do we like to watch romantic comedies? What's satisfying about them, even when they're not great films? Film theorist Leo Braudy claimed that "genre [film] … always involves a complex relation between the compulsions of the past and the freedoms of the present. … [They] affect their audience … by their ability to express the warring traditions in society and the social importance of understanding convention." In this course, following Braudy, we will investigate the relationship between the film genre of romantic comedy and age-old thinking about love, marriage, and romance. We'll read some ancient and modern philosophy of love, as well as some relevant film theory, and watch and discuss an array of romantic comedies, trying to unpack what we really believe about love. Prerequisite: One Philosophy course or permission of the instructor. ("Genre: The Conventions of Connection," Film Theory and Criticism, eds. Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen. New York: Oxford U. Press, 538). (Under the old GEC, this course meets the Humanities requirement.)
cross listed: PHIL 301, CINE 301
GSWS 306: Women and Gender in Hip Hop
This course examines the history and role of women and gender in Hip Hop, from the 1970s to 2010. The increasingly popular musical genre and cultural phenomenon is often critiqued for being misogynist and homophobic. This class examines where this critique stems from and subverts this narrative to show the importance of women and gender to hip hop music and culture. Topics covered in this course include female rap pioneers, how discussions of masculinity and femininity have shaped rap lyrics, and the growing gender fluidity in hip hop. Prerequisites: AFAM 228 (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Writing requirement. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Humanities and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: AFAM 305, MUSC 306
GSWS 319: Archaeology Race Ethn Class Gnder
(Archaeology of Race, Ethnicity, Class, and Gender.) This course examines the ways that we understand (or misunderstand) race, ethnicity, class, and gender from an archaeological perspective. We explore archaeological research projects across time and regions to interrogate an essential problem in archaeology: How can we tell whether material differences in the archaeological record correspond to boundaries human groups draw among themselves? Course topics include race and racialization, ethnic diversity and ethnogenesis, the formation and performance of class, social constructions of gender and sexuality, and the political stakes involved in archaeological studies of difference. Throughout this course we ask how an engagement with intersectionality—the idea that categories of difference are entangled and covalent—may allow for a more nuanced understanding of the past, and of the present. Prerequisites: SOAN 110 and SOAN 216 OR SOAN 220 OR consent of the instructor. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Social Sciences requirement.)
cross listed: SOAN 319
GSWS 320: Labor Economics
In this course, standard theories of labor economics are developed. Topics include labor supply, labor demand, education, discrimination, contracting, and unions. Particular emphasis is given to the labor force participation of married women and single mothers, earnings, wage distributions and inequality, job training, and employment benefits. Empirical analysis complements theoretical modeling, especially in the area of women's work and international comparisons regarding labor laws and labor market outcomes. Prerequisite: ECON 210. (Under the old GEC, this course meets the Social Science and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: ECON 320
GSWS 325: Women, Art and Society
This course considers the contributions of women artists to the Western tradition of art making and examines the way art in the Western world has used the figure of woman to carry meaning and express notions of femininity in different periods. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Global Perspectives and Writing requirements. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Humanities and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: ARTH 325
GSWS 326: Gender Identity in Modern Art
Since the late nineteenth century, communities of artists and critics have defined themselves in opposition to the dominant forms of maleness and heterosexuality. This course examines the definitions of 'homosexuality' and 'feminism,' and traces their development in and influence on the visual arts. Prerequisite: one art history course. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Domestic Pluralism and Writing requirements. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Humanities and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: ARTH 326
GSWS 339: Inclusive Innovation
While entrepreneurs top the list of Forbes richest Americans, diversity does not. Why are women, people of color, and other groups persistently excluded from entrepreneurial resources? How might we make entrepreneurship more inclusive to drive disruptive innovation, help people reach their full potential, and propel positive economic growth? This course surveys the deeper (and often hidden) causal factors that have contributed to and reinforced entrepreneurial exclusion. We examine disparities at the macro- and micro-level (i.e., gender, race, sexuality, geography, ability, age) through case studies, reading, hands-on activities, and student research projects. Students propose their own reasoned and researched solutions to address the business case for access and inclusion not as a charitable cause but as an economic imperative. The course concludes with students pitching their solutions on how to empower an underrepresented group, increase access to high-quality tools to find problems worth solving for this group and the resources to solve them, and create new channels for revenue from a previously underserved and ignored market. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Domestic Pluralism requirement.)
cross listed: ENTP 340, ETHC 339, LNAM 340
GSWS 340: Feminist Voices in Spanish Lit/Cult
(Feminist Voices in Spanish Literature and Culture) This course introduces students to the works of prominent Spanish writers spanning from the 19th to 21st century, with a particular emphasis on the development of feminism within Spain. Students study an array of texts, both written and visual, to examine how women have interacted with the changing cultural and political landscapes of their respective times. The course explores a variety of topics including early feminism, women’s suffrage and the labor movement, repression under fascism and Franco, lesbian identity, and transfeminism. Prerequisite: SPAN 300 or higher or permission of instructor. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Domestic Pluralism requirement. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Social Science and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: SPAN 340
GSWS 344: Gender and Sexuality in IR
(Gender and Sexuality in International Relations.) This course explores the intersection of gender and sexuality with a variety of topics in international relations, such as conflict and war, global political economy, development, human rights, population policy, and global health. It examines how feminist and queer theories of international relations shed new light on existing areas of research, and how they generate new puzzles for political scientists to study. This course considers a wide range of cases from around the world, with particular attention to those from the Global South. Prerequisite: POLS 110 or consent of instructor. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Social Sciences and Global Perspectives requirements. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Social Science and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: POLS 344, IREL 344
GSWS 346: Africa in Films: Gender, Edu., Dev.
(Africa in Films: Gender, Education, and Development.) Africa is an enigma in global imagination. This course uses film as lens to explore historical, cultural, political, and theoretical perspectives on education and social change in African societies. Specifically, it examines gender mainstreaming and global education norm making in the broader contexts international development. Key themes--such as tradition and modernity, heteropatriarchy, culture and identity, power and politics, demography and ecology, gods and technology--all draw from historical and contemporary representations of Africa in films to deepen our understanding of the complex origins of humanity and its connection to rest of the world. Class sessions feature films in/on Africa and discussions on select themes. No prerequisites. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Social Sciences and Global Perspectives requirements.)
cross listed: EDUC 346, CINE 346
GSWS 347: Women in Global History
Around the year 1450, the world simultaneously grew bigger and smaller, as peoples and societies that had never before come into contact were transformed by new economic, cultural, and religious connections. Empires asserted dominance over far-flung colonies, while technology and innovation churned to keep up with new demands. The era of colonization and expansion set the stage for further conflict and bloodshed in recent centuries, along with the emergence of new ideological assertions regarding individuals, liberty, and globalization. Although understanding the trends in modern global history is a massive undertaking, one group is frequently underrepresented or ignored: women. This course examines the history of the world from 1450 to the present with a special focus on women and gender. It seeks to broaden our understanding of participants in world history and identify ways that women helped shape the development of societies and ideologies around the globe. We also learn more about the everyday lived experiences of women in various cultures and nations. How have ideas of men's and women's roles, as well as conceptualizations of masculinity and femininity, shaped modern life? How does our understanding of history change when we focus on women? No prerequisites. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Humanities and Global Perspectives requirements. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Humanities and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: HIST 364
GSWS 349: Gender in Developing Countries
This class introduces students to the unique challenges that women face in developing countries. Organized around major policy debates, we explore themes including women in the labor force, women in politics, gender and development, inequality, and violence. We also learn about top-down change, instituted by organizations like the IMF and World Bank, and bottom-up solutions created by NGOs and social entrepreneurs. Through class readings, group discussions, small group work, presentations, and a research paper, students are able to identify forms of existing gender inequalities, and critically examine policy solutions.Prerequisite: POLS 110 or consent of instructor. .
cross listed: POLS 349
GSWS 350: Topics in Gender and Media
(when applicable) Intensive study of selected subjects within the field of communications. Topics vary by semester. (Under the old GEC, this course meets the Humanities and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: COMM 350
GSWS 355: Community Psych
Community Psychologists study individuals in the contexts of their communities - e.g., families, peer groups, schools, workplaces, religious groups, culture, and society - and strive to engage collaboratively in research and community action work to ameliorate social problems, enhance the overall well-being of the community and its members, and make positive public policy changes. In this course, we will: (1) Consider the goals and roles of Community Psychologists; (2) Examine how social structures and community problems affect individuals' lives, and analyze our own underlying assumptions about these issues; (3) Consider the importance of diversity and psychological sense of community; (4) Explore methods & strategies for citizen participation and social change; and (5) Learn to use psychological research to inform social policy change and prevention efforts. Topics may include: Family Violence; Foster Care; Racism & the Justice System; Community Organizing for Rights (e.g., Civil Rights, Workers' Rights, Women's Rights); Community Organizing Against Harms (e.g., Hazardous Waste); Community Mental Health; Poverty & Homelessness; Children and Welfare Reform; Community Violence Prevention; Adaptation and Coping with Disaster (e.g., 9/11, Hurricane Katrina); and Advocacy on Capitol Hill - The Tobacco Lobby and Teenage Smoking. Prerequisite: Psychology 110 or equivalent. . (Under the old GEC, this course meets the Social Science and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: PSYC 355
GSWS 362: Love in a Time of Capitalism
Most of us are familiar with the idea that romantic love plays a different role in the contemporary world than it did at other times and the idea that love manifests in different ways across cultures. Rather than attempt a survey of all the possible manifestations of romantic love, this course aims to explore how 'love' features into our understandings of human interaction in the 21st century, particularly in the United States. We will be particularly focusing on the contemporary American notion that love and money are opposing forces. Our first goal will be to identify at least some of the tropes of love that are in current circulation. We will then explore the potential social consequences of those tropes, including the ways in which such tropes are passed on and reproduced across generations and the possibility of commodifying and 'selling' certain tropes as the 'right' way to be in love. Throughout the course, we will collect love stories, and our final task of the semester will be to compare our theoretical and media derived understandings of romantic love to its manifestations in people's lives. Prerequisites: SOAN 110 and 220 or consent of instructor. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Domestic Pluralism requirement. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Social Science requirement.)
cross listed: SOAN 362, AMER 362
GSWS 370: Feminism and Pop Culture
This course examines the ways women and female presenting people have been portrayed and are currently portrayed in the media: in television and movies, in popular music, on the internet, in print sources like magazines and other cultural phenomena. Additionally, we will examine how feminism has been enacted, defined and denigrated over time in an attempt to understand the cultural tensions within this concept as depicted in popular culture and academic texts. With readings ranging from critical theory to popular non-fiction by and about women, we will speculate on the impact of and source for popular portrayals of women and what they might be telling us about women’s roles in society. Issues of race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, and physical ability will be important as we critically examine the forms and functions of women in popular culture. Prerequisite: Comm 255, or another 200-level Communication course approved by the Department Chair, or consent of the instructor. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Domestic Pluralism requirement. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Humanities requirement.)
cross listed: COMM 370
GSWS 372: Queer Theory
This course will address the contemporary social theories collectively described as 'Queer Theory.' A unifying thread for those theorists generally accepted as working within Queer Theory is the prioritization of gender and sexuality as social ordering devices. Queer Theorists make dualities, power inequalities, and identity performance central to their analyses. The creation, rise, and ultimate deconstruction of these theories will be placed within social and historical contexts. Once the student has a firm understanding of the source and content of Queer Theory we will embark upon an exploration of its application through the investigation of a number of topics that are often peripheralized in the academy. Ultimately, we will question the utility of the theory in light of factors ranging from its dismantlement under deconstruction to the rise of social contingency theory. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Domestic Pluralism requirement. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Social Science and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: SOAN 372
GSWS 375: Queer Iberia
(Queer Iberia: Activism, Identities, and Origins) This course explores the origins, development, and histories of LGBTQ+ identity, activism, rights, and culture within Spain. We explore queerness as it relates to identity—cultural and political—to contextualize the particularities of the LGBTQ+ community within Spain today as well as its origins and evolutions. Under the label “queer,” we examine a variety of voices that challenge and subvert normativity, i.e. gender non-conformity, sexual identities, and political activism. Students study an array of media ranging from film, graphic novels, visual art, queer theory, journalism, to performance. The objective of this course is to provide students with a critical understanding of queerness and queer theory as applied to Spanish cultural production. Prerequisite: One 300-level Spanish course
cross listed: SPAN 375
GSWS 376: Queer Cinema
This course will focus on queer cinema--films that not only challenge prevailing sexual norms, but also seek to undermine the categories of gender and sex. Gender and sexual norms are perpetuated and challenged through notions of visibility, a key tactic in the fight for societal acceptance and civil rights. How sexuality is made visible and invisible will serve as a central focus in our analysis of queer film and media, focusing primarily on explicit representations of GLBTQ characters. Through feminist and queer theory, film theory and cultural criticism, we will analyze the contested relationships between spectators and texts, identity and commodities, realism and fantasy, activism and entertainment, desire and politics. Prerequisite: COMM 255, COMM 275, or permission of instructor. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Domestic Pluralism requirement. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Humanities and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: COMM 376, CINE 376
GSWS 381: Radical Women: Latina/x Artists
(Radical Women: Cross-disciplinary Approaches Latina / Latinx Artists.) Inspired by the 2017 exhibition of the same name, Radical Women is a seminar that immerses students in the practices of LatinX and Latina women artists from 1960 through the present. Using work by artists including Lygia Clark, Ana Mendieta, and Cecilia Vicuña as a starting point, students engage with contemporary practitioners whose work echoes these practices. The course focuses on ways in which artists engage the political body—including through self-portraits, the relationship between the body and landscape, the mapping of the body, the power of words, and repression and resistance. Students conduct research, contribute to discussion, and complete a set of individual and collective assignments including presentations on the artists. Final projects can take the form of a critical or creative research paper or an artistic project in a self-selected medium. Prerequisites: This interdisciplinary seminar is open to students across disciplines and does not require prior studio experience. Prior 200-level Art and Art History, Humanities, or Social Science courses recommended, or by instructor permission. Corequisites: Prior 200-level Art and Art History, Humanities, or Social Science courses recommended, or by instructor permission. Course Fee Applies. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Humanities and Global Perspectives requirements.)
cross listed: ART 381, LNAM 381
GSWS 382: Women's Rhet & Feminist Critique
(Women's Rhetoric and the Feminist Critique) Traces the development of women's oratorical tradition and the feminist critique by looking at how U.S. women argued for the right to speak before they had the vote and then how they continue arguing for equality once the right to suffrage had been established. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Domestic Pluralism requirement. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Humanities and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: COMM 382
GSWS 400: Women's Voices in Latin America
An author, thinker, movement, or group of works studied in depth. All work in Spanish. This course will examine the role of women in Hispanic culture. Important figures such as La Malinche, Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, and Eva Peron as well as the fiction, poetry, and films of Rosario Castellanos, Clarice Lispector, Gabriela Mistral, Isabel Allende, Rigoberta Menchu, Maria Luisa Bember, and Alicia Steimberg will be studied. Prerequisite: Two 300-level Spanish courses, including SPAN 300 or equivalent, or permission of instructor. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Global Perspectives requirement. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Humanities and Cultural Diversity requirements.)
cross listed: SPAN 400, LNAM 400
GSWS 403: Emily Dickinson
An advanced seminar on the poetry and letters of Emily Dickinson. Emphases on the cultural context of Dickinson's work and its critical reception. (Under the old GEC, this course meets the Humanities requirement.)
cross listed: ENGL 403
GSWS 465: Poverty, Inequality, Discrimination
This course explores how the discipline of economics can explain and analyze the causes and effects of poverty, inequality and discrimination. It will examine how various populations (defined by race, age, gender, class, sexual orientation, etc.) experience these differently. Students will be introduced to (1) economic theories of poverty, inequality and discrimination, (2) ways to measure each and (3) public policies designed to mitigate poverty, inequality and discrimination in the US. Prerequisite: ECON 110 with a grade of C- or better. (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Domestic Pluralism requirement. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Social Science and Cultural Diversity requirements.) (Under the Forester Fundamental Curriculum, this course meets the Domestic Pluralism requirement. Under the old GEC, this course meets the Social Science requirement.)
cross listed: ECON 465, BUSN 465