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WMST
100 "Women
hold up half the sky." Dr. Renae Bredin Web Essays Rachel Aparicio Updated:
6/29/06 |
Introduction to Gender Studies in the Humanities WMST 100:01 Summer 2006 |
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Course Objectives This class introduces the central
concepts of the humanities and reviews and analyses institutions and theories
that define and defend gender scripts globally. These central
humanistic concepts include the impact of rational, ethical living, and the
moral and ethical dimensions of individual responsibility to humanity.
Through a series of focused questions we will explore themes of being and
becoming. We will review each theme using two sets of tools; on the
surface we will dissect and discuss strategies of representation and textuality, then we will excavate to the subterranean
level of ideology and perspective. What does it mean to be human?
What is a man? What is a woman? How are we asked to squeeze into
these categories? What are the effects of the squeeze? How do we
tell the stories that mark our humanity? What roles do violence,
surveillance, and the state play in containing us within gendered
categories? How are sex, love, marriage and family related to the
demands of gender? How do we resist those demands? What impact do
texts—written, oral and visual—have on the human enterprise of identity
formation and the humanistic assertion of the individual as the primary
marker of self? Required Books
Course
Requirements
Your
participation in the discussions of the readings will be critical to our success
in the learning process. Participation
will be evaluated on the amount, quality, preparation and civility you
demonstrate as you contribute to the discussions. 2-Minute
Rant Each
student will write and present to the class one 2-minute speaking rant during
the semester on any of the issues, themes, or perspectives we cover in the
class. Each rant must include the
following: 1-Premise/Assertion,
2-Proof, 3-Next Step. Proofs must be
developed from information in the reading and lectures. Next Steps are a one-sentence question that
expands on the assertion and requires new proofs. Each rant is worth 6 points. After all students have completed the
required rant, students may present additional rants for an additional 3
points each extra credit. Write two one to two page
essays in Microsoft Word. Each will be
worth 10 points. Choose one of the
themes of the class and write a critical essay incorporating our readings and
discussions about representation and the core questions of this class: What
does it mean to be human? What does it mean to be a gendered human? What is love? What is power? Observe all conventions of grammar,
spelling, and punctuation. Include at least one documented source from
outside of the class material. Submit
the essays to me at rbredin@fullerton.edu
in web page format by midnight, Thursday, June 22. To save your Word document
for the web, simply click on Save as and change the 'file type' to Web
Page. Make sure your file name has no spaces in it. Click Save.
Attach the file to an email, and click send. If you have trouble, send me an
email. Find one visual object—a painting,
a graphic, a clip from a film or tv show, an
advertisement, etc.—that tells a story without words. Your object should be related to one of the
readings/films that we share, and the ideas that that written text is
exploring. Four groups will take up two
issues of the class’s choice. Two
groups will debate on one issue, two on the other issue. Debate will be conducted on Thursday, June
29. You will be assessed based on your
preparation, contribution to the group, validity of argumentation, and the
bullet point list of areas you will cover that you hand in to me at the
beginning of the debate. +/- Grading This
class will use plus/minus (+/-) in the final course grades. Attendance Because
part of your grade is based on participation, you must attend class. Any
in-class work you miss will be reflected in your grade. Late work is penalized one letter grade and will not be
accepted one week past the due date. Plagiarism Be sure to cite the work of
others to preserve intellectual integrity and avoid plagiarism. I encourage
you to provide help and resources to each other, but the final product should
be your own. If you wish to
acknowledge significant ideas contributed to your paper by a class member,
you may cite that person. If you have
any questions about academic honesty, please let me know. Evidence of academic dishonesty will result
in a grade of 0 for the assignment.
See also http://www.fullerton.edu/deanofstudents/Judicial_Affairs/Plagiarism.htm Classroom Policies The following list covers expectations for in-class
behavior: 1.
Turn off all cell phones and beepers and do not take them out during
class time. If you use these during
class, you will be asked to leave. 2.
Arrive on time. 3.
Do not leave during class except for emergencies. 4.
Be prepared with all readings. 5.
All work must be your own. Plagiarism will result in a failing grade
on the assignment (see above). Learning Goals and Outcomes: Strategies for
meeting GE III.B.2—Introduction to the Humanities ¨
to increase your historical knowledge of issues that have been
pivotal to the development of the humanistic perspective (GE III.B.2.a-b) ¨
to learn about representations of love, power and institutions in
different forms of texts (GE III.B.2.d-e) ¨
to explore the way textual representations reflect, mask, prepare the
way for, and/or determine the individual and collective experience of gender
roles and conflicts through analysis of written and visual documents from
Western & non-Western traditions (GE III.B.2.c, f); and ¨
to hone your analytical skills (through practice in reading, writing,
listening, speaking, and critical thinking) by applying humanistic
perspective to your own gendered experiences (GE III.B.2.g; ) ¨
to meet the General Education writing requirement for this class, you
will produce two individually written documents, eight group documents, a
written version of your in-class speech, and short answer essays on your
exams. These will be assessed for
grammar, spelling, clarity, organization, the expression of complex ideas in
relation to each other, and your newly acquired analytical skills. All assignments will be returned with suggestions
for improvement, and may be revised once for a higher grade. |
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