Catalog

Women and Gender Studies

WMST 2000-3. Introduction to Feminist Studies. Introduces students to the field of Women and Gender Studies. Examines gender issues in the United States from interdisciplinary, multicultural, and feminist perspectives. Covers such topics as sexuality, beauty ideals, women’s health, violence against women, work, the economy, peace and war, and the environment. Meets MAPS requirement for social science: general. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: human diversity.

WMST 2020-3. Social Construction of Femininities and Masculinities. Examines the impact of race, ethnicity, social class, and sexual orientation on the social construction of femininities and masculinities. Studies key issues as they arise over the course of the life cycle, e.g., sexual identity, work/family conflicts, violence, dating, and relationships, etc. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: human diversity.

WMST 2050-3. Gender and Contemporary Culture. Explores the debates relating to culture, its gendered effects and its relationship to race, class, location and sexuality, and how these relate to gender considerations in the family, workplace, the media, sports, cyberspace and other institutions. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: human diversity.

WMST 2200-3. Women, Literature, and the Arts. Introduces the contributions of women to literature, the visual and performing arts, from a historical and cross-cultural perspective. Emphasizes the cultural contexts in which artworks are created, as well as women and men as subjects of representation. Stresses structure, content, and style, along with the acquisition of basic techniques and vocabulary of literary and arts criticism. Prereq., WMST 2000. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: human diversity or literature and the arts.

WMST 2400-3. Women of Color and Activism. Studies the history of social activism in the United States by women of color, with an emphasis on modes of social activism, issues that have organized specific communities of color, issues that have crossed ethnic/racial boundaries, and the interaction of women from different ethnic/racial groups, including women of color and white women. Recommended prereq., WMST 2000 or 2600. Same as HIST 2636. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: United States context.

WMST 2600-3. Gender, Race, and Class in a Global Context. Examines the positionality of women in terms of gender, race, ethnicity, class, and power relations in a global context. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: contemporary societies.

WMST 2700-3. Psychology of Contemporary American Women. Surveys psychological theory and research concerning contemporary American women. Deals with such issues as masculine bias in American culture, sex difference in cognitive functioning and personality, psychological conflict for women between career and home, and, finally, specific areas pertaining to women’s mental health. Prereq., WMST 2000 or PSYC 1001. Same as PSYC 2700. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: human diversity.

WMST 3000-3. Gender, Work, and Public Policy. Provides and analytical framework for understanding the roles gender, sexuality, race and class play in defining the work worlds of women and men in society. Prereq., WMST 2000 or 2050.

WMST 3020-3. Methods of Inquiry in Gender, Race, Class, and Sexuality. Examines various research methods and approaches in women’s and gender studies. Students will gain practical experience to be able to write a proposal for a significant research project, informed by course readings and discussions. Prereqs., WMST 2000, 2600. Recommended prereqs., WMST 2200 or 2400.

WMST 3090-3. Critical Thinking in Feminist Studies. Analyzes the concepts, ideas, arguments, and assumptions that inform major texts in feminist theory through close reading, class discussion, and writing papers. Emphasizes developing reading and writing skills to interpret theoretical arguments. Prereqs., WMST 2000 and junior or senior standing.

WMST 3100-3. Feminist Theories. Explores a variety of alternative systematic accounts of, and explanations for, gender inequities. Social norms of both masculinity and femininity are analyzed in relation to other axes of inequality such as class, sexuality, race/ethnicity, neocolonialism, and the domination of nonhuman nature. Prereq., WMST 2000.

WMST 3110-3. Feminist Practical Ethics. Explores a variety of personal and public policy issues in light of basic feminist commitment to opposing women’s subordination. Provides students not only with a deeper understanding of the specific issues discussed but also with a sense of the ways in which a principled commitment to feminism may influence and be influenced by prevailing interpretations of contemporary ideals and values (such as freedom, equality, and community). Provides an opportunity to develop skills of critical analysis useful in a wide range of contexts. Prereq., WMST 2000 or 2290, and junior or senior standing. Same as PHIL 3110.

WMST 3200-3. Religion and Feminist Thought. Examines the origin of patriarchal culture in the theology and practices of Judaism and Christianity. Explores attitudes and beliefs concerning women as Judeo-Christian culture impacts gender roles and gender stratification through reading and discussion. Women’s religious experience is studied from the perspective of feminist interpretations of religiosity. Prereq., WMST 2000 or WMST/RLST 2800.

WMST 3210-3. American Indian Women. Explores the experiences, perspectives, and status of American Indian women in historical and contemporary contexts. Examines representations of indigenous women in mainstream culture. Emphasizes the agency of American Indian women-their persistence, creativity, and activism, especially in maintaining indigenous traditions. Prereq., WMST 2000, 2600, or ETHN 2001 or 2003. Restricted to sophomores/juniors/seniors. Same as ETHN 3213. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: human diversity.

WMST 3220-3. Women in Islam. Examines the historical and contemporary relation between women, gender, and Islamic cultures in different parts of the world. Considers the role and rights of women in Islam, historical and literary representations of Muslim women, and the historically changing constructions of gender and sexuality in Muslim societies. Critically explores the construction of Muslim women in Western discourses, including liberal feminist discourse, and asks whether the representation of Muslim women in these discourses achieves or undermines ends that might be considered “feminist.” Course readings will urge students to reexamine their presumptions about piety, secularism, modernity and feminism. Prereq., WMST 2000, 2050, or 2600.

WMST 3302-3. Facilitating Peaceful Community Change. Students gain knowledge and skills that enable them to become effective organizers and facilitators of community goals. Focuses on understanding the processes of community building and fostering grass-roots democracy with a multicultural emphasis. Students are encouraged to apply concepts to life experiences and to examine themselves as potential change agents. Theory and summer experience are integrated. Same as INVS 3302.

WMST 3300-3. Gender, Sexuality and U.S. Law. Contemporary and historic overview of U.S. courts’ treatment of sex and gender. Using the case method, examines policy issues including, but not limited to: same sex marriage and civil unions; privacy; affirmative action; abortion; reproductive technologies; and discrimination based on sex and sexual orientation in education and in the workplace. Prereq., WMST 2000 or PSCI 1101. Same as PSCI 3301. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: human diversity.

WMST 3314-3. Violence Against Women and Girls. Focuses on aspects of the victimization of women and girls that are “gendered” - namely, sexual abuse and intimate partner abuse. Also explores the importance of race, class, and sexuality in gendered violence. Prereq., WMST 2000. Same as SOCY 3314.

WMST 3400-3. Gender, Personality, and Culture. Explores the relationship among gender, culture, and personality. Brings together the disciplines of psychology and sociology in the study of gender and personality formation through investigation of psychoanalytic theory and the social environment. Prereqs., WMST 2000 or 2700, and junior or senior standing.

WMST 3500-3. Global Gender Issues. Introduces global gender issues, such as the gendered division of labor in the global economy, migration, women’s human rights, environmental issues, gender violence in war, women in the military, nationalism and feminism, and the representation of the Third World in the United States. Offers students the opportunity to broaden their perspectives beyond the borders of the United States. Prereq., WMST 2000, 2050 or 2600. Restricted to sophomores/juniors/seniors.

WMST 3505-3. Historical and Contemporary Issues of African American Women. Explores the social, economic, political, historical, and cultural role of African American women from an interdisciplinary perspective. Special emphasis is placed on African American women’s rich oral and literary tradition. Prereq., WMST 2000 or ETHN 2001, 2002 or equivalent. Same as ETHN 3502.

WMST 3600-3. Latinas: History, Culture, and Social Activism. Drawing from work produced by and about Latinas, discusses the social and cultural construction of race and ethnicity, the function of nationalism, the politics of migration and citizenship, Latina literary production and theory, historiographical trends, Latina feminist theory, activism and the academy, and Latina/o political organizing. Prereq., WMST 2000 or 2600.

WMST 3650-3. Women and Politics in Latin America. Examines ways Latin American women have engaged in politics and their participation in social movements, war, peace processes and elections. Focuses on why women “do politics” in certain ways, the role of the State in women’s politics, the (dis)advantages of various political strategies, and how political, economic and social changes have affected women’s political opportunities and interests. Prereq., WMST 2000 or instructor consent. Recommended prereqs., WMST 2400, 2600, 3600 or 3730. Restricted to juniors/seniors. Same as PSCI 3052.

WMST 3656-3. History of Women in Progressive Social Movements. Explores women’s involvement in the United States, in international peace, feminist, and civil rights movements of the 19th and 20th centuries. Teaches research methods by using a variety of primary and secondary sources and writing an original research paper. Prereq., WMST 2000 or HIST 1015 or 1025. Same as HIST 3656.

WMST 3700-3. Contemporary Topics in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Examines selected topics in women, gender, and sexuality in the US context. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours for different topics. Prereq., WMST 2000 or 2600.

WMST 3710-3. Topics in Global Gender Studies. Content varies by semester and reflects relevant issues in global feminist scholarship. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours. Prereq., WMST 2000 or 2600. Restricted to sophomores/juniors/seniors.

WMST 3730-3. Third World Women and the Politics of International Development. Examines the history, characteristics, problems, status and role of Third World women in development itself. Includes the interrelationships between development and population growth, transnational economics, migration, education, agriculture, health, urbanization, development policy and planning, and their impact on women and men in urban and rural areas in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia, and Melanesia. Prereq., WMST 2000 or 2600. Restricted to juniors/seniors.

WMST 3800-3. Advanced Writing in Feminist Studies. Offers expository writing and training in analytical and descriptive skills, structures or argument, critical thinking, the rhetoric of persuasion, and the development of a personal voice. Readings and papers focus on basic issues in gender studies. Prereq., WMST 2000. Restricted to juniors/seniors. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: written communication.

WMST 3900-3. Asian American Women: Historical and Contemporary Issues. Drawing from work produced by and about Asian American women, examines historical and contemporary issues including representation of Asian American women, identity politics, feminism, coalition building, and activism for social change. Prereq., WMST 2000 or 2600, or ETHN 1025, 2001, or 2004. Restricted to sophomores/juniors/seniors. Same as ETHN 3905. Approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: United States context.

WMST 3930 (1-6). Women Studies Internship. Provides field experience in local and national government and non-governmental agencies focusing on women and gender-related issues. Supervision by approved field instructors. Students must relate their academic experience to their field work experience through a portfolio and a final paper. Prereq., 6 hours of course work in Women’s Studies and 30 cumulative credit hours. Restricted to sophomores/juniors/seniors.

WMST 3940-1. Practicum in Women and Gender Studies. Enriches the academic experience of majors and minors within the Women and Gender Studies program. This course usually will combine readings from books with lectures and discussions, community outreach and in-house publications spanning the interdisciplinary focus of the program. May be repeated up to 4 total credit hours. Restricted to WMST majors or minors.

WMST 4000-3. Senior Seminar: Special Topics. Provides an advanced interdisciplinary course organized around specific topic, problem, or issue relating to women in culture and society (such as feminist theology, women and the law, and the social psychology of women). Course work includes discussion, reading, and written projects. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours for different topics. Prereqs., WMST 2000 and junior or senior standing.

WMST 4020-3. Senior Research Seminar. Intensive-based writing course, designed to develop and strengthen research skills and apply them in the interdisciplinary study of women and gender. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours for different research topics. Prereq., WMST 2000. Restricted to juniors/seniors.

WMST 4287-3. Studies in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Literature. Examines selected British, American, and French literary representations of lesbian and gay identity from the early 16th century to the present. Discusses the changing status of homosexuality as a literary and cultural topos, including how same-sex desire is defined, and the rhetorical and ideological difficulties involved in its representation. Specific topics vary each semester. May be repeated up to 9 total credit hours. Restricted to juniors and seniors. Same as ENGL/LGBT 4287.

WMST 4300-3. Sex, Power, Politics: International Perspectives. Studies the commercial trade of sexual labor in the global economy, examining theories and assumptions about sexual-economic exchanges and gendered and racialized relations of power in the sex trade. Emphasizes prostitution. Recommended prereq., WMST 2600 or 3100. Restricted to juniors and seniors.

WMST 4636-3. Lesbian and Gay History: Culture and Politics and Social Change in the U.S. Considers current theoretical approaches to the history of sexuality and traces the changing meaning of same-sex sexuality in the U.S. through investigation of lesbian and gay identity formation, community development, politics, and queer cultural resistance. Prereqs., WMST 2000 and 2600, and junior or senior standing. Same as HIST 4636/5636.

WMST 4700-3. Women and Mental Health. Examines mental health issues of women by focusing on theories of female personality development. Looks at theory and research pertaining to women and psychopathology and to women as patients in traditional and nontraditional forms of treatment. Prereq., WMST/PSYC 2700 or WMST 2000. Same as PSYC 4700.

WMST 4800-3. Senior Colloquium in Feminist Studies. Provides students with the opportunity to actively reflect on their education and to complete a research project that incorporates an interdisciplinary and feminist approach to the study of gender, class, race, ethnicity, and sexuality. Offered each spring. Prereq., WMST 3020. Restricted to senior WMST majors.

WMST 4840 (1-6). Independent Study. May be repeated up to 7 total credit hours.

WMST 4950-3. Honors Research. For qualified WMST majors working on the research phase of departmental honors. Prereq., junior/senior standing and 3.30 overall GPA.

WMST 4999 (1-3). Senior Honors Thesis. Qualified women’s studies majors may write an honors thesis, an in-depth research paper, on a topic of choice. Thesis hours available to majors only after successfully completing the research phase.

WMST 5090-3. Feminist Theories. Begins with a reconsideration of the 19th century antecedents of contemporary Anglophone feminist theory, but primary focus on debates of the last 25 years. Theme throughout is gender, how gender should be understood, and how it interrelates with our understandings of class, race, embodiment, sexuality, and knowledge. Required for WMST graduate certificate. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours.

WMST 5190-3. Feminist Methodology. Explores themes that emerge in research across a range of disciplines. They include experience and interpretation, the social position of the researcher, language and argument structure, knowledge and power, bias and objectivity, and the ethics and politics of research. Required for WMST graduate certificate.

WMST 5290-3. Special Topics in Women and Gender Studies. Examines current literature relating to a problem, issue, or topic in women and gender studies. Offers advanced, interdisciplinary perspectives rooted in feminist, gender, cultural and/or social theories. Provides intensive reading, discussion, and research opportunities into gender and war, women and globalization, women’s social movements, gender and citizenship, gender and colonization, gender and collective memory, and cultural representations of gender. May be repeated up to 6 total credit hours. Recommended prereqs., WMST 5090 and 5190.

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