YORK UNIVERSITY/GLENDON COLLEGE/ATKINSON COLLEGE

WOMEN'S STUDIES PROGRAMME

Introduction to Women's Studies  WMST 2500B

Glendon

Session: F/W 1999-2000

 

                         

TEACHING TEAM Course Directors: Caitlin Fisher/Any François Tutorial Leaders: Any François/Liz Millward Lectures:  Tuesdays, 11:30-1:30                                                     Location: 204 York Hall Tutorials:  Tutorial 1 1:30 rm 245A Tutorial 2 2:30 rm 245A Tutorial 3 1:30 rm 245B Tutorial 4 2:30 rm245B

 

http://www.yorku.ca/academics/cfisher/wstudies

 

Required Texts

1. Roberta Hamilton, Gendering the Vertical Mosaic: Feminist Perspectives on Canadian Society. 

2. Barbara Findlen,  Listen Up: Voices from the Next Feminist Generation.

3. Reading kit

4. Toni Morrison, Beloved

5. One additional novel for a novel studies project. See assignments.

6. Additional material available on our website

Suggested but not required:

Thinking it Through: A Practical Guide to Academic Essay Writing. Academic Skills Centre, Trent University, 1989

The Journal Project: Dialogues and Conversations Inside Women's Studies. Second Story Press, 1995.

Web Page

 

Many compulsory readings for this course are available only through this website.  In addition to readings, copies of all assignment handouts, review sheets and some lecture notes will be made available to you on-line. The website will also connect you to style guides, tips on essay writing, administrative and academic resources and community events – check it out!   A library information session will be arranged near the beginning of class to familiarize you with the library and the Internet.  York provides free dial-up accounts for students.

 

LECTURE SCHEDULE

                    

 

Sept. 7         Introduction                                         

                                           Course outline and design

                                           Introducing ourselves

                                           Assignments and expectations

                                           Tutorials meet next week

 

September 11

Black family day at York university:  The York university Black Students' alliance invites students and their families to the second annual black family day celebration, September 11, 1999 10 am to 6 PM Vanier field (in front of Vanier college, behind student centre).  For more information call (416) 736-2100 ext. 60272 or E-Mail yubsa@yorku.ca

 

Sept. 14 Lecture: Patriarchal knowledge and feminist challenges   (CF)              

Reading:  Adrienne Rich  “Taking Women Students Seriously” in Gendered Subjects, the Dynamics of Feminist Teaching (kit) Linda Carty -- Black Women in Academia (kit) Veronica Chambers, Betrayal Feminism Listen Up web resource: Roberta Buchanan, Changing Our Minds: the Impact of Feminism on the Academy, a Personal View   Organizing tutorials  & sign up for novel studies project

Sept. 21 Lecture: Defining Oppression (AF)

Reading: Marilyn Frye "Sexism" in The Politics of Reality (kit)
Iris Marion Young  "Five faces of Oppression" (kit)

Sept. 28 Lecture: What is feminist theory ? (CF/AF)

Reading:  Roberta Hamilton "Feminist Theories" [Ch. 1]

Adrienne Rich "Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence" (kit)

Mary Eagleton "The Politics of Location" (kit).

Judy Sayles, “Why I want a Wife”
web resource: pocket guide to feminist theories

Group Presentation: Book of Eve

Note: this week students will attend information sessions at the library during their assigned tutorial slot. You will learn how to access the online library catalogue, how to search the Internet, and how to explore our class web site.

Oct 5 Lecture:  Feminism and anti-racism (CF and AF)

Readings:                              Philip, Marlene N.,  "Looking for Mr. Livingstone" (kit).                                                                              Audre Lorde, Sister Outsider  "The Uses of  Anger: Women Responding to Racism" (kit). Hazel V. Carby, "White women listen! Black Feminism and the boundaries of sisterhood" (kit). Mary “Things I’m gonna stop doing with my white privilege” (kit) Ruth Frankenberg “Points of Origin, Points of Departure” White Women/Race Matters (kit)   Group Presentation: Marlene Nourbese Philip, Harriet's Daughter

 

Oct 12 History of the Women's Movement I: the subjection of women (AF)
Reading: Roberta Hamilton, Ch.5 p 139-151
Declarations of Sentiments and Resolutions, Seneca Falls (kit)
John Stuart Mill  The Subjection of Women (kit)

Web resource: Distinguished Women of Past and Present

Group presentation:  Room of One’s Own

Reading Strategy Sheet Due

Oct 19 History of the Women's Movement II : the second wave (CF)
Reading: Roberta Hamilton, Ch.5 p 151-177
Ellen Neuborne "Imagine my surprise" Listen up

web resource: Marge Piercy: Consciousness raising guidelines for a Radical feminist Collective (1970)

Group presentation: Valerie Solanis, Scum Manifesto

 

 

 

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Oct. 26 Film: Kanesetahke (AF)

Reading: Colonizing Mohawk Women: Representation of Women in Mainstream Media RFR 20(1 and 2) 1991(kit) Hamilton "Colonization and Dispossession" [ch 4 113-121] web resource:  Aboriginal super information highway NOTE: this film is slightly over 2 hours and will be shown in its entirety -- this means both tutorial sessions will begin late and be slightly shorter this week.

 Nov. 2 Lecture: Kanesetahke:  resistance  (AF) 

Reading: Shirley Bear with the Tobique Women’s Group “You can’t change the Indian Act” (kit)

"Tides, Towns and Trains" (kit)

Web Resources: Native Canadian Women Writers Published in English

Report on 'Kanesetahke spiritual gathering'

 

Group presentation: In Search of April Raintree

Nov 9 Lecture: Women in Legends, Myths and Symbols (CF)

Reading: Robin M. Neidorf "Two Jews, Three Opinions" Listen Up Andrea Dworkin, "The fairy tales" (from Woman-hating) (kit) Bhargavi C. Mandava, “Ghosts and goddesses”  Listen up Patricia Hills Collins, "Mammies, Matriarchs and other controlling images" (kit) The creation and Fall of Man and Woman: Genesis (kit) web resource: Lilith web site Group Presentation: Woman  Warrior

Nov 16 Historical perspectives on Female Sexuality (CF)

Reading: Foucault History of Sexuality vol 1 "We other Victorians" (kit)
Martha Vicinus "They wonder to which sex I belong: the Historical Roots of the Modern Lesbian Identity" (kit)
Ellen Carol DuBois and Linda Gordon, Seeking ecstasy on the Battlefield: Danger and Pleasure in 19th century Feminist Sexual Thought" Feminist studies 9(1) (kit)

web resource: The influence of Foucault's History of Sexuality on modern studies of sex and gender.

Group presentation: Henrik Ibsen, A Doll's House

Nov 23: Contemporary perspectives on Female Sexuality I 

Film: She's Gotta Have It

Readings: Carol Vance, "More Pleasure More Danger: a Decade After the Barnard Sexuality Conference" (kit).
Rebecca Walker, "Lusting for Freedom" Listen up
Sonia Shah "Tight jeans and Chania Chorris" Listen up
Hattie Gossett, "Is it true what they say about colored pussy?" (kit)
(these readings repeat next week)

Annotated Bibliography Due

Nov 30 Contemporary perspectives on Female Sexuality II(AF)

Review: Carol Vance, "More Pleasure More Danger: a Decade After the Barnard Sexuality Conference" (kit).
Rebecca Walker, "Lusting for Freedom" Listen up
Sonia Shah "Tight jeans and Chania Chorris" Listen up
Hattie Gossett, "Is it true what they say about colored pussy?" (kit)

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Dec 6^th is the last day of classes this term.  It’s also the anniversary of the Montreal Massacre (watch for commemorative events around campus)  

 

happy holidays

 

Jan 4  Sex, Lies and the Global Economy (AF)

Film:  Sex, Lies and the Global Economy Reading:  Marilyn Waring, If Women Counted  Introduction and  Prologue (kit). ILO report (kit) Web resources: women and development website: “Women are half the world's people, one third of the official workforce and do two-thirds of the world's workhours. Yet they receive only one-tenth of the world's income and own less than one-hundredths of the world's property.” UN Source feminists against sweatshops: "Women make up 90 percent of sweatshop laborers. The majority of these women are between the ages of 15 and 22. Companies that use sweatshop labor to increase their own profit margins are taking advantage of predominantly young women."

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