course director and class hours

Course Director: Professor Linda Briskin

lbriskin@yorku.ca 

Office: S728 Ross

Phone: 736-5054 x 77824

Office Hours: Thurs 11:30-12:15 or by appointment

Seminar: 12:30-3:30 Thurs S177A Ross

 Course listserv: WS6206@yorku.ca

course description

Women have a long tradition of organizing to resist oppression, expand their rights as women and 'citizens', protect their families and communities, defend traditional values, and change their societies. They have organized in, through and around revolutionary, nationalist and transnational movements, trade unions, autonomous women's movements and mainstream political institutions; states, schools, workplaces, communities, and religious institutions; public and private spaces; and issues and identities. This course, then, documents and theorizes the practices of women's organizing in a multiplicity of locations and contexts, and analyzes and assesses strategies.

The impact of 'diversity' on organizing, and the potential of coalition politics as a strategic response is a major theme. Theorizing the practices of diversity means recognizing, on the one hand, that gender, class, race, ability and sexuality influence organizational strategies and political perspectives; on the other hand, that these 'identities' are not stable, mutually exclusive or comparable in a hierarchy of oppression.

The course is structured around women's organizing rather than feminist organizing. Such an approach allows the relationship between women's organizing and feminisms as ideologies, strategies, analyses, organizing practices, visionary alternatives, and complex self-identifications and identities to be problematized. Such an approach resists the reification of feminisms. Feminisms emerge, then, not as abstract criteria or boundary markers against which women's organizing is assessed but a fluid, contextually located set of meanings and practices. Feminism is a site of struggle, a moment of resistance, an organizing tool; it helps produce communities of interest and also patterns of exclusion.

NOTE: The first class of the term will meet for the full three hours; it provides a critical introduction to the course.

This course website is linked to many many useful sites about women's organizing and about research on women. Check out the links under:

1. ORGANIZATIONS AND CAMPAIGNS

2. GLOBAL ORGANIZING: UNITED NATIONS AND NGOs

3. CONNECTING WOMEN ONLINE AND ELECTRONIC MAILING LISTS

4. GOVERNMENT SITES

5. JOURNALS/BIBLIOGRAPHIES/RESEARCH/NEWS

6. SEARCH ENGINES

7. SITES ABOUT THE INTERNET AND TECHNOTIPS

required texts and readings

Briskin, Linda. Feminist Pedagogy: Teaching and Learning Liberation . Ottawa: Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women, 1990/94.

Cockburn, Cynthia. The Space Between Us: Negotiating Gender and National Identities in Conflict. London: Zed, 1998.

Special Issue on "Post-Beijing" of Canadian Woman Studies, Vol. 16, No. 3 (Summer 1996).

These books are available in the bookstore and are on reserve in the Scott Library.

Course readings also include an extensive list of articles. Each of the articles is on reserve. NOTE THAT THE READINGS ARE IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER BY AUTHOR, NOT IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE.

schedule of readings and films

Films with a * are Canadian 

september 14
introduction

The first class of the term will meet for the full three hours; it provides a critical introduction to the course.

september 21
diversities, identities and political practice

Carolyn Egan, Linda Gardner and Judy Pershad. "The Politics of Transformation: Struggles with Race, Class and Sexuality in the March 8th Coalition." In Social Movements Social Change, eds. Frank Cunningham et al. Toronto: Between the Lines, 1988, pp. 20-47.

Nikki Gershbain and Aviva Rubin. "The Struggle Beneath the Struggle: Antisemitism in Toronto Feminist Anti-Racist Movements." Canadian Woman Studies, Vol. 14, No. 2 (Spring 1994), pp. 58-61.

Kalamity Hildebrant, Christina Savage and Sally Stevenson. "Getting to the Core of Troubled Eating." Kinesis (June 1999), pp. 8-9.

Eleanor MacDonald. "Critical Identities: Rethinking Feminism Through Transgender Politics." Atlantis, Vol. 23 (Fall/Winter 1998), pp. 3-12.

Nancy Naples. "Women's Community Activism: Exploring the Dynamics of Politicization and Diversity." In Community Activism and Feminist Politics, ed. Nancy Naples. New York: Routledge, 1998, pp. 327-349.

Gail Pheterson. "Alliances between Women." In Bridges of Power: Women's Multicultural Alliances, eds. Lisa Albrecht and Rose Brewer. Philadelphia: New Society Publishers, 1990, pp. 34-48.

Becki Ross. "A Lesbian Politic of Erotic Decolonization." In Painting the Maple: Essays on Race, Gender and the Construction of Canada, eds. Veronica Strong-Boag, Grace Sherrill, Avigail Eisenberg and Joan Anderson. Vancouver, UBC Press, 1998, pp. 187-214.

Becky Thompson and White Women Challenging Racism. "Home/Work: Antiracism Activism and the Meaning of Whiteness." In Off White: Readings on Race, Power and Society, eds. Michelle Fine et al. New York: Routledge, 1997, pp. 354-366.

FILM: *Sisters in the Struggle (1991 50 mins)

short writing assignment due

september 28
building alliances and coalitions

Cockburn, Cynthia. The Space Between Us: Negotiating Gender and National Identities in Conflict. London: Zed, 1998.

short writing assignment due

october 5
engaging the context/challenging the state

Janine Brodie. "Canadian Women, Changing State Forms, and Public Policy." In Women and Canadian Public Policy, ed. Janine Brodie. Toronto: Harcourt Brace, 1996, pp. 1-28.

Roberta Hamilton. "Challenging The State: Self-Determination, Nationalism, Regionalism and Anti-Racism." In Gendering the Vertical Mosaic. Toronto: Copp-Clark, 1996, pp. 111-138.

Selections from Confronting the Cuts: A Sourcebook for Women in Ontario, eds. Luciana Ricciutelli, June Larken and Eimear O'Neill, Toronto: Inanna Publications, 1998, pp. 3-39, 59-61 and 198-200.

*This book is on reserve.

Sasha Roseneil. "Postmodern Feminist Politics: The Art of the (Im)Possible?" The European Journal of Women's Studies, Vol. 6 (1999), pp. 161-182.

Jane Ursel. "Eliminating Violence Against Women: Reform or Co-optation in State Institutions." In Power and Resistance, ed. Les Samuelson. Halifax: Fernwood Publishing, 1994, pp. 71-92.

Jill Vickers. "Towards a Feminist Understanding of Representation." In In the Presence of Women: Representation in Canadian Governments, eds. Jane Arscott and Linda Trimble. Toronto: Harcourt Brace, 1997, pp. 20-46.

FILM: *For Our Sisters, For Our Daughters (1991 16 mins)

october 12
classroom as a site of political practice/research as political practice

Linda Briskin. Feminist Pedagogy: Teaching and Learning Liberation . Ottawa: Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women, 1990/94.

Francesca Cancian. "Participatory Research and Alternative Strategies for Activist Sociology." In Feminism and Social Change, ed. Heidi Gottfried. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1996, pp. 187-205.

bell hooks. "Toward a Revolutionary Feminist Pedagogy" and ""Pedagogy and Political Commitment: A Comment" In Talking Back: Thinking Feminist, Thinking Black. Toronto: Between the Lines, 1988, pp. 49-54 and pp. 98-104.

Ann Manicom. "Feminist Pedagogy: Transformations, Standpoints and Politics." Canadian Journal of Education, Vol. 17, No. 3 (1992), pp. 365-389.

Maria Mies. "Liberating Women, Liberating Knowledge: Reflection on Two Decades of Feminist Action Research. Atlantis, Vol. 21, No. 1 (Fall 1996), pp. 10-24.

Nancy Naples. "Women's Community Activism and Feminist Activist Research." In Community Activism and Feminist Politics, ed. Nancy Naples. New York: Routledge, 1998, pp. 1-27.

Janice Ristock and Joan Pennell. "Empowerment as a Framework for Community Research" (Chapter One). In Community Research as Empowerment: Feminist Links, Postmodern Interruptions. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1996, pp. 1-15

FILM: *Backlash to Change (1996 33 mins)

october 19
organizing

Patricia Antonyshyn, B. Lee and Alex Merrill. "Marching for Women's Lives." In Social Movements Social Change, eds. Frank Cunningham et al. Toronto: Between the Lines, 1988, pp. 129-156.

Linda Briskin. "Autonomy, Diversity and Integration: Union Women's Separate Organizing in North America and Western Europe in the Context of Restructuring and Globalization." Women's Studies International Forum, Vol. 22, No. 5 (1999), pp. 543-554.

Linda Briskin. "Socialist Feminism: from the standpoint of practice." Studies in Political Economy, No. 30 (Fall 1989), pp. 87-114.

Lena Dominelli and Gudrun Jonsdottir. "Feminist Political Organization in Iceland: Some Reflections on the Experience of Kwenna Frambothid." Feminist Review, No. 30 (Autumn 1988), pp. 36-60.

Lisa Rundle. "Who Needs Nac?" This, Vol. 32, No. 5 (April 1999), pp. 24-29

Vappu Tyyskä. "Insiders and Outsiders: Women's Movements and Organizational Effectiveness." The Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology, Vol. 35, No. 3 (August 1998), pp. 391-409.

Denise Nadeau. "For Bread and Roses," and Francoise David, "15,000 Roses in Quebec." Kinesis, July/August 1995.

"Women's March Against Poverty." Sponsored by the Canadian Labour Congress and the National Action Committee on the Status of Women, 1996.

Joan Meister and Eileen O'Brien. "Dedicated, Fearless Warrior Women: Disabled Women's Network." Kinesis (July/August 1999), pp. 12-14.

FILMS:

Match for Life (1998 27 mins)

*Women's March Against Poverty (1996 51 mins)

Ecofeminism (1996 37 mins)

*Rising Up Strong (1981/updated 1992 90 mins [2 parts])

On union organizing:

Willmar 8 (1980 55 mins)

*Wives' Tale (1980 73 mins)

With Babies and Banners (1978 45 mins)

Union Maids (1977 45 mins)

Salt of the Earth (1954 94 mins)

october 26
maternalist organizing

Kathleen Blee. "Mothers in Race-Hate Movements." In The Politics of Motherhood, eds. Alexis Jetter, Annelise Orleck and Diana Taylor. Hanover: University Press of New England, 1997, pp. 247-256.

Eileen Boris. "The Power of Motherhood: Black and White Activist Women Redefine the 'Political'." In Mothers of a New World: Maternalist Politics and the Origins of Welfare States, eds. Seth Koven and Sonya Michel. New York: Routledge, 1993, pp. 213-245.

Ruth Frager. "Politicized Housewives in the Jewish Communist Movement of Toronto, 1923-33." In Beyond the Vote: Canadian Women and Politics, eds. Linda Kealey and Joan Sangster. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1989, pp. 258-275.

Claudia Koonz. "Motherhood and Politics on the Far Right." In The Politics of Motherhood, eds. Alexis Jetter, Annelise Orleck and Diana Taylor. Hanover: University Press of New England, 1997, pp. 229-246.

Celene Krauss. "Challenging Power: Toxic Waste Protests and the Politicization of White, Working Class Women." In Community Activism and Feminist Politics, ed. Nancy Naples. New York: Routledge, 1998, pp. 129-150.

Amy Swerdlow. "Pure Milk, Not Poison: Women Strike for Peace." In Rocking the Ship of State: Toward a Feminist Peace Politics, eds. Adrienne Harris and Ynestra King. Boulder: Westview Press, 1989, pp. 225-237.

Diana Taylor. "Making a Spectacle; The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo."In The Politics of Motherhood, eds. Alexis Jetter, Annelise Orleck and Diana Taylor. Hanover: University Press of New England, 1997, pp. 182-196.

FILMS: *Fury for the Sound: the Women at Clayoquot (1997 86 mins)

Threads of Hope (1996 51 mins)

*Keepers of the Fire (1994 55 mins)

*The Voice of Women (1992 52 mins)

november 2
neo-liberalism, anti-feminism, and 'backlash'

Selections from Sylvia Bashevkin, Women on the Defensive: Living Through Conservative Times. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1998. [Introduction (pp. 1-12), Chapter 2 (pp. 47-91), Chapter 6 (pp. 200-233) and Chapter 7 (pp. 234-245)] *This book is on reserve.

Anick Druelle. Right Wing Feminist Groups at the United Nations. Université du Québec à Montréal: Institut de recherches et d'études féministes, May 2000.

Susan Faludi. Selections from Backlash (chap 1 and 3). New York: Doubleday, 1991, pp. ix-xxiii and pp. 46-72. *This book is on reserve.

Susan Marshall. "Confrontation and Co-optation in Antifeminist Organizations." In Feminist Organizations: Harvest of the New Women's Movement, eds. Myra Ferree and Patricia Martin. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1995, pp. 323-335

REREAD:

Kathleen Blee. "Mothers in Race-Hate Movements." In The Politics of Motherhood, eds. Alexis Jetter, Annelise Orleck and Diana Taylor. Hanover: University Press of New England, 1997, pp. 247-256.

Claudia Koonz. "Motherhood and Politics on the Far Right." In The Politics of Motherhood, eds. Alexis Jetter, Annelise Orleck and Diana Taylor. Hanover: University Press of New England, 1997, pp. 229-246.

REALWOMEN of Canada. "Who We Are", nd; "Position Papers", nd; "Charter of Rights: Effects on Women and the Family", nd.

"The Supreme Court of Canada Decision in Nesbit and Egan." Reality, Vol. 14, No. 4 (July/August 1995), pp. 1-4; "University of Ottawa: Indoctrination, not Education." Reality, Vol 14, No. 5 (Sept/Oct 1995), p. 18; "High Noon for Pay Equity." Reality, Vol XVI, No. 5 (Sept/Oct 1998), p. 11; "The Fall-out from Rosenberg." Reality, Vol XVI, No. 4 (July/Aug 1998), pp. 10-11.

FILM: Ballot Measure 9 (1995 72 mins)

november 9
organizational strategies and democratization

Jennifer Arnott. "Re-emerging Indigenous Structures and the Reassertion of the Integral Role of Women." In In the Presence of Women: Representation in Canadian Governments, eds. Jane Arscott and Linda Trimble. Toronto: Harcourt Brace, 1997, pp. 64-81.

Linda Briskin. "Gendering Union Democracy." Canadian Woman Studies/les cahiers de la femme, Vol. 18, No.1 (Spring 1998), pp. 35-38.

Jill Bystydzienski and Joti Sekhon. "Introduction." In Democratization and Women's Grassroots Movements. eds Jill Bystydzienski and Joti Sekhon. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1999, pp. 1-21.

Patricia Martin. "Rethinking Feminist Organizations." Gender and Society, Vol. 4, No. 2 (June 1990), pp. 182-206.

Stephanie Riger. "Challenges of Success: Stages of Growth in Feminist Organizations." Feminist Studies, Vol. 20, No. 2 (Summer 1994), pp. 275-300.

Janice Ristock. "Feminist Collectives." In Women and Social Change, eds. Jeri Wine and Janice Ristock. Toronto: Lorimer, 1991, pp. 41-55.

Ellen Scott. "Creating Partnerships for Change: Alliances and Betrayals in the Racial Politics of Two Feminist Organizations." Gender and Society, Vol. 12, No. 4 (August 1998), pp. 400-423.

FILM: *Voice of Our Own (1988 25 mins)

november 16
women's organizing in societies in transition: africa and postcommunist europe

 Jo Beall, Shireen Hassim and Alison Todres. "'A Bit on the Side'? Gender Struggles in the Politics of Transformation in South Africa." Feminist Review, No. 33 (Autumn 1989), pp. 30-56.

Amanda Kemp et al. "The Dawn of a New Day: Redefining South African Feminism." In The Challenge of Local Feminisms: Women's Movements in Global Perspective, ed. Amrita Basu. Boulder: Westview Press, 1995, pp. 131-162.

Elizbieta Matynia. "Finding a Voice: Women in Postcommunist Central Europe." In The Challenge of Local Feminisms: Women's Movements in Global Perspective, ed. Amrita Basu. Boulder: Westview Press, 1995, pp. 374-404.

Linda Racioppi and Katherine See. "Organizing Women Before and After the Fall: Women's Politics in the Soviet Union and Post-Soviet Russia." Signs, Vol. 20, No. 4 (1995), pp. 818-850

Aili Trip. "Rethinking Difference: Comparative Perspectives from Africa." Signs, Vol. 25, No. 3 (2000), 649-675.

Peggy Watson. "Civil Society and the Politics of Difference in Eastern Europe." In Transitions, Environments, Translations: Feminisms in International Politics, eds. Joan Scott, Cora Kaplan and Debra Keates. New York: Routledge, 1997, pp. 21-29.

REREAD:

Claudia Koonz. "Motherhood and Politics on the Far Right." In The Politics of Motherhood, eds. Alexis Jetter, Annelise Orleck and Diana Taylor. Hanover: University Press of New England, 1997, pp. 229-246.

FILM: You Have Struck a Rock (1981 28 mins)

november 23
international, transnational, and global women's organizing

Special Issue on "Post-Beijing" of Canadian Woman Studies, Vol. 16, No. 3 (Summer 1996) (especially Bunch et al, Bergeron de-Villiers, Roberts, Tohidi, Christiansen-Ruffman, Day, and Isla et al).

Fiona Flew et al. "Introduction: Local Feminisms, Global Futures." Women's Studies International Forum, Vol. 22, No. 4 (1999), pp. 393-403.

Inderpal Grewal. "On the New Global Feminism and the Family of Nations: Dilemmas of Transnational Feminist Practice. " In Talking Visions: Multicultural Feminism in a Transnational Age, ed. Ella Shohat. New York: New Museum of Contemporary Art, 1998, pp. 501-530.

Valentine Moghadam. "Transnational Feminist Networks: Collective Action in an Era of Globalization." International Sociology, Vol. 15, No. 1 (March 2000), pp. 57-85.

Laura Reanda. "Engendering the United Nations: The Changing International Agenda." The European Journal of Women's Studies, Vol. 6 (1999), pp. 49-68.

FILMS: *Winds of Change (1999 55 mins)

Sweating for a T-shirt (1998 23 mins)

Beyond Beijing (1996 42 mins)

The Vienna Tribunal (1994 48 mins)

As part of your study of international/transnational and global organizing, check out the links on the course website under "GLOBAL ORGANIZING: UNITED NATIONS AND NGOs"

november 30
social movement theory and women organizing

William Carroll. "Social Movements and Counter Hegemony: Canadian Contexts and Social Theories." In Organizing Dissent: Contemporary Social Movements in Theory and Practice, ed. William Carroll. Garamond, 1997, pp. 3-38.

Samuel Clark. "Social Movements." In Introduction to Sociology: A Canadian Focus, 6th edition, ed. James Teevan. Scarborough: Prentice Hall, 1998, pp. 381-410.

Susan Phillips. "Social Movements in Canadian Politics: Past Their Apex?" In Canadian Politics (Third Edition), ed. James Bickerton and Alain Gagnon, 1999, pp. 371-391.

final paper due

*All assignments are based on the course readings. No additional reading is required.

Short writing assignment on DIVERSITIES, IDENTITIES AND POLITICS

10%

Short writing assignment on Cockburn, The Space Between Us

10%

Presentation:

30% (Questions 10%,
presentation on readings 10%, report 10%)

Two comments (5% x 2) and two reports (5% x 2)

20%

Final paper on SOCIAL MOVEMENT THEORY AND WOMEN ORGANIZING

20%

Film reviews

10%