WST 151 A-Z - Special Topics in Women’s StudiesSemester Hours: 1-4
Periodically
Studies in special topics in the field of women’s and gender studies. Topics vary by semester. May be cross-listed with courses in other departments or disciplines.
Current Special Topics
WST 151E Women Writers in America
A course on American women writers raises the question of what difference if any, the gender of a writer makes. From the colonial era to the present, women writers have contributed to American literature, but how those contributions have been valued (and whether they have been considered worthy of study) has varied over time. Moreover, some women writers have imagined themselves writing for women readers and contributing to a female-authored literary tradition, while others have resisted this idea. According to literary critic Elaine Showalter, “the female tradition in American literature is not the result of biology, anatomy, or psychology. It comes from women’s relation to the literary marketplace and from literary influence rather than essential sexual difference. It comes from pressures on women to lead private rather than public lives, and to conform to cultural norms and expectations” (Jury of her Peers xv). In this class, we’ll study some well-known and some lesser known women writers, and we’ll discuss their audiences and the popular and critical reception of their work, the emergence of writing as a vocation for women, and the obstacles and opportunities women writers have faced at different historical moments. We’ll read fiction and poetry and address the relationship of the literary texts we read to significant events in U.S. history and literary traditions.
Cross-listed with ENG124A.
WST 151K – Gender: A Policed State
This class will explore how Mass Incarceration uniquely impacts Womxn and the need for gender-responsive criminal justice reform efforts. Historically, Criminal Justice reform, research, and rhetoric have focused on the experiences of men, assuming that whatever reforms are beneficial to men will extend to their womxn counterparts – data and research confirm that this has been a huge mistake. Yet, while Womxn today are the fastest-growing correctional population in the United States, there is surprisingly little research on the causes of this trend. Exploring the epidemic of mass incarceration for Womxn through feminist frameworks and theories will lead the course to critique gender as a policed state and imagine alternatives outside of a patriarchal carceral system.
This course can be substituted for the Feminist Theory (WST 103) requirement in the WST major.
WST 151L – Psychology of Women and Gender
This course will examine the social construction of being female in American society, focusing on how growing up female impacts lifespan development and mental health. We will consider the impact of male power and privilege on the psychological development of women; discuss genes, sex hormones, and the brain; explore our current understanding of gender differences and our appreciation of sex/gender beyond the binary, and learn about the intersection of gender and ethnicity.
Prerequisite(s)/Course Notes:
May be repeated for credit when topics vary. As individual subjects are selected, each is assigned a letter (A-Z) which is affixed to the course number. Specific titles and course descriptions for special topics courses are available in the online class schedule.
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