This is an archived course. A more recent version may be available at ocw.mit.edu.

Calendar

SES # TOPICS KEY DATES
1 Introduction to course and field of Women's and Gender Studies  
2 The roots of contemporary gender debates: The 19th century American women's rights movement Due: Homework on Grimke quotations
3-4 Interpreting classic women's rights documents: The Seneca Falls Convention and "The Declaration of Sentiments" (1848) Due: Homework on "The Declaration of Sentiments"
5 Strategies for gender change: "Direct action voting"/civil disobedience; gender, race, and suffrage Due: Homework assignment on Sojourner Truth and Susan B. Anthony
6 Gender, race, and suffrage, continued.  
7-8 Resistance or illness?: Discourses of women, medicine, and madness in 19th century America and beyond

Due: Homework on The Yellow Wallpaper and Smith-Rosenberg

Due: First version of essay 1
9 Beyond suffrage: The roots of the Second Wave of the American women's right's movement: World War II and postwar era  
10-11 The second wave of women's rights activism - The new feminism (1963-present) Due: Homework assignment on Friedan and Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter
12 Socialization and gender roles: Social constructionism vs. biological essentialism Due: Homework assignment on Lorber and Richardson
13-14 Representation of women in advertising and popular visual media Due: Homework assignment on gendered analysis of popular TV show
15 Socialization: Race, ethnicity, nationality and gender roles; gender and education Due: Homework assignment on gender and education
16 Sexualities and gender; The right to marriage Essay 2 due one day after Ses #16
17 Crossing gender boundaries  
18 Perspectives on transgender Due: Essay 2
19 Sexuality, contraception and reproductive choice  
20-22 Gender and work Due: Homework assignment on the gendered wage gap
23 Gender and work-national and global dimensions Due: Homework assignment about piece of clothing
24 Violence against women: National and global dimensions  
25-26 Towards a global politics of gender; Contemporary women's movements Due: Final essay and short reflection