Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies

This course offers an interdisciplinary introduction to issues to women's and gender studies by examining the diversity of gender and sexuality across categories of race-ethnicity, class, disability, age, and immigration status. Participants examine how such statuses influence the diverse experiences of people under a variety of social conditions. The primary goal of this examination is to consider explanations for the representations that emerge in these areas. Concepts central to feminist theory are introduced as preparation for continued work in gender, sexuality, and women's studies. This course is a requirement for both the major and minor in gender, sexuality, and women's studies.

Curriculum: DI, HC, HU

This course introduces the fundamental aspects of human sexuality, a cross-cultural perspective on human sex, and the categories of gender in various cultures worldwide. It reviews important themes in human sexuality and draws on interdisciplinary materials to introduce essential subjects such as the anatomical, physiological, and emotional aspects of sexuality; sexually transmitted diseases, sex in a college environment, variations in sexual behavior, and sexual health. The course situates North American ideas of sexuality by emphasizing a culturally relative perspective on sex and gender.

Curriculum: GE, NW, SS

Writing by and about women across time and geography. The course examines both literature and feminist literary criticism to explore a range of topics, including how expectations of women's and men's roles have affected women's access to and practice of writing, how differences of culture, race, sexuality and nationality register in women's texts, how women writers see themselves in relation to various literary traditions, and how distinguishing women's writing as a separate field poses both advantages and problems for the study of literature.

This course will explore the different kinds of feminist theories produced by a variety of thinkers both inside and outside academia. The course will stress the interdisciplinary character of gender, sexuality, and women's studies and the diversity of thought within feminist inquiry. Counts on the major/minor in gender, sexuality, and women's studies. Offered infrequently.

This course is designed as an introduction to feminist film criticism, theory, and film-making. It examines both the images of women in classic cinema as well as films made by women and various feminist film-making strategies. The first part of the course is devoted to introducing students to the field of film analysis and to examining the representation of women on screen. In the second half of the course, we will look at different manifestations of feminist film making ranging from the traditional to the experimental, addressing issues of race/ethnicity and sexuality in addition to those of gender. We will also look at women as consumers of films, dealing thus with the reception aspect of cinema and gender. Works include films by American and European (German, French, Dutch) film makers. Offered every three years.

Curriculum: AE,HU,OC

After surveying the conceptual foundations of gender, the course surveys research on gender differences in verbal and non-verbal communication. Then, the course considers these differences within contexts such as the family, friendship, intimate relationship, school politics, and various workplaces. Finally, the course considers how mass media communications (television, movies, music, advertising) affect societal and personal definitions of gender. Throughout the course, the relationships among gender, power, and communication are stressed. Offered alternate years.

These courses focus on areas of gender, sexuality and women's studies not specifically covered in the general curriculum and are designed to meet the needs of advanced students.

The main goal of this course is for students to prepare a research proposal for their capstone project. Projects may be interdisciplinary in nature, should reflect a student's area of interest and/or enhance preparation for graduate study. Senior status. Students may select a field research topic or a library research project in a specialized area in contemporary research in gender, sexuality, and women's studies.

Curriculum: CS

Students who have prepared a research proposal for GSWS 400 actually conduct the research and write up a report paper in consultation with a faculty member with expertise in the area of interest of the student. The final research paper will be presented to members of the gender, sexuality, and women's studies program by the end of the term in which the research is conducted.

Curriculum: EL

Students in this course are placed in a community agency or nongovernmental organization and follow an arranged set of readings relevant to their internship experience with their instructor and site supervisor. Senior or junior status. Application required; see Internship Program. A special fee ($200) is charged for this course. GSWS majors should take this course concurrently with or after GSWS 400.

Curriculum: EL

This course provides an opportunity for interested students to gain practical experience with the application of gender, sexuality, and women's studies principles, theories, and methodologies through actual research situations in the field. One term only. Senior or junior gender, sexuality, and women's studies majors. This course should be taken concurrently with or after GSWS 400.

Curriculum: EL