Women, Gender & Sexuality Studies

This course introduces students to cultural anthropology, considering such topics as ethnography, ethics, culture, society, religion, and ritual. Students also learn how anthropologists have approached difference and inequality within and across cultures - focusing on race and gender as well as considering global varieties of economies, political structures, and kinship.

This course examines the ways in which gender intersects with social class, work, politics, sexuality, and religion in multiple cultural contexts. It also explores the reproductive, economic, and religious factors that influence our gendered experiences and offers students opportunities to understand the diversity of these experiences around the world.

The content of this course varies, consisting of selected works of ethnic groups within or outside the United States. Includes consideration of the historical and cultural contexts in which the literature is produced.

This course will explore the poetry of four important mid- twentieth-century American women poets: Gwendolyn Brooks, Anne Sexton, Adrienne Rich, and Sylvia Plath. We will employ close readings of their work, feminist literary theory, and interdisciplinary approaches to understand their position in literary history, their response to American culture, and their “revisioning” (to use Adrienne Rich’s term) of women’s experience. Special attention will be given to women’s leadership and social responsibility. Fulfills post-1900 B.A. English and writing-intensive requirement.

Prerequisite: ENG 103, any 200-level ENG course (except ENG 290), or permission of instructor This course will consider poetry as a means of resistance and a tool of social justice. Students will examine historical, cultural, political, and social context to analyze a wide range of poetic genres from different periods. Special emphasis on women's leadership, social responsibility, and global awareness. Topics vary. Fulfills pre- or post-1900 English requirement depending on topic and writing-intensive requirement. 3 credits

This course considers the depictions of women in British and American literature written before 1900. Special emphasis on women’s leadership and social responsibility, and on feminist theory. Fulfills pre- 1900 B.A. English requirement and writing-intensive requirement.

This course surveys the wide range of Modernist literature that responds to the social, artistic, technological, intellectual, and economic changes that took place in the early twentieth century. Students will use literary theory and criticism, as well as other cultural artifacts, to understand the ways in which writers make sense of their rapidly changing world. Special attention will be given to women's leadership, social responsibility, and global awareness. Fulfills post-1900 B.A. English and writing-intensive requirement.

This class will explore the development of Jane Austen's literary career through a focus on her six major novels and some of the juvenilia. Background information on Austen's life and times will enable students to appreciate the many themes and subtexts of these works. Fulfills pre-1900 B.A. English and writing-intensive requirement.

Exploration of the development of Toni Morrison’s literary career, focusing primarily on her novels and criticism. Fulfills post-1900 B.A. English and writingintensive requirement.

Exploration of Edith Wharton’s life and work in the context of women’s leadership, social responsibility, and global awareness, and through the lens of feminist literary theory. Students will read a variety of genres and complete a wide range of assignments. Fulfills English B.A. post-1900 and writing intensive requirements.

We will study the lives and celebrity identity of famous women of pre-1920 America. You will also learn about why these women sought fame and about ways early Americans celebrated and scorned these women who were so well known in their own time that they could not be ignored.

In this course students will explore the leaders of the “Votes for Women” movement in the United States and their methods, 1848-1920. Fulfills writing-intensive requirement.

This course focuses on the status and roles of women in developing countries. Addressing the problems of poverty, population growth, rural-urban migration, human capital formation, agricultural transformation, and environmental degradation, it emphasizes women as a critical part of the solution. The course includes student presentations.

In this course, students will compare women’s participation in and contribution to their communities across different countries. In so doing, they will analyze how the political make-up and power structures of societies are systematically related to women’s empowerment or the lack of it. The main topics covered in this course will include women’s participation in institutional and non-institutional politics, the gendering of public policy, and the role of gender in the politics of development. Throughout the course, students will read case studies on a wide variety of important issues such as abortion laws in Ireland, sexual violence in post-conflict Sierra Leone, women-led successful microcredit movements in Bangladesh and Pakistan, and glass-ceilings in the United States. After taking this course, students should be able to critically think about women’s issues across the world and analyze the impact of political structures and institutions on the role that women play in their communities and beyond. They will also be trained to use their own identity as women to reflect on and relate to the issues surrounding women’s empowerment. Assessment techniques used in this class will include critical reaction papers, an incremental policy brief, discussion leadership, midterm, and final. This course will be appropriate for students interested in women’s empowerment, gender justice, and most importantly, human rights.

Introduces theoretical and practical understanding of leadership. Assists in defining personal leadership orientation and philosophy, building relationships, initiating change, and empowering others. Emphasis on Organizational Leadership.

In this course, students will compare women’s participation in, and contribution to their communities across different countries. In so doing, they will analyze how the political make-up and power structures of societies are systematically related to women’s empowerment or the lack of it. The main topics covered in this course will include women’s participation in institutional and non-institutional politics, the gendering of public policy, and the role of gender in the politics of development. Throughout the course, students will read case studies on a wide variety of important issues such as abortion laws in Ireland, sexual violence in post-conflict Sierra Leone, women-led successful microcredit movements in Bangladesh and Pakistan, and glass-ceilings in the United States. After taking this course, students should be able to critically think about women’s issues across the world and analyze the impact of political structures and institutions on the role that women play in their communities and beyond. They will also be trained to use their own identity as women to reflect on and relate to the issues surrounding women’s empowerment. Assessment techniques used in this class will include critical reaction papers, an incremental policy brief, discussion leadership, midterm, and final. This course will be appropriate for students interested in women’s empowerment, gender justice, and most importantly, human rights.

This course examines psychological theories and research on sexuality. Topics include physiology, gender, sex education, sexual development, communication, sexual expression, reproduction, sexual function, sexual health, sexual assault, and sex work. Particular attention is paid to issues of power, intersectionality, minoritized populations, and justice as they pertain to sexuality. Fulfills writing-intensive requirement.

This course examines psychological theories and research on gender. Topics include power and privilege, the gender binary, gender socialization, sexuality, relationships, reproduction, and gender-based violence. Particular attention is paid to issues of power, intersectionality, minoritized populations, and justice as they pertain to gender. Fulfills writing-intensive requirement.

This course examines current psychological approaches and highlights the social identity approach to sport and exercise behavior. Topics include leadership, communication, teamwork, motivation, cognitive/emotional influences on performance, mental health, career transition, and fan behavior. Particular attention is paid to issues of power, intersectionality, minoritized populations, and justice as they pertain to sport. Fulfills writingintensive requirement.

This course introduces students to cultural anthropology, considering such topics as ethnography, ethics, culture, society, religion, and ritual. Students also learn how anthropologists have approached difference and inequality within and across cultures - focusing on race and gender as well as considering global varieties of economies, political structures, and kinship.

This course examines the ways in which gender intersects with social class, work, politics, sexuality, and religion in multiple cultural contexts. It also explores the reproductive, economic, and religious factors that influence our gendered experiences and offers students opportunities to understand the diversity of these experiences around the world.

The content of this course varies, consisting of selected works of ethnic groups within or outside the United States. Includes consideration of the historical and cultural contexts in which the literature is produced.

This course will explore the poetry of four important mid- twentieth-century American women poets: Gwendolyn Brooks, Anne Sexton, Adrienne Rich, and Sylvia Plath. We will employ close readings of their work, feminist literary theory, and interdisciplinary approaches to understand their position in literary history, their response to American culture, and their “revisioning” (to use Adrienne Rich’s term) of women’s experience. Special attention will be given to women’s leadership and social responsibility. Fulfills post-1900 B.A. English and writing-intensive requirement.

Prerequisite: ENG 103, any 200-level ENG course (except ENG 290), or permission of instructor This course will consider poetry as a means of resistance and a tool of social justice. Students will examine historical, cultural, political, and social context to analyze a wide range of poetic genres from different periods. Special emphasis on women's leadership, social responsibility, and global awareness. Topics vary. Fulfills pre- or post-1900 English requirement depending on topic and writing-intensive requirement. 3 credits

This course considers the depictions of women in British and American literature written before 1900. Special emphasis on women’s leadership and social responsibility, and on feminist theory. Fulfills pre- 1900 B.A. English requirement and writing-intensive requirement.

This course surveys the wide range of Modernist literature that responds to the social, artistic, technological, intellectual, and economic changes that took place in the early twentieth century. Students will use literary theory and criticism, as well as other cultural artifacts, to understand the ways in which writers make sense of their rapidly changing world. Special attention will be given to women's leadership, social responsibility, and global awareness. Fulfills post-1900 B.A. English and writing-intensive requirement.

This class will explore the development of Jane Austen's literary career through a focus on her six major novels and some of the juvenilia. Background information on Austen's life and times will enable students to appreciate the many themes and subtexts of these works. Fulfills pre-1900 B.A. English and writing-intensive requirement.

Exploration of the development of Toni Morrison’s literary career, focusing primarily on her novels and criticism. Fulfills post-1900 B.A. English and writingintensive requirement.

Exploration of Edith Wharton’s life and work in the context of women’s leadership, social responsibility, and global awareness, and through the lens of feminist literary theory. Students will read a variety of genres and complete a wide range of assignments. Fulfills English B.A. post-1900 and writing intensive requirements.

Survey of women in the United States from colonial to modern times. Introduces political, social, religious and economic factors that influenced women's roles in and contributions to U.S. society.

In this course students will explore the leaders of the “Votes for Women” movement in the United States and their methods, 1848-1920. Fulfills writing-intensive requirement.

This course focuses on the status and roles of women in developing countries. Addressing the problems of poverty, population growth, rural-urban migration, human capital formation, agricultural transformation, and environmental degradation, it emphasizes women as a critical part of the solution. The course includes student presentations.

In this course, students will compare women’s participation in, and contribution to their communities across different countries. In so doing, they will analyze how the political make-up and power structures of societies are systematically related to women’s empowerment or the lack of it. The main topics covered in this course will include women’s participation in institutional and non-institutional politics, the gendering of public policy, and the role of gender in the politics of development. Throughout the course, students will read case studies on a wide variety of important issues such as abortion laws in Ireland, sexual violence in post-conflict Sierra Leone, women-led successful microcredit movements in Bangladesh and Pakistan, and glass-ceilings in the United States. After taking this course, students should be able to critically think about women’s issues across the world and analyze the impact of political structures and institutions on the role that women play in their communities and beyond. They will also be trained to use their own identity as women to reflect on and relate to the issues surrounding women’s empowerment. Assessment techniques used in this class will include critical reaction papers, an incremental policy brief, discussion leadership, midterm, and final. This course will be appropriate for students interested in women’s empowerment, gender justice, and most importantly, human rights.

Introduces theoretical and practical understanding of leadership. Assists in defining personal leadership orientation and philosophy, building relationships, initiating change, and empowering others. Emphasis on Organizational Leadership.

This course examines psychological theories and research on sexuality. Topics include physiology, gender, sex education, sexual development, communication, sexual expression, reproduction, sexual function, sexual health, sexual assault, and sex work. Particular attention is paid to issues of power, intersectionality, minoritized populations, and justice as they pertain to sexuality. Fulfills writing-intensive requirement.

This course examines psychological theories and research on gender. Topics include power and privilege, the gender binary, gender socialization, sexuality, relationships, reproduction, and gender-based violence. Particular attention is paid to issues of power, intersectionality, minoritized populations, and justice as they pertain to gender. Fulfills writing-intensive requirement.

This course examines current psychological approaches and highlights the social identity approach to sport and exercise behavior. Topics include leadership, communication, teamwork, motivation, cognitive/emotional influences on performance, mental health, career transition, and fan behavior. Particular attention is paid to issues of power, intersectionality, minoritized populations, and justice as they pertain to sport. Fulfills writingintensive requirement.

This course will introduce students to a variety of critical approaches to- and popular representations of- gender. It is the introduction course to Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

This course provides an introduction to the field of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender studies. In this course students will explore a survey of texts produced by scholars, writers, and activists whose work centers the experience of persons on the LGBT spectrum.

Examines the ways in which individuals and groups are named and treated as “other” in communities and societies; explores the way in which this designation of otherness harms individuals, families, communities, and nations; and considers ways in which civic engagement and activism can be used to promote human dignity and a socially just world.

This course explores the ways in which feminist resistances and solidarities are structured transnationally in our contemporary world, as well as the gendered effects global structures bear across diverse populations. By the end of the semester, students will be able to apply a transnational feminist lens to global issues.

An interdisciplinary approach to the topic of women’s health. Students are expected to complete a significant amount of reading, speak frequently in class, and complete a college-level research paper. Students are also expected to have facility with the basic terms of women, gender, and sexuality studies. A writing-intensive course.

This course provides a thematic survey of feminist theories and engages students in critical examinations of these theories. A swriting-intensive course.

This course considers ecofeminism as it pertains to women and animals. Students will read a wide range of ecofeminist theoretical and activist texts from a variety of disciplines to explore the relationship between the oppression of women and the oppression of animals. The course includes an off-campus service learning requirement. Fulfills writing-intensive requirement.

This seminar explores the politics of fashion. Topics may include: the politics of veiling, cultural appropriation, and ethical fashion (among others). This course involves a significant amount of reading, in-class discussion, and a 12-15 page final paper. Students should have some facility with gender as an intersectional facet of identity upon enrollment.

This course is the culmination of undergraduate study in WGS. In this course, students will produce a 15-20 page research paper, learn about feminist research methods and knowledge production, and prepare professional materials. This course is exclusively for WGS majors in their final year of coursework.