Women's History and Feminist Theory

History 182-4731/Women's Studies 100-4730, Fall 1996
Tuesday 2:30-4:25, Thursday 3:35-4:25, 2N 102
Professor Catherine Lavender


Course Description:

This course explores both the history of women's experience and feminist interpretations of women's historical condition. The course will emphasize student development of analytical skills through textual analysis, and writing skills through student writing.

The course will also aim to familiarize the student with historical method and historiography, emphasizing the construction of historical arguments (thesis, methodology, historiography, evidence, sources, research, and narrative), as well as identifying areas for further research.

Getting In Touch with The Professor:

My office is 2N 203, and my office phone is 718-982-2869; I have office hours 4:30 to 6:30 Tuesdays, 1:00 to 3:30 Thursdays, and by appointment. You may also reach me via email at lavender@postbox.csi.cuny.edu. You can also visit my homepage, or see additional optional materials for this course.
Course Requirements:

All students are required to attend lectures and take part in discussions. Papers will require students to synthesize lecture materials as well as readings. Students must also read and assimilate required readings, and be prepared to discuss readings on the schedule given below.

Students will submit papers and assignments on time; late papers will not be accepted without prior arrangement with the professor.

Assignments:

Outline for Midterm Essay on Brent (due 8 October)--5% of course grade.
Midterm Essay on Brent (due 17 October)--25% of course grade.
One-Page Outline on Gilman (due 24 October)--5% of course grade.
One-Page Outline on Underhill (due 7 November)--5% of course grade.
One-Page Outline on Salt of the Earth (due 26 November)--5% of course grade.
Final Essay on Gilman, Underhill, and Salt of the Earth (due last day of class, 12 December)--30% of final grade.
Attendance and Discussion Participation--25% of final grade.

Required Texts:

Sara Evans, Born For Liberty: A History of Women in America
Linda Brent, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Herland
Ruth Underhill, Papago Woman
Course Schedule:

Week One: Introduction
Tuesday, 3 September: Introduction to Course, Discussion of Requirements
Thursday, 5 September: Introduction to Feminism and Feminist Historiography
Reading for this week: Evans, "Introduction," Ch. 1.

Week Two: Gender
Tuesday, 10 September: Gender as a Social and Scientific Construct
Thursday, 12 September: The Creation of Patriarchy
Reading for this week: Evans, Ch. 2

Week Three: Patriarchy and Feminism
Tuesday, 17 September: The Birth of Feminist Consciousness
Thursday, 19 September: Feminism in the Nineteenth Century
Reading for this week: Evans, Ch. 3

Week Four: Feminism as Nineteenth-Century Activism
Tuesday, 24 September: Women in Association
Thursday, 26 September: Women as a Category
Reading for this week: Evans, Ch. 4; Linda Brent, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

Week Five: Feminism and Identity
Tuesday, 1 October: Working Girl and the Politics of Identity; view in class
Thursday, 3 October: No Class; instead, continue reading Linda Brent, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Reading for this week: Evans, Ch. 5; Linda Brent, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

Week Six: Civil Wars and Feminism in Black and White
Tuesday, 8 October: 19th-Century Divisions of Race; Outline of Brent Paper Due
Thursday, 10 October: Discussion of Linda Brent, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Reading for this week: Brent, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl

Week Seven: Women, Reform, and Modernity
Tuesday, 15 October: No Classes (Columbus Day); Read Gilman, Herland
Thursday, 17 October: Social Housekeepers; Brent Paper Due.
Reading for this week: Evans, Chs. 6 and 7; Gilman, Herland

Week Eight: Utopianism and The First "Death" of Feminism
Tuesday, 22 October: The First "Death" of Feminism
Thursday, 24 October: Discussion of Gilman, Herland; One-Page Outline on Gilman due.
Reading for this week: Gilman, Herland

Week Nine: Invisible Feminists
Tuesday, 29 October: Feminism Underground
Thursday, 31 October: No Class; read Underhill, Papago Woman
Reading: Evans, Chs 8, 9; Underhill, Papago Woman

Week Ten: "Other" Feminists
Tuesday, 5 November: "Other" Narratives of Feminist Tradition
Thursday, 7 November: Discussion of Underhill, Papago Woman; One-Page Outline on Underhill due.
Reading for this week: Underhill, Papago Woman

Week Eleven: Worlds at War
Tuesday, 12 November: Feminist Counter Cultures--Shopping in Consumerist Society
Thursday, 14 November: From Migrant Madonna to Rosie the Riveter--World War II and American Women
Reading for this week: Evans, Ch. 10.

Week Twelve: Cold Cream and Cold Wars
Tuesday, 19 November: Feminine Mystique
Thursday, 21 November: View Salt of the Earth
Reading for this week: Evans, Ch. 11.

Week Thirteen: The Coming of the Second Wave
Tuesday, 26 November: Discussion of Salt of the Earth; One-Page Outline on Salt of the Earth due.
Thursday, 28 November: Thanksgiving Break
Reading for this week: Evans, Ch. 12.

Week Fourteen: Making Waves
Tuesday, 3 December: The Second Wave
Thursday, 5 December: Womanism and Other Challenges to "Mainstream" Feminism
Reading for this week: Evans, Ch. 13.

Week Fifteen: Conclusions
Tuesday, 10 December: W(h)ither Feminism?
Thursday, 12 December: Summing Up; Final Essay due

Last modified: Friday, 2 May 1997