Fundamentals of Feminist Theory

About the Course

Books and other assigned readings:
Required:
Alice Rossi, ed., The Feminist Papers from Adams to deBeauvoir
Linda Nicholson, ed., The Second Wave: A Reader in Feminist Theory
Patricia Hill Collins, Fighting Words

Supplemental:
Rosemarie Tong, Feminist Thought: A More Comprehensive Introduction

All books were ordered through the University book store.
A small number of additional required articles are on e-reserve through Prometheus

Requirements: See "assignments" for details.
Grades are based on the following:

• E-mail reaction postings (10%)
• Short presentation playing the role of a historical feminist thinker (10%)
• Short paper (5 pages) explicating one reading from weeks 5-14 (20%)
• Class Participation  (20%)
• Major final paper due at end of semester (40%)

Objective:  This seminar examines major Western political and social theories of the past two centuries on questions of gender inequality and difference.  The first part covers background and historical context of First Wave (19th and early 20th century) feminist thought and action including liberalism, domestic feminism, Marxism, Freudian psychoanalytic theory, and early African American feminist writers.  The 2nd segment examines how Second Wave (1963-1980s) feminists revised and rethought First Wave theory to meet new economic, social, and political realities.  The final segment looks at theorizing by women of color since the 1970s, the rise in academia of new theories of knowledge popularly labeled post-modern, and the emergence of Third Wave writers and activists.  The relationship between theory and political action is examined throughout.

Links: The class webpage or online version of the syllabus provides links to biographical and other  background information on many of the theorists.  New links and any changes to the syllabus will be added to the website during the semester.  The online syllabus is at www.gwu.edu/~wstu/125/fund_syl.html.

Organization: The syllabus traces the development of Western -- primarily U.S. -- feminist thought chronologically (for the most part) from the late 18th century to the end of the 20th century.  This syllabus deliberately tries to avoid imposing rigid categories on groups of theorists.  For example, we read Radicalesbians and the Combahee River Collective together as collective statements by activists challenging the definitions and assumptions of early Second Wave feminism rather than categorizing Radicalesbians with other radical or lesbian feminist writings of different political decades, or placing the Combahee River statement (by African American, lesbian, socialist feminists) with later Black feminist writings.

Odd couplings: In order to fit all the readings into the limited number of weeks allotted, occasionally the readings for a given week may not easily fit together and may be discussed in separate segments of the class session.

Missing Pieces: There are many other important works of feminist theory not covered in this one course.   Students are encouraged to help create a list of supplementary pieces "fundamental" to feminist theory that you think every Women's Studies student should read.

Assignments  -- detailed instructions

1. Class participation.  Each student will be responsible for consistent class attendance and class participation through out the semester.. The class is a seminar, and I will lecture only briefly. The class will consist of work we do together. Each student will be  responsible for leading (or co-leading) and organizing class discussion once during the semester (see #4 below). Class participation is worth 20% of the final grade.

2.  E-mail reaction postings -- 10% of grade  --  8 required -- due throughout semester.
Eight times during the semester, write a couple paragraphs giving your own thoughts and reactions to one or more of the readings assigned that week.  Email your response to the entire class at latest by 7pm the evening before the class meeting when the readings will be discussed.  Late postings may not count.  Keep copies of your postings.  You choose which 8 weeks to write responses.

3.  Short presentation playing the role of a historical feminist thinker
-- 10% of grade -- approx. 10 minute presentation -- for week 2, 3, or 4.   Each student will sign-up for a presentation on one pre-1960's theorist.  You are asked to pretend you are that theorist and present in the first person, playing the character.  The goal is to try to get inside the theorists mind and life, and to convey their world.

4.  Short paper explicating one text -- 20% of grade -- 5 pages -- once in weeks 5-14.
Each student will choose one assigned reading in weeks 5-14 of the syllabus and write a paper of approximately 5 pages (typed, double spaced) that explicates the text. Your job is to lay out the author's theoretical position on women’s social situation and how to change it. You should cover four parts of a coherent theory: the author’s description of reality (what exists at present); analysis or explanation of why this reality exists (what are its root causes); vision of what might be different (what a new reality might look like); and strategies to achieve a new reality (what actions get us from the current reality to the new reality envisioned).   Optionally, as part of the strategies discussion, you might include an example of how one would apply the theory to some current some currently debated issue.  This paper will be worth 20% of the final grade.  It is due the same class meeting for which the text you wrote about is assigned.  People will sign up well in advance for specific readings.  You will also lead discussion of your reading in class that day.

5.  Major final paper  -- 40% of grade -- 12-15 pages -- due Dec. 14.   Detailed instructions were handed out in class and are available on Prometheus under "projects."