Women's Studies
Coordinator: Kim Miller
Department home page: http://www.wheatoncollege.edu/acad/womensStudies/
Academic advisor for the major: Beverly Lyon Clark
Women's Studies is an interdisciplinary academic program explicitly dedicated to the study of women, gender and sexuality in all areas of human life. As an academic field, Women's Studies starts from the assumption that gender shapes both individual lives and social institutions. Our curriculum provides students with a theoretical framework for analyzing and acting upon the intersections of gender, race, class, and sexuality, both historically and in contemporary societies worldwide.
Major
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The major in women's studies consists of at least nine courses, including Introduction to Women's Studies, Feminist Theory, and the Senior Seminar. Three or more additional courses must be taken at the 300 level or above. Students are encouraged to pursue a concentration within the major; possible concentrations include: social science, humanities, arts or a particular social issue or theme. Women's studies majors are urged to pursue internships, service learning opportunities and independent research that will complement their course work in women's studies.
Introduction and Theory
Wmst 201 Introduction to Women's Studies
Wmst 312 Feminist Theory
Wmst 401 Senior Seminar: Topics in Women and War
Women in U.S. Society
Two of the following:
Econ 241 Women in U.S. Economy
Hist 232 Women in North America to 1790
Hist 233 U.S. Women, 1790-1890
Hist 234 U.S. Women since 1890
Soc 260 Gender Inequality
Soc 320 Race, Gender and Poverty
Other courses may qualify with permission of the women's studies advisor.
Women in International Perspective
Two of the following:
Anth 255 Women in Africa
Anth 260 Women and Development
Anth 350 Gender and Social Organization
Arth 225 Status, Gender, and Identity in Japanese Visual Culture
Arth 398 Anatomies (1400-1600): Sexual, Forbidden, and Monstrous
Clas 266 Women, Power and Paganism
Econ 233 Sweatshops in the World Economy
Fr 331 Other Voices, Other Stories: Great Works by Women from France and the Francophone World
Hisp 370 Studies on Hispanic Women Writers
Hist 225 Women in East Asia: Japan and Korea
Hist 227 Women in East Asia: China
Itas 235 Italian Women Writers in Translation
Russ 284 Women in Russian Culture
Soc 310 Beyond Global Feminism
Electives
Two of the following not used above:
Anth 255 Women in Africa
Anth 260 Women and Development
Anth 350 Gender and Social Organization
Arth 225 Status, Gender, and Identity in Japanese Visual Culture
Arth 336 Sex and Death in Early Modern Venice
Arth 398 Anatomies (1400-1600): Sexual, Forbidden, and Monstrous
Clas 266 Women, Power and Paganism
Econ 233 Sweatshops in the World Economy
Econ 241 Women in U.S. Economy
Eng 236 Sex, Work and the Victorians
Eng 240 Gender, Genre and Poetry
Eng 247 African American Women's Literature
Eng 272 Romancing the Novel
Eng 348 Sexual Politics of Film Noir
Eng 377 Feminist Criticism
Fr 331 Other Voices, Other Stories: Great Works by Women from France and the Francophone World
Hisp 370 Studies on Hispanic Women Writers
Hist 225 Women in East Asia: Japan and Korea
Hist 227 Women in East Asia: China
Hist 232 Women in North America to 1790
Hist 233 U.S. Women, 1790-1890
Hist 234 U.S. Women since 1890
Hist 313 Issues in the History of Women in Europe
Hist 340 Gender and Work in the 19th-Century U.S.
Hist 341 Sex and Culture in the 19th-Century U.S.
Itas 235 Italian Women Writers in Translation
Phil 255 Feminism, Philosophy and the Law
Phil 398 Plato Seminar
Pols 025 Legal Issues in Public Policy: The Law of Sexuality and Gender
Psy 261 Psychobiology of Sex and Gender
Psy 235 Human Sexuality
Psy 290 Psychology of Women
Rel 142 Religion and Sexuality
Russ 284 Women in Russian Culture
Soc 260 Gender Inequality
Soc 310 Beyond Global Feminism
Soc 311 Violence against Women
Soc 320 Race, Gender and Poverty
Soc 340 Gender and Health
Soc 392 Feminist Research
Wmst 315 Black Feminist Theory
Wmst 399 Independent Study
Wmst 500 Individual Research
Minor
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The minor in women's studies consists of five or more courses: Wmst 201, at least one 300-level course, and three electives, only one of which may be taken at the 100 level. Students who have completed at leat one 300-level theory class (Wmst 312 or Wmst 315) are strongly encouraged to take Wmst 401, the Senior Seminar (with permission of the instructor). Students are encouraged to do an interdisciplinary independent study and related internships.
Women's Studies Courses
Anthropology
Anth 255 Women in Africa
Anth 260 Women and Development
Anth 350 Gender and Social Organization
Art History
Arth 225 Status, Gender, and Identity in Japanese Visual Culture
Arth 298 Youth and Gender in Modern Visual Culture
Arth 336 Sex and Death in Early Modern Venice
Arth 398 Anatomies (1400-1600): Sexual, Forbidden, and Monstrous
Classics
Clas 266 Women, Power and Paganism
Economics
Econ 233 Sweatshops in the World Economy
Econ 241 Women in U.S. Economy
English
Eng 236 Sex, Work and the Victorians
Eng 240 Gender, Genre and Poetry
Eng 247 African American Women's Literature
Eng 272 Romancing the Novel
Eng 348 Sexual Politics of Film Noir
Eng 377 Feminist Criticism
French
Fr 331 Other Voices, Other Stories: Great Works by Women from France and the Francophone World
Hispanic Studies
Hisp 370 Studies on Hispanic Women Writers
History
Hist 225 Women in East Asia: Japan and Korea
Hist 227 Women in East Asia: China
Hist 232 Women in North America to 1790
Hist 233 U.S. Women, 1790-1890
Hist 234 U.S. Women since 1890
Hist 313 Issues in the History of Women in Europe
Hist 340 Gender and Work in the 19th-Century U.S.
Hist 341 Sex and Culture in the 19th-Century U.S.
Italian
Itas 235 Italian Women Writers in Translation
Itas 298 Constructing Women Writers and Saints: 1200-1500
Philosophy
Phil 255 Feminism, Philosophy and the Law
Political Science
Pols 025 Legal Issues in Public Policy: The Law of Sexuality and Gender
Psychology
Psy 261 Psychobiology of Sex and Gender
Psy 235 Human Sexuality
Psy 290 Psychology of Women
Religion
Rel 142 Religion and Sexuality
Russian
Russ 284 Women in Russian Culture
Sociology
Soc 260 Gender Inequality
Soc 310 Beyond Global Feminism
Soc 311 Violence against Women
Soc 320 Race, Gender and Poverty
Soc 392 Feminist Research
Women's Studies
Wmst 201 Introduction to Women's Studies
Wmst 312 Feminist Theory
Wmst 315 Black Feminist Theory
Wmst 399 Independent Study
Wmst 401 Senior Seminar: Topics in Women and War
In addition, many departments offer special courses and seminars with topics applicable to the major or minor. Please see the Women's studies advisor for permission to count the course towards either the major or minor.
Courses
201. Introduction to Women's Studies
An introduction to topics and themes in women's experiences from a cross-cultural, historical and interdisciplinary perspective. Topics may include women's historical roles in the family, the workforce and public and private spheres in different societies; the psychology of changing gender roles; images of women and how they are constructed; women's perspectives in literature and in the sciences; and the roots and prospects of the contemporary women's movement.
298. Experimental Course
Global Feminisms
This course covers feminism and feminist concerns from a multicultural perspective, showcasing the voices of non-Western feminists on topics ranging from the definition of "women," to the impact of race relations on feminism and vice versa, to the worldwide and urgent problem of violence against women.
Some of the themes we will explore will include different definitions of gender (for both women and men) and how this influences the lives of actual people in different cultures; the issue of biology and the female body, and how the body is operated upon, constrained, referred to, and symbolized in different cultures and by different feminists; contraception, reproductive capability, and the role of motherhood; the public and private spheres and women's roles in these; social networking; sexuality; poverty and inequality; and other concerns brought up by various feminists.
Youth and Gender in Modern Visual Culture
(See Arth 298 for course description)
Constructing Women Writers and Saints: 1200-1500
(See Itas 298 for course description)
312. Feminist Theory
This advanced-level course is designed to explore in depth many of the theoretical frameworks and methodological issues that are touched upon in women's studies and gender-balanced courses. The course focuses on historical and contemporary writings from a range of perspectives, including liberal feminism, radical feminism, socialist feminism and postmodernism. Special topics such as racism, lesbianism and international women's issues are also examined.
Connections:
Conx 23005 Women in the United States
Conx 23006 Sexuality
315. Black Feminist Theory
The class will examine critical and theoretical issues in Black feminism from the 1960s to the present, focusing on the influential contemporary Black feminist intellectual tradition that emerged in the 1970s. From this perspective, students will explore certain themes and topics, such as work, family, politics and community, through reading the writings of Black feminists. We will also study the ways in which women and men have worked together, toward the eradication of race and gender inequality, among other systems of oppression, which have historically subjugated Black women. Although emphasis will be placed on Black feminist traditions in the United States, at the end of the semester we will consider Black feminism in global perspective.
(Kim Miller)
Connections:
Conx 23007 African Diaspora in New World
398. Experimental Course
Plato Seminar
(See Phil 398 for course description.)
399. Independent Study
Advanced students, in consultation with an instructor, may arrange to pursue independent study on topics not covered by the regular course offerings.
401. Senior Seminar: Topics in Women and War
A semester of directed reading and research where students will examine significant issues at the forefront of feminist theory and research, as well as the principal theoretical debates within the field of women's studies. Topics chosen for discussion will depend on class interest, recent research and timeliness. Potential topics include postcolonial feminisms, women and war, and black feminist theory.
Students will pursue an original research project and will produce a thesis as their capstone to the major. Students and instructor will meet regularly in a seminar setting to discuss readings and the stages of the research project.
(Kim Miller)
500. Individual Research
Open to senior majors by invitation of the Program. All other interested students should speak with the program coordinator or Women's Studies academic advisor.