Feminist Critiques in BioMedicine

Women’s Studies 100: Feminist Critiques in Biomedicine undergraduate course

Women’s Studies, Spring 2008

Syllabus

Instructor Moya Z. Bailey

Class meets: 11:30am - 12:45pm TTh Woodruff Library 774

Office Hours: T 10:00am - 11:15am Jazzman’s Café or by appointment

Email: mzbaile@emory.edu (Use this address only; do not use learnlink address, all email will be read between 9-5 on weekdays)

Prerequisites

none

Course Description

This course will ask students to question what they “know” about science and the scientific process. We will problematize “scientific objectivity” and probe foundational scientific ideas about race, sex, and gender while simultaneously examining what these basic tenets have meant for marginalized groups in society, particularly when seeking medical care. Students will engage feminist science theories that range from explorations of the linguistic metaphors of the immune system, the medicalization of race, to critiques of the sexual binary. We will use contemporary as well as historical moments to investigate the evolution of “scientific truth” and its impact on the U.S. cultural landscape. Using the unique lens of feminist theory, students will revisit their disciplinary training as a site for critical analysis.

Goals and Objectives

Students will

• determine the validity of scientific claims based on evidence, not opinion
• recognize societal and cultural influence on “biological” behavior
• grasp basic women’s studies concepts such as intersectionality and standpoint theory
• explore race, class, and gender’s impact on medicine

Required Texts

All text can be ordered online, or are available through the course blackboard site.

Fadiman, Anne The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down Farrar, Straus, and Giroux 0-374-52564-1

Requirements

1. Weekly class blog entry (20%)
2. Active participation in class discussions (10%) (preparation, reading books/articles, attendance, etc.)
3. Activist practicum (15%)
4. Class assignments (10%)
5. Final paper/Project (25%)
6. Assigned discussion leadership (15%)
7. Sustainable classroom efforts (5%)

Class Blog

All students will post ten weekly blog entries that reflect their reaction to the required reading material. Blogs should also show a connection to larger issues happening in the world. You will be graded on the evolution of your responses over the course of the class as well as your ability to draw parallels between class material and local/global events. Each entry should be at least two paragraphs. Students must also comment on another classmate’s post once a week. By the end of the semester students must have 10 posts and 10 responses. Students are expected to read each others responses. Students who go beyond this minimum may receive extra credit. FYI- Blogs are a public forum so other people from around the world can drop in our class conversations and will. Be prepared for this. http://feministscience.blogspot.com/

Class Participation

Students must participate in classroom discussions. To do so students must be present. Students can miss two classes without penalty. Any absence beyond these two will result in a percentage decrease from your class participation grade. Students must submit in writing their reason for being absent before it occurs and are still responsible for any assignments missed. Tardiness is unacceptable. Excessive tardiness will result in a percentage decrease from your class participation grade.

Activist Practicum

Students must participate in and/or observe an activist oriented group or organization through out the semester dealing with issues of race, sex, and/or medicine. This could include volunteering at the Feminist Women’s Health Center or participating in their programming, attending a SisterLove healthy love party, working for AID Atlanta etc. Early in the semester students will submit a proposal on their possible practicum action and at the end of the semester a presentation on the experience. Students should spend at least 5 hours participating over the course of the semester. You will be graded on your ability to connect the class material to the experience in your presentation.

Class Assignments

All assignments are detailed on the syllabus or in Blackboard. Late work will receive a letter grade deduction for each day it is late. It is your responsibility to alert me in writing (an e-mail) when you will miss class and how you intend to make up the lost time.

Final Paper/Project

The final paper or project can be one of three topics.

1. Apply the concepts and themes discussed in this course to your proposed area of medicine and/or research. As most of you plan to become doctors or biomedical researchers, what kinds of questions are already being asked in your future field? What might a feminist scientist bring to the discussion?
2. Students may analyze two contemporary news articles that relate to medicine, gender, and/or race. Students will use the concepts explored in class to examine the themes of the articles. What might a feminist scientist say about the claims being made in the articles?
3. Rewrite a chapter of a biology textbook that includes a feminist analysis of the material. Be sure to engage all relevant facets of intersectionality including race, sex, gender, sexuality, disability, etc.

The papers should be 10 or more pages in length, excluding bibliographic references. Students may opt to present the paper in a format other than a paper presentation such as a documentary video, power point etc. upon conference with the professor. Alternative projects must maintain the same level of scholarly rigor of the academic paper and students opting for this option will help the professor in the development of grading rubric for their project.

Assigned Discussion Reading

During the semester student pairs will be assigned one day to facilitate a class discussion. You are responsible for guiding the class through the assigned reading for that day as well as fostering discussion. You should also integrate blog comments and/or related information from the media. Students may sign up on the class calendar in Blackboard. Do not pick a day where we are watching a movie in class. You may use handouts, powerpoint, or a medium of your choice to engage the class.

Sustainable Classroom Efforts

As you will come to see in this course, medicine and health involves more than the body. The outer environment plays an essential role in how healthy we are and as you will see can disproportionately impact marginalized groups. We will attempt to tread a little lighter on the planet, at least in the context of this classroom. Papers, assignments, and grades will be submitted electronically and you are encourages to use both sides of the page if you prefer for print assignments and handouts. Recycling backs of paper is encouraged, as well as students’ suggestions of other sustainable practices that can be employed in the class.

Extra Credit

Students may attend events detailed on the Blackboard Calendar for this class and write a two page reflection on the event that connects to class concepts. Other extra credit opportunities will be announced on Blackboard.

Grades

A 100 – 94

A- 93 – 90

B+ 89 – 87

B 86 – 84

B- 83 – 80

C+ 79 – 76

C 75 – 73

C- 72 – 70

D 69 – 64

F 64 – Below

Any students who feel they may need academic adjustments and/or accommodations should speak with me during the first two weeks of class. All discussions will remain confidential. Students with disabilities should also contact the Office of Disability Services in the Administration Building.

Academic Honesty and Classroom integrity

Students are expected to be familiar with the Academic Honesty policy of the University. If you have any questions, be sure to come see me during office hours or send me an email. You are also expected to be respectful of your classmates. Many of the issues discussed are highly contested and your opinions will often differ so it is important that everyone is courteous with their contention.

Reading and Discussion Schedule

1. Introduction (1/17)

1. Hey! How are you? Who are you? Why are you here?
2. Syllabus
3. Reader Glossary

2. Sex, Gender, and Science (1/22-1/31)

(1/22) A. “Body Matters: Cultural Inscriptions.” by Lynne Segal

B. “The Importance of Feminist Critique for Contemporary Cell Biology.” by THE BIOLOGY AND GENDER STUDY GROUP http://zygote.swarthmore.edu/fert11a1.html

(1/24) A. Total Patient Care: The Child with an Intersex Condition Video (in class)

B. “Rethinking Genitals and Gender.” by Suzzane J. Kessler

C. “’Cultural Practice’ or ‘Reconstrucive Surgery’: U.S. Genital Cutting and the Intersex Movement, and Medical Double Standards.” By Cherly Chase

(1/29) A. Chapter 1 “Dueling Dualisms” in Sexing the Body by Anne Fausto Sterling

B. “Lesbian Bodies: Tribades, Tomboys, and Tarts” by Barbara Creed

(1/31) A. Ma Vie En Rose (watch before class)

B. “Not Just Passing.” by Leslie Fineberg

3. Sex, Race, and Science (2/5-2/21)

(2/5) A. “Towards a Genology of Black Female Sexuality: The problematic of Silence.” By Evelyn Hammonds

B. "Sexuality and Gender in Certain Native American Tribes: The Case of Cross-Gender Females." by Evelyn Blackwood

(2/7) A.“White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.” by Peggy McIntosh

B. “I Can Fix It! V.1 Racism.” By Damali Ayo

(2/12) A. “Theories of Gender and Race.” By Londa Schiebinger

B. “Women as Victims of Medical Experimentation.” by Diana E. Axelsen

C. Garcia, Ana Maria. La operacion. Produced and directed by Ana Maria Garcia. 40 min. New York: Cinema Guild, 1982. Videocassette. (Watch in Class)

(2/14) A. Listen to Remembering Tuskegee. Also read the CDC Timeline at the bottom page

B. “Natural Laboratories: Medical Experimentation in Native Communities.” By Andrea Smith

(2/19) A. Chapter 2 Killing the Black Body by Dorothy Roberts

B. Population Control pamphlet

C. Activist Practicum Proposal Due

(2/21) A. Library Visit

4. Disability, Science, and Medicine (2/26-3/6)

(2/26) A. “The Social Construction of Disability.” by Susan Wendall

B. “Enforcing Normalcy: Disability, Deafness, and the body.” By Lennard Davis

(2/28) A. “Power vs. Prosthesis.” and “A Burst of Light: Living with Cancer.” by Audrey Lorde

B. Guest Mia Mingus

(3/4) A. “Disability Rights and Selective Abortion.” By Marsha Saxon

B. “Managing Women’s Minds.” by Elaine Showalter

C. Grey’s Anatomy Clip (Watch in Class)

(3/6) A. “Bodies Out of Bounds: Fatness and Transgression Editor’s Introduction” by Jana Evans Braziel and Kathleen LeBesco

SPRING BREAK

5. Culture, Science, and Medicine (3/18-4/10)

(3/18) A. 1-6 of The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

B. Final Project Proposal Due

(3/20) A. 7-12 of The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

(3/25) A. 13-19 of The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down

(3/27) A. “Poverty fuels medical crisis: Access to care is difficult for rural, urban residents.” by Laura Ungar

B. Watch: http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/08/30/1354251 Minorities and Environmental Racism and read “Dismantling Toxic Racism.” by Robert D. Bullard

(4/1) “Toxic Bodies? ACT UP's Disruption of the Heteronormative Landscape of the Nation.” by Beth Berila.

(4/3) No Class

(4/8) “No Remedy for the Inuit: Accountability for Environmental Harms under U.S. and International Law.” by Anne E. Lucas

Story of Stuff

(4/10) A. Clips Assignment

B. Final Project Outline

6. Activist Practicum and Research Presentations (11/26-12/10)

(4/15) presentations 1-5

(4/17) presentations 6-10

(4/22) presentations 11-15

(4/23) Special Visit with Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter

(4/24) presentations 16-18 & Wrap up

(4/29) All extra credit due and Final Papers due

Feminist Theory

Comparative Women’s Studies 471: Feminist Theory in Practice

Spring 2008

Syllabus

Instructor Moya Z. Bailey

Class meets: 6:00 pm - 8:40 pm Wednesday 217 2^nd Floor Cosby

Office Hours: by appointment only

Email: mzbaile@emory.edu (Use this address only, all email will be read between 9-5 on weekdays)

Prerequisites

none

Course Description

This course will introduce students to major tenants and thinkers in feminist theory. Specific attention will be paid to feminist theory produced by women of color and theorists that students will encounter in graduate school. Students will also generate their own feminist theories that are grounded in their experiences and future goals.

Goals and Objectives

Students will

• Learn theoretical concepts in feminism
• Familiarize themselves with major theorists, particularly theorists of color
• Develop their own theories
• Apply what they’ve learned to real life situations

Required Texts

Feminist Theory: A Reader by Wendy Kolmar and Frances Bartkowski

Additional readings will be provided

Requirements

1. Weekly blog post and response (20%)
2. Active participation in class discussions (15%) (preparation, reading books/articles, attendance, etc.)
3. Activist practicum (20%)
4. Manifesto Project (25%)
5. Assigned discussion leadership (15%)
6. Sustainable classroom efforts (5%)

Class Blog

All students will post 11 weekly blog entries that reflect their reaction to the required reading material and shows a connection to larger issues happening in the world. You will be graded on the evolution of your responses over the course of the class as well as your ability to draw parallels between class material and local/global events. Each entry should be at least two paragraphs. Blog entries must be posted no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesdays. Students must also comment on another classmate’s entry once a week. By the end of the semester students must have 11 posts and 11 responses. Students are expected to read each others responses. Students who go beyond this minimum may receive extra credit. FYI- Blogs are a public forum so other people from around the world can drop in our class conversations and will. Be prepared for this. http://scfemtheory.blogspot.com/

Class Participation

Students must participate in classroom discussions. To do so students must be present. Students can miss one class without penalty. Students must submit in writing their reason for being absent before it occurs and must still turn in the week’s assignment. Any absence beyond one will result in a percentage decrease from your class participation grade. Tardiness is unacceptable. Excessive tardiness will result in a percentage decrease from your class participation grade.

Activist Practicum

Students must participate in and/or observe an activist oriented group or organization through out the semester dealing with issues of race, class, gender, and/or sexuality. This could include volunteering at the Feminist Women’s Health Center or participating in their programming, attending a SisterLove healthy love party, or getting involved in Spelman organizations like Afrekete or FMLA. Early in the semester students will submit a proposal on their possible practicum action and at the end of the semester a presentation on the experience. I will meet with each student to discuss the dimensions of the presentation as they develop. Students should spend at least 5 hours participating/observing over the course of the semester. You will be graded on your ability to connect the class material to the experience in your presentation.

Class Assignments

All assignments are detailed on the syllabus or on the web. Late work will receive a letter grade deduction for each day it is late. It is your responsibility to alert me in writing (an e-mail) when you will miss class and how you intend to make up the lost time.

Manifesto Project

Students will create their own manifesto, a paper detailing their theoretical outlook and beliefs about the world. The papers should be 10 or more pages in length, excluding bibliographic references. Students may opt to present the paper in a format other than a paper presentation such as a documentary video, Zine, power point etc. upon conference with the professor. Alternative projects must maintain the same level of scholarly rigor of the academic paper and students opting for this option will help the professor in the development of grading rubric for their project.

Assigned Discussion Reading

During the semester student pairs will be assigned one day to facilitate a class discussion. You are responsible for guiding the class through the assigned reading for that day as well as fostering discussion for an hour of class time. You should also integrate blog comments and/or related information from the media. Provide a bio sketch of the authors of the articles you are assigned including a list of their major works, theoretical perspectives, and critiques of their work. Students may sign up for a day on the class calendar. You may use handouts, powerpoint, or a medium of your choice to engage the class.

Sustainable Classroom Efforts

We will attempt to tread a little lighter on the planet, at least in the context of this classroom. Papers, assignments, and grades will be submitted electronically and you are encourages to use both sides of the page if you prefer for print assignments and handouts. Recycling backs of paper is encouraged, as well as students’ suggestions of other sustainable practices that can be employed in the class.

Extra Credit

Students may attend events detailed on the Class Calendar for this class and write a two page reflection on the event. Other extra credit opportunities will be announced in class.

Grades

A 100 – 94

A- 93 – 90

B+ 89 – 87

B 86 – 84

B- 83 – 80

C+ 79 – 76

C 75 – 73

C- 72 – 70

D 69 – 64

F 64 – Below

Any students who feel they may need academic adjustments and/or accommodations should speak with me during the first two weeks of class. All discussions will remain confidential. Students with disabilities should also contact the Office of Disability Services.

Academic Honesty and Classroom integrity

Students are expected to be familiar with the Academic Honesty policy of the college. If you have any questions, be sure to come see me during office hours or send me an email. You are also expected to be respectful of your classmates. Many of the issues discussed are highly contested and your opinions will often differ so it is important that everyone is courteous with their contention.

Reading and Discussion Schedule

1. Introduction (1/16)

1. Hey! How are you? Who are you? Why are you here?
2. Syllabus

2. Sex

(1/23)

1. “The Importance of Feminist Critique for Contemporary Cell Biology.” by THE BIOLOGY AND GENDER STUDY GROUP http://zygote.swarthmore.edu/fert11a1.html
2. Sandra Harding, “From the Woman Question in Science to the Science Question in Feminism” (1986)

(1/30)

3. Donna Haraway, “A Cyborg Manifesto: Science, Technology and Socialist-Feminism in the Late Twentieth Century”
4. Evelyn Fox Keller, “Making Gender Visible in Pursuit of Nature’s Secrets” (1993)

3. Gender

(2/6)

A. Judith Halberstam, “Transgender Butch: Butch/FTM Border Wars and the Masculine Continuum” from Female Masculinity

B. Judith Butler, from Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity (1990)

C. Woman Identified Woman

(2/13)

D. Beyond Beats and Rhymes, The Aggressives, and/or Paris is Burning

5. Excerpts from Gender Talk
6. Activist Practicum Proposal Due

4. Sexuality

(2/20)

A. “Towards a Genealogy of Black Female Sexuality: The problematic of Silence.” By Evelyn Hammonds

B. Inderpal Grewal and Caren Kaplan, “Global Identities: Theorizing Transnational Studies of Sexuality” (2001)

C. “Sexuality” from Toward a Feminist Theory of the State (1989) by Catherine MacKinnon

D. Something New and/or Daddy’s Little Girls

(2/27)

D. Ann Koedt, “The Myth of the Vaginal Orgasm” (1970)

E. Adrienne Rich, “Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence” (1980) from Blood, Bread, and Poetry (1984)

F. Scum Manifesto

5. Race

(3/5)

1. Patricia Hill Collins, “Defining Black Feminist Thought” (SW)
2. Combahee River Collective, "A Black Feminist Statement"

SPRING BREAK

(3/19)

3. Anna NietoGomez, “Chicana Feminism” (1976)
4. Mitsuye Yamada, “Asian Pacific American Women and Feminism” (1981)
5. Norma Alarcon “The Theoretical Subject(s) of This Bridge Called My Back and Anglo-American Feminism”
6. Winona LaDuke, “Mothers of Our Nation: Indigenous Women Address the World” (1995)

6. Disability

(3/26)

1. Rosemarie Garland-Thomson. (Bb) “Integrating Disability, Transforming Feminist Theory”
2. “The Social Construction of Disability.” by Susan Wendall
3. “Bodies Out of Bounds: Fatness and Transgression Editor’s Introduction”
4. Cancer Journal Excerpts

(4/2) Guest Lecturer

7. Class

(4/9)

A. Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards, “Third Wave Manifesta” from Manifesta (2000)

B. John Lie, "From Agrarian Patriarchy to Patriarchal Capitalism: Gendered Capitalism Industrialization in Korea," in Valentine Moghadam, ed., Patriarchy and Economic Development: Women's Positions at the End of the Twentieth Century (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996)

C. Chapter 2 of Race, Gender, and Work

D. Movie Assignment

8. Globalization

(4/16)

1. “No Remedy for the Inuit: Accountability for Environmental Harms under U.S. and International Law.” by Anne E. Lucas
2. Chandra Talpade Mohanty, "Under Western Eyes: Feminist Scholarship and Colonial Discourses"
3. Uma Narayan, “Contesting Cultures: Westernization, Respect for Cultures, and Third-World Feminists”
4. Cynthia Enloe, “Decisions, Decisions, Decisions” Maneuvers: the International Politics of Militarizing Women's Lives

9. Presentations and Wrap Up

(4/23) Activist Practicum Presentations

(4/30) Manifesto Presentations

Queer Studies

Queer Studies: Creating Accessible Theory

Spring 2009

Syllabus

Instructor Moya Z. Bailey

Class meets:

Office Hours: by appointment only

Email: mzbaile@emory.edu (Use this address only, all email will be read between 9-5 on weekdays)

Prerequisites

Intro to Women’s Studies

Course Description

Queer theory, like many disciplines, has privileged a white male subject of interest and presumed an elite white audience as its target. This course will introduce students to major tenants and thinkers in queer theory with specific attention paid to queer theory produced by people of color. Students will generate their own explanations of queer theories that are specifically designed to reach communities outside the academy. The class will develop a website to house this newly generated accessible material.

Goals and Objectives

Students will

• Learn theoretical concepts in queer theory
• Familiarize themselves with major theorists, particularly theorists of color
• Reformulate arguments in language accessible beyond the academy
• Apply what they’ve learned to real life situations

Required Texts

Black Queer Studies: A Critical Anthology by E. Patrick Johnson and Mae G. Henderson

Requirements

1. Blog posts (20%)
2. Active participation in class discussions (15%) (preparation, reading books/articles, attendance, etc.)
3. Archival project (20%)
4. Final Project (25%)
5. Assigned discussion leadership (15%)
6. Sustainable classroom efforts (5%)

Class Blog

All students will post 5 blog entries that summarize a selected reading. Each post should be designed with the intent to present the material in a way that is accessible to an adult who has finished high school but not attended college. You will be graded on the accuracy and accessibility of your summary. Each entry should be at least three paragraphs. Students will select the readings they will address from the syllabus.

Class Participation

Students must participate in classroom discussions. To do so students must be present. Students can miss one class without penalty. Students must submit in writing their reason for being absent before it occurs and must still turn in the week’s assignment. Any absence beyond one will result in a percentage decrease from your class participation grade. Tardiness is unacceptable. Excessive tardiness will result in a percentage decrease from your class participation grade.

Archival Project

Student pairs will research different aspects of sexuality within the Atlanta University Center’s history. By examining college student newspapers, official papers of the college and yearbooks, students will explore the ways in which sexuality is made visible or invisible in the archives. Possible research topics might be the history of gay/straight alliances in the AUC, school policy changes at Morehouse following the 2002 hate crime committed against a student, the history of out speakers in the AUC, history of domestic partner benefits for faculty, etc. We will meet with the college archivists to get a sense of what is available in the archives so that we can begin to map the direction of the research projects. The completed projects will be housed on the class website. Student groups will meet with the professor for guidance on the direction of the research papers.

Class Assignments

All assignments are detailed on the syllabus or on the web. Late work will receive a letter grade deduction for each day it is late. It is your responsibility to alert me in writing (an e-mail) when you will miss class and how you intend to make up the lost time.

Final Project

Students will create pamphlets, worksheets and other materials for teaching black queer theory to their peers outside the academy. These newly derived accessible materials may take many forms including, short videos, songs, art projects, plays, video treatments, screenplays, etc. Student groups will be responsible for the creation of one creative piece as well as one educational piece. Groups will develop an educational material as well as an entertainment material.

Assigned Discussion Reading

During the semester student pairs will be assigned one day to facilitate a class discussion. You are responsible for guiding the class through the assigned reading for that day as well as fostering discussion for an hour of class time. You should also integrate blog comments and/or related information from the media. Provide a bio sketch of the authors of the articles you are assigned including a list of their major works, theoretical perspectives, and critiques of their work. Students may sign up for a day on the class calendar. You may use handouts, powerpoint, or a medium of your choice to engage the class.

Sustainable Classroom Efforts

We will attempt to tread a little lighter on the planet, at least in the context of this classroom. Papers, assignments, and grades will be submitted electronically and you are encourages to use both sides of the page if you prefer for print assignments and handouts. Recycling backs of paper is encouraged, as well as students’ suggestions of other sustainable practices that can be employed in the class.

Extra Credit

Students may attend events detailed on the Class Calendar for this class and write a two page reflection on the event. Other extra credit opportunities will be announced in class.

Grades

A 100 – 94

A- 93 – 90

B+ 89 – 87

B 86 – 84

B- 83 – 80

C+ 79 – 76

C 75 – 73

C- 72 – 70

D 69 – 64

F 64 – Below

Any students who feel they may need academic adjustments and/or accommodations should speak with me during the first two weeks of class. All discussions will remain confidential. Students with disabilities should also contact the Office of Disability Services.

Academic Honesty and Classroom integrity

Students are expected to be familiar with the Academic Honesty policy of the college. If you have any questions, be sure to come see me during office hours or send me an email. You are also expected to be respectful of your classmates. Many of the issues discussed are highly contested and your opinions will often differ so it is important that everyone is courteous with their contention.

Reading and Discussion Schedule

1. Introduction

(Day 1)

1. Hey! How are you? Who are you? Why are you here?
2. Syllabus

2. The invention of sex, gender, and sexuality

(Day 2)

1. Dueling Dualisms by Anne Fausto-Sterling
2. Africa and African Homosexualities: An Introduction by Murray and Roscoe
3. Somerville, Siobhan "Scientific Racism and the Invention of the Homosexual Body in American Culture" in Queer Studies, B. Beemyn and L. Eliason (eds.): 241-261. Reprint from J. of the History of Sexuality 5, no.2 (October 1994): 243-66.

(Day 3)

4. Queer Theory by Annamarie Jagose
5. Punks, Bulldaggers, Welfare Queens: The Radical Potential of Queer Politics? By Cathy J. Cohen
6. Kendall. "`When A Woman Loves A Woman' in Lesotho: Love, Sex and the (Western) Construction of Homophobia" in S. Murray and W. Roscoe (eds.): 223-241.
7. "Lesbianism: An Act of Resistance" by Cheryl Clarke
8. Zami by Audre Lorde

(Day 4)

9. Excerpts from Gender Trouble by Judith Butler
10. Excerpts from Female Masculinity by Judith Halberstam

3. Heteronormativity and Black Identity

(Day 5)

A. Straight Black Studies: On African American Studies, James Baldwin, and Black Queer Studies by Dwight McBride

B. Race-ing Homonormativity: Citizenship, Sociology and gay identity by Roderick A. Ferguson

C. Skeleton short film by Kortney Ryan Ziegler

(Day 6)

4. Paris is Burning
5. bell hooks: “Is Paris Burning?”
6. Harris, Laura Alexandra "Queer black feminism: the pleasure principle" Feminist Review, no. 54, Autumn 1996:3-30.

(Day 7)

7. Visit with Archivists

(Day 8)

8. Privilege by Devon W. Carbado
9. Why are gay ghettos white? By Charles I. Nero

(Day 9)

10. Why Did I get Married?
11. Introduction and Forward of Black Queer Studies

(Day 10)

12. Still Black and Black Womyn
13. Loving Her by Ann Allen Shockley

(Day 11)

14. Archive Proposal Due- Class discussion

4. Brown Queer Theory

(Day 12)

A. Hanawa, Yukiko "Inciting Sites of Political Intervention: Queer'n Asian" in A Queer World: The Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader, Martin Duberman (ed.), (1997): 39-62. Another version appears in Positions: east asian cultures 4, no. 3 (Winter 1996).

B. Puar, Jasbir "South Asian (Trans)nation(alisms) and Queer Diasporas" in Q&A: Queer in Asian America, PA: Temple University Press, (1998): 405-422.

C. Inderpal Grewal and Caren Kaplan, “Global Identities: Theorizing Transnational Studies of Sexuality” (2001)

(Day 13)

C. Anzaldua, Gloria "To(o) Queer the Writer-Loca, Escritora y Chicano in Inversions: Writings from Dykes, Queers and Lesbians, Betsy Warland (ed.), Vancouver: Vancouver Press, 1991.

D. Moraga, Cherrie "Queer Aztlan: The Reformation of the Chicano Tribe" in The Last Generation: Prose and Poetry, Boston: South End Press, 1993: 145-74. Reprinted in Material Queer: A LesBiGay Cultural Studies Reader, Donald Morton (ed.), Westview Press, (1996): 297-304

E. Quiroga, Jose "Latino Cultures, Imperial Sexualities" in Tropics of Desire: Interventions from Queer Latino America, New York: New York University Press, (2000): 191- 234, 267-273 (notes).

(Day 14)

F. Excerpts from Boy-Wives and Female-Husbands: Studies in African Homosexualities by Roscoe and Murray

G. Final Project proposal due

5. Straight Queers

(Day 15)

1. Thomas, Calvin. "Straight with a Twist: Queer Theory and the Subject of Heterosexuality" in Straight with a Twist: Queer Theory and the Subject of Heterosexuality, Thomas, Calvin, Joseph Aimone and Catherine MaeGillivray, Urbana: University of Illinois Press, (2000): 11-44. Earlier version appeared in Genders 26 (1997): 83-115.
2. Fuertsch, Jacqueline. "In Theory if not in Practice: Straight Feminism's Lesbian Experience" in Straight with a Twist, Calvin Thomas et al (eds.).
3. Eng, David. "Heterosexuality in the Face of Whiteness: Divided belief in M. Butterfly" in Q & A: Queer in Asian America, David Eng and Alice Hom (eds.), PA: Temple University Press, (1998): 335-365.

(Day 16)

4. “Quare” Studies or (Almost) Everything I know about queer I learned from my grandmother by. E. Patrick Johnson
5. Archival Project check-in

6. Disabled Queers

(Day 17)

A. Clare, Exile & Pride, excerpts from Part I: "The Mountain" & "Losing Home"

B. Anne Finger, "Helen and Frida"

C. Guest Speaker

7. Class

(Day 18)

A. D'Emilio, John. "Capitalism and Gay Identity." In LGBT Reader. pp. 467-476.

B. Excerpts from M. Jacqui Alexander’s Pedagogies of Crossing

8. Web design and Wrap up

Syllabi-Sustainability

Women’s Studies 400- Sowing Seeds of Change: Environmental Justice, Feminism, and Globalization

Syllabus*August 5, 2008

Instructor Moya Z. Bailey, Department of Women’s Studies

Class meets:

Office Hours: by appointment only

Email: mzbaile@emory.edu (Use this address only, all email will be read between 9-5 on weekdays)

Prerequisites

WS 100

Course Description

This course will invite students to explore the connections between globalization, westernization, environmental racism, consumption, and global activist movements. We will look at water, land, and people as sites of inquiry, where these issues play out. Students

Goals and Objectives

Students will

• Learn about global environmental justice issues
• Familiarize themselves with global resistance movements
• Develop their own theories about these issues
• Present their research to the larger community
• Offer solutions and insights into the issues of environmental justice

Required Texts

Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

E-reserve Readings

Requirements

1. Weekly blog post and response (20%)
2. Active participation in class discussions (15%) (preparation, reading books/articles, attendance, etc.)
3. Activist research project (20%)
4. Dissemination Project (25%)
5. Assigned discussion leadership (15%)
6. Sustainable classroom efforts (5%)

Class Blog

All students will post 11 weekly blog entries that reflect their reaction to the required reading material and shows a connection to larger issues happening in the world. You will be graded on the evolution of your responses over the course of the class as well as your ability to draw parallels between class material and local/global events. Each entry should be at least two paragraphs. Blog entries must be posted no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesdays. Students must also comment on another classmate’s entry once a week. By the end of the semester students must have 11 posts and 11 responses. Students are expected to read each others responses. Students who go beyond this minimum may receive extra credit. FYI- Blogs are a public forum so other people from around the world can drop in our class conversations and will. Be prepared for this.

Class Participation

Students must participate in classroom discussions. To do so students must be present. Students can miss one class without penalty. Students must submit in writing their reason for being absent before it occurs and must still turn in the week’s assignment. Any absence beyond one will result in a percentage decrease from your class participation grade. Tardiness is unacceptable. Excessive tardiness will result in a percentage decrease from your class participation grade.

Activist Research Project

Students must research an activist movement from around the globe that is grounded in issues of the environment, globalization, or consumerism. This could include the No Logo Campaign, movements around water in India. Early in the semester students will submit a proposal on their possible research project and at the end of the semester a presentation on their findings. I will meet with each student to discuss the dimensions of the presentation as they develop. You will be graded on your ability to connect class material to your research in your presentation.

Class Assignments

All assignments are detailed on the syllabus or on the web. Late work will receive a letter grade deduction for each day it is late. It is your responsibility to alert me in writing (an e-mail) when you will miss class and how you intend to make up the lost time.

• Grocery Field-Trip: Students will travel to a grocery store in the immediate Emory area and also travel to a grocery story in the Atlanta University Center area. Students will compare prices and quality.
• Research Proposal: Students will submit a one page write up of their research project.

Dissemination Project

As a class we will discuss ways to disseminate the material generated through the course to the greater Emory community. The blog is a component of this but students may elect to do a mini symposium on campus, meet with Emory trustees, invite a guest to campus to speak about these issues, make a video, etc. The class will delegate responsibility to all members of the class and evaluate each other’s performance.

Assigned Discussion Reading

During the semester student pairs will be assigned one day to facilitate a class discussion. You are responsible for guiding the class through the assigned reading for that day as well as fostering discussion for an hour of class time. You should also integrate blog comments and/or related information from the media. Provide a bio sketch of the authors of the articles you are assigned including a list of their major works, theoretical perspectives, and critiques of their work. Students may sign up for a day on the class calendar. You may use handouts, powerpoint, or a medium of your choice to engage the class.

Sustainable Classroom Efforts

We will attempt to tread a little lighter on the planet, at least in the context of this classroom. Papers, assignments, and grades will be submitted electronically and you are encourages to use both sides of the page if you prefer for print assignments and handouts. Recycling backs of paper is encouraged, as well as students’ suggestions of other sustainable practices that can be employed in the class.

Extra Credit

Students may attend events detailed on the Class Calendar for this class and write a two page reflection on the event. Other extra credit opportunities will be announced in class.

Grades

A 100 – 94

A- 93 – 90

B+ 89 – 87

B 86 – 84

B- 83 – 80

C+ 79 – 76

C 75 – 73

C- 72 – 70

D 69 – 64

F 64 – Below

Any students who feel they may need academic adjustments and/or accommodations should speak with me during the first two weeks of class. All discussions will remain confidential. Students with disabilities should also contact the Office of Disability Services.

Academic Honesty and Classroom integrity

Students are expected to be familiar with the Academic Honesty policy of the college. If you have any questions, be sure to come see me during office hours or send me an email. You are also expected to be respectful of your classmates. Many of the issues discussed are highly contested and your opinions will often differ so it is important that everyone is courteous with their contention.

Reading and Discussion Schedule

1. Introduction (Week 1)
1. Hey! How are you? Who are you? Why are you here?
2. Syllabus
2. The Scope (Weeks 2-5)
1. Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler chapters 1-6
2. Story of Stuff
3. Parable of the Sower chapters 7-10
4. The Globetrotting Sneaker by Cynthia Enloe
5. Parable of the Sower chapters 11-14
3. Water (Weeks 6)
1. Scientists Warn of Depletion of Ocean Fish in 40 Years http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2006-11/2006-11-02-voa61.cfm?CFID=21934462&CFTOKEN=62741429
2. 150 'dead zones' counted in oceans U.N. report warns of nitrogen runoff killing fisheries http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4624359/
3. Water Wars by Vandana Shiva (selected chapters)
4. Land (Weeks 7-8)
1. Haunani-Kay Trask. 1999. From a Native Daughter: Colonialism and Sovereignty in Hawai’i. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press. Revised Edition. (Selected Chapters)
2. Snipp, “The First Americans.”
3. LaDuke. “Nuclear Waste: Dumping on the Indians.”
4. Pulido, Laura. 2000. “Rethinking Environmental Racism: White Privilege and Urban Development in Southern California.” Annals of the Association of American Geographers 90(1): 12-40.
5. Clapp, Jennifer. 2001. Toxic Exports: The Transfer of Hazardous Wastes from Rich to Poor Countries. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, chapters 1, 2 and 7 (40 pages).
6. Anderton, D., A. Anderson, et al. (1994). "Environmental Equity: The Demographics of Dumping." Demography 31(2): 229-248. (E).
7. Research project proposal
5. People (Weeks 9-10)
1. Deafness and Disability—Forgotten Components of Environmental Justice: Illustrated by the Case of Local Agenda 21 in South Wales by Andrew Charles and Huw Thomas
2. Winona LaDuke, “Mothers of Our Nation: Indigenous Women Address the World” (1995)
3. Yang, Tseming “International Environmental Protection, Human Rights and the North South Divide,” from Justice and Natural Resources (2002)
4. Garwal, Anil, Narain, Sunita and Aharma, Anju. “The Global Commons and Environmental Justice – Climate Change,” from Environmental Justice, Discourses in International Political Economy (2002).
5. Zarsky, Lyuba “Global Reach: Human Rights and Environment in the Framework of Corporate Accountability” from Human Rights and the Environment, Conflicts and Norms in a Globalizing World.” (2002).
6. Women and toxic waste protests: Race, class and gender as resources of resistance by Celene Krauss
7. John Lie, "From Agrarian Patriarchy to Patriarchal Capitalism: Gendered Capitalism Industrialization in Korea," in Valentine Moghadam, ed., Patriarchy and Economic Development: Women's Positions at the End of the Twentieth Century (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996)
8. “No Remedy for the Inuit: Accountability for Environmental Harms under U.S. and International Law.” by Anne E. Lucas
9. Mortality Rates in Appalachian Coal Mining Counties: 24 Years Behind the Nation by Michael Hendryx Environmental Justice. March 2008, 1(1): 5-11
6. Dissemination Project (Weeks 11-14)
7. Presentations and Projects Due (Week 15)

2nd Annual Community Writing Intensive