An analysis of several different women's social and political movements in different national and historical contexts is the focus of this course. Some background in comparative international or cross-cultural study is expected. Students complete course with a 20-page paper analyzing the changes in the history, goals, and structure of the organization. We follow the field's development from the early work published in the 1970s to books and articles that are hot off the press. Topics include the varieties of gay and lesbian identities that have appeared in different historical eras, the emergence of urban communities over the last two hundred years, the interplay between sexuality, gender, class, and culture in the construction of sexual identities, and the rise of social movements organized around sexuality.
Readings cover political, social, and cultural history.
Discussion rather than lecture predominates, and students are expected to complete a substantial research paper or a number of shorter writing assignments. Students write a substantial research paper in addition to several shorter assignments. Feminism in History After introducing students to the essential texts in and about women's history, this seminar focuses on comparative women's history through a thematic approach. An upper level seminar that combines political theory and feminist theory, this course examines the relationship between politics and gender as a social construct. We consider how gender influences our traditional understanding of politics, the relationship between productive roles, and reading from classic texts of feminist theory.