WGS-101 - Introduction to Women’s Studies: The Social Organization/Sexuality

3 credits

While this course will address the content of topics vital to women-past, present, and future-the core purpose of the course is to learn to apply feminist methodology to any topic, even those not traditionally considered “women’s issues.” This course will use an interdisciplinary approach, drawing from the arts, the social sciences, even culinary studies and mathematics. We will celebrate, and discuss the challenges created by, the fact that “women” are not a monolith, that our perspectives can be quite different according to culture, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, class, and more. During the course students will participate in traditional academic activities (discussion, paper writing, library research), in less common academic activities (taking oral histories and service learning), and even in activities not generally considered academic (baking bread or changing a tire). A range of pedagogical strategies will be used, but a premium will be put on using student experiences as course material, student-directed learning, and experiential learning. Readings assigned in the course concentrate on providing a global perspective.

Prerequisite(s): ENG-101

Mass Transfer Block: Credits earned in this course are counted towards the MassTransfer Block Behavioral and Social Sciences requirements.

Course previously known as: WGSS-100