MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY CONTEMPORARY WOMEN SOCY 3323 Dr. Karin A. Mack 325-7874 mack@soc.msstate.edu Fall 1995 208 Bowen Hall office hours: 2-3:30p.m. M,W and by appointment They talk about a woman's sphere, As though it had a limit. There's not a place in earth or heaven. There's not a task to mankind given . . . Without a woman in it. -Kate Field (1838-96), U.S. writer. Course Description: This course focuses on the experience of women in today's society. It explores both what it feels like to be a woman today as well as more factual aspects of society, such as the percentage of women that hold government office. Unlike more conventional courses, there is not a bounded body of literature that is presented for the students to learn in this course. Rather, students are exposed to the lives of women through text chapters, poems, essays and films. Active participation is a must for this course. Student cannot simply read the material at home and be tested on it--it must be carefully considered, discussed, and interpreted. In order to better understand this type of experiential learning, students will be required to complete a self-expression project. Specific details for completing the project will be handed out in the second week of class, but students should be aware that they will be asked to express their emotional/intellectual reaction to an issue raised in the course through some sort of unconventional course project (such as a poem, a painting, street art, an essay, a photo collage, a video). Students should also be aware that this course is the core course for the Women's Studies Certificate. More details concerning the requirements for the certificate can be obtained from the instructor. Required Text: Hunter College Women's Studies Collective. 1995. Women's Realities; Women's Choices. Second Ed. Oxford Press. Anzaldua, Gloria. 1990. Making Face, Making Soul. Aunt Lute Books. Recommended Text: Wolf, Naomi. 1991. The Beauty Myth. Anchor Books. Assignments: 1. There will be two exams in this course. The first exam will be an in-class mid-term on October 20. The second exam will be a take-home final exam which is due by 6:00 p.m. Thursday, December 14th. 2. Students are also required to complete a self-expression project which will be due on November 22nd. Details concerning the project will be distributed during the second week of class. 3. Finally, class attendance and participation are mandatory in this course. Role will be taken for each class period and students are expected to come to class having done and thought about the readings. Grading: Students can earn points through successful completion of the above assignments. A total of 300 possible points are distributed as follows: Mid-term: 50 points Final: 100 points Self-expression project: 100 points Class attendance/participation: 50 points Final grades are assigned according to the number of points earned: A: 300-270 points; B: 269-240 points; C: 239-210 points; D: 209-180 points; F: 0-179 points. Schedule of Readings and Assignments Friday, August 25 Introduction to Course and Sociology Hunter: Introduction Wolf: Preface and The Beauty Myth pages 1-19 Monday, August 28 Wednesday, August 30 Defining Women Hunter: Chapter 1 Friday, September 1 Face/Soul: Introduction Monday, September 4 HOLIDAY Wednesday, September 6 Friday, September 8 Women's Nature Hunter: Chapter 2 Monday, September 11 Face/Soul pp. 302-303 Wednesday, September 13 Face/Soul p. 223 Friday, September 15 Women's Bodies Hunter: Chapter 3 Wolf: Hunger (pp. 179-217) Monday, September 18 Face/Soul: pp: 82-96 Wednesday, September 20 Friday, September 22 Monday, September 25 Face/Soul: pp: 271-290 Wolf: Sex (pp. 131-178) Wednesday, September 27 Friday, September 29 Face/Soul: p. 169 and 297 Monday, October 2 Wednesday, October 4 Women's Personality Hunter: Chapter 4 Friday, October 6 Face/Soul: pp. 114-116 Monday, October 9 Family: Daughters Hunter: Chapter 6 Wednesday, October 11 Face/Soul: pp. 97-101 Friday, October 13 Face/Soul: pp. 75-76 Monday, October 16 Family: Wives Hunter: Chapter 7 Wednesday, October 18 Face/Soul pp. 80-81 Friday, October 20 MIDTERM EXAM Monday, October 23 Family: Motherhood Hunter: Chapter 8 Wednesday, October 25 Face/Soul: pp. 156-158 Friday, October 27 Monday, October 30 Family: Alternatives Hunter: Chapter 9 Wednesday, November 1 Friday, November 3 Women's Health Hunter: Chapter 12 Monday, November 6 Wolf: violence (pp. 218-269) Wednesday, November 8 Friday, November 10 Work Hunter: Chapter 13 Wolf: work (p. 20-57) Monday, November 13 Wednesday, November 15 Friday, November 17 Politics Hunter: Chapter 14 Monday, November 20 Face/Soul: pp. 207-211 Wednesday, November 22 SELF EXPRESSION PROJECT DUE Friday, November 24 NO CLASS (recover from eating too much) Monday, November 27 Future Hunter: Chapter 15 Wednesday, November 29 Wolf: Beyond the Beauty Myth: pp. 270-291 Friday, December 1 Face/Soul: pp. 174-176, 370 Monday, December 4 Wednesday, December 6 Review & Final Exam handed out Thursday, December 14 TAKE HOME FINAL EXAM DUE BEFORE 6:00 p.m. Karin A. Mack, Ph.D. mack@soc.msstate.edu Department of Sociology, Phone: 601-325-7874 Anthropology and Social Work FAX: 601-325-4564 P. O. Drawer C Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MS 39762