Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Website: http://wgs.cas.lehigh.edu

Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) at Lehigh University is an interdisciplinary field of academic inquiry that critically examines gender and sexuality from an intersectional model that takes into account the manner in which class, race, and power co-constitutively shape and impact gendered and sexed identity construction. In the best tradition of a liberal arts education, Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies encourages thinking that is critical and constructive, multifaceted and intersectional in order to redesign knowledge, and gain a better understanding of how identities shape and are shaped by the social world in which we live. Offering an undergraduate major and minor, a Graduate Certificate, and a host of faculty and student-focused events and resources, WGSS works to be a space of professional growth, intellectual development and maturity, and a knowledge leader on campus, in the surrounding Lehigh Valley, and abroad.

Undergraduate Major in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

The Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies BA will provide students an in depth education in an interdisciplinary field of academic inquiry that critically examines the diverse realities of women's lives and the ways in which gender and power differentials shape human lives and human societies. WGSS pursues a fundamental critique of knowledge by challenging the basic assumptions, methods of inquiry, theoretical frameworks, and knowledge claims of traditional fields of inquiry that have thought it unimportant to study women, gender, or sexuality. WGSS seeks to create new paradigms of knowledge and inquiry, to develop more truthful and comprehensive understandings of humans and our world, and to explore nonsexist alternatives for more richly human lives and more fully human social orders.

Each semester, a complete list of WGSS course offerings can be found on the WGSS website or in the Office of Interdisciplinary Programs, Maginnes Hall, Suite 280.

The WGSS major requires 34-36 credits of coursework and is designed to complement other areas of study within CAS in order to facilitate double-majors for our students. WGSS majors can stand alone; however, many students find the major an invaluable asset as part of a double major. The major will have a core curriculum, a concentration (social sciences or humanities), electives, and a senior experience.

Major Core Courses
Major Core Courses
WGSS 001	Gender and Society	4
WGSS 350	Seminar in Feminist Theory	4
Or another feminist or queer theory course approved by the Director
Global/Diversity (select one of the following) ¹		4
WGSS/ASIA/MLL 115	Sex, War, Women, Art
WGSS/AAS/HIST 126	How Black Women Made Modern America
WGSS/AAS/GS/HIST 131	Women, Gender, Sexuality and Race in African Societies
WGSS/ASIA/MLL 135	POWER, (WO)MEN, SILENCE
WGSS/ASIA/REL 173	Sex, Celibacy and Sainthood: Gender and Religion in East Asia
WGSS/ASIA/HIST/MLL 256	Women in Pre-Industrial China
WGSS/GS/SOC 331	Gendered Experience of Globalization
WGSS/ASIA/GS/POLS 369	Women's Movement in China
Or another appropriate course approved by the director.
Major Concentration
Students must concentrate in Social Science (SS) or Humanities (HU)		8
Select two courses in SS or HU ^2,3
Major Non-concentration
Select one of the following: ^2,3		4
One SS course if HU concentration
One HU course if SS concentration
Major Electives
Select any combination of SS and HU courses ^2,3		8
Major Senior Experience
Select one of the following:		2-4
WGSS 271	Independent Reading and Research
WGSS 330	Internship in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies
WGSS 373	Internship On-Campus
WGSS 399	Senior Thesis
Total Credits		34-36

¹: Cannot be double-counted in categories.
²: HU or SS courses must carry the WGSS course designation or be approved by the program director.
³: Additional ND courses may fulfill HU or SS requirements with program director approval. These courses may include WGSS 091 Special Topics, WGSS 191 Special Topics, WGSS 291 Special Topics, WGSS 391 Special Topics, and ARTS 250 Communications, Cultures, Behaviors and Attitudes

Honors in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

In order to receive honors in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, the student must attain a 3.5 grade-point average in courses presented for the major and a 3.2 grade-point average overall, and must take WGSS 399 Senior Thesis and write a thesis during their senior year.

Undergraduate Minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

The minor in WGSS engages students in the study of three interrelated subjects. The first is an examination of the cultural, historical, and social experiences and contributions of women. The second is an exploration of gender (the social construction of differential identity for males and females) and of the ways in which gender distinctions shape human consciousness and human society. The third is an examination of sex/gender and sexuality systems.

Nearly all academic disciplines have defined human nature and significant achievement in terms of male experience and have underestimated the impact of gender on social structures and human lives. By contrast, WGSS courses attend to women's diverse experiences and perspectives and acknowledge the critical significance of gender and sexuality. By shifting the focus to women, gender, and sexuality, WGSS seeks to provide an alternative paradigm for understanding human experience. Students in WGSS courses are encouraged to reevaluate traditional assumptions about human beings, human knowledge, and human culture and society, and to explore nonsexist alternatives for a more fully human social order.

The minor in WGSS consists of a minimum of 18 credit hours. Students pursuing the minor are required to take the introductory course (WGSS 001) and one upper-level course from among those concerned with the theory and practice of women, gender, and sexuality studies. Courses completed must include at least one course in the arts and humanities and one course in the natural and social sciences. Students arrange their program in consultation with the program director.

Undergraduate Minor

WGSS 001	Gender and Society	4
Select 2 credits from following:		2
WGSS 271	Independent Reading and Research
WGSS 330	Internship in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies
WGSS 373	Internship On-Campus
Select one 300-level course		4
Select two electives or new course as approved ¹		8
Total Credits		18

¹: One course must be HU and one course must be SS

Graduate Certificate in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

The Graduate Certificate in WGSS is designed as a complement to a disciplinary graduate program or as a standalone post-baccalaureate course of study. The Certificate is a small, flexible program that provides students with breadth and the challenge of working outside their home discipline in concentrated interdisciplinary study of women and gender. In recognition of contemporary educational and employment contexts that are increasingly diverse and international, the WGSS Program offers the graduate certificate as a means to enrich academic, personal, and employment horizons. A certificate in WGSS will be especially beneficial to those who wish to incorporate a broader perspective into their teaching (either in secondary or higher education), and qualifies them for positions that require such expertise. Additionally, individuals interested in fields such as social policy, human resources, and business will also gain from understanding how gender operates at individual, organizational, and institutional levels. Students will work closely with outstanding faculty from diverse disciplinary backgrounds.

Basic Requirements

WGSS 450	Seminar in Feminist Theory	3
Select three additional courses ^1,2		9
Total Credits		12

¹: 2 courses outside home department (for matriculating students)
²: No more than 6 credits at the 300-level

Admissions

Students in degree programs must be in good standing in their programs and are encouraged to apply early in their course of studies. Non-degree students must hold a bachelor's degree or equivalent with a 3.0 GPA.

Courses

WGSS 001 Gender and Society 4 Credits

The course introduces students to key concepts, theoretical frameworks, and interdisciplinary research in the field of Women’s and Gender Studies. Examines how gender interacts with race, age, class, sexuality, etc., to shape human consciousness and determine the social organization of human society. The course may include topics such as: gender and work; sexuality and reproduction; women’s health; media constructions of gender and race; gender, law, and public policy.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, SS, SW

WGSS 036 (REL 036) New Black Godz 4 Credits

From celebrity self-defining agents of material abundance (Jay Z) to those posthumously made gods after tragically succumbing to socially-sanctioned sacrifice (Breonna Taylor), “New Black Godz” explores black icons at the center and margins of promise and peril. Following hip hop and black expressive cultures’ signifying on gods, we explore means/modes of black godz’ creative manipulation of identity and social difference, and ingenuity of transmuting “problem” status into creative ingenuity at the crossroads of social mobility and the limits of escape.
Attribute/Distribution: HU

WGSS 050 (ASIA 050, MLL 050) Dreaming in Pre-modern China 4 Credits

Life is a cosmic allegory experienced by a group of all-too-human incarnated spirits of the 18th century novel Story of the Stone (aka Dream of the Red Chamber). A unique depiction on the inner emotional landscape of young women and the quest for identity by Precious Jade--is he a real boy? Read and discuss in English. Option to combine with CHIN 371 for those who wish to also read and research it in Chinese.
Attribute/Distribution: HE, HU, W

WGSS 091 Special Topics 1-4 Credits

Intensive study of a topic of special interest not covered in other courses. May be cross-listed with relevant offerings in major department or other programs.
Repeat Status: Course may be repeated.
Attribute/Distribution: AL, CC, HE, HU, SS, SW, W

WGSS 104 (ENGL 104) Special Topics in Gender Studies 4 Credits

This course will involve extended study in a sub-area of English language culture, and literature with a focus on gender, sexuality, and/or race/ethnicity.
Repeat Status: Course may be repeated.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, HE, HU, W

WGSS 115 (ASIA 115, MLL 115) Sex, War, Women, Art 4 Credits

Through the study of selected visual and literary works in their historical and social contexts, students will gain knowledge of Japan. This course examines various cultures from the perspectives of gender and sexuality as constitutive factors of Japanese society. Materials include a film depicting a romantic life of samurai, art works by contemporary women artists, and writings on sex workers, impacted by the Japanese empire. Students will be exposed to feminist theories in this course; taking WGSS001 is recommended prior.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, HE, HU, W

WGSS 121 (ART 121) Women in Art 4 Credits

A history of women artists from Renaissance to present day, with emphasis on artists of the 20th and 21st century from a global perspective. We explore attitudes toward women artists and their work as well as the changing role of women in art world. There may be required visits to museums and/or artists’ studios.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, HE, HU

WGSS 124 (HIST 124) Women and Gender in US History 4 Credits

Roles of women in American society from colonial to present times : attitudes toward women, female sexuality, women's work, and feminism.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, SS, SW, W

WGSS 125 (HIST 125, HMS 125) Does Sex have a History? The History of Sexuality in the United States 4 Credits

Explores the history of sexuality in the United States from the colonial era to the present. While sexuality can appear timeless and stable, sexual ideologies, categories, and behaviors have consistently evolved and have transformed society in the process. The class pays special attention to relationships between sexuality, race, class, and the state, as well as how law, medicine, and the media have shaped sexual identities and experiences. In so doing, the class develops sophisticated readers of historical and contemporary cultures.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, HE, HU, W

WGSS 126 (AAS 126, HIST 126) How Black Women Made Modern America 4 Credits

This course introduces students to the significant themes and events that have shaped the African American women’s historical experience from slavery to the present. We examine the social, political, and economic meaning of freedom for women of African descent.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, HE, HU

WGSS 127 (SOC 127) Sociology of Sexuality 4 Credits

Students in this course view human sexuality through a sociological lens. This includes theory, research methods, and topics such as LGBTQ identities, family formation, sex work, teenage sexuality, sadomasochism, and sexual technologies. We pay particular attention to ways in which sexual behavior is regulated, as well as social constructions of “the normal.” Course material focuses on the United States, although students are encouraged to bring cross-national perspectives into papers and class discussions.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, SS, SW

WGSS 128 (SOC 128) Race, Gender and Work 4 Credits

Race, Gender and Work is a class designed to help students understand racial and gender inequalities as they relate specifically to work and employment. We explore the origins and histories of inequalities, the ways in which inequalities persist and/or change today, and what steps might be taken toward creating a more equal society.
Attribute/Distribution: SS

WGSS 129 (DES 129, THTR 129) History of Fashion and Style 4 Credits

Global trends in dress and culture from pre-history to today. The evolution of silhouette, garment forms and technology. The relationship of fashion to politics, art and behavior. Cultural and environmental influences on human adornment.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, HE, HU

WGSS 131 (AAS 131, GS 131, HIST 131) Women, Gender, Sexuality and Race in African Societies 4 Credits

This course explores the various ways in which womanhood, gender, sexuality and race are defined, constructed and articulated in African societies. The interdisciplinary course draws from historical writings, novels, biography, anthropology, political science, health and other fields to examine diverse activities and contributions of African women from the pre-colonial period to the present.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, HE, HU, W

WGSS 132 (ENGL 132, FILM 132) Viewing Mad Men: Window, Mirror, Screen 4 Credits

Widely considered one of the best TV shows ever made, Mad Men demonstrated that television serial drama could combine virtuoso storytelling, cinematic visual style and historical ambition. Set in a New York ad agency in the 1960s, Mad Men both opens a window onto the past and holds a mirror up to the present. We will analyze Mad Men’s innovative visual and narrative style and explore two core themes: shifting gender roles and the influence of advertising in U.S. society.
Attribute/Distribution: HE, HU

WGSS 135 (ASIA 135, MLL 135) POWER, (WO)MEN, SILENCE 4 Credits

What do women say in their writings when their voices are silenced? How does silence speak to you? How do gender, sexuality, class, and power articulate one another? Through the study of selected short stories, novels, films, and anime, this course examines various voices, cultures, histories, and societies in Japan. No prior knowledge of Japanese language is required. An introductory course taught in English.
Attribute/Distribution: HE, HU, W

WGSS 138 (JST 138, REL 138) Sex, Gender, Jews 4 Credits

How do Jews of all genders tell their stories? What are the varied Jewish approaches to sexuality? How have feminist movements affected Jewish rituals? In this course, we will consider how religion, gender, sexuality, race, and class intersect in the lives of Jews, with a particular focus on North America. Topics will include: Jewish women’s memoirs; the voices of LGBTQ Jews; recent innovations in Jewish ritual and leadership; Jewish masculinities; and the gendering of Jewish children’s literature, among others.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, HE, HU, W

WGSS 146 (PHIL 146) Philosophy of Sex and Gender 4 Credits

An examination of concepts, values, and assumptions relevant to gender and sex(uality) in our diverse society, investigating how they affect our lives in both concrete and symbolic ways. Intersections among gender, sex(uality), race, class, religion, ethnicity, etc., will be explored. Special attention will be paid to how gendered assumptions color our understandings of experiences of embodiment and emotion, reasoning and decision-making, knowledge production, and public and private relationships and activities.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, HE, HU

WGSS 147 (ENGL 147, FILM 147) Made to Kill: Female Violence in Popular Film 4 Credits

Heroes. Monsters. Outlaws. Catsuits. In the wake of the second-wave feminist movement, U.S. films in the horror, thriller, and action/adventure genres began to represent women as perpetrators of violence more frequently and in new ways. This course examines how iconic films from the last four decades, such as The Silence of the Lambs, Alien, The Hunger Games and Wonder Woman, have both reflected and shaped the ongoing cultural debate about gender, sexuality and power.
Attribute/Distribution: HE, HU

WGSS 149 (ENGL 149, FILM 149) Sexbots and Terminators: Cinematic Fantasies of the Intelligent Machine 4 Credits

For decades, film and television narratives have represented human relationships with robots to explore existential issues in human life: love, sex, mortality, labor, domination, exploitation. Could robots solve the difficulties of human intimacy? Could artificial intelligence enable us to cheat death? What do sex robots reveal about misogyny? Why are human/AI relationships so frequently imagined in Western narratives as master/slave relationships? Films and TV shows may include The Matrix, Ex Machina, Her, Terminator 2, Black Mirror and Westworld.
Attribute/Distribution: HE, HU, W

WGSS 154 (ENGL 154, FILM 154) What Does Creativity Look Like? Documentary Visions 4 Credits

What can documentary films tell us about creativity? What is it and why does it matter? This course takes an intersectional approach to creativity, centering the role of gender, sexuality, race and class in the lives and work of the artists and activists represented in the course films. We will also analyze the creative visual and narrative strategies these documentaries employ to shape the stories they tell. Students will have an opportunity to document the creativity of their own communities.
Attribute/Distribution: HE, HU

WGSS 164 (AAS 164, SOC 164) Sociology of Black Families 4 Credits

The objective of this course is to help students learn more about Black family experiences within the United States and globally. In approaching the course with an intersectional lens, students will learn about the varied experiences of Black families, and the ways in which these experiences are embedded in empowerment, disempowerment, and self-actualization. Students will leave the course understanding Black families at the intersection of fatherhood, motherhood, marriage, singlehood, childrearing, LGBTQ families, interracial families, transnational families, and aging.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, SS, SW

WGSS 173 (ASIA 173, REL 173) Sex, Celibacy and Sainthood: Gender and Religion in East Asia 4 Credits

This course explores themes of sexuality, celibacy, gender, and sainthood in East Asian religions. We will pay special attention to the experiences of religious women from many walks of life and time periods, from traditions including Buddhism, Daoism, and shamanism. Through film, poetry, autobiography, philosophical writing, visual art, and descriptions of visionary experience, students will encounter Buddhist and Daoist nuns, lay women, mothers, shamanic healers, oracles, activists, and royalty, from Tibet, Korea, Japan, China, and the U.S..
Attribute/Distribution: CC, HE, HU, W

WGSS 179 (POLS 179) Politics of Women 4 Credits

Selected social and political issues relating to the role of women in American society. Focuses on such questions as economics equality, poverty, and work roles, the older woman, gender gap, political leadership, reproduction technology, and sexual violence.
Attribute/Distribution: SS

WGSS 191 Special Topics 1-4 Credits

WGSS 210 (AAS 210, POLS 210) Revolution on Campus 4 Credits

Universities are often sites of political protest. Some of these protests are expressive but ineffective, others can spark revolutions and regime change. Why? What distinguishes universities as sites for resistance? What makes students prone to mobilization? The study of politics can seem like an abstract pursuit, one that is not relevant to our lives. This course takes the scholarly literature on social movements and applies it to the university. Students will engage in social activism as part of this course.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, SS, SW

WGSS 226 (PHIL 226) Feminism and Philosophy 4 Credits

Analysis of the nature, sources, and consequences of the oppression and exploitation of women and justification of strategies for liberation. Topics include women’s nature and human nature, sexism, femininity, sexuality, reproduction, mothering. Student must have completed at least one Philosophy course at the 100-level, or one course in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.
Attribute/Distribution: HU

WGSS 256 (ASIA 256, HIST 256, MLL 256) Women in Pre-Industrial China 4 Credits

This seminar focuses on the role of women as defined by medical, philosophical, legal, historical, religious, literary and other Chinese texts from ancient through early modern times. Attention is how women contributed to the evolution of traditional Chinese civilization and culture. The course materials are in English.
Attribute/Distribution: HE, HU, W

WGSS 260 (ISE 260) Algorithms and Social Justice 4 Credits

This course explores how algorithms reflect and magnify social inequality. Topics include race, gender, sexuality, and class in the context of policing and punishment, search engines and social media, and ranking and optimization. Readings, discussions, and assignments are designed to cultivate transdisciplinary competence in the history of science and technology, feminist theory, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, and to encourage peer-to-peer learning across the humanities, social science, and engineering.

WGSS 271 Independent Reading and Research 1-4 Credits

Independent study of selected topics designated and executed in close collaboration with a member of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies faculty. May be repeated for elective credit. Consent of program director required.
Repeat Status: Course may be repeated.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, HU, SS, W

WGSS 291 Special Topics 1-4 Credits

WGSS 300 Apprentice Teaching 1-4 Credits

Supervised participation in various aspects of the teaching of a course. Transcript will identify department in which apprentice teaching was performed. Consent of department chairperson and permission of the Dean. The transcript will reflect the subject area in which the teaching was done.
Repeat Status: Course may be repeated.

WGSS 303 (ENGL 303, FILM 303, GERM 303, MLL 303) Grimms' Fairy Tales: Folklore, Feminism, Film 4 Credits

This intercultural history of the Grimms’ fairy tales investigates how folktale types and gender stereotypes developed and became models for children and adults. The course covers the literary fairy tale in Germany, Europe and America. “Little Red Riding Hood”, “Cinderella”, or “Sleeping Beauty” exist not only in the Grimms’ collection but in many forms of world literature/film. Modern authors have rewritten fairy tales in feminist ways, promoting social change. Taught in English. German language students may receive a German component.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, HE, HU, W

WGSS 304 (ENGL 304) Special Topics in Gender Studies II 3,4 Credits

This course will involve extended study in a sub-area of English language, culture, and literature with a focus on gender, sexuality, and/or race/ethnicity.
Repeat Status: Course may be repeated.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, HE, HU, W

WGSS 311 (ENGL 311) Representations of Gender and Sexuality 3-4 Credits

This course explores constructions of gender and sexuality in literature from different historical periods, traditions, and nationalities. How do female and male writers envision what it means to be a “woman” or to be a “man” at various moments in history and from various places around the world? How have gendered (and sexed) identities been shaped in various constraining and empowering ways in the literary imagination? What specifically gendered issues (such as love and violence) have been represented in literature?
Repeat Status: Course may be repeated.
Attribute/Distribution: HE, HU, W

WGSS 322 (AAS 322, HIST 322) African Women, Voices and Lives 3-4 Credits

This course traces the changing history and status of African women. It positions their voices and biographies at the center of broader narratives that often perceive them as powerless, emerging from a lineage of poverty and oppression, and without agency. What happens when African women speak for themselves? We will explore the intersections of gender, class, race, and power to emphasize how women have been instrumental in shaping African history from the pre-colonial period to the present.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, HE, HU, W

WGSS 325 (HIST 325, SOC 325) History of Sexuality and the Family in the U.S. 3-4 Credits

Changing conceptions of sexuality and the role of women, men, and children in the family and society from the colonial to the post-World War II era. Emphasis on the significance of socioeconomic class and cultural background. Topics include family structure, birth control, legal constraints, marriage, divorce, and prostitution.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, SS, SW, W

WGSS 326 (LAS 326, SPAN 326) Tradition and Resistance: Women Writers of Latin America 4 Credits

Study of poetry and narrative works by Latin American women writers. Authors include Rosario Ferré, Rosario Castellanos, Elena Poniatowska, Cristina Peri Rossi, among others.
Prerequisites: SPAN 152
Attribute/Distribution: CC, HU, W

WGSS 327 (FREN 327) Women Writing in French 4 Credits

Reading and discussion of works written by women in French. The emphasis is on 19th and 20th Century writers, such as G. Sand, Colette S. de Beauvoir, M. Duras, Andrée Chédid.
Attribute/Distribution: HU

WGSS 330 Internship in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies 1-4 Credits

Supervised work in women's organizations or settings, combined with an analysis, in the form of a major paper, of the experience using the critical perspectives gained in WGSS courses. Placements arranged to suit individual interests and career goals; can include social service agencies, women's advocacy groups, political organizations, etc. Consent of program director required.
Repeat Status: Course may be repeated.
Prerequisites: WGSS 001
Attribute/Distribution: CC, SS, W

WGSS 331 (GS 331, SOC 331) Gendered Experience of Globalization 4 Credits

Women and men experience globalization differently and globalization affects women in different cultural and national contexts. Gender stratification has been intensified by the transnational flow of goods and people. provides students with a survey of new development in feminist theories on globalization and on gender stratification and development, and links these theoretical frameworks to empirical research about gender issues that have become more prominent with globalization.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, SS, SW, W

WGSS 334 (HMS 334, PSYC 334) The Psychology of Body Image and Eating Disorders 4 Credits

The course addresses the psychosocial aspects of the development of healthy and unhealthy body image and eating disorders. The roles of personality traits/individual factors, family and interpersonal functioning, and cultural factors will be examined, as will the impact of representations of body image in mass media. Public health and psychological interventions for prevention and treatment will be explored. Personal accounts/memoirs, clinical case presentations, and documentary and dramatic films will be incorporated in the presentation of topics.
Attribute/Distribution: SS

WGSS 342 (GS 342, POLS 342) Gender and Third World Development 3-4 Credits

Focus on gender implications of contemporary strategies for Third World economic growth, neo-liberalism. How do economic theories affect ‘real people?' How do economic theories affect men vs. women? What is the role of people who want to ‘help?' Some background in economic theories and/or Third World politics desired, but not required.
Prerequisites: POLS 001 or WGSS 001
Attribute/Distribution: SS

WGSS 344 (SOC 344) Bad Girls: Gender, Sexuality, Deviance 4 Credits

This course focuses on people who perform their gender and/or sexuality in ways that fall outside of the norm. Topics include, but are not limited to: commercial sex workers, dominatrixes, transpeople, stay-at-home dads, and drag queens. We will regularly discuss readings in the context of current events and popular culture.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, SS, SW, W

WGSS 345 (ENGL 345) Women and Revolution in Early America 3-4 Credits

This course explores how opportunities and possibilities for women transformed (or remained the same) during the long eighteenth century. Which early American women could participate in public life and under what circumstances? Did early American values such as liberty and independence extend to women—and to which women? Which women, if any, felt like they had a “revolution” in 1776? Captivity narratives, poetry, novels, and other public writing by early American women will help us explore these issues.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, HE, HU, W

WGSS 349 (POLS 349) Greed: Social Policy for Profit 4 Credits

This course examines criminal justice, housing, health, education, and welfare policies across US states through the lenses of class, race, gender, and sexuality. Students will learn how social regulations structure opportunities and assess the implications of those opportunity strucures.

WGSS 350 Seminar in Feminist Theory 4 Credits

An upper-level seminar serving as a capstone experience that challenges students to systematize insights gained from introductory and elective courses through the more deeply analytical lens of feminist theory. Consent of program director.
Prerequisites: WGSS 001
Attribute/Distribution: CC, W

WGSS 361 (ENGL 361) Jane Austen 3-4 Credits

This course explores the writings, culture, and afterlives of Jane Austen, often considering the interrelations of Austen’s novels with various adaptations and variations of her stories. Students explore the efficacy, complexity, and social impact of Austen’s works through a variety of critical approaches to ask different questions about slavery and abolition, the French Revolution, British imperialism, and women’s equality.
Attribute/Distribution: HE, HU, W

WGSS 363 (ENGL 363) Gender and Sexuality in Early Modern Poetry 3-4 Credits

In sixteenth- and seventeenth-century England, poetry was a culturally significant literary form in which authors explored a range of pressing issues. Our readings will be drawn from canonical and non-canonical authors, and we will pay attention to how poetic form intersects with explorations of gender and sexuality. This study of gender and sexuality in the poetry of one historical period will enable us to think more broadly about how literary texts participate in—and help to shape—social and cultural norms.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, HE, HU, W

WGSS 364 (SOC 364) Sociology of Families 4 Credits

Sociological analysis of families in the United States, including investigations of historical and contemporary patterns. Issues addressed include parenting, combining work and family, divorce and remarriage, family policies.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, SS, SW, W

WGSS 365 Inequalities at Work 4 Credits

Primary focus is on race, gender, and class as axes of disadvantage and privilege in work and employment. We will explore both theories and empirical studies of inequality as well as their social, political, and practical ramifications for the workplace. The course will be conducted seminar-style and the class will rely heavily on student participation.
Attribute/Distribution: SS

WGSS 369 (ASIA 369, GS 369, POLS 369) Women's Movement in China 4 Credits

We will examine the state-sponsored, state-directed mass movement for the liberation of Chinese women. Beginning with Confucian notions of mother/daughterhood, to imperial system, to the role of women in the founding and establishment of the Communist Party of China, to the participation of women and girls in the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution. Gender equality issues have been a central focus of the Party. The class will look at post-reform era women's status and ask, “did the Party liberate women?”
Attribute/Distribution: SS

WGSS 373 Internship On-Campus 1-3 Credits

Supervised work in on-campus student services office such as the Center for Gender Equity, the Pride Center, Office of Gender Violence, etc, allows WGSS students to bring critical perspectives on women and gender into the campus community. This course may be repeated for credit up to a maximum of 6 credits. Prerequisites: WGSS 001 and consent of the Center director and WGSS director. Pre-req of WGSS 001 may be waived for internship with Pride Center with consent of Center director.
Repeat Status: Course may be repeated.
Prerequisites: WGSS 001
Attribute/Distribution: CC, SS, W

WGSS 380 (HMS 380, POLS 380) The End of Policing? Politics of Social Control 4 Credits

"What are your prime directives? Serve the public trust, protect the innocent, uphold the law" (Robocop 1987). This course focuses on policy design and feedback and is not a course on police procedure or policing tactics. The primary objective of the course is to learn to think critically about public safety and evaluate policies based on their value to democracy.
Attribute/Distribution: CC

WGSS 391 Special Topics 1-4 Credits

WGSS 393 (AAS 393) Black Feminist Thought and the Media Industries 4 Credits

From the Oscar-winning documentary 20 Feet from Stardom to Lifetime’s investigative series Surviving R.Kelly, recent media highlights injustices faced by black women in the media industries. This course historicizes the place of black women within media, introduces students to Black Feminist Thought, and unpacks concepts such as hypervisibility, intersectionality, and womanism. It explores how race and gender manifest in (and are challenged by) the creative industries. Course fills major and minor requirements in AAS and WGSS.
Attribute/Distribution: SS

WGSS 399 Senior Thesis 2-4 Credits

Research during senior year culminating in a senior thesis. Consent of program director required.
Repeat Status: Course may be repeated.
Attribute/Distribution: CC, W

WGSS 403 (MLL 403) Grimms' Fairy Tales: Folklore, Feminism, Film 3 Credits

This intercultural history of the Grimms' fairy tales investigates how folktale types and gender stereotypes developed and became models for children and adults. The course covers the literary fairy tale in Germany as well as Europe and America. Versions of "Little Red Riding Hood", "Cinderella", or "Sleeping Beauty" exist not only in the Grimms' collection but in films and many forms of world literature. Modern authors have rewritten fairy tales in feminist ways, promoting social change. Taught in English. German language students may receive a German component.

WGSS 411 (ENGL 411) Gender and Literature 3 Credits

This seminar explores constructions of gender and sexuality in literature from different historical periods, traditions, and nationalities. Content changes each semester.
Repeat Status: Course may be repeated.
Attribute/Distribution: HU

WGSS 422 (AAS 422, HIST 422) African Women, Voices and Lives 3 Credits

WGSS 430 Internship in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies 1-3 Credits

Internship related to women, gender, and sexuality studies. Supervised by WGSS faculty. Consent of program director required.

WGSS 449 (POLS 449) Greed: Social Policy for Profit 3 Credits

WGSS 450 Seminar in Feminist Theory 3 Credits

A graduate seminar providing foundational study of multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks of women, gender, and sexuality studies.
Attribute/Distribution: HU, ND

WGSS 458 (HIST 458) Readings in Gender History 3 Credits

Study in small groups under the guidance of a faculty member on the literature of an issue, period, country or culture within gender history.
Repeat Status: Course may be repeated.
Attribute/Distribution: HU

WGSS 465 Inequalities at Work 3 Credits

WGSS 469 (POLS 469) The Women's Movement in China 3 Credits

WGSS 491 Independent Study 3 Credits

Individually supervised course in area of women, gender, and sexuality studies not ordinarily covered in regularly listed courses. Consent of program director required.
Repeat Status: Course may be repeated.

WGSS 493 (AAS 493) Black Feminist Thought and the Media Industries 3 Credits