Note: readings are (or will be) on reserve at the library. Periodically check the reserve link to the course to see what is available on e-reserve. If not available on e-reserve, check the binder and the list of books under my name on reserve at the libary's circulation desk. Books on reserve include:
| Aug. 23 Introduction to course | |
| Aug. 28 Concepts, terms and approaches
- discussion.
ASSIGNMENT: Read C.T. Mohanty, "Third World Women and the Politics of Feminism" and C. Johnson-Odim & M. Strobel, "Conceptualizing the History of Women in Africa, Asia...." (reserve) |
Aug. 30 Sources and Methods - group-led discussions. Group discussion ASSIGNMENT: read D. Patai, "U.S. Academics and Third World Women? Is Ethicial Research Possible?", E. Fleischmann, "Crossing the Boundaries of History..." |
| Sep. 4 Historical overview: the world, 1500-1750. Lecture and discussion. ASSIGNMENT: prepare for group presentations. | Sep. 6 Women, gender and religion: Islam, Christianity and Hindusim. ASSIGNMENT: group presentations; and all read the following: in the book (on reserve - NOT e-reserve), Women in Religion, ed. by Jean Holm; articles on Hinduism (Sugirtharajah), Christianity (Drury) and Islam (Badawi). |
| Sep. 11 Women and religion, cont. ASSIGNMENT: articles from Women in Religion. | Sep. 13 Discussion. Summary #1 due. |
| Sep. 18 Historical overview: colonialism, the "new imperialism" and Western hegemony. ASSIGNMENT: read "Introduction," by Kumari Jayawardena, from Feminism and Nationalism in the Third World; | Sep. 20 Working women. ASSIGNMENT: read "Mary Shehadeh, Retired Journalist," Carolina Maria de Jesus, "Beyond all Pity," and Claudia Jones, "An End to the Neglect of the Problems of Negro Women!"; "We Toil All the Livelong Day," by Mary Johnson Osirim, and "Daughter of Caro" by Ruth Behar, both in Daughters of Caliban (book on reserve); and (on e-reserve/binder) "Baba of Karo." Group presentations. |
| Sep. 25 Economics and politics, Case Study: the "Women's War" (Nigeria). ASSIGNMENT: read Mba, "Political Action in Eastern Nigeria: the Women's War;" Mba, "Heroines of the Women's War;" Coquery-Vidrovitch, "Women and Politics: Resistance and Action in West Africa;" and Van Allen, "'Aba Riots' or Igbo 'Women's War'?" Discussion of I Saw the Sky Catch Fire. | Sep. 27 Culture, I: education.
ASSIGNMENT: read Domitilio Barrios de Chungara, "I Had to Combine Everything;" Rokeya Sakhawat Hossain, "The Purdah Bus." |
| Oct. 2 "Umm Kulthum: A Voice Like Egypt" (video); in-class writing. ASSIGNMENT:PAPER #1 due. | Oct. 4 Culture, I: arts and entertainers. ASSIGNMENT: read Binodini Dasi, "My Story", Hamsa Wardar, "I'm TellingYou, Listen" and and review readings from 9/20 and 9/27 for discussion on women, work, and education. |
| Oct. 9 Historical overview: world wars, politics of nationalism, liberation, anti-colonial struggles. | Oct. 11 Intimacy and domestic status: family, marriage and sexuality. Group presentations. ASSIGNMENT: read Buthaina Shaaban, "Syria: Guaranteed Rights for All, Except at Home;" Rajam Krishman, "Lending a Helping Hand." Summary #2 due. |
| Oct. 16 Intimacy and domestic status: family, marriage and sexuality. ASSIGNMENT: read Ellen Kuzwayo,"The Reward of Waiting," "Nisa," "She, too, was an Eastern woman,"Huda Sharawi, "He is the Only Boy," and Halide Edib, "Feminist and National Hero." | Oct. 18 Historical context for Map of Love: Egypt and Palestine. ASSIGNMENT: "Reformism and Women's Rights in Egypt,"pp. 43-56 in Jayawardena, Feminism and Nationalism in the Third World. |
| Oct. 23 Discussion:The Map of Love. | Oct. 25 Early reform and feminist movements. ASSIGNMENT: Molara Ogundipe-Leslie, "Stiwanism: Feminism in an African Context", "Women's Struggles and 'Emancipation from Above' in Iran," pp. 57-70, "Women, Social Reform and Nationalism in India," pp.73-108, both in Jayawardena, Feminism and Nationalism in the Third World, and "Decolonizing Feminism," by LizbethParvisini-Gebert, pp. 3-17 in Daughters of Caliban. |
| Oct. 30 Historical Overview. Decolonization struggles. ASSIGNMENT: review reading of 10/25. | Nov. 1 Work/research on nationalism in library. |
| Nov. 6 Women and the law. "Divorce: Iranian Style."
ASSIGNMENT: read “Colonial Legacy: Gendered Laws in Jamaica”by Suzanne LaFont and Deborah Pruitt in Daughters of Caliban. |
Nov. 8 Women and nationalism. Group presentations. ASSIGNMENT: "Nationalism and Sexuality," pp. 42-64 in Enloe, Bananas, Beaches and Bases. TBA: articles to be assigned by each group.In reserve notebook |
| Nov. 13 Women and contemporary political movements. ASSIGNMENT: read "Identity Politics and the Contemporary Indian Feminist Movement," by Radha Kumar (reserve notebook), and "Feminism in an Islamic Republic: 'Years of Hardship, Years of Growth,'" by Afsaneh Najmabadi (in reserve notebook). In-class writing assignment on the reading for discussion. Start reading Cracking India. | Nov. 15 Women, revolution and politics. ASSIGNMENT: Amada Pineda, "We Fought all the Harder"; "Ofelia Dominguez Navarro: The Making of a Cuban Socialist Feminist," by K.Lynn Stoner (reserve notebook). PAPER #2 due. |
| Nov. 20 TBA | THANKSGIVING |
| Nov. 27 Discussion of Cracking India. | Nov. 29 Discussion of Cracking India. |
| Dec. 4 . Third world women and western women. ASSIGNMENT: readings; also (in reserve binder), read "But For Us It Isn't That Way," by Domitila Barrios de Chungara. Summary #3 due. | Dec. 6 Conclusion: challenges of the future.
ASSIGNMENT: review. Final exam: Dec. 14th, 12-1:50 |