10930/31 Anth 355/WS 355 Anthropology
of Gender W'2007
230 CSWS Office
hours:
Who we are as human beings, how we achieve and
keep our dignity and power, and what we often see as being at the heart of
social justice, centers a great deal around a concept called "gender"
that lies restlessly at the busy intersection of biology, culture, society,
history, personality, and a host of other elements. Gender is more than “male” and “female” or
“femininity” and “masculinity.” Rather,
it is a powerful resource that we “are,” that we “wear,” that we “construct,”
that we “perform,” that we “resist,” and that can be at the heart of human
fulfillment as well as human limitation and violence.
In this course we just scratch the surface of this
powerful and embodied concept by doing three things. First, we actually focus on the “gendered
body” by reading a book of essays written by two prominent gender sociologists. These essays will be interspersed with the
centerpiece of the course, an anthology
of readings that explore some of the fascinating research carried out by
anthropologists on gender-centered issues.
Finally, we look in detail at an anthropological study of one individual
who lived in Zuni Pueblo in the U.S. Southwest and made her/his mark on the
world with dignity, creativity, and a refusal to conform to conventional gender
expectations.
REQUIRED TEXTS –
·
GB:
Gendered Bodies: Feminist Perspectives (2007). Judith Lorber & Lisa Jean Moore.
·
CC:
Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspective (4th edition,
2005). Caroline B. Brettell &
Carolyn F. Sargent, eds.
·
ROSCOE:
The Zuni Man-Woman. Will Roscoe.
Recommended text:
·
The Penguin Atlas of Women
in the World. Completely Revised and Updated. Joni Seager.
Course requirements:
·
10% Class lecture. You will lead discussion over one of the chapters/articles
from our three texts. As part of this grade you must submit a 2-3 page summary
of the main points of the chapter. You
must RELATE the reading to other readings in that week’s assignment.
·
10%
Film review. Choose a film from pp.
253-255 of the Gendered Bodies text.
Write a 3-4 page analysis of the ways the film reflects specific
themes discussed in our texts. Cite your
sources.
·
40%. Two exams (Midterm & Final).
·
20%. Class article analysis/exploration/expansion. You will choose an article from the Brettell
& Sargent or from the Lorber & Moore readers (it may be one of the
articles not assigned in class). In an
8-10 page paper (including a References Cited page), you are to critique and extend
the subject matter of the article by 1) examining and citing several of the
bibliographic references used to construct the article; and 2) conducting
library research of your own to expand and develop the topic further. This is your chance to delve more deeply into
a topic that interests you.
COURSE, COLLEGE POLICIES, AND OTHER IMPORTANT
CONSIDERATIONS… ü
Chronic tardiness and
disruptive, disrespectful behavior (towards me, others, or the course material)
will not be tolerated. I reserve the
right to ask you to leave class or to drop you from the class if you are
disruptive.
If you plagiarize any work or
cheat on an exam, you will be given a grade of “F” for the course and a report
of the incident will be filed in the Office of the Vice President for Academic
Affairs. The action could result in your
expulsion from the college.
If you do not show up for an
exam you will receive an “F” for the entire course. If an emergency prevents you from coming to
class the day of an exam, please leave A message on my voice mail (247-7438) as
soon as possible to explain your absence.
I may require further documentation to allow you to make up the exam.
If you miss class the day a
film is shown, you will have to get the notes from someone who is willing to
share them with you. If the film is one
owned by the college, you may view it in the library or check it out, but
I do not loan out Department of Anthropology films.
You
must be earning a passing grade to withdraw from this class and receive a “W,”
otherwise you will receive a grade of “F.”
Exceptions will be made only under extreme circumstances. If you find that you are struggling, it is in
your best interest to stay in the course and try to bring up your grade. I
encourage anyone who is having trouble to come see me during office hours or to
make an appointment to come talk to me.
Incomplete
grades
A grade of “I” is given only in cases where a
student is currently passing the class and is unable to complete the final work
for the course due to some sort of emergency situation. An “I” is a student- initiated grade that
must be approved by the instructor.
The structure, schedule, and goals of this course
are clearly spelled out in this syllabus. Because the course guidelines are
very clear, no extra credit will be given in this class.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Students with disabilities have equal access and
equal opportunity in this course. If you require
reasonable accommodations to fully participate in course activities or meet
course requirements, you must register with Disability Services, 280 Noble
Hall, 247-7459. If you qualify for services, bring your letter of
accommodation to me as soon as possible.
Statement on
Cheating & Plagiarism
Cheating in any form
will result in an “F” for the class
and a file established in your name in the Office of the Vice President for
Academic Affairs. More than one entry in
the file may result in your dismissal from the college.
Drug and Alcohol Policy
Use of drugs or alcohol
by students on campus or in college sanctioned off-campus activities is
strictly against FLC policy and will not be tolerated in this class. If I find
a student in violation of this policy he or she will be asked to leave the
classroom and may be faced with sanctions as specified in the student handbook
(www.fortlewis.edu/administrative_services/flc_policies/04_human_resources/4-14.asp).
SCHEDULE – FILMS &
GUEST LECTURES T.B.A.
|
Week # |
Topic |
|
Notes |
|
1.
Jan
9, 11 |
I.
Biology, Gender, & Human Evolution |
GB Intro & CC
xiii-xvi, 1-7 CC
Zuk 7-16 2005? |
GB
Class exercises I & II pp.
245-248 -
Look at Seager |
|
2.
Jan
16, 18 |
Continued… |
CC
16-21 Ehrenberg 1989 CC
21-30 Peach 2005? GB
Ch. 2, 29-59 “Gendering Procreation” CC
31-37 Scheper-Hughes 1989 CC
37-48 Hewlett 1991 |
Choose
articles for presentations |
|
3.
Jan
23,25, |
II. Gender &
Prehistory |
CC
49-53 CC
53-62 Conkey CC
Galloway 63-73 1997 CC
Guenter & Friedl 74-80 |
|
|
4.
Jan
30, Feb.
1 |
III. Domestic Worlds
& Public Worlds |
CC
81-86 CC
Lamphere 86-95 2005? CC
Townsend 105-119 2005? CC
Weismantel 120-133 2001 |
|
|
5.
Feb
6, 8 |
IV. Gender
Stratification |
CC
135-141 CC
Estioko-Griffin & Griffin 141-151 1981 CC
Rasmussen 155-169 2005? CC
Babb 169-184 GB
Ch. 5 113-136 “Constructing Men’s Bodies” |
|
|
6.
Feb
13, 15 |
V. Cultural Construct of Gender &
Personhood |
CC
185-190 CC
Gilmore 190-202 1990 CC
Herdt 203-207 1982 CC
Watson 207-219 1986 CC
McElhinny 219-230 2003 GB
Ch. 4 85-111 “Constructing Women’s Bodies” |
|
|
7. Feb 20, 22 |
VI. Culture, Sexuality,
& the Body |
CC
241-247 CC
Abu-Lughod 247-256 CC
Gottlieb 256-267 CC
Blackwood 268-278 CC
Reddy & Nanda 278-285 GB
Ch. 3, 61-83 “Barbie & G.I. Joe” CC
Urla & Swedlund 285-298 1995 |
|
|
8. Feb 27, Mar 1 |
MIDTERM Film: March 1 “ |
|
EXAM 1 – Tuesday, Feb 27 Film:
“ |
|
9. Mar 6, 8 |
SPRING BREAK |
READ ROSCOE, The Zuni Man-Woman |
|
|
10. Mar 13, 15 |
ROSCOE The Zuni Man-Woman |
GB Ch. 6 137-67
“Transgender & Intersex” Dicuss Roscoe |
|
|
11.
Mar
20, 22 |
VII. Gender, Property,
& the State |
GB Ch. 7 169-193 “Gender & Disability” CC 299-304 CC Rapp 304-310 CC Stone & James 310-320 1995 CC Allison 332-348 1991 |
Film essay due, March 20 |
|
12.
Mar
27, 29 |
VIII. Gender,
Household, & Kinship |
CC
349-353 CC
Menon 354-363 CC
Stack 363-372 1974 CC
di Leonardo 380-389 1987 GB
Ch. 8 195-219 “Political Bodies” |
GB
Exercise IV pp. 251-252 |
|
13.
Apr
3, 5 |
IX. Gender, Ritual, and Religion |
CC
391-396 CC
Boddy 397-408 1989 CC
Brown 421-430 1991 CC
Kendall 430-442 |
|
|
14.
Apr
10, 12, |
X. Gender, Politics, & Reproduction |
CC 443-449 CC Davis-Floyd 449-461 1994 CC Browner 461-471 1986 CC Gruenbaum 481-494 GB Ch. 9 221-243 “Social Bodies” |
|
|
15.
Apr
17, 19 |
XI.
Culture Contact, Development, & the Global Economy |
CC 495-500 CC Lockwood 500-515 CC Wilson-Moore 515-522 CC Mills 536-549 1997 CC Zimmer-Tamakoshi 550-564 |
FINAL ESSAY DUE Thursday, April 19 |
|
16.
Finals week |
|
|
EXAM 2 Tuesday, April 25 ( |