Syllabus for Roster(s):
- 15F SOC 3100-001 (CGAS)
Feminist Theory SOC 3100
Sociology 3100 Feminist Theory
professor Claire Raymond
office hours, Tuesdays and Thursdays between 1 pm and 3 pm, by appointment
209 Fayerweather Hall
Required texts
bell hooks Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center
Mel Y. Chen Animacies
Catriona Mackenzie et al Vulnerability: New Essays in Ethics and Feminist Philosophy
Course rationale: Feminist theory means differently to different people. To some, feminist theory is offensive, conjuring images of angry women, or self-proclaimed victims. To others, feminist theory is a liberator, allowing human beings to engage the world more fully, while still others consider feminist theory passé, a by-gone interest. But feminist theory persists because lived inequalities persist, and so feminist theory does not make sense unless it is intertwined with race theory and queer theory. In this class we pursue investigations of how “vulnerability” of the subject, whether by gender, race, class, sexuality, and/or disability shapes and is shaped by postmodern conditions of power. Our mode of investigation is simple and at times arduous: read the texts assigned, read them actively, and come to class ready to discuss the text.
Course requirements: (1) regular attendance and active participation in class (class participation including attendance is 30% of your final grade, therefore you really must keep up with readings) please bring a one page commentary on each week’s reading with you when you come to class each Tuesday, responding to the readings assigned for that week—these write ups can be casual but they will fold into your participation grade so they should reflect active reading (2) a five page proposal describing clearly and fluently your topic and plans for your term paper—this counts for 10% of your grade; (3) a formal presentation responding to the reading; this presentation counts for 10% of your grade, it should include raising discussion questions about the reading as well as adding in relevant contemporary concerns that interlock with the reading. Once the class has settled after drop/add I will post a schedule for student presentations; (4) A term paper on the topic of your choice related to the themes of this class. The term paper topic must be proposed during the class discussion reserved for this purpose. The term paper is to be fifteen pages and counts for 50 % of your grade.
Weekly write ups: the writes up are a written response, about a page in length, that you turn in each Tuesday. If you miss Tuesday, once or twice, it is alright to turn in a write up on Thursday, but the write up should *always* be in response to a reading that we have not yet discussed in class. I keep the write ups and will use them to help me determine your class participation grade at the end of term. The write ups do not need to be brilliant, they just need to be honest: what did you think about the reading? what questions do you have about it?
Term papers: this is a 3 step process. The first step is to determine your topic. This must be done by Oct 13th, on which day you need to bring into class a page to a page and a half of writing on your topic, that should include (1) Research Questions-- ie, what question/s do you want to answer by writing your term paper? and (2) basic statement of topic (3) plans for research-- these are research papers. If you do not feel comfortable with the library system for research, please contact Sociology Research Librarian, Barbara Selby. If you want to meet with me to discuss your topic, please set up an appointment for a Thursday or Tuesday afternoon. If those times do not work for you, I can also on occasion meet Friday mornings for office hours.
The paper proposal/prospectus is due November 10th, as noted on the syllabus below. The term paper itself is due December 9th, no later than 5 pm. Please bring your paper to the box in front of my office of 209 Fayerweather Hall
Please note: I ask that you do *not* use your computer, laptop, tablet, iPad, i phone, or any other electronic equipment during class. Please bring paper, pen/pencil, and the book from which the day's reading is drawn, when you come to class. If the no-electronics policy poses real hardship for you, speak to me about your situation.
Schedule
August 25th, first class day, introductions, discussion:
Why feminist theory?
Thursday August 27th
bell hooks, Feminist Theory, chapter 1
Tuesday September 1st
hooks, chapter 2, first write up-- in response to the reading--is due today (see description of this ongoing assignment in the paragraph above)
Thursday September 3rd
hooks, chapter 3
Tuesday September 8th
hooks, chapter 4
Thursday September 10th
hooks, chapter 5
Tuesday September 15th
hooks, chapter 6
Thursday September 17th
hooks, chapter 7
Tuesday September 22nd
hooks, chapter 8 AND read hooks, chapter 10
Thursday September 24th
hooks, chapter 9, AND read hooks, chapter 11, and chapter 12
Tuesday September 29th
For this Tuesday, complete your reading of bell hooks's Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center. We will have a round-table discussion of the book's import, and I want to hear from everyone. Clara and Aikaterini will present on September 29th
Thursday October 1st
Vulnerability, MacKenzie et.al. Introduction
presenters Rebecca and Michaela
Thursday October 8th
Vulnerability, Mackenzie et.al., Chapter 1 presenter Bemnet
Tuesday October 13th
in class today: discussion of student paper topics. You MUST have a paper topic prepared to present and discuss today; this presentation and discussion counts for 5 % of your class participation grade. I strongly suggest you have at least a page written for this assignment. While you do not need to turn in the written page to me, having a one to two page description of your topic will enable you to meaningfully discuss your topic. Remember that the best way to work toward choosing your topic is to begin with *Research Questions* -- that is, what question/s do you want to ask of Feminist Theory? Write down those questions, and decide how you might address/answer those questions in your research paper.
Thursday October 15th
Vulnerability Chapter 2
presenters Quin and Wil (Boakai)
Tuesday October 20th
Vulnerability Chapter 3
presenter Lucas Wade
Thursday October 22nd
Vulnerability Chapter 4
presenters Whitney and Bianka
Tuesday October 27th
Vulnerability Chapter 5
presenter Marisa
Thursday October 29th
Vulnerability Chapter 6
presenters Lorey and Khine
Thursday November 5th
Vulnerability Chapter 9
presenters Heather and Canaan
Tuesday November 10th
Your 5 page Prospectus/Proposal for the term paper is due TODAY 11/10- for the prospectus, please describe in fluent paragraphs on what topic you intend to write your term paper, including why you chose this topic, why it is relevant and important, and how you have begun and intend to further research this topic. If you do not know what a proposal/prospectus is, please follow this link http://www.brown.edu/academics/history/prospectus-writing-tips-0 by copying and pasting. Although these tips are for a longer prospectus than I am asking you to write (I am only asking for a five page paper), the frame and format are the same. I would strongly suggest you have a works cited/bibliography for your prospectus, it doesn't need to be a long works cited, but you should show you have begun research, using VIRGO (UVa's library database). Any citation format is fine --Chicago, APA, ASA-- so long as you are consistent.
We will be discussing everyone's topic in class Nov. 5th; come Prepared to Discuss your topic--we will have a round-table discussion of everyone's paper topic. A tip: you may find the support of our Research Librarian Barbara Selby bms8z@Virginia.EDU helpful. If you have doubts as to how to use UVa's extraordinary library system for your research, please contact Barbara Selby for a quick tutorial. Using Google for your research is not the way to go when UVa's library database is there for you.
Thursday November 17th
Animacies, Introduction
presenters Stephanie and Natalie
Thursday November 19th
Chen, Animacies, chapter 5
presenters Katie and Seth
No class during Thanksgiving recess
Tuesday December 1st
Chen, Animacies Chapter 2
presenters Asia and Shikha
Thursday December 3rd
Chen, Animacies, chapter 6
presenter Lucas D.
Tuesday December 8, Guest Speaker from the Sexual Assault Resource Agency (S.A.R.A.) attendance mandatory
Term papers are due Wednesday December 9th by 5 pm; place them in the box set in front of my office 209 Fayerweather Hall. Please note, the term papers must be printed, 12 point Times New Roman font, standard margins. Please place all illustrations and works cited at the end of the paper and these images and citations do not count toward page length. I do not grant extensions except in conjunction with your Academic Association Dean, which will only happen if you are facing an on-going health or personal crisis, and bring this crisis to the attention of your dean and myself. For the citation system, I prefer Chicago, but if you have another system that you know well and would like to use, that is fine, as long as you are consistent.
Other Notes:
Plagiarism, the copying of words or ideas from other people, books, or sources, without citing them, is an offense punishable by a failing grade and appearance before the university’s Honor’s Committee. Written texts, and spoken texts (such as lectures) must be cited if they are incorporated into your paper. Ideas as well as verbatim quotes must be cited. When in doubt: cite it!
Mandatory Reporter: per new laws that affect the University of Virginia, as a faculty member I am bound by law to report any crimes, including sexual assault, against a University of Virginia student of which I am made aware. If you are a survivor of sexual assault, I strongly urge you to contact S.A.R.A. 434.977.7273 They are good people and they know how to help you. If you tell me that you have been sexually assaulted, I cannot keep that information confidential and will be bound by law to report the crime.
Thank you! Looking forward to this semester!
CR
Primary texts for Feminist Theory SOC 3100, 2015, professor Claire Raymond
1. Animacies: Biopolitics, Racial Mattering, and Queer Affect (Perverse Modernities: A Series Edited by Jack Halberstam and Lisa Lowe)
2. Vulnerability: New Essays in Ethics and Feminist Philosophy (Studies in Feminist Philosophy)
3. Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center (bell hooks)
SOC 3100 is a reading and discussion based class, therefore, you must attend class regularly, more than three absences could result in automatic failure of the class; you need to bring with you the book that we are discussing; I cannot rule out the possibility of pop quizzes if discussion indicates that most students are not keeping up with the readings. There are three books for this class and we will read them in the order they are placed above, reading the entire books. Discussion will absolutely not be based on personal anecdotes but on the readings.