WOMEN AND POLITICS *
Political Science/Women Studies 213
North Seattle Community College, Winter 1999
Class Time and Location:
Professor
Office Hours
Office Location
E-Mail Address
Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10:30-11:50 am, CC 3346
Karen Stuhldreher, 526-7007
Monday/Wednesday, 1:00 -2:00 pm & Tuesday/Thursday, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Social Sciences Division, College Center 3459B
karens@seaccd.sccd.ctc.edu
Course Description
This course is an introduction to concepts of power and policy issues as they relate to women. We will begin by
exploring women’s multiple histories and identities as well as the history of feminist activism in the U.S. We
will pay particular attention to the ways in which both history and policy debates have shaped women’s lives in
relation to family, work, economics, government and the law. Specific issues to be addressed include women’s
partici-pation in political decision making, reproductive rights, welfare reform, pay inequity, sexuality, violence
against women and poverty. Competing agendas in feminism concerning these issues will be explored.
Throughout the course we will focus on the ways in which women’s diverse needs and modes of political
activism are reshaping definitions of politics. We will research and discuss various modes of feminist activism
including grassroots organizing, unionization, and coalition politics. The initial focus on women in the U.S.
will give way to attention to women in the international arena. We will study theoretical and empirical studies
of women’s participation in social & political movements with a focus on women in South and Latin America
and the Middle East.
Class Format
Class sessions will involve some lectures and films but will primarily involve discussions of the readings among
students. At least one day a week—usually Friday--students will participate in a seminar discussion of the
readings for the week. We will learn how to "seminar" and use this method as well as prepared
seminar/response papers by students as the basis for our discussions.
Required Texts
 Frontline Feminism, 1975-1995, edited by Karen Kahn, Aunt Lute Books, 1995

Women’s Rights in the U.S.A: Policy Debates and Gender Roles, Dorothy McBride Stetson, 1991

Lesbian Outlaw, Ruthann Robson, 1992

Women and Politics In the Third World, edited by Haleh Afshar, 1996
*All of the books are available at the North Seattle Community College Bookstore
 "Feminist Challenges to Political Science" an article by Susan J. Carroll and Linda M.G. Zerilli in Methods
for Political Inquiry, 1999 Available in the NSCC Copy Center
Course Outcomes and Learning Objectives
Completion of this course earns you credit toward the A.A. degree in the area of Individuals and Society. With
in mind, I have identified some general learning objectives that are important for you to work toward as you
complete Political Science/Women Studies 213 Following are these Course Objectives: In completing this
course you will:

Understand and discuss how women’s lives are similarly and differently situated in relation to social,
political, economic and legal structures.

Conceptualize power more broadly to address how it operates in both the public and private spheres.

Think critically about public policy and the law in relation to women and society.

Recognize commonalties and differences concerning women’s histories and conditions.

Gain a deeper understanding of diverse cultures with attention to the commonalties and differences among
women’s political concerns and activities globally.

Discover and evaluate diverse modes of political action and organization.

Attain and improve comprehension and critical thinking skills in reading and writing.
Course Requirements
1. Attendance and Participation (20%)
Participation in class discussions is very important to helping you comprehend the readings and
articulate your thoughts about them. Therefore participation in class is a significant part of your grade.
One of the ways that your participation will be monitored is by the completion of a one page seminar
paper to be completed each week. You will use your seminar paper as the basis of the seminar
discussions that we will have each Friday. Since you must be present to participate, attendance is also
vital. More than 2 unexcused absences will affect your final grade.
2. Written Assignments (40%)
You will write two 3-4 page response papers. The objective of these papers is for you to identify a
theme or central idea in the readings for a particular week and to explain or argue this main idea using
evidence from the readings. You will gain practice in this form of writing by doing your weekly seminar
papers. In completing response papers, you will gain experience in 1) discovering an important idea in a
set of readings and 2) synthesizing the material in different texts as evidence for the idea you are
presenting. By the second week of the quarter you will identify which two weeks you would like to
write a paper for. Your first paper will be due on the Friday of Weeks 4, 5, or 6; your second paper will
be due on the Friday of weeks 7, 8 or 9. Your papers will be due in class on the Friday of each week
that you select to write for. This means that you will need to plan ahead for the weeks that you are
writing to do the reading and think about what you will write on.. You have the option to rewrite each
of these papers after you have received comments. Rewrites will be due one week after your paper is
returned. (If you get your paper back on a Wednesday, the rewrite is due the following Wednesday.)
Each paper will count for 20% of your final grade. In the case of a rewrite, the grade on the rewritten
paper will be the grade that will be used for your final grade.
On each of the Fridays that you have a paper due, you will be expected to present your paper’s findings
to the class. You may read your paper or explain what theme you have identified and what evidence you
have found to support it. Your presentations will help to facilitate our class discussions of the readings
on Fridays.
3. Short Answer Quizzes (20%)
During the quarter there will be two short-answer quizzes in which you will be tested on your knowledge
of the key concepts introduced in the course. In class we will discuss new and important concepts
introduced in the readings and guest lectures. As you read, you should keep a list of the important and
unfamiliar concepts that you find in the texts so we can go over them in class to prepare for the quizzes.
4. Small Group or Individual Project (20%)
In Women and Politics we will study different modes of activism that people have engaged in to improve
women’s economic and political position in societies. This assignment asks you to research a feminist
activist or organization in our community. You may do an interview with a particular activist or member
of an organization. Find out what they have done and why? What caused them to commit to working on
a particular issue? What successes and failures have they experienced? Or you might visit an
organization like Seattle Rape Relief, the Lesbian Resource Center, or the Women’s Center here at
North Seattle Community College. Find out how and why it began? How have things changed? What
is the purpose of the organization? What is the organization’s structure? You may do this project either
individually or in a group with one or two classmates. You will present your findings in class during the
quarter as well as turn in an informal written report of your findings. A hand-out on this assignment will
be provided. Oral presentations of your research will begin week 6.
Assigned Readings
This course requires reading between 75 and 100 pages each week. The syllabus indicates what reading will be
discussed in each class. However, because there is a tendency to become very busy once the work week begins,
my suggestion is that you complete the reading for each week prior to coming to class on Monday. This will
give you the weekend to complete the reading for each week. It may be difficult to complete the reading for
Wednesday if you don’t begin until Monday after class. If you read ahead over the weekend, you will, however,
want to review the readings to be discussed before coming to class so you are prepared to discuss and ask
questions about them.
Asking for Assistance
I will make myself as available to you as possible to help insure your success in this course. My office hours are
for the purpose of providing you with the assistance you need in understanding the course material and
requirements, as well as to give you the opportunity to come and ask questions or learn more about the course
topics. During the quarter, I encourage each student to come and visit my office at least once. If my office
hours do not work for your schedule, please call me or see me after class to make an appointment. I am also
open to any suggestions you might have for improvement in all aspects of the course. I will be asking for your
feedback during the quarter.
Student Responsibility
In addition to contacting me about problems or suggestions, it is your responsibility to work cooperatively with
both myself and your classmates in and outside of the classroom. This means coming to class prepared to
discuss the readings and lectures, participating in class discussions and exercises, and finding out what you
missed if you need to miss class. I strongly encourage you to meet the other students in the class and to form
study groups outside of the class both to further discuss the issues and ideas raised in the course and to help with
writing papers and studying for quizzes. Since this is a 5 credit course, it is your responsibility also to devote a
minimum of 15 hours each week to this class. Five of these hours will be spent in the classroom which means
you should expect to do a minimum of 10 hours of studying, reading and writing outside of class each week.
Grading Policies
Late papers will be marked down .3 for each day the paper is late. Papers more than 3 days late will not be
accepted. This applies to both first drafts and rewrites. Quizzes can be made-up only with a medical excuse.
No N.C.'s will be given after the 8th week of the quarter.
Weekly Schedule: Topics and Assigned Readings
Week 1
(January 4-8) Course Introduction
Monday
Course Introduction
Wednesday
READ
Women and Politics: Defining the terms of the Course
"Feminist Challenges to Political Science", pp 37-54. Available in the NSCC Copy Center
Friday
READ
What the Study of "Women and Politics" has contributed to Political Science
Complete "Feminist Challenges to Political Science", pp. 54-end.
Week 2
(January 11-15) Women in Relation to Policy Making, Electoral Politics, and the Law
Monday
READ
FILM
Women in American Politics
Chapters 1, 2, and 3 in Women’s Rights in the U.S.A.
Women in American Politics
Wednesday
Review
Equality v. Difference Debate
Chapter 2 in Women's Rights
Friday
READ
Seminar Discussion: Who are the Women in "Women and Politics"
Selections from Chapter 1, Claiming Our Identities in Frontline Feminism, pages: 3-9, 13-18,
22-27, 41-48, 55-59.
Week 3
(January 18-22) The Politics of Family
Monday
No Class: Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday
Wednesday
READ
FILM
Family Law
Chapter 6 in Women’s Rights in the U.S.A.,
Selections from Chapter 3, The Politics of the Family in Frontline Feminism, pages: 131-140,
142-160, 175-186
The Way We Never Were: An interview with Stephanie Coontz
Friday
Seminar Discussion
Week 4
(January 25-29) The Politics of Women’s Work and Pay
Monday and
Wednesday
READ
Equality v. Difference Debate Revisited
Friday
Seminar Discussion
Week 5
Chapters 7 and 8 in Women’s Rights in the U.S.A
Selections from Chapter 2, Economic Injustice in Frontline Feminism, pages: 69-100, all
(Suggest 100-104, “Women United Across Borders”)
(February 1-5) Women’s Economic Status: The Effects of Welfare Reform & Domestic Violence
Feminization of Poverty and Welfare Policies
Chapter 10 in Women’s Rights in the U.S.A. to page 354
Selections from Chapter 2, Economic Injustice in Frontline Feminism, pages: 104-128
Welfare Rights Organizing Committee
Monday
READ
Guest
Speaker
Wednesday
READ
Domestic Violence
Chapter 10 in Women's Rights in the U.S.A. pp. 354-367
Selections from Chapter 7, Violence Against Women, in Frontline Feminism, pages 375-378,
384-387, 412-416
Friday
Seminar Discussion
Week 6
(February 8-12) Reproductive Rights
Monday and
Wednesday
READ
The Politics of Reproductive Rights
Chapter 4 in Women’s Rights in the U.S.A.
Introduction and Selections from Chapter 4, Reproductive Freedom in Frontline Feminism.
pages: 189-208, 212-226, 248-251
Suggest 239-245, “Wombs for Rent”
Guest
Speaker
Friday
Seminar Discussion
Week 7
(February 15-19) The Politics of Sexuality and Violence Against Women
Monday
No Class: President's Day
Wednesday
READ
Pornography and Prostitution Laws: Censorship or Protection?
Chapter 9 in Women’s Rights in the U.S.A., up to page 307
Selections from Chapters 6, Sex and Sexuality in Frontline Feminism, pages: 317-324, 325-345
Friday
READ
Laws Governing Rape and Sexual Harassment
Chapter 9 in Women’s Rights in the U.S.A., 307-320
Chapter 7; Violence Against Women in Frontline Feminism, pages: 367-375, 378-383, 388-397
Clarence Thomas and Anita Hill: Public Hearing, Private Pain
FILM
Week 8
(February 22-26) The Politics of Sexuality Part II: Lesbianism and the Law
How Legal Policies affect Women who are Lesbians
Lesbian (Out)Law, by Ruthann Robson, Chapters 1-5
Monday
READ
Wednesday
READ
Seminar Discussion
Friday
Week 9
Lesbian (Out)Law, Chapters 6-8 and 13
Women's Rights in the U.S.A., pp. 320-331
(March 1-5) Women in Political and Social Struggles from Seattle to South America
Monday
READ
Introduction to Third World Women
Chapters 1 in Women and Politics in the Third World
Wednesday
READ
Women in Resistance: Cases in Latin America and South Asia
Chapters 4 and 5 in Women and Politics in the Third World
Friday
Seminar Discussion
Week 10
(March 8-12) Feminism and Nationalism: Women Activists in the Middle East
Monday
READ
FILM
Women and Islam
Chapters 8, 9 in Women and Politics in the Third World.
Islamic Conversations: Women and Islam
Wednesday
READ
Palestinian Women and the Middle Eastern Conflict
Chapters 10-11 in Women and Politics in the Third World
Friday
Seminar Discussion
Week 11
(March 15-17) Complete Student Presentations, Final Quiz and Evaluation