WMST 401:
Comparative Perspectives on Gender and Justice
Class Meetings: Tu/Th 4 – 5:15 pm
Room: Academic Hall 304
CRN: 41778
Professor: Dr. Lawston
Office: SBSB 4234
Office Hours: Tu/Th 12 – 1 pm
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course examines the interaction of gender, justice, and injustice from a cross-cultural perspective. It
examines victimization and human rights abuses, including intimate partner violence, sex trafficking, and
female genital mutilation. It looks at justice systems as they affect women in countries as diverse as
Mexico, India, and the U.S., and analyzes processes of globalization, its effects on women and men, and
its influence on the ways in which justice (and injustice) is meted out around the world. Finally, the
course examines examples of women’s international struggles for justice. Special emphasis will be
placed on the intersection of gender with race, ethnicity, class, nation, and sexualities. As a class we will
work throughout the semester to create a working definition of justice.





COURSE OBJECTIVES
Explain various human rights abuses such as intimate partner violence, sex trafficking, and
female genital mutilation, and how these affect women around the world.
Explain how various justice systems affect women around the world.
Describe how globalization influences women, men, and the ways that (in)justice is meted out
around the world.
Describe women’s global activism and the influences it has had for securing justice for women.
Understand how gender interacts with race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, and nation to create unique
experiences for women around the world.
REQUIRED TEXTS
Lawston, J. and Lucas. A., eds. 2011. Razor Wire Women: Prisoners, Activists, Scholars and Artists.
The State University of New York Press.
Sudbury, Julia, ed. 2005. Global Lockdown: Race, Gender, and the Prison Industrial Complex.
Routledge.
Twine, France Widdance and Kathleen Blee, eds. 2001. Feminism & Antiracism: International
Struggles for Justice. New York: New York University Press.
OTHER READINGS
Additional readings are on the class cougar course site, under each week when they are due. The citations
are:
Week 1
Hill. Flavin, J. (2001) “Feminism for the Mainstream Criminologist: An Invitation.” Journal of Criminal
Justice, 29:271-285.
Steffensmeier, D. and Schwartz, J. (2004) “Contemporary Explanations of Women’s Crime”. In Price,
B.R. and Sokoloff, N.J. (Eds.) The Criminal Justice System and Women: Offenders and Prisoners,
Victims and Workers. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Week 2
Bunch, Charlotte (1990) “Recognizing Women’s Rights as Human Rights.” Response to the
Victimization of Women and Children 13(4): 13 – 16.
Bunch, Charlotte. (2004). “A Feminist Human Rights Lens.” Peace Review 16(1): 29 – 34.
Connell, R.W. (1998) “Masculinities and Globalization.” Men and Masculinities, 1/1:3- 23.
Connell, R.W. (2005). “Change Among the Gatekeepers: Men, Masculinities and Gender Equality in the
Global Arena.” Signs, 30/3:1801-1825.
Week 3
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/text/econvention.htm
Oxford, Connie G. (2005) “Protectors and Victims in the Gender Regime of Asylum.” National Women’s
Studies Association Journal, 17/3:18-38.
Week 4
Sev’er, A. and Yurdakul, G. (2001) “Culture of Honor, Culture of Change: A Feminist Analysis of Honor
Killings in Rural Turkey.” Violence Against Women, 7/9:964-998.
Hajjar, L. (2004)”Religion, State Power and Domestic Violence in Muslim Societies: A Framework for
Comparative Analysis.” Law and Social Inquiry, 1-38.
***WHO Report on Violence and Health,
http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/world_report/en/summary_en.pdf
(Chapters 4 “Intimate Partner Violence” and 6 “Sexual Violence” are what you will be reading. These
files are on the class cougar course site).
Week 5
Scott, J., Minichiello, V., Marino, R., Harvey, G.P., Jamieson, M. and Browne, J. (2005) “Understanding
the New Context of the Male Sex Work Industry.” Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 20/3:320-42.
Outshoorn, J. (2005) “The Political Debates on Prostitution and Trafficking of Women.” Social Politics:
International Studies in Gender, State and Society, 12/1:141-155.
Farley, Melissa (2004) “’Bad the for the body, bad for the heart’: Prostitution Harms Women Even if
Legalized or Decriminalized.” Violence Against Women, 10/10:1087- 1125.
Kempadoo, Kamala (2004) “Prostitution and the Globalization of Sex Workers’ Rights” in Price, B.R.
and Sokoloff, N.J. (Eds.) The Criminal Justice System and Women: Offenders and Prisoners, Victims and
Workers. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Week 6
Antonozzo, Monica. (2003). “Problems with Criminalizing Female Genital Cutting.” Peace Review
15(4): 471 – 477.
Jones, A. (2000) “Gendercide and Genocide.” Journal of Genocide Research, 2/2:185- 211.
Kimmel, Michael S. (2003) “Globalization and its Mal(e)contents: The Gendered Moral and Political
Economy of Terrorism.” International Sociology, 18/3:603-620.
Week 9
Reynolds, Marylee. 2008. “The War on Drugs, Prison Building, and Globalization: Catalysts for the
Global Incarceration of Women.” NWSAJ, 20(2): 72 – 95.
Week 12
Spees, Pam (2003) Women’s Advocacy in the Creation of the International Criminal Court: Changing the
Landscapes of Justice and Power. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society 28/4:1233-1254.
Abreu Hernandez, Viviana M. (2002) “The Mothers of La Plaza de Mayo: A Peace Movement.” Peace &
Change, 27/3:385-411.
Mueller, Carol, Hansen, Michelle, and Qualtire, Karen. 2009. “Femicide on the Border and New Forms
of Protest: The International Caravan for Justice” PP. 125 – 149 in Human Rights along the U.S.-Mexico
Border: gendered Violence and Insecurity, edited by Kathleen Staudt, Tony Payan, and Z. Anthony
Kruszewski. Tucson: University of Arizona Press.
Of Further Interest:
Shaw, M. “Gender and Crime Prevention”. www.crime-prevention-intl.org Shaw, M. “Developing Trust:
International Approaches to Women’s Safety.” www.crime-prevention-intl.org
World Bank: Engendering Development Through Gender Equality in Rights, Resources, and Voice
http://wwwwds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&me
nuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000094946_01020805393496
CLASS REQUIREMENTS
Participation, Attendance and Lateness (20 total points possible)
Class participation is imperative—it gives students more of a voice in the learning process, allows
more than one perspective on a topic to be explored, and allows our learning and thinking to
progress through ongoing dialogue and conversation. It is important that you come to class
prepared to participate so that we all benefit from informed discussions. As a result, in order to
receive full credit for participation, you may miss no more than 2 classes, you must arrive on time
for each class (no more than 5 minutes late without prior clearance by me), and you must regularly
engage in class discussions. Two “tardies” (being more than 5 minutes late, twice) equals one
absence. I will send a sign in sheet around during the first 5 or 10 minutes of each class, and you
are responsible for signing that sheet. If you do not sign in, that is an absence.
Throughout the class there will be ample opportunity for participation. If you are on the quieter
side or are afraid of speaking in large groups, you’ll need to push yourself to speak in class. There
will also be opportunities for small group work, where you participate with your peers. I suggest
coming to class with some questions or thoughts on the readings, to share with the class. This way,
you’ll be able to participate without having to do so on the spur of the moment.
Please note that regularly engaging in class discussions does not include talking “off the cuff” or
simply agreeing with statements made. Rather, you must show me and the class that you have
critically engaged with the readings. Simply saying “I liked the readings” or “I agree” is not
considered participation.
The following guidelines are used when assigning participation grades:
18 – 20 points, A Range: Attends class regularly (2 or fewer absences), engages with the professor
when questions are asked, engages with other students in large-class and small group discussions,
asks critical questions and provides critical insight on the topics under study, makes statements
that shows that course material has been read carefully.
16 – 17.9 points, B Range: Has more than 2 absences, engages with the professor when questions
are asked, engages with other students in small group discussions and large groups, may make
statements that may or may not tie into larger topics under study, sometimes makes statements
that show that class material has been read carefully. This grade also goes to someone who only
sometimes participates.
14 – 15.9 points, C Range: Attends class regularly or has more than 2 absences, engages with
students in small-group discussions but is generally less engaging with the professor and larger
class, does not make statements that show that class material has been read carefully. This grade
can also be given to students who rarely attend class but when they attend, they actively engage
with the class. This grade is also given to students who come to class and never or rarely contribute
to class discussions (simply attending class does not equate to “A” level participation).
12 – 13.9 points, D Range: Does not attend class regularly (2 or more absences), makes general
comments that have little to do with class material or does not comment at all when in class.
Statements are not made which would show that course material has been read thoroughly. Does
little in the way of critical analysis in small groups.
< 12 points, F: Does not attend class regularly (2 or more absences), does not engage with other
students or the professor in class, makes broad generalizations that have little to do with the topics
under study, and may or may not create a hostile classroom environment.
Please note: If you suddenly disappear from class do not expect to pass this course.
Weekly Journals (10 Journals, 6 points each for a total of 60 points)
You are required to write a total of 10 reading journals in this class, which reflect on the lectures,
readings, and films that you are required to watch. Journals are always due on Thursday of each
week, at 11 pm, beginning in week 2. Journals are numbered on the weeks they are due (see course
calendar). Most weeks you have a journal due.
Your journals must be at least 2 pages, double spaced. They can be longer, but not shorter –
this means 1 ½ pages is not acceptable, and I will deduct points for this.
Your journals must show me that you are engaging with the material, synthesizing it, critiquing it,
thinking about it, and very importantly, reading it. As such, a journal where you only talk about 1 or 2 of
the readings for the week is unacceptable (unless we only covered 1 or 2 readings); you must comment
and critically reflect on the overarching themes that the readings raise for each week that a journal is due.
For example, during week 2 we cover “Gender, Globalization, and Human Rights.” Your journal must
reflect on the theme of this week, the insights raised by the readings, questions you may have, the claims
and grounds of the authors, or academic critiques that you may have of the material (I stress academic
critiques. If you thought the reading was too long, or you didn’t agree because your experiences are
somehow different, it does not matter. You must approach the readings as an engaged, intellectual,
mature scholar would, not as a news broadcaster, without proper research, would). In these journals you
must communicate to me that you have done all of the reading and engaged with it as a feminist scholar
would. This means synthesizing the material and not merely listing the readings and telling me word for
word what each reading states.
Now, this work may be new to a lot of you. Don’t panic. If you don’t understand some of the work, it is
fine to say so in your journals… just make sure you explain what it is you don’t understand, and explore
what you do understand. An example of how to approach these journals is the following:
Connell explores the ways in which hegemonic masculinity—which he defines as a culturally normative
ideal of male behavior (white, heteosexual, middle class)—has rapidly been influenced by globalization
and as such, has influenced other societies around the world. While he points out that_________, he
fails to consider _________. My own experiences, though not representative of the entire world, have
taught me_________, and Connell could do more research in this area.
The above is an example only; I just want you to see that you must academically engage with the
material!!
Each journal is worth 6 points. The following grading rubric applies to journals:
6 point response: Journals that summarize and critically analyze the claims, grounds, and theories
presented in the readings. These journals, which address the overarching themes of the readings,
lectures, and/or films, may elaborate on or question the ideas and arguments presented in the texts.
These responses may also bring up course material that the readings did not include but is relevant,
may bring in outside academic readings, may connect the week’s readings to other readings in the
course, and may bring forth the underlying assumptions/warrants of the text.
3 - 5 point response: Responses that include a brief elaboration of the ideas and questions
articulated in the readings and/or a personal response that may or may not clearly tie to the
readings. These responses may cover some of the points in some of the readings, but do not
synthesize the arguments of the readings, and do not show me that all of the readings were read.
1 – 2 points: Responses that may not take into consideration the major themes of the readings or
all of the readings that should be included in the response, or may address one point in the readings
but does not elaborate adequately on its main arguments.
0 points: Responses that include a statement of agreement or disagreement, unclear or offensive
responses, a personal reply that may or may not clearly tie to the readings, or no response. These
also include poorly written responses.
Please note that all written work should be in 12-point Times New Roman font, have 1” left, right,
top, and bottom margins, and be double-spaced. Please use spell and grammar check. I will deduct
points for poorly written journals.
You do not need a works cited for journals – just use the author’s last name and page number when
referring to her/his arguments. You must refer to the actual readings, using statements like,
“Kimmel argues” or “Lucas points out” or else I will deduct points.
Where to post these journals: On top of the cougar course page, there is a forum titled, “My Journal.”
You will post your journals there every time they are due (again, by 11 pm on Thursday—see the course
calendar). Please be sure to label the journals, “Journal 1”, “Journal 2” and so on. So every time a
journal is due, you will add a new post to this forum. I’ll grade them and add any comments to your
posting. Only you and I can see your post; the rest of the class will only have access to theirs.
Grading is a little odd: You can get a total of 60 points for the journals (10 journals, 6 points each = 60
points). Each time I grade a journal, the points will be added to the sum total that you already have, and it
will look like each entry is out of 60 points. It is not. So, if for journal 1 you get a 5, and journal 2 you
get a 6, it will show up as 5/60 and 6/60. Ignore the bottom number…. All you need to do is look at the
gradebook for the total number of points you have for the journals combined.
Group Presentation (20 points)
Because this class is a seminar that is driven by active participation, all students must do a reading
facilitation, where they lead a discussion, analysis, or activity that addresses the readings and theories for
the week. This reading facilitation must be about 30 minutes. This facilitation will be done in groups of
two. You will sign up on the first day of class to facilitate the readings during a week of your choosing.
I do not expect you to lecture to the class, and highly discourage this. Instead, during the 30 minutes I
expect you to briefly summarize what you saw to be the main points of the readings, and then, facilitate a
discussion of the week’s readings through a variety of innovative methods, such as active dialogue, group
work, activities, or film clips. You may decide to analyze a series of theoretical concepts through film
clips, where you explore their connection to the readings. Or, you may choose to highlight a song or
music video, popular culture artifact, or current event(s) and their connection to course readings. The
format is really up to you—each group must come up with its own creative way of addressing the
readings for 30 minutes, and you must include questions to be posed to the class. You may use a variety
of techniques to do this, and I expect discussion with the class while this is happening, so you will not
have to do all of the talking. This facilitation should be interactive and fun – don’t let it become
burdensome, but get creative and take charge of it.
I will use the following rubric when grading your reading facilitation:
Summary of key concepts/theoretical constructs/main points covered in readings (5 points)
Analytical/intellectual content (5 points)
Effective discussion questions based on readings (2 points)
Interaction with class (3 points)
Creative approach to reading facilitation (2 points)
Volume/pace/language(1 points)
Evidence of preparation (1 points)
Effective Utilization of Time (1 point)
Final Research Paper (50 points)
TBD: details to follow in the fall
Grading Breakdown
Participation
Weekly Journals
Final research Paper
Group Presentation
20 points
60 points
50 points
20 points
Total possible points
150 points
Course grades are based on 150 points. If you receive 150/150, you have an A; if you
receive 140/150, you have a 93%, so an A-, and so on.
A
AB+
B
94% and above
90 – 93%
88 – 89%
84 – 87%
B- 80 – 83%
C+ 78 – 79%
C 74 – 77%
C- 70 – 73%
D+ 68 – 69%
D 64 – 67%
D- 60 – 63%
F 59% and below
IMPORTANT NOTES
Email and Phone Messages
Please feel free to email me about class questions, absences, or other issues related to the class. I’ll get
back to you within 24 hours (but generally much faster). Please do not email me if you are absent to ask
“Did I miss anything in class?” If we have class and you were absent, you missed something. You have
the syllabus; if you are absent from class, review the syllabus to see what you missed. In addition, I
suggest exchanging your phone number with another student in the class, so the two of you can exchange
notes when one of you is absent. I do not answer email on weekends or after 5 pm.
Dialogue in Class
Please be respectful and courteous to your colleagues when engaging in class discussions. Disagreement
is inevitable; however, please keep in mind that it can be constructive in that it encourages us to
reconsider our own positions or viewpoints. Do not let discussions become personal – avoid “you”
comments like “You don’t know what you’re talking about” in favor of comments like, “I disagree with
the position that…..” or something along those lines. In other words, stay as objective as possible. In the
event that you are participating in an inappropriate way, I will discuss your behavior with you and ask
you to stop it. If the behavior continues after the warning you will be referred to the Dean of Students and
it will negatively affect your participation grade. I also reserve the right to have you removed from the
class.
Written Work
Writing is an important part of this class, and certainly an important part of the university experience as
you learn to express your ideas in scholarly and academic ways. All writing, whether done in class or for
formal papers, should be in the form of polished, academic prose.
I expect all of the writing you do for this course to show evidence of serious intellectual endeavor.
Further, your final paper should be carefully revised, edited, and polished, virtually free of grammatical,
typographical, and syntactical errors. Be sure to use spell check and grammar check, and also proofread
your writing before you turn it in. If you turn in a sloppy, unedited assignment, you will receive zero
credit for that assignment.
Making Sense: A Student's Guide to Research and Writing is an excellent text that can assist you in
developing your writing skills. There are sections on developing your ideas before you write,
documenting sources, writing style, grammar, and punctuation. I recommend that you purchase this
book, read it thoroughly, and use it to strengthen your writing.
You are also encouraged to take advantage of the Writing Center, or come to see me during my
office hours. If you want me to read a draft of your final paper before you hand it in, I will do so, but you
must turn in the draft to me 5 days before it is due. I will accept email drafts or in-person drafts. You can
then incorporate my comments into your final paper.
The writing center is located in Kellogg Library Room 1103, and offers one-on-one tutoring at all stages
of the writing process: brainstorming, drafting, revising, and editing. The Writing Center also includes a
computer lab where students can work on their projects, and a resource room with books and other
materials on writing. The services offered by the Writing Center are free of charge. For information
about the Writing Center or to make an appointment, call (760) 750-4168 or look at the website:
http://www.csusm.edu/writing_center/.
Please note that all written assignments should be double-spaced, using either Times or Times Roman 12point font (not a larger font that takes more space), with 1-inch margins on all sides. All papers must
include your name, course name, my name, and the due date of the assignment, on the first page of the
paper; cover sheets are unnecessary. Remember to stable your papers!!
Professor Comments on Papers and Assignments
The comments I provide to you on your assignments and papers should be taken as conversational in tone
and not as formal written work, such as what you hand in to me. While I make every effort to review my
comments before I hand them back to you, if there is a typo in my commentary and you cannot infer what
I am suggesting, please see me so I can explain my comments thoroughly.
Returning Work
In this class I will grade your work and get it back to you within 1 week after receiving it. If for any
reason grading will take longer, I’ll let you know.
Late Work
I do not accept late work, UNLESS you have a valid family or medical emergency. I will need a doctor’s
note, note from a health clinic, or other official documentation to allow an assignment to be handed in
late, or to make arrangements for make-up work. Please don’t email me to ask if you can hand in a late
assignment unless it is for one of these valid reasons.
Academic Dishonesty
Plagiarism is the unauthorized use of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation
of them as one’s own. Similarly, cheating is to take an examination in a dishonest way, as by having
improper access to answers. Any student caught plagiarizing (this includes from Wikipedia and other
internet sites) or cheating shall automatically receive a failing grade for the assignment (and possibly the
course), and will be reported to the University. If you are having problems understanding the material,
writing papers, or feeling under pressure please talk to me. I am always happy to work with you.
Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations must be approved for services by
providing appropriate and recent documentation to the Office of Disabled Student Services (DSS). This
office is located in Craven Hall 5205, and can be contacted by phone at (760) 750-4905, or TDD (760)
750-4909. Students authorized by DSS to receive reasonable accommodations should meet with me
during my office hours or in a more private setting in order to ensure your confidentiality.
Cell Phone Policy
Please be courteous and turn cell phones off when class is in session. Please do not text message your
friends. This is disrespectful and distracting not only to me, but to your colleagues in the class. I WILL
take your phone from you for the duration of the class if I see this happening.
Computer Use in Class
Due to experiences in which students surf the internet during class time instead of taking notes, if you
prefer to take notes on your laptop during class, please sit in the front row of the classroom. I will be
checking to see if you are online, so please don’t make me have to shut your computer down.
Class Schedule
(Note: In the event that we need more time on certain topics, or if there are unforeseen circumstances, this
schedule is subject to change. If there are changes, they will be announced in class and posted on our
Cougar Course site).
Introduction to the Course: Gender, Crime, and Justice
Week 1
Tu
Aug 30
Th
Sep 1
Introduction to the Course
Reading: Flavin article
Steffensmeier and Schwartz
Gender, Globalization, and Human Rights
Week 2:
Tu
Sep 6
Th
Week 3
Sep 8
Reading: Bunch, “Feminist Human Rights Lens”
Bunch, “Recognizing Women’s Rights as Human Rights”
Reading: Connell, “Masculinities and Globalization”
Connell, “Change Among the Gatekeepers”
Journal #1 Due
Tu
Sep 13
Reading: Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against
Women (see link on cougar course site; browse through and see how
discrimination is defined, read through each article).
Th
Sep 15
Reading: Oxford, “Protectors and Victims”
Journal #2 due
Gender (In)justice
Week 4: Femicide, Intimate Partner, and Sexual Violence
Tu
Sep 20
Reading: Sev’er and Yurdakul, “Culture of Honor, Culture of Change”
Hajjar, “Religion, State Power, and Domestic Violence in Muslim
Societies”
Th
Sep 22
Reading: WHO “World Report on Violence and Health” (see links on cougar
Courses; read chapter 4 “Intimate partner violence” and chapter 6,
“sexual violence”)
Journal #3 due
Week 5: Sex Work, Prostitution, & Trafficking
Tu
Sep 27
Reading: Scott et al., “The Male Sex Work Industry”
Outshoorn, “The Political Debates on Prostitution & Trafficking”
Film:
Sex Slaves
Th
Sep 29
Reading: Farley, “Bad for the Body, Bad for the Heart”
Kempadoo, “Prostitution and Globalization of Sex Workers’ Rights”
Journal #4 due
Week 6: Female Genital Cutting, War, & Terror
Tu
Oct 4
Reading: Antonozzo “Problems with Criminalizing FGC”
Th
Oct 6
Reading: Jones, “Gendercide and Genocide”
Kimmel, “Globalization and its (Male)Contents”
Journal #5 due
The Politics of Punishment: The Case of the U.S.
Week 7: Women’s Incarceration
Tu
Oct 11
Reading: RWW, chapters 1, 2, 5, 6
Th
Oct 13
Reading: RWW, chapters 7, 9, 10, 11, 13
Journal #6 due
Week 8: Women’s Incarceration cont.
Tu
Oct 18
Reading: RWW, chapters 12, 15, 17
Th
Oct 20
Reading: RWW, historical context. pp. 193 – 197, chapters 20, 21, epilogue
Journal #7 due
The Politics of Punishment: Global Perspectives
Week 9: The Criminalization of Women’s Survival
Tu
Oct 25
Reading: GL (Global Lockdown), chapters 1, 6, 7
Film: Maria Full of Grace
Th
Oct 27
Reading: Reynolds, “The War on Drugs, Prison Building…”
Journal #8 due
Week 10: Women in Global Prisons
Tu
Nov 1
Reading: GL, chapters 10, 14
Th
Nov 3
Reading: GL chapters 15, 16
Week 11: Prisons and Resistance
Tu
Nov 8
Reading: GL chapter 18
Th
Nov 10
Reading: GL chapter 19
Journal #9 due
Examples of International Struggles for Justice
& Global Women’s Activism
Week 12
Tu
Nov 15
Th
Nov 17
Reading: Spees, “Women’s Advocacy”
Feminism & Antiracism (F&A), chapter 2
Reading: Abreu Hernandez, “The Mothers of La Plaza de Mayo”
Mueller et al., “Femicide on the Border”
Week 13
Tu
Nov 22
Reading: F&A, chapters 1, 3
Th
Thanksgiving, No Class
Nov 24
Week 14
Tu
Nov 29
Reading: F&A chapters 7, 11
Th
Dec 1
Reading: F&A chapter 9
Journal #10 due
Week 15
Tu
Dec 6
Th
Dec 8
No Reading
No Reading
Final Papers Due in Class