PHIL 350/WMST 350: Philosophy of Feminism
Dr. Erin C. Tarver
James Madison University
Office Hours: T/TH 3:30 – 5, Cleveland 214
Course Description: In this class, we will examine the development of the key theoretical concepts that
underpin feminist action and thought—including the social construction of gender, the subordination of
women, the meaning of oppression, the sex/gender distinction (and criticisms of it), the relationship
between gender, sexuality, race and class, feminist epistemology, and feminist political action.
Throughout, our interest will be in investigating both how feminism might make us better philosophers,
and how philosophy might make us better feminists.
Required Texts
Butler, Judith. Gender Trouble. Routledge Classics, 2006.
Collins, Patricia Hill. Black Feminist Thought. Routledge, 1991.
Fine, Cordelia. Delusions of Gender. W.W. Norton, 2010.
hooks, bell. Feminism is for Everybody. South End Press, 2000.
Okin, Susan Moller. Justice, Gender and the Family. Basic Books, 1989.
Learning Outcomes
- Students will articulate an understanding of the major developments in feminist theoretical
approaches to questions of gender, oppression, and identity.
- Students will articulate an understanding of the unique contributions of women across a variety
of backgrounds and cultures to feminist theory in particular, and the discipline of philosophical
thought more broadly.
- Students will conduct upper-level academic research related to women and/or sex/gender.
- Students will demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between feminist theory and
activism, and/or feminist theory and ethical living.
Grading
Critical Reading Reflection Papers
Seminar Facilitation
Participation
Exam
Project/Paper Workshop
Feminist Praxis Project OR Feminist Theory Paper
25%
15%
10%
15%
5%
30%
Assignments
Critical Reading Reflection Papers
There will be assigned reading for each class period, which you need to have done prior to coming to
class. Additionally, you will need to come to class each day with a short written piece (approx. 1 page
typed, double-spaced) that reflects on that day’s reading. I will collect SEVEN of these pieces over the
course of the semester, the lowest of which will be dropped. I will not announce in advance when
papers will be collected. Your response topic is largely open, but should fall into one of three categories:
- A critique of some feature of the reading’s argument or assumptions.
- A comparison between the day’s text and another we’ve read during the semester.
1
-
A reflection on how this text could/should change the way we think about our world, or relate
to others in it.
Reflection papers will be graded on a scale of 1-10.
Seminar Facilitation
Once during the semester, each student in the course will be responsible for giving a 15-20 minute
presentation and taking a leadership role in that day’s seminar discussion. This means that there are
two parts to this assignment: the first is to give a brief, semi-formal presentation on the thinker/text we
are reading that introduces some outside material to the class (in the form of relevant background,
discussion of a problem to which the text is responding, etc.); the second is to serve as that day’s
discussion leader. To ensure that this component runs smoothly, you’ll need to create a Blackboard
forum post at least one day prior to your presentation day that indicates 1) the guiding questions you’d
like us all to think about for your presentation day and 2) some analytical and/or critical comments of
your own that you’d like us to discuss together (does the author or text you’re discussing have a more or
less satisfactory answer to some question we’ve seen before during the semester? Is there an
unresolved philosophical tension in some central claims of the text? Does the text throw some
particularly interesting or useful light on an external or real-world concern?)
Participation
As you no doubt know by now, Women’s Studies and Philosophy are best done conversationally—so it’s
incredibly important that everyone in this class think of themselves as semester-long conversation
partners, rather than simply as students who come to sit in (or, heaven forbid, hide in the back of) class.
It’s also important to note that the best conversations happen when we all take care to prepare for
them—which means that your job in this class is not just to speak up, but to come prepared (i.e., having
done the reading) to contribute helpfully to our general classroom experience. Thus, to get good marks
in this component, you’ll need to do the following things:
- Come to class regularly, and do not miss more than 2 classes. (n.b.: more absences than this will
result in a reduction of your overall participation grade by half a letter grade per additional
absence)
- Contribute positively to the general class discussion in a way that demonstrates critical
engagement (i.e., specifically references the reading and classmate contributions).
- Come prepared, having done the reading and brought it with you to class.
- Abide by the Classroom Conduct policy (see below)
Exam
There will be one final exam in this class. It will cover the content of the texts we read.
Feminist Praxis Project OR Feminist Theory Paper
This is the major final project that you will complete this semester, which may take one of two forms:
either a Praxis Project, which puts a theoretical text or texts to work in a service learning and/or activist
project, or a significant argumentative term/research paper that articulates and defends a position on
the value of a specific theoretical text or texts for feminist theory and/or ethics and/or philosophy.
- Praxis Project: Must be accompanied by a 5 page paper explaining the connections between
your project and the text or texts you draw on, a summary of your methodology in choosing and
completing this project, relevant secondary literature for such a project, and the conclusions you
have drawn as a result. You should also submit documentation of the work you have done (the
format will vary depending on the project), and give a short presentation on your work, which
2
-
may be scheduled inside or outside of class, depending on student preference, and whether the
project would be enhanced by exposure to a wider audience.
Theory Paper: 12-15 pages. Must be and argumentative/thesis-driven paper concerned with at
least one of the major texts and ideas we encounter in this course. It should also employ
significant outside research, citing at least 5 outside sources. Papers should follow the Chicago
style manual.
Project/Paper Workshop
Since the above assignment is a major project that will benefit from significant feedback and revision,
we will complete it in stages. After submitting a project/paper proposal for approval, you’ll begin
working on it prior to our workshop date. At the workshop, we’ll talk together about each of your work,
and offer feedback to one another. In order to fully participate in the workshop, you’ll need to 1) be in
class that day, 2) POST A WORKING DRAFT of your paper or project at least 48 hours prior to the
workshop (if you’re doing a project, please post a brief working draft of your accompanying document,
and be prepared to present a summary of your outside work), and 3) offer constructive feedback to your
classmates, both in class and afterwards on Blackboard.
Schedule
Laying the Groundwork: Feminism as a Struggle Against Oppression
1/8 – Introduction, What is Feminism?
1/10 – Marilyn Frye, “Oppression,” (BB) bell hooks, Feminism is for Everybody, Intro-Ch 2
How did we get here? Feminism(s)’s Foremothers
1/15 – Wollstonecraft, excerpts from Vindication of the Rights of Women (BB)
1/17 – Beauvoir, The Second Sex, excerpts (BB)
1/22 - Beauvoir, The Second Sex, excerpts (BB)
1/24 –Lorber, “The Social Construction of Gender” (BB), Crenshaw, “Mapping the Margins” (BB)
Feminism as Politics
1/29 – Harriet Taylor Mill, “The Enfranchisement of Women,” Anna Julia Cooper, “Woman versus the
Indian” (BB)
1/31 – Okin, Justice, Gender and the Family, Chapter 1
2/5 – Okin, Justice, Gender and the Family, Chapter 5 & Ch. 6 pp. 124-133
2/7 – Okin, Chapter 7 & Ch. 8, pp. 170-180
2/12 – hooks, Chapters 5, 7-9
2/14 – Chandra T. Mohanty, “Women Workers and Capitalist Scripts” (BB)
Feminist Epistemology
2/19 – Linda Martín Alcoff, “How is Epistemology Political?” (BB); hooks ch 4
2/21 - Sandra Harding “‘Strong Objectivity’ and Socially Situated Knowledge” (BB)
2/26 – Lorraine Code, “Taking Subjectivity into Account,” (BB)
2/28 – Collins, Black Feminist Thought, Preface and Chapter 1
3
SPRING BREAK
3/12 – Patricia Hill Collins, Black Feminist Thought, Chapter 2
3/14 – Collins, Chapter 10
3/19 – Collins, Black Feminist Thought, Chapter 11
3/21 – Uma Narayan, “The Project of Feminist Epistemology” (BB)
Who is the Subject of Feminism? What is a Woman, Anyway?
3/26 – Butler, Gender Trouble Chapter 1
3/28 – Butler, Chapter 1 contd., PROPOSALS FOR FINAL PROJECT/PAPER DUE
4/2 – Butler, Gender Trouble, 144-159, 166-174
4/4 – Butler, 183-203
4/9 – Cordelia Fine, Delusions of Gender, Introduction, Chapters 1, 4, 7
4/11 – PAPER/PROJECT WORKSHOP
4/16 - Fine, Delusions of Gender, Chapters 9-10, 12-13, 16
4/18 – Fine, Chapters 19-20, Epilogue
4/23 – Wrapping Up: (How) To Be Feminist(s)?; hooks 12-13, 15-16
4/25 – FINAL PROJECT/PAPERS DUE
FINAL EXAM: 5/2/13, 1 PM
Classroom Conduct
We’re going to talk quite a bit about arguments in this class—and we’ll definitely have a few of our
own!—but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have ground rules. In fact, being respectful of one another,
even when we disagree, is absolutely crucial to making this an environment in which everyone can learn.
There are several ways we can show one another respect; the following are the ones I insist upon:
-
We may attack ideas, but never people.
Listen to others when they’re talking.
Don’t use cell phones, computers, or other personal electronic devices in the classroom UNLESS
you are using them to read an electronic copy of a course text.
Any other ground rules we agree upon as a group
Academic Honesty
Students in this course are governed by the provisions of the JMU Honor Code. I will not hesitate to fail
students who violate the Honor Code in this course.
Disability Access
JMU abides by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act,
which mandate reasonable accommodations be provided for students with documented disabilities. If
you have a disability and may require some type of instructional and/or examination accommodations,
please contact me early in the semester so that I can provide or facilitate provision of accommodations
4
you may need. If you have not already done so, you will need to register with the Office of Disability
Service, the designated office on campus to provide services for students with disabilities. The office is
located in Wilson Hall 107, and you may call 540-568-6705 for more information.
Additionally, because my office is on the second floor of a building that is not fully accessible, please let
me know if you would like to meet on the ground floor. I will be happy to make arrangements to meet
you in the lobby of Cleveland Hall at a designated time, should this be necessary for any reason.
Email Policy
I strive to remain in contact with you by email as quickly as possible, but I will not respond to messages
sent after 9 PM until the next day. Additionally, please ensure that your emails to me include adequate
greetings, signature, and information for me to respond effectively (no one-line questions, please!).
Finally, please note that I do not discuss grades by email. You may keep track of individual grades on
Blackboard; if you would like to discuss a concern about a grade, please make an appointment to talk
with me in person or by phone during office hours.
5