Women and Disability Course Description
UGIS 112, CC# 88924 Spring Semester 2014, 3 Units, Thurs 4:00-7:00 pm
Marsha Saxton, Ph.D., Instructor, 510-255-6349, marsax@wid.org
This course will explore the intersections of women’s experience and disability issues, as well as with a range of
other issues, such as race and class, in the global context. We will investigate the social, political and personal
impact of disability and chronic illness on relationships, identity, employment, health, body image, sexuality,
reproduction, motherhood, aging and other issues.
Through stories of real women’s and girls’ lives which reached the media in the last decade and before, students
will move toward a dynamic understanding of the impact of physical, emotional and mental disabilities in the
context of current social forces and public policy, primarily in the U.S, but with some comparison with other
countries. Using lectures, discussion, readings, films and assignments, we will explore feminist analyses of
disability issues, historic perspectives and current trends in medicine, independent living, care-giving, insurance,
public benefits, law, and community activism. We will look at how they affect and are affected by disabled women
and girls and their families. Discussion will focus on controversial ethical issues such as prenatal screening,
wrongful birth law suits, and physician-assisted suicide. Course readings will utilize the rich literature of disabled
women’s anthologies, biography and autobiography, scholarly and popular literature, feminist analyses, creative
writing, women’s art, film and theatre.
Required Texts
There will be two books, a printed reader and web-based readings for this course.
Reader: This collection acquaints students with a wide selection of disability scholarly, advocacy and popular
literature, including pieces which focus on particular women with disabilities. This reader collects pieces from
recent and historic scholarly journals, personal narrative, general, feminist and disability community popular media,
and summaries of statutes. This is for sale at Copygraphik, 2282 Fulton, Berkeley, 843-5251 (across from the
Athletic Ticket office.)
International Leadership Forum for Women with Disabilities Final Report, World Institute on Disability.
This book will be available at Copygraphik or from the instructor.
There is a choice of books for the third book. Choose ONE of the following texts, which will determine your
participation in a discussion group. You must obtain your copy no later than Week Three. Used copies of these
are easily available on the web and many are in used book stores. AbeBooks.com is recommended for online
orders.
Danquah, Meri Nan-Ama, Willow Weep for Me:A Black Woman's Journey Through Depression, Random
Finger, Anne, Past Due: A Story of Disability, Pregnancy, and Birth. Seal Press.
Klein, Bonnie Sherr. Slow Dance: A Story of Stroke, Love and Disability. Vintage, Canada
Johnson, Harriet McBryde. Too Late to Die Young: Nearly True Tales from a Life. Henry Holt.
Rousso, Harilyn. Don’t Call Me Inspirational. Temple University Press. 2013.
Wendell, Susan. The Rejected Body: Feminist Philosophical Reflections on Disability. Routledge
Mairs, Nancy, Waist High in the World: Life Among the Non-Disabled Beacon Press
Rosner, Jennifer, If a Tree Falls: A Family's Quest to Hear and Be Heard. Feminist Press
Linton, Simi, My Body Politic: A Memoir. University of Michigan Press
Finger, Anne, Elegy for a Disease: A Personal and Cultural History of Polio. St. Martin's Press
Class Assignments and Requirements
Students are expected to complete assigned readings before each class as listed in the syllabus. Students are
responsible for obtaining handouts and reading assignments for missed classes. Please be in contact with at least
one other student "buddy" in class to keep up in case of absence. Keep your own copy of each assignment for your
records. Please back-up your computer! See Assignment Checklist below to help you keep track.
Midterm, Quizzes, Final and Papers
Two midterm tests and a final test will be given to assess comprehension and integration of concepts. Occasional
pop-quizzes prep sheets will help prepare students for the midterms. There will be journals, short papers and a brief
class presentation.
Active Participation in Class
Students are encouraged to participate actively in class, which means a combination of the following: sharing ideas
in discussion and small groups, interacting with other students to support their learning, sharing references and
information with the class, and regular attendance. Please notify the instructor if you are aware in advance
that you will miss a class.
“Step Up/ Step Back” in Class Discussion: Students are asked to pay attention to the class group dynamic:
Students who are confident in discussion are asked to refrain from dominating and to encourage less vocal students
to join in. Less vocal students are encouraged to speak up! For ideas on participating more actively, please see the
instructor.
Office Hours: Students are encouraged to email, call or visit the instructor for office hours if you have
questions about the course material or assignments. Appointments can be made individually before or after class
or at other times. Dr. Saxton’s contact information: phone, 510-225-6349, marsax@wid.org. Informal small
group discussion time outside class time will be planned during the semester.
Short Paper Topics
1. Short Self-Introduction, one page, 1.5 spacing, typed, on paper. Write a brief (one or two page) selfassessment of your familiarity with disability issues and with women’s issues, as a baseline for assessing
your learning in this course. It should include the following: describe how disability issues and women’s
issues might be relevant to the constituencies you anticipate (or already) work with. Mention any related
courses, workshops or conferences you've attended. Generate two or more specific learning goals for
yourself in this course. Personal disclosure of disability is not at all required or expected. Submit this on
paper in class, Week Two.
2. Weekly Journal: For each of weeks three through six, submit on paper, three, a one-page journal entry of
your own thoughts, feelings and questions in response to the class discussions, readings, movies, speakers,
and assignments, single-spaced, on paper. Your audience is your peers in this class. Include questions that
arose for you in reading the texts. Personal disclosure of disability is not at all required or expected. The
journal must be kept up or it is not an effective learning tool. Please don’t wait until the end of the
semester to write and submit journals.
Journals on B Space (or b Course)
To encourage you to learn from and share your journals with other students, post at least one of your
journals to our class b space. Peruse through these and select one or more which are interesting for you
to reflect and comment about. Look for insights and differing points of view. Take an appreciative, nonjudgmental perspective in your comments. You are welcome to disagree, but only with generous respect
for others’ points of view.
3. Paper: International Disabled Women’s Research (three to five pages, 1.5 spacing, typed, submitted
on paper in class. See due date in class calendar.) Select a country and/or disabled women’s organization
referenced in the International Leadership Forum book.
 Conduct web research on this country and/or group, to update the class on their progress in
challenging oppression of disabled women.
 You may conduct email correspondence with one or more women’s organizations to learn more
than is available from web sources only. (To do this you must begin early!)
 Develop one or two specific, clearly-stated research questions which you will then address in
your web research.
 Include some exploration of the cultural context of disabled women’s oppression.
 Clearly and fully cite your sources, including web sources, using end notes or footnotes.
4. Paper: Resistance to and Internalization of Oppression (three to five pages, 1.5 spacing, submitted
on paper in class. See due date in class calendar.) Your paper will draw from our readings and
discussion on issues of gender, bodies, sexuality, reproduction, abuse and violence, offering your own
analysis of the effects of oppression on disabled women. Find in our readings, including your book
choice, at least four specific examples of ways disabled women both internalize and resist oppression
and mistreatment. Cite at least four sources such as web or course readings, using footnotes or endnotes
and proper citation format. Target the audience of your peers, as described above.
5. Brief Presentations on Book Choices To stimulate discussion about these book choices, students will
be called upon and/or scheduled to make brief presentations of their learning from these books. Students
may plan and present in pairs or groups if they wish. For the presentations, select one or more interesting
passages or poems which raise and illustrate important issues from our course, as a basis for discussion
with the whole group. If you use presentation media technologies, make sure they are fully
accessible to our own class members with vision or hearing impairments. This will be further
explained in class.
6. Final Reflections/ Course Summary (one or two pages.) To summarize your own learning in this
course, use your papers and tests to analyze your progress in understanding women-and-disability issues.
Draw on and refer to readings, videos and guest speakers from the course, as well as reflecting on the
evolution of your own knowledge and insight. Include several goals for your future learning about
disability and women’s issues beyond this course.
Please adhere to these guidelines for assignments:
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You must date, LABEL and TITLE your assignments. The label refers to the assignment descriptor
listed in this syllabus. The title is your own creative title that you devise. Both are required for full
credit. These help us keep track of many students’ work.
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Be careful not to plagiarize! When using web sources, it is easy to lift and transfer text and forget it is
not your own writing. Plagiarism is illegal and can result in failing course or other serious consequences.
It is quite easy for an instructor to notice and find plagiarism. If you get by with it, you are playing a
dangerous game.
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Audience for your papers: Your intended audience for these papers should be your academic peers, as
if intended for publication in the Daily Californian, for example, or another campus journal, newspaper
or e-zine. Don’t direct your writing to the instructor. Address your thinking to others who may not yet
have information about disability or women’s issues. This will encourage you to make clear, basic
explanations of important concepts, with good examples, rather than making assumptions about what
your reader already knows.
Please follow assignment instructions. You are instructed to follow the requests of the assignment
carefully because to grade so many essays equitably, instructors must compare each student paper, and
answers on tests, with all the others for presence of specific elements and completeness in responding to
the questions. Otherwise, it’s a guess, and not equitable or fair grading.
Papers will be evaluated on the basis of:
Logical coherence (Does it make sense? Do your thoughts, development and conclusions hang together? Is
it good, clear thinking?)
Depth, creativity of analysis and accurate application of concepts from the course. (Are you employing your
new knowledge and analytic skills from our course actively, creatively and meaningfully?)
University-level writing style and accuracy, including the correct assignment label, a meaningful title for
the piece, and appropriate use and citation of references. Please use APA referencing format or other
formats of your choice, for footnotes or endnotes, as long as they are consistent and accurate. (Is this
university-level writing, editing and referencing? Are you acknowledging and citing sources fully and
accurately?)
Points are lost for lateness. Requests for late submission of papers must be made in advance of the due
date, not the day it’s due.
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Assignment Checklist
Assignment
Obtain Reader and ILFWD
Choose and obtain Book Choice
Self-Introduction
Three Journals
Date completed, submitted
Notes
Paper: Int’l DW Research
Paper: Resistance to Oppression
Book Choice Presentation
Final Reflections Summary
Final Take Home paper
Accommodation Students with disabilities may be legally entitled to reasonable accommodation such as extended
time for in-class tests, note takers, captioning, or other assistance. These accommodations are managed by the
campus Disabled Student Program, DSP. Students with concerns or accommodation needs related to disability,
childcare, work conflicts, or other circumstances affecting learning or class participation should communicate with
the instructor. Generally, only students with print-media disabilities may submit assignments via e-mail. Contact
the Disabled Student Program if you think you may be eligible for disability accommodation. DSP students, please
discuss your accommodation needs with the instructor well before tests or assignments are due.
Grading
Please see the grading policy in this syllabus. An A requires rigorous completion of assignments, demonstration
of exemplary learning in the course, enthusiastic class participation, and regular attendance. Assignments will
be graded with a point system:
 Self-introduction and Final Reflections, 2 points each;
 Attendance and class participation, 1 point each;
 Three journals, 3 points each;
 Midterm 20 points;
 Class presentation, 5 points;
 Papers One and Two, 20 points each;
 Take-Home Final, 20 points;
 for a total of 100 points for the course.
Policy on Letters of Recommendation Requests must be made with at least three week’s notice for letters of
recommendation. Last minute requests cannot be met. If you need a letter, please make the effort to connect
and acquaint me with your positive attributes and graduate school or internship plans well before you ask for
a letter.
Women and Disability Course Topics and Readings, Spring 2014
Please read these entries by the week they are listed. Test dates may be changed.
Week 1. Jan 22 Course overview
Introduction to disability and disabled women’s issues
Due Dates and Notes
2. Jan 29 Feminism(s) and Disability
“Reassigning Meaning” (excerpt from Claiming Disability: Knowledge and Identity,
by Simi Linton, New York University Press, 1998)
http://www.disabilitystudiesforteachers.org/files/ReassigningMeaning.pdf
Reader: Mason, “The Breaking of Relationships”
Self-Introduction due today
La Spina Disabled Women Forging a Proud Identity
[This week’s readings are also on the web!
Iris Marion Young, Five Faces of Oppression
Google name and author.]
3. Feb 5 Stereotyping: Literature and Media
Reader: Updike, J. “Large for Her Years,”
Helen Keller, “The Story of My Life,”
Wolf, Kathi, “Heros and Holy Innocents,”
Kent, Deborah, “In Search of Heroines”
Moore, C.T. “Feminisms”
Journal One due today
Select/ sign up book choice
Journal one due today.
4. Feb 12 Activism and the Legal System
Obtain and begin your book
Reader: Johnson, Mary, “Sandusky and Dillery” and other Dillery articles,
Scott, “Disabled Woman, Alameda Depot Settles Bias”
Kowalski articles, International Leadership Forum Report pp.2-61
5. Feb 19 Other/Identity/Social Construction of Disability
Reader: Patterson, “A Glimpse of Transformation,”
Hershey, “Coming Out in Voices,”
Herrera, on Frida Kahlo, “The Little Deer”
International Leadership Forum Report pp 62-129,
6. Feb 26 Disabled Women as Feminists
Reader: Zones, “Beauty Myths and Realities,”
Maddox, “Seven year Itch,”
Klein, “We Are Who You Are”
International Leadership Forum Report pp. 130 to end
Journal Two due
Journal Three due today
7. Mar 5 Bodies, Normality, Abuse and Violence
Reader: Fraser, “the Inner Corset”
Making Room for Fat Studies in Writing Center Theory:
http://projects.uwc.utexas.edu/index.php/praxis/article/view/94/html
8. Mar 12 Women, Depression and the Mental Health System
Reader: Weber et al, “Women, Power and Mental Health,”
Paper One due today
9. Mar 19 The Medical System and Chronic Illness
Reader: Wilkinson, “Stealth”, Gill, “The Last Sisters”
International Leadership Forum Report pp. 130-end
10. (Spring Break, no class on Mar 26)
11. Apr 2 Medical Ethics, and the Ethics of Care
Waxman, “Disabled Women and Suicide”, Schaivo articles
Edwards, “The Case of Joanne Harris”
Saxton, “Deposition for Baby Savannah’s Wrongful Birth Case”
Saxton, “Kane ADA Case
Midterm in class today
12. Apr 9 Feminist Ethics of Care, Caregiving Issues, cont.
Reader: Saxton, “Caring for Pay,”
Klein, “Too Close for Comfort”
13. Apr 16 Eugenics, Reproductive Rights and Parenting
Blumberg “Eugenics vs. Reproductive Choice”
Saxton, “Reproductive Rights: A Disability Rights Issue”
Paper Two due today
14. April 23 Reproductive Issue, continued
Reader: Bree Walker articles
Sanghavi “Wanting Babies Like Themselves”
Take Home Final distributed today
15. April 30 Last Class
Pot luck party: bring healthy snacks to share!
Final Reflections due today
Please note: No term papers or journals accepted after the last class.
Contents of Course Reader for Women and Disability, UGIS 112
Syllabus: Course Description and Weekly Topics, Reading and Assignments Schedule
Grading Policy
La Spina, Nadina, Disabled Woman, The Forging of a Proud Identity
Saxton, Marsha. Disability Feminism. “Revisioning Feminism Around the World.”Feminist Press
Mason, Micheline, “The Breaking of Relationships,” Parents in Partnerships/Integration Alliance
Young, Iris Marion, “Five Faces of Oppression.”
Updike, John. “Large for Her Years.” New Yorker pp.73-76.
Keller, Helen. The Story of My Life. New York: Airmont Publishing Company, Inc., 1965.
Wolfe, Kathi. “Heroes and Holy Innocents.” Utne Reader (Jan-Feb 1996), pp.24-26.
Kent, Debbie, “In Search of a Heroine: Images of Women with Disabilities in Fiction and Drama.” Women
with Disabilities: Essays in Psychology, Culture and Politics Temple Univ. Press
Moore, CT. “Feminisms,” Feminism and Women’s Studies website
Johnson, Mary. “Sandusky and Dillery: What Do They Mean to the Disability Movement?” New Mobility (Jan
2000), pp.26-31.
“New Mobility’s Person of the Year: Kelly Dillery.” New Mobility (Jan 2000), p.33.
Scott, Thayer C. “Disabled Woman, Alameda Depot Settle Bias Suit.” San Francisco Chronicle (Nov 97).
Bilofsky, Ellen. “Ropes “Round a Wheelchair,” &“The Fragile Rights of Sharon Kowalski.” Health/PAC
Bulletin (Spring 1989), pp.4-13.
“I’ll Be an Activist for the Rest of My Life: Interview with Karen Thompson.” Health/PAC Bulletin (Spring
1989), pp.14-16.
“Witnesses support Thompson: Hearing to decide Kowalski guardianship.”St. Cloud (Minn.) Times (Dec.6, 90).
Patterson, Ernestine Amani. “A Glimpse Into A Transformation,” from With the Power of Each Breath: A
Disabled Women’s Anthology. Susan E. Browne, Debra Connors, Nanci Sterns, Editors. Pittsburgh: Cleis
Press.
Hershey, Laura. “Coming Out in Voices,” in Women and Therapy: A Feminist Quarterly Vol. 14, ‘93
Herrera, Hayden, “The Little Deer,” in Frida: A Bibliography of Frida Kahlo, NY: Harper & Row ‘85
Zones, Jane Sprague. “Beauty Myths and Realities and Their Impact on Women’s Health,” chapter 10 from
Women’s Health: Complexities and Differences. Sheryl Burt Ruzek, Virginia L. Olesen, and Adele E. Clarke,
Editors. Columbus: Ohio State University Press.
Maddox, Sam. “Seven Year Itch.” New Mobility (May-June 1994), pp.35-38.
Klein, Bonnie Sherr. “We Are Who You Are: Feminism and Disabilty.” Ms. (Nov/Dec 1992), pp.70-74.
Fraser, Laura, “The Inner Corset” in Loosing It: America’s Obsession with Weight and the Industry that Feeds
on It. NY Dutton, 2007.
Weber, Hancock and Higginbotham. “Women, Power and Mental Health,” from Women’s Health:
Complexities and Differences, Ruzek, Olesen, Clark, editors, Columbus Ohio State Univ. 1998
Wilkinson, Willy, “Stealth,” in Stricken: Voices from the Hidden Epidemic of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,
Peggy Munson, Editor, NY: Hawaorth Press, 2000
Gill, Carol, “The Last Sisters: Health Issues of Women with Disabilities,” from Women’s Health: Complexities
and Differences, Ruzek, Olesen, Clark, editors, Columbus Ohio State University
Waxman Fiduccia, Barbara.“Disabled Women and Suicide: Dying to be free?” Ragged Edge
Davis, Lennard, “Terry Schaivo: Medical Facts Aside” (Draft article)
Timeline of Terry Schaivo’s Case, Chicago Tribune
Disability Rights Issue, Not Dead Yet,
Why is Dead Better than Disabled? Denise Karuth, Daily Hampshire Gazette.
Edwards, Steven D. “The Case of Joanne Harris.” Ethics and Intellectual Disability
Klein, Michael C. “Too Close for Comfort?” Canadian Medical Association Journal (January 1, 1997), pp.53Saxton, Marsha, Deposition for Baby Savannah’s Wrongful Birth Case
Saxton, Marsha, “Cole v. CBC” Expert Witness Report in an ADA case, 2013.
Saxton, Marsha. “Caring for Pay: Rewards and Demands of Caregiving as a Job” WID White Paper
Blumberg, Lisa. “Eugenics vs. Reproductive Choice.” The Disability Rag & Resource (Jan/Feb 1994), .3-11.
Saxton, Marsha. “Reproductive Rights: A Disability Rights Issue,” from Women’s Health: Complexities and
Differences, Ruzek, Olesen, Clark, editors, Columbus Ohio State University
Seligmann, Jean with Foote, Donna. “Whose Baby is it Anyway?” Newsweek (Oct 28, 1991), p.73.
Holmes, Steven A. “TV Anchor’s Disability Stirs Debate.” The New York Times NATIONAL (Aug 23, 1991).
Sanghavi, Darshak “Wanting Babies Like Themselves“ NY Times
Grading Policy for Courses Taught by Marsha Saxton
This policy is offered in response to an increasing number of students, who, at the end of the semester,
question the grade they were assigned. Hopefully this will clarify key issues in student’s concerns.
This class, as an elective in a social science field, typically has a very high proportion of students already
familiar with crucial elements of this course’s content: social issues, social theory, “critical thinking,1” and
formal university-level writing standards. Also, many students in these classes have already taken disability
studies courses. This may put some very smart students in non-social science disciplines at a disadvantage in
grading. This happens with other courses at Cal and is common and unavoidable in a university like UCB.
Grades are based on a competitive assessment of performance in the learning process. This competition may
create the illusion that some people are considered “better” than the others, implying that they are better people.
But many factors go into the achievement of higher grades, such as having more resources or privileges
growing up. This last point is an example of “critical thinking.” We explore the impact of social and political
factors including disability, race, class background, and gender, in distributing the key privileges, money and
access to education, that support, among other things, acquiring the complex sets of skills and abilities which
help enable high grades.
As students, and instructors, however, we have tacitly agreed to submit to this process by placing ourselves at
UCB, a very competitive school.
Some students, within their major fields, are used to getting an A in their courses, because they excel in that
area of scholarship. They may be surprised when their academic performance in another area doesn’t gain an A.
All students are under pressure, perhaps from their families and plans for graduate school and career, to try to
achieve high grades. This pressure adds to the competition.
For this class typically, not more than a third of the class will receive an A for the semester, sometimes
less than a third, depending on the curve created by the particular group of students. That, of course,
means that the rest of the class will get grades lower than As. Please consider the possibility that this
might include you. (If this is unthinkable, consider this as a “critical thinking challenge,” to put yourself
in the shoes of other students, and explore the implications of this for your life.)
Please carefully review the grading system for this course described in the syllabus. Note that there are no
“extra credit” assignments to raise grades. Pass/Not Pass may be an option for some students.
Students are encouraged to meet with their instructors if they are concerned about grades, comprehension of
course concepts, writing standards or other issues related to their classes. This is the purpose of office hours.
I have read and understand the above grading policy.
Signed,
1
Defined as, "purposeful, self-regulatory judgment which results in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and inference, as
well as explanation of the evidential, conceptual, methodological, criteriological, or contextual considerations upon which
that judgment is based." from Facione, Peter A. Critical Thinking: What It is and Why It Counts, Insightassessment.com,
2013 update.