The course WST 220: Introduction to Women’s Studies is an examination of the forces that shape women’s lives from the perspective of various disciplines such as psychology, sociology, masculinity theory, and history. It also explores ways in which gender intersects with ethnicity, race, and socio-economic class to form social constructs. We will use theoretical, historical and cross-cultural frameworks to explore cultural representations of women, various aspects of women’s experiences, both with public institutions and personal relationships, as well as ways in which their lives have been shaped by structures of gender inequality. Special attention will be placed on feminism and women as agents of local and global social change.

This interdisciplinary and cross-cultural course will foster students’ understanding of women’s studies as an academic discipline in light of concepts and theories proposed by feminist, gender and women’s studies scholars. We will examine their applicability across cultures within the US and among selected societies in Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Europe and Latin America. The course is also designed to empower young women and men and allow them to become agents of positive social change.

This course introduces students to women’s experiences in Latin America and the Caribbean from colonial times to current days. Through the lenses of sex and gender, we will investigate debates on class, race, and ethnicity while looking at major historical events. We will rely on several primary and secondary sources such as archival documents, oral histories, arts, and visual resources that will help us understand how gender shaped the political, social, cultural, and economic structures of Latin America. In this light, questions of labor, economy, justice, reproduction, sexuality, imperialism, slavery, politics, state formation, and revolution will be addressed.

An activity meant to spur critical analysis of a shared reading. A handful of important quotes are placed on digital or physical boards. Participants should write a combination of “believe” comments, in which they support the author’s position, and “doubt” comments, in which they critique it.

Activity developed within the Writing Across the Curriculum program; description written in part by Lehman WAC coordinators Tiffany DeJaynes and Vani Kannan.