Monmouth College
Spring 2006
 

Course Goals:

•  to synthesize your other WOST classes;

•  to analyze, in a seminar setting, great documents and topics of the feminist struggle;

• to write up, in journal or essay form, your college journey through Women’s Studies; and

• to help you become "graduates who articulate well-reasoned arguments that are as civil as they are persuasive" by publicly debating four current women's studies topics based upon the books we're reading.

  • The above quote comes from President Ditzler's "Guiding Principles, 2005-2010."  His subpoints are:

    • "We will support our democratic society by creating citizens who are open to the views of others even as they skillfully articulate their own positions."

    • "We will teach our graduates to marshal evidence and then use it to present well-reasoned arguments; they will understand the importance of doing this with civility."

Responsibilities:

• Reading, contemplating, and wrestling with the assigned documents before we meet. In so doing, you honor your foremothers who wrote them.
   

• Attending each class. In so doing, you honor your colleagues.  This is a true seminar, with less than ten students.  Attendance, therefore, is mandatory.  On the third absence, your course grade will drop one whole grade, and will continue to drop with each successive absence.  If absences have earned you an F in the course, you will no longer be allowed to attend.
   

• Participating in discussions.  In fact, you will be graded on your participation. Each of us must commit ourselves to the project of enhancing each other's understanding.  Verbal contributions to discussions are just as necessary as engaged listening.  In class, our speaking should be thoughtful and responsive to others' comments and perspectives, and our listening should be active and dedicated to understanding others' point of view.  5 points possible per class.

  • To those of you who readily contribute to discussions: I am depending upon you NOT to dominate the discussions, but to be sensitive to those who may feel less comfortable speaking in seminars than you do. Be sensitive also to the fact that all of you are being graded on discussion, and if you talk all the time, you put your colleagues at a disadvantage. Remember too, that there is never only one way to view, nor only one way to define, a topic.
     

  • To those of you who hate to speak in discussions: I truly do care about what you are thinking--and I truly do value both your presence here and your thoughts. Fight against thinking your thoughts aren’t significant. Don’t let those who speak a lot inhibit you. If you are unclear about something, it’s a given that someone else is unclear about the same thing. Asking questions helps us all to clarify the documents, and so is a useful service. If you are thinking totally differently about a subject, then we REALLY need to hear it--don’t assume that it’s not "correct" just because it’s different. If you find that you cannot speak up in class, please come see me early in the semester and we’ll talk about it.
     

• Researching one woman who has been important to Monmouth College's past.  This is in support of CWA's project to honor Monmouth's women.  Your responsibilities will include compiling a biography of her and writing up a paragraph suitable for reading at an awards ceremony.  This may entail archival research as well as one or more oral interviews.  50 points.  Due 20 April by 5:00 p.m.

  • Sue Huseman:  A. Hardin

  • Carolyn Tyrin Kirk: S. Miller

  • Mary Crow:  J. Thomas

  • Alice Winbigler:  J. Jasmer

  • Jean Liedman:  E. Lipecka

  • Bernice Fox:  D. Abrams

  • Dorothy Donald:  L. Rolando
     

• Debating three topics, based upon the four main texts.  These debates will take the place of the research paper usually assigned in this class.  The debates will be presented to a semi-public audience.  You will be assigned the side of each issue to argue.  200 total points per debate.  More on this in class.

  • Lesbian rights

  • Abortion

  • Women and environmental toxins

    • Part of this assignment will be bringing articles to every class on these topics--for on Tuesdays and against on Thursdays.  
       

• Interviewing a woman about some topic related to this course, OR the original idea of a female business leader, and writing a report based on that interview.  In class we will discuss some questions that have arisen from our studies in an effort to locate three or four questions that all of your interviews will have in common.  This interview should last no less than thirty minutes.   50 points.
   

•  Writing a thoughtful, creative, wide-ranging, entirely personal journey paper that chronicles your Women’s Studies journey while at Monmouth College.

       I hope this paper will be a wonderful, cathartic experience for you, and a way to look back over the events of the past four years of your life. I expect that some of you will begin the story long before your matriculation here. The journey paper should allow you to see your personal and intellectual growth, framed by the Women’s Studies classes you’ve had. It should emphasize both what you have learned in and out of the classroom, and highlight the nexus.  This is a paper you should be working on all semester long, making notes at the very least.

     It should be written in first person, as you are telling your own journey, and in format will either be a journal or an essay.  This paper is due before 5:00 p.m. on Friday, 28 April 2006. You must hand in this paper in order to receive credit for this course.  100 points.  Late papers will not be graded.  We will meet at my house during the final exam period to discuss these final papers.

academic dishonesty policy:  I follow the Monmouth College academic dishonesty policy strictly.  If you plagiarize in this course it may result "not only in failure in the course, but in dismissal or expulsion from the College."  Please bear this in mind, and come see me with any questions you may have.

Return to Prof. Cordery's home page.
Return to the Women's Studies home page.