Syllabus

Introduction to Gender Studies: A Global Perspective

Babson College/Spring 2022
CVA 2010-01 TTH 9:45 -11:20
CVA 2010-02 TTH 11:30-1:05

Professor Mary Godwyn

Hollister 102 Ext. 5603
mgodwyn@babson.edu
Office Hours: Online by appointment
Webex page: https://babson.webex.com/meet/mgodwyn

Men are from Earth. Women are from Earth. Get over it.
~ Gary Wood

It's not what you don't know that gets you in trouble.
It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.
~Mark Twain

Gender is a shell game. What is a man? Whatever a woman isn't. What is a woman?
Whatever a man is not. Tap on it and it's hollow.
Look under the shells: it's not there.”
— Naomi Alderman

In this class, we will do what Peter Singer called the “chief task of philosophy,” and
that is to “question the basic assumptions of the age.”1

Gender flag (explains the course image) https://www.courier-

journal.com/story/life/2019/06/03/lgbtq-gay-transgender-bisexual-pansexual-pride-
flag-colors-meaning/1284689001/

Required Texts*

Books: Copies of all books are on reserve at the library. Our main textbook, The
Gendered Society, is accessible digitally (see link below). All other books must be
purchased from online or brick and mortar bookstores. There are also two films that
must be rented/purchased online.

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Peter Singer, All Animals are Equal, in ANIMAL RIGHTS AND HUMAN OBLIGATIONS, 148, 156 (Tom Regan &
Peter Singer, eds. 1976).

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Kimmel, Michael. The Gendered Society. 5th Ed. New York: Oxford University Press.
2012.
The Gendered Society (on EBSCO Ebooks):
https://web-s-ebscohost-
com.ezproxy.babson.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=0&sid=93a48026-d0b4-4519-97cf-
b8642e95afa7%40redis&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=169209&db
=nlebk

Boylan, Jennifer Finney. She's not there. New York: Broadway Books. 2003.
Bordo, Susan. The Male Body. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 2000.
Crittenden, Ann. The Price of Motherhood. New York: Metropolitan Books: 2001.
Atwood, Margaret. The Handmaid's Tale. New York: Anchor Books. 1998.
Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. Herland. 1915. New York: Signet Classic. 1992.

*Our textbook, Gendered Society (Kimmel) is available to read online, and there are
also copies of all texts available on reserve at the Babson Library. Students should
purchase the books they would like to own online or at neighborhood bookstores. Our
books are not at the Babson Bookstore.

Books for Presentations are on Reserve at the Library:

Hernandez, Daisy and Bushra Rehman, eds. Colonize This! New York: Seal Press: 2002.

Saval, Malina. The Secret Lives of Boys. New York: Basic Books. 2009.

Articles (available through link or posted on Canvas):

Rudman, Laurie A., Kris Mescher, and Corrine A. Moss-Racusin. 2012. “Reactions to
Gender Egalitarian Men: Perceived Feminization Due to Stigma by Association,” Group
Processes & Inter-Group Relations. 16(5) 572-599.

“Writing Analytically” chapter 3 posted on Canvas

Lamont, Ellen. 2014. “Negotiating Courtship: Reconciling Egalitarian Ideals with

Traditional,” Gender and Society, Vol. 28, No. 2 (April 2014), pp. 189-211.

Rudman, Laurie A., & Glick, Peter S. (2001). “Prescriptive gender stereotypes and
backlashtoward agentic women,” In Carli, L. L. & Eagly, A. H. (Eds.), Journal of Social
Issues, 57, 743-762.
https://rutgerssocialcognitionlab.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/9/7/13979590/rudmanglick20
01jsi.pdf

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Master, et al. (2016) “Computing Whether She belongs,” Journal of Educational
Psychology. Vol 108. No. 3, 424-437. https://depts.washington.edu/sibl/wp-
content/uploads/2017/10/Master_Computing.pdf

Westphal, James D. and Ithai Stern. 2007. “Flattery will get you Everywhere (Especially
if you are a Male Caucasian): How Integrating Boardroom Behavior, and Demographic
Minority Status Affect Additional Broad Appointments in U.S. Companies.” Academy of
Management Journal. Vol 50. No. 2, 267-288.
http://webuser.bus.umich.edu/westjd/Articles/westphal%20&%20stern%202007.pdf

Blamer, Randall. The Real Origins of the Religious Right: They’ll tell you it was
abortion. Sorry, the historical record’s clear: It was segregation. Politico. May 27, 2014.
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/05/religious-right-real-origins-
107133

Long, Heather. 2020. The Big Factor Holding the Economy Back: Child Care. 21
December 2020. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/07/03/big-factor-
holding-back-us-economic-recovery-child-care/

Rodriguez-Robie. 2019. “It’s A Right-Handed World. What if We Looked at it from the

Left?” https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/01/24/opinion/its-right-handed-world-
what-if-we-looked-it-left/

Mainardi, Pat. 1970. “The Politics of Housework.” 1970.

https://www.cwluherstory.org/classic-feminist-writings-articles/the-politics-of-
housework

Stacey, Judith and Timothy Biblarz. 2010. “How Does the Gender of Parents Matter?”
Journal of Marriage and Family. Vol. 72, pp 3-22. (Canvas)

Half a Million Kids Survived Romania’s Slaughterhouses of souls.’ Now They Want
Justice. Public Radio International, October 28,
2015.https://www.pri.org/stories/2015-12-28/half-million-kids-survived-romanias-
slaughterhouses-souls-now-they-want-justice

“Learning to be Man when you are raised by two Moms” Zach Wahls 2015
https://qz.com/432947/learning-to-be-a-man-when-youre-raised-by-two-moms/

“The Egg and the Sperm” by Emily Martin https://www.imj-

prg.fr/~david.aubin/cours/Textes/Martin_EggSperm.pdf

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President Obama says, “This is What a Feminist Looks Like” Barack Obama
https://www.glamour.com/story/glamour-exclusive-president-barack-obama-says-
this-is-what-a-feminist-looks-like

Schilt, Kristen, 2006. “Just one of the Guys: How Transmen make Gender Visible at
Work” Gender and Society. Vol. 20. No. 4 465-90. (Canvas)

“What Transmen Tell Us About Inequality in the Workplace”

http://bigthink.com/dollars-and-sex/what-transmen-tell-us-about-inequality-in-the-
workplace

Langowitz, Nan S., Allen, Elaine, and Godwyn Mary. 2013. “Early Educational
Outcomes and Gender: Can Educational Interventions Make a Difference?” Gender
and Management, An International Journal. Vol. 28. No. 2. Pp 111-134. (Canvas)

Godwyn, Mary and Langowitz, Nan S. 2015. “It Can Be Done! Organizational
Interventions that Can Reduce the Influence of Gender Prejudice on Perceptions,
Performance, and Aspirations” (coauthored with Nan S. Langowitz) in UN PRME
(Principles for Responsible Management Education) as part of the series Gender
Equality as a Challenge for Business and Management Education, Maureen Kilgour,
Kathryn Haynes, and Patricia Flynn. (Eds.) Sheffield, UK: Greenleaf Publishing, Ltd.
(Canvas)

Anushka Asthana, “Names really do make a difference,” The Guardian.

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2007/apr/29/theobserversuknewspages.uknew
s

Universal childcare
http://www.raisingofamerica.org/sites/default/files/Transcript_OnceUponATime.pdf

Women’s Unpaid Labor is Worth $10,900,000,000,000 By Gus Wezerek and Kristen R.

Ghodsee MARCH 5, 2020
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/03/04/opinion/women-unpaid-
labor.html

“Newly Recorded Condor ‘Virgin Birth,’” https://www.audubon.org/news/newly-

recorded-condor-virgin-birth-another-way-birds-are-reptiles

Female Condors Produce without Mating

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQTEfBHGEAM

“Just make us Equal” Revival of the Equal Rights Amendment

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/17/us/era-amendment-house.html

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List of Fallacies in Arguments – beware of the following:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fallacies

Podcasts:

“LaDonna.” A security guard at the airport notices something going wrong on the
tarmac, and takes it upon herself to fix it. It's way harder than she expects. May 27,
2018. https://www.thisamericanlife.org/647/ladonna

“Slut Shaming: A New Level of Bullying for Girls”

http://www.npr.org/2013/01/07/168812354/online-shaming-a-new-level-of-
cyberbullying-for-girls. to be listened to in class

Universal Child care http://www.npr.org/2016/10/13/497850292/how-politics-killed-

universal-childcare-in-the-1970s (8 min) to be listened to in class

Films:

Middle Sexes 2005 Directed by Anthony Thomas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFoe_0_gThw&ab_channel=PorchaMarieJones

The Deep End 2001. Directed by: Scott McGehee and David Siegel (available to rent on
Prime Video and other outlets)

Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always 2020. Directed by Eliza Hittman (available to rent
or buy on Prime Video and other outlets)

Or

Unpregnant 2020. Directed by Rachel Lee Goldenberg (available on HBO max)

STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE, GRADING, & ASSIGNMENTS

This online course employs a “flipped” rather than traditional classroom. Students will
read and study theory and concepts outside of class and practice applying theories
during class meetings in discussions, presentations and exams. Ultimately, students
will be able to demonstrate their facility with theory and analysis in their final exam.

My goal is to address equity concerns and assure equal access to learning materials for
all students. Please let me know if you are having issues accessing course materials. In
addition to class texts (articles, films, videos, and podcasts) asynchronous aspects of
the course, which will be posted on Canvas, include detailed outlines and lecture

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notes on course texts; I refer to these as “course notes.” My hope is that the course
notes will facilitate students’ understanding of theories and concepts and highlight the
aspects of the texts that are most important to know.

Throughout the course notes, students will see questions (usually written in red).
Exam/quiz questions will be drawn from these questions, theories, and concepts in
course notes. Reading texts and reviewing the course notes should give students a
robust understanding of the course material. Students are expected to read and take
their own notes on class texts and that includes taking notes on the assigned films,
podcasts, and videos.

I will host bi-weekly, synchronous discussion sections during class time on WebEx;
these are not lectures, but meant to serve as tutorials. These are largely unstructured
and available for students who have questions on assignments or readings. I am happy
to clarify theories and concepts in our discussion sections, but I will rely on students to
provide their questions. Please make sure you are prepared to ask any questions you
have! A sound understanding of theories and texts will prepare students for exams.
Student attendance in discussion sections is expected and is the basis of your
participation grade. I ask that you keep your cameras on during online sessions and
that you do not use the chat feature. Synchronous discussion sections are also the
forum for student presentations. All students are expected to read presentation
material and to respond to their classmates’ presentations.

If you are unable to attend synchronous sessions due to a poor internet connection,
please email me your questions and/or schedule a time when we can discuss any
questions you have.

The syllabus is the main source of information for the course. Please check the
syllabus for class objectives, policies, grading, and schedule. Instructions for the
presentation are in the syllabus. My contact information, including my WebEx page
for synchronous discussion sections, is available on the first page of the syllabus.
Also, the syllabus provides links to many of the presentation texts. All texts not
available by link are either posted on Canvas, or available at the library.

CVA Courses:

CVA courses cultivate ethical structures for interrogating the world, understanding
choices, and making decisions. Course in this category focus on frameworks for
critically understanding the cultural constructions of meanings and identities and the
simultaneous and reciprocal construction of cultural and political context by human
beings as ethical agents.

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Disciplines typically represented in the CVA category: American Studies (AMS),
Anthropology (ANT), Ethnomusicology (MUS), Film (FLM), Gender Studies (GDR),
History (HIS), Philosophy (PHL), Politics (POL)

Course Objectives Skills, and Competencies:

This course offers the opportunity to develop proficiency in the following areas:
Global and Multicultural Perspectives, Critical and Integrative Thinking, Ethics and
Social Responsibility, Teamwork, Leadership and Creativity and Rhetoric.

Global and Multicultural Perspectives: We will investigate the construction of gender

as it applies across the lines of race, ethnicity, class and sexuality. We will examine the
transmission of values here in the U.S. as well as how these values affect politics and
culture in other countries.

Critical and Integrative Thinking: Students will come to understand the limiting nature
of the artificial barriers between disciplines and utilize an integrated, holistic approach
to learning and decision-making.

Ethics and Social Responsibility: While considering our own civic and moral
responsibilities, we will be confronting complicated quandaries around the ways in
which injustice and inequality permeate women’s experiences. In essence, we will be
uncovering some disturbing disparities and inequalities based on gender.

Teamwork, Leadership and Creativity: Students will be given the opportunity to work
to create and lead discussion. Those students who are not leading discussion are
expected to participate and respond to their fellow students.

Rhetoric: This course provides the opportunity to develop writing, analytical and
elocution skills through written work including essay-based exams and analytical
presentations.

Learning Goals

In addition to the above, this course offers the opportunity to develop proficiency in
the following areas of Babson’s Learning Goals: Multicultural Perspectives; Critical
and Integrative Thinking, Ethics and SEERS (Social, Environmental, and Economic
Responsibility and Sustainability); Teamwork, Leadership and Creativity, and Rhetoric.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – how individuals identify and strive to eliminate
barriers associated with bias, access, and equity related to individual and social
identities in order to create a climate of belonging and respect.

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  Learning Center:

Any student who may need accommodation(s) based on the impact of a

disability should contact the Department of Accessibility Services (DAS) as
early in the semester as possible. Accessibility Services staff may be reached by
email at accessibility@babson.edu, by phone at (781) 239-4075, or by visiting
Hollister Hall, Suite 220. Accessibility Services staff will coordinate reasonable
academic accommodations for eligible students.”

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Social constructions and symbolic representations reflect societal norms and

expectations; they govern our perception of the world, yet often go unacknowledged
as the mechanisms that reproduce the political and economic privilege of dominant
groups. Without conscientious, critical examination of social constructions, they
remain hidden, taken for granted, invisible assumptions that are considered the only
natural, sensible or possible way of viewing the world.

Since gender is a major category around which inequality is perpetrated in modern

societies, this course introduces the concept of gender as sui generis (a thing in itself).
We will analyze how social and economic inequality are established and reproduced,
and how this process of the reproduction of inequality is often purposely, as well as
unwittingly, accepted and perpetuated by both exploiter and exploited. We will
critically examine definitions of gender on three separate levels:

PERSONAL -- the level of individual actors -- this includes personality, moral agency,
self-presentation and personal accounts.

INTERPERSONAL -- the level of interaction between and among small groups of people
-- this includes everyday interactions on the micro level among family members,
friends and colleagues.

STRUCTURAL -- the level of institutions -- this includes legal, economic, political and
religious systems, the media, the family, workplaces and schools.

We will critically evaluate assumptions about gender that have led to power
inequalities and analyze some ways in which assumptions have been challenged.
Though gender is the main focus, we will also analyze how race, class, sexual
orientation, culture, and religion form a matrix of identities that are interpreted on a
personal, interpersonal, and structural level.

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This is a discussion-based course. I place a high value on students’ interpretations of
the texts and on students’ positions regarding gender issues. Since many of the
issues we will discuss may affect you personally, be prepared to be challenged and
to challenge the texts. Ideally, you will reconsider what you think you know and
what is important to you. The expectation for this course is that students actively
participate in the interpretation of meaning rather than passively receive
information. I encourage you to enjoy the course and to view learning as
collaborative and social -- to have fun and experience the joy of organizing and
expressing your views.

That said, it is important that you are able to support your positon with informed
and logical analyses. Though you will certainly have opinions about texts, that is,
you will like some texts more than others, the key here is to explore the meaning of
the text, to critically analyze it, and put it in conversation – synthesize – each text
with others in the course.

CLASSROOM DECORUM

Students should be comfortable enough to state various points of view, even ones
that might be unpopular or controversial. My expectation is when disagreement
happens, it will happen respectfully. I anticipate, and hope, that much of the class
material will be difficult and provocative. Students who wrestle with the material
rather than look for easy answers will do well in this course.

Honor Code and Academic Integrity

The standards and expectation of the Babson Honor Code and its academic honesty
and integrity policies apply to this course as well as to any other course you are taking
here at Babson. The policy is articulated in your Undergraduate Handbook. Failure of
any student to take appropriate steps to fully understand the Code will not be an
acceptable excuse for any violations.

For your coursework, you will be required to affirm your understanding of and
commitment to the academic honesty and integrity expectations set forth in the Code.
You will be required to write the following pledge on every exam, paper, project, or
other academic exercise:

I have abided by the Babson code of ethics in this work and pledge to be better
than that which would compromise my integrity.

or

I pledge my honor that I have neither received nor provided unauthorized

assistance during the completion of this work.

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Documentation and Appropriate Style

Please use an appropriate documentation style for your written work (MLA or ASA).
All sources must be cited, including course texts, internet sources, and ideas that are
paraphrased. Note that only class texts (including those posted on Canvas and films
screened in class), are eligible as references. Lack of proper citation suggests academic
dishonesty or plagiarism. Please know that I take the issue of academic integrity
seriously, and I expect that you will as well. It is my policy to forward all plagiarism
cases to the campus Honor Board.

You must use proper citation in all written work (papers, exams, and presentations).
Written work without proper citation will be penalized. Penalties depend on the
degree of lack of citation and range from losing points to failing the assignment.
Only class texts can be used for written work (presentations, exams, papers). No
outside texts will be accepted.

Guidelines for the Modern Language Association documentation style, which

commonly used, can be found in Diana Hacker’s A Writer’s Reference; online at
http://libguides.babson.edu/citing; and at Babson’s Writing Center (Babson Hall 205)
and Speech Resource Center (Olin 009).

 Learning Center:

Any student who may need accommodation(s) based on the impact of a

disability should contact the Department of Accessibility Services (DAS) as
early in the semester as possible. Accessibility Services staff may be reached
by email at accessibility@babson.edu, by phone at (781) 239-4075, or by
visiting Hollister Hall, Suite 220. Accessibility Services staff will coordinate
reasonable academic accommodations for eligible students.”

 Religious Observance:

Students who faces a conflict between the requirements of a course and the
observance of their religious faith should contact the instructor as early in
the semester as possible. In such event, the instructor will provide
reasonable accommodations that do not unduly disadvantage the student.

* We study texts closely, including examining specific quotes. Students should plan
to take notes on the texts they read and also take notes on in-class discussions.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING

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As a general guide (though of course there is huge variability) students should plan
to spend between 1.5 and 3 hours on the reading for each class meeting.
Presentations generally take between 4-6 hours to prepare. Please begin your
presentation early, about 10 days in advance.

Analytical thesis statements are a key aspect of your presentation. They are often
time consuming and labor intensive to prepare. I am happy to help you with your
analysis. I am a resource to you for presentations; to maximize your success, I
strongly recommend you send me drafts of your presentations at least 7 days before
you present.

Please use class texts only in all assignments. Please use class texts only; no outside
texts or resources, including online resources, can be used for any assignment unless
they have been explicitly included in the class texts in the syllabus and/or posted on
Canvas.

Participation: 25%

Note the large part that participation plays in your grade. You cannot do well in this
class unless you are highly engaged and participate regularly. Students are expected to
come to class, on time, having read the assigned reading for that day. I cannot
guarantee that there will be a clear differentiation between lateness and absence
noted in your participation grade. Everyone is expected to participate in class
discussion. I suggest that students take notes on the reading. You can ask questions
of the texts, compare and contrast texts and reflect on relevant personal experiences.
Each student is expected to respond to their fellow students during presentations.

Class discussion might begin with a student chosen at random sharing their
questions/comments on the reading. Think of this as an unannounced quiz.
Unprepared students will receive a zero for participation for that day. Students who
are well prepared will be awarded participation points reflecting their level of
preparedness. If you have trouble accessing class due to lack of internet connection,
please let me know immediately, and please submit your questions to me via email.

Participation grades are based on:

• Attendance (the number of classes present)
• Attitude (whether you facilitate or impede the progress of the class)
• Participation in discussions through comments and questions (the quality of
comments/questions matters).
 Canvas analytics are also considered when calculating the participation grade.

Unexcused absences will hurt your grade. If you encounter any problems with class
attendance, please contact me immediately. Absences after 3 missed classes will

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only be excused in the cases of documented, severe illness or documented family
emergency. Other class work or travel does not qualify for extensions or excused
absences.

COVID Specific illness accommodations: If you are COVID positive and your illness is
impeding your participation in class, please let me know, and we will work together
to tailor accommodations/deadlines to your situation. Students are not penalized
for missed or late work based on a documented medical condition.

If you come to every class, but do not participate, your participation grade will be 75.
(Consider it a bad sign if I don’t remember your name because you are so quiet .)
You can miss 3 classes without penalty. These include sick days when you do not have
a doctor’s note, days you are too tired to attend class, traffic jams, optional/elective
travel (including travel for Babson clubs such as club sports), etc. Missing more than
three classes will lower your participation grade by 10 points unless you have
documentation from a health care provider or encounter a documented family
emergency. Missing more than five classes will lower your participation grade by 50
points, unless you have a documented illness or family emergency. Providing
insightful comments on a regular basis and missing fewer than three classes will earn a
participation grade in the range of 88-100.

Please remember, though you can miss 3 classes without penalty, you cannot make
up exams. If you miss a quiz, your grade for that quiz is a zero, unless you have a
documented medical condition or family emergency. I accept late quizzes up to 4
days past the due date. Quizzes are penalized 10 points for every day late.

Presentation: 25%

ORAL PRESENTATIONS: Everyone is required to present an article (posted on Canvas

or accessible through a link on the syllabus) or book chapter. The presentation sign up
sheet is posted on Canvas. Please make sure you sign up and contact your partner.
You must sign up by WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26.

Presentations are approximately 10 minutes and not longer than 15 minutes and
must be approved beforehand. Most presentations will have two presenters.
Presenters are encouraged to submit a PowerPoint presentation to me via email
(please do not use Google Docs). Students will present during our synchronous
discussion sections. Presentations can also be recorded through WebEx (all students
have their own WebEx pages), Canvas Studio, Brainshark, or any other video format of
your choice, but this gives less flexibility and spontaneity during the class
presentation. Regardless of format, you must email me a copy of your presentation at
least 3 days beforehand to receive approval and full credit. If your presentation has
not been approved, I reserve the right to ask you to modify the presentation before
the due date, which might trigger a late penalty of 10 points per day.

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During discussion sections, the presenter(s) will be allowed to share the screen and
can either show a video of the presentation if not all students can attend the
synchronous session, or share the PPT presentation with the class and give the
presentation “live” together. In the case of group presentations, all group members
should participate equally in the synchronous presentation to the class as well as all
other aspects of the presentation.

The student presenters will: 1. Outline the argument or theme of the reading, 2.
Develop an analytical thesis that connects the reading to other class texts and/or
discussions, and, 3. Ask the class at least three relevant questions that develop and
deepen understanding of the text.

An analytical thesis is a position, interpretation, theory or argument that makes a

claim and then supports that claim with textual evidence, and as such engages and
develops critical thinking. A thesis does not merely repeat the finding or position of
the author – that is, a thesis is not a descriptive summary of a main point(s). Please
see “Writing Analytically” posted on Canvas for ways to strengthen thesis statements.
Students are encouraged to use concepts and content from several class texts to
facilitate their analysis.

For instance, a sample thesis might read: “Due to her age and class and despite her
status as a transwomen, Jenny Boylan had more access to sexual citizenship as defined
by Hirsh and Khan than did Autumn Callahan in Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always.”
Students would then provide textual evidence (quotes from the texts) for their claim.

Presentations without an analytical thesis statements cannot earn more than 79%.

Presentations are collaborative. Every student is expected to participate in his/her

group preparation and to present orally. Students should become experts on their text
and present in a lively and compelling way. Presentations should be 10-15 minutes.
Grades for presentations are based on thoroughness, creativity, depth of
understanding of the text, acuity of argument and ability to generate discussion. If
you are having issues in your presentation with regard to communicating with your
partner(s), organizing your thesis, etc., please contact me as soon as possible. I
suggest you begin working on your presentation 7-10 days prior to the due date. If
your presentation due date falls immediately after a break, I suggest you complete
the work before the break.

Make sure that you have at least three questions to ask of the class. Questions should
further discussion on the text rather than ask about personal experience of students.
An example of a good question is: Which would you argue more embodies the
Aristotelian concept of tragic hero, Macbeth or King Lear, and why? An example of a

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poor question is: Macbeth was confused about what path to take to achieve his goals;
what would you have done?

Visuals are not required, but can be helpful. The goal is to make the text come alive
and provide compelling insights and interpretations.

If you miss your presentation time without making alternative arrangements at least
48 hours in advance, you will receive a zero. Since class time is valuable and cannot
usually be made up, rescheduling a presentation is possible only in very rare instances,
for example, documented illness or family emergency. These are the only excused
absences for presentations and exams. A sign-up schedule for presentations will be
posted on Canvas. *Make sure you sign up. It is your responsibility to remember your
presentation time and to arrange to meet with fellow presenters.

Exams: 25% There will be several short, quizzes/exams throughout the semester
(some unannounced). Exams cannot be made up. Missing a exam deadline will be
excused only in cases of documented illness or family emergency. In that case, you will
have fewer exam grades to average. I accept late exam up to 4 days after the due
date. Exams will be penalized 10 points for each late day, and 5 points if submitted on
the due date but beyond the specified time.

Take-home Final Exam 25% - The final is essay-based, covers the themes of the course
and be passed out on the last day of class. It is due on the first day of final exams.

A = 93- 100, A- = 90-92; B + = 87- 89; B= 83-86, B- = 80-82; C+ = 77-79; C = 73-76; C-

70-72; D+ = 67-69; D= 63-66, D- = 60-62.

Everyone with a problem, question or concern is urged to contact me immediately

during office hours or via email.

 Any student who feels he or she may need an accommodation based on

the impact of a disability should contact me privately and in a timely
fashion to discuss his or her specific needs. Students must also contact
the Learning Center to coordinate reasonable academic accommodations.

Though I have tried to be thorough in this syllabus, the very nature of language and
communication is interactive and subjective, meaning that despite efforts, there will
forever remain ambiguities and questions. Students have the responsibility to clarify
any questions or confusions they have regarding assignments, grading, schedules, etc.

Approximate Class Schedule (please note: it can be difficult to predict how much time
any given set of readings will require, so I reserve the right to revise the schedule as
needed. We will discuss readings based on your questions and comments, and
questions I ask of you.):

14
Introduction: Theories about Gender

1. Tuesday 1/18:
Be prepared to discuss why it is important to have a forum that focuses on gender
issues.

What are we doing here? Why teach or take a Gender Studies Course? What are the
Various Meanings of Gender in Analyzing Situations and Predicting Outcomes?

2. Thursday 1/20: Kimmel* Chapter 1: Intro, ‘Human Beings: An Engendered Species”

*given various editions of this text, I will not list page numbers, only chapters.

“The Sperm and the Egg” by Emily Martin https://www.imj-

prg.fr/~david.aubin/cours/Textes/Martin_EggSperm.pdf

Rodriguez-Robie. 2019. “It’s A Right-Handed World. What if We Looked at it from the

Left?” https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/01/24/opinion/its-right-handed-world-
what-if-we-looked-it-left/

Additional Reading (optional):

 The Mosuo Matriarchy: Men Live Better When Women are in Charge
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/the-mosuo-matriarchy-men-
live-better-where-women-are-in-charge-a-627363.html

 China’s Mosuo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoTrARDa8BU

3. Tuesday 1/25: Kimmel Chapter 2, “Ordained by Nature: Biology Constructs the

Sexes” *Make sure you have signed up for a presentation by tomorrow!

Additional reading (optional)

 David Sloan Wilson and E.O. Wilson “Rethinking the Theoretical Foundation of
Sociobiology” Science 2006. https://www.cogsci.msu.edu/DSS/2006-
2007/Wilson/Rethinking_July_20.pdf

 E.O Wilson changes his mind: Eusocial:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/edward-o-wilsons-new-
take-on-human-nature-160810520/

4. Thursday 1/27: Kimmel Chapter 3, “Spanning the World: Culture Constructs Gender
Differences.

15
Additional reading (optional)- Kimmel’s chapter 4 elaborates on psychological theories
of gender under the category of differential socialization.

 Kimmel Chapter 4 “So, That Explains It: Psychological Perspectives on Gender

Development”

5. Tuesday 2/1: Kimmel: Chapter 5, “Inequality and Difference: The Social

Construction of Gender Relations”

Outside the Gender Binary - Biology favors Variety, but Cultural imposes Conformity

6. Thursday 2/3: Film: Middle Sexes (to be watched before class)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFoe_0_gThw&ab_channel=PorchaMarieJones

 Saval (book in library) pages 119-136 “The Gay, Vegan, Hearing-Impaired

Republican” (student presentation)

 Lamont, Ellen. 2014. Negotiating Courtship: Reconciling Egalitarian Ideals with

Traditional Gender and Society, Vol. 28, No. 2 (April 2014), pp. 189-211
(student presentation) Canvas

Gendered Body Images

7. Tuesday 2/8: Asynchronous Exam Assignment posted on Canvas

8. Thursday 2/10: Bordo: pages 15-83 “Private Parts”

 Perales and Baxter. 2018. “Sexual Identity and Relationships”(Canvas student

presentation)

9. Tuesday 2/15: Bordo: pages 168-225, “Beauty (Re) Discovers the Male Body”

 Rudman, Laurie A., Kris Mescher, and Corrine A. Moss-Racusin. 2012. Reactions
to Gender Egalitarian Men: Perceived Feminization Due to Stigma by
Association. Group Processes & Inter-Group Relations. 16(5) 572-599. (Student
Presentation) Canvas

 Glad on Donald Trump’s record https://www.glaad.org/tap/donald-trump

16
10. Thursday 2/17: Boylan: pages 1-145 She’s Not There

 Kristen Schilt, “Just one of the Guys: How Transmen make Gender
Visible at Work” Gender and Society. (Canvas, student presentation)
and “What Transmen Tell Us About the Workplace”
http://bigthink.com/dollars-and-sex/what-transmen-tell-us-about-
inequality-in-the-workplace (student presentation on both articles)

- NO CLASS 2/22 – BABSON MONDAY- Asynchronous Exam posted on Canvas

11. Thursday 2/24: Boylan: pages 147-300 She’s Not There

Gender, Economics, Personal, and Institutional Power

12. Tuesday 3/1: Gender and Labor in the Domestic and Public Spheres

17
Crittenden pages 1-44

 Mainardi: “The Politics of Housework” (student presentation)

https://www.cwluherstory.org/classic-feminist-writings-articles/the-
politics-of-housework

 Universal childcare podcast – please listen to before class

http://www.npr.org/2016/10/13/497850292/how-politics-killed-universal-
childcare-in-the-1970s

 Long, Heather. 2020. “The Big Factor Holding the Economy Back: Child Care. 21
December 2020.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/07/03/big-factor-holding-
back-us-economic-recovery-child-care/

 Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth, and Iraq veteran who lost her legs when
the Blackhawk helicopter she was piloting was shot down, is the first Senator
to give birth while in office. Senate rules (since changed because of her)
dictated that if she takes maternity leave (12 weeks) she will be barred from
voting or sponsoring bills.
https://qz.com/1248720/tammy-duckworths-maternity-leave-dilemma-
exposes-the-sexism-of-us-politics/ and
https://federalnewsnetwork.com/benefits/2020/01/not-all-federal-
employees-are-covered-under-the-new-paid-parental-leave-law-at-least-not-
yet/

Youtube videos – please watch before class

 Original: https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RD-Ojvk-
4IcOE&v=Mh4f9AYRCZY&ab_channel=BBCNews

 Parody: http://mashable.com/2017/03/17/bbc-dad-spoof-working-mum-
parody/#JUcqgNwniSqg

Additional Reading (optional):

 Toys R Us Baby Problem is Everyone’s Baby Problem

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/03/15/toys-r-uss-
baby-problem-is-everybodys-baby-problem/

18
  The New Family Paid Leave
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/12/30/new-paid-family-
leave/?arc404=true

 Singapore’s Policies to Support Children

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/sustainable-population-for-a-
dynamic-singapore

http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/1d106f7e-aca1-4c0e-ac7a-
d35d0772707d

 In family leave, US trails most of the Globe:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/23/your-money/us-trails-much-of-the-
world-in-providing-paid-family-leave.html

 Highest pay CEOs are the Worst Performers:

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/welcome/?toURL=http://www.forbes.com/site
s/susanadams/2014/06/16/the-highest-paid-ceos-are-the-worst-performers-
new-study-
says/&refURL=https://www.google.com/&referrer=https://www.google.com/

 5 Powerful Men Who Were Catastrophically Wrong About the Economy—But

Reaped Rewards Anyway http://www.alternet.org/economy/5-powerful-men-
who-were-catastrophically-wrong-about-economy-reaped-rewards-
anyway?akid=10741.28979.a5xrqQ&rd=1&src=newsletter875129&t=13&pagin
g=off

13. Thursday 3/3: Gender and Labor in the Domestic and Public Spheres

Crittenden pages 256-276

Godwyn Mini-Lecture: How Marx’s Dialectical and Historical Materialism Can be Used
to Challenge the Gender Binary

 Stacey, Judith and Timothy Biblarz. 2010. “How Does the Gender of Parents
Matter?” Journal of Marriage and Family. Vol. 72, pp 3-22. (Canvas student
presentation)

 Women’s Unpaid Labor is Worth $10,900,000,000,000 By Gus

Wezerek and Kristen R. Ghodsee MARCH 5, 2020
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/03/04/opinion/women-
unpaid- labor.html

19
  “Parenting Ought to Count on My Resume,”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/18/feminist-
economics-us-women-motherhood

 “Learning to be Man when you are raised by two Moms” Zach Wahls 2015
https://qz.com/432947/learning-to-be-a-man-when-youre-raised-by-two-
moms/

Asynchronous Exam – Due Tuesday, March 8 by 10:00 am Eastern Time. This quiz is
open book, open note, but not collaborative; please work alone. Please keep your
answer to 700 words (approximately two double-spaced typed pages). Please include
Babson’s Honor Code on your work, and please remember to cite authors’ work.
Please watch the film The Deep End (available to rent through Amazon Prime) to
complete the exam:

A binary (e.g., gender binary, race binary) is a system of two distinct, opposing and
mutually exclusive categories such that when applied to people, a person can be one
or the other, but not both.

 What is the dialectical process, and how can it resolve a dichotomy,

also known as a dualistic opposition?
 List 3 examples of the dialectical process in The Deep End and explain
how and why these examples resolve gender binaries and disrupt
gender stereotypes.

14. Tuesday 3/8: Gender and Labor in the Domestic and Public Spheres

 Master, et al. (2016) “Computing Whether She belongs”

https://depts.washington.edu/sibl/wp-
content/uploads/2017/10/Master_Computing.pdf (student presentation)

 “The Comprehensive Case for Investing More VC Money in Women-led Start-

Ups,” Dubow and Pruitt, HBR, Sept. 18, 2017, https://hbr.org/2017/09/the-
comprehensive-case-for-investing-more-vc-money-in-women-led-startups

and

Beyond the VC Funding Gap” Morgan Stanley Report, Oct. 23, 2019.
https://www.morganstanley.com/content/dam/msdotcom/mcil/Morgan_Stan

20
 ley_Beyond_the_VC_Funding_Gap_2019_Report.pdf (student presentation on
both articles)

 ***Ellen Pao – women “cannot succeed in Silicon Valley” (before class)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Yno_3NxEsw

 The Google Memo by James Demore:

https://thefederalist.com/2017/08/08/read-the-google-diversity-memo-
that-that-everyone-is-freaking-out-about/

 Google memo: Megan Smith on Google memo re: Women are biologically
less able to be computer science engineers (in class)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4LOWOL-ja8

 Gender stereotypes about intellectual ability emerge early and influence

children’s interests | Science
http://minedsetscholarsnetwork.org/wp-
content/uploads/2017/03/Cimpian_Gender_Stereotypes_Develop_Early.p
df

 Anushka Asthana, “Names really do make a difference,” The Guardian.

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2007/apr/29/theobserversuknewsp
ages.uknews

Additional Reading (optional)

Langowitz, Nan S., Allen, Elaine, and Godwyn Mary. 2013. “Early Educational
Outcomes and Gender: Can Educational Interventions Make a Difference?” Gender
and Management, An International Journal. Vol. 28. No. 2. Pp 111-134. (Canvas)

Godwyn, Mary and Langowitz, Nan S. 2015. “It Can Be Done! Organizational
Interventions that Can Reduce the Influence of Gender Prejudice on Perceptions,
Performance, and Aspirations” (coauthored with Nan S. Langowitz) in UN PRME
(Principles for Responsible Management Education) as part of the series Gender
Equality as a Challenge for Business and Management Education, Maureen Kilgour,
Kathryn Haynes, and Patricia Flynn. (Eds.) Sheffield, UK: Greenleaf Publishing, Ltd.
(Canvas)

15. Thursday 3/10 – No Class - Quiz Due 10:00 am

--SPRING BREAK 3/14-3/18--

21
16. Tuesday 3/22

 Rudman, Laurie A., & Glick, Peter S. (2001). “Prescriptive gender stereotypes
and backlash toward agentic women,” In Carli, L. L. & Eagly, A. H. (Eds.), Journal
of Social Issues, 57, 743-762.
https://rutgerssocialcognitionlab.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/9/7/13979590/rud
manglick2001jsi.pdf (student presentation)

 Westphal, James D. and Ithai Stern. 2007. “Flattery will get you Everywhere
(Especially if you are a Male Caucasian): How Integrating Boardroom Behavior,
and Demographic Minority Status Affect Additional Broad Appointments in U.S.
Companies.” Academy of Management Journal. Vol 50. No. 2, 267-288.
http://webuser.bus.umich.edu/westjd/Articles/westphal%20&%20stern%2020
07.pdf (student presentation)

 Why Women Are More Effective Leaders Than Men

http://www.businessinsider.com/study-women-are-better-leaders-2014-1

 Gender equality made the vaccine possible.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/08/biontech-co-founder-says-
gender-equality-made-vaccine-possible

 Women work more and get paid less

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/gender-wage-
gap_us_58123342e4b0390e69ceaa8e

22
  Women doctors get better outcomes
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/12/19/506144346/patients-
cared-for-by-female-doctors-fare-better-than-those-treated-by-men

 Women are better leaders

https://hbr.org/2012/03/a-study-in-leadership-women-do

 Women in leadership positions tied to stronger profits

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/10/business/women-in-company-
leadership-tied-to-stronger-profits.html

 Why are Women-led Countries Dealing Better with Covid-19?

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/15/world/coronavirus-women-
leaders.html

17. Thursday 3/24: #Metoo

Hirsch and Khan, Intro, i-xxxiv and Conclusion 253-274

 Gonzolez Martinez in Hernandez: pages 142-156, “Dutiful Hijas: Dependency,

Power and Guilt” (student presentation)

 Quick, James and MacFayden, M. Ann. 2017. ”Sexual Harassment: Have we

made any progress?” https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/ocp-
ocp0000054.pdf (student presentation)

 “LaDonna.” A security guard at the airport notices something going

wrong on the tarmac, and takes it upon herself to fix it. It's way harder than
she expects. May 27, 2018. https://www.thisamericanlife.org/647/ladonna (to
be listened outside of class before class meeting)

 Key Moments from the Blasey-Kavanaugh Hearing

https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/100000006131392/christine-blasey-ford-
testimony-recap.html (viewed before class)

 “Male Sexual Abuse isn’t Funny August 1, 2018. Act 2. Full Frontal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHGvxXEupLc (viewed before class)

Additional reading (optional/listening)

Saval (book in library) Introduction pages 1-17

18. Tuesday 3/29 #MeToo - No Class Meeting – Asynchronous Exam

23
Exam: Due Monday, 4/4 by 10:00 am ET. This exam is open book, open note, but not
collaborative; please work alone. Please keep your answer to 700 words
(approximately two double-spaced typed pages.) Please include Babson’s Honor Code
on your work and please remember to use proper citations. Please watch the film
Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always (available to rent through Amazon Prime) or the
film Unpregnant (available on HBO max) and answer the following:

See the Intro and Conclusion of Hirsch and Khan’s book Sexual Citizen posted on
Canvas. Hirsch and Khan define sexual citizenship as “the right to sexual self-
determination” (xvi) and recognition of that right in others.

Hirsch and Khan write, “Sexual citizenship focuses attention on how some people feel
entitled to others’ bodies and others do not feel entitled to their own bodies” (2021:
xvi). This term, then, defines the power dynamics at work in any given situation.
Watch either Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always (available for rent on Prime Video) or
the film Unpregnant (available on HBO max) and using the concept of sexual
citizenship observe how class and gender inequality along with sexual geographies
provide the context for sexual assault.

1. Provide several instances in the film when individuals feel more or less
entitled to others’ bodies and when individuals do not feel entitled to
determine the outcome of their own bodies. Explain the power
dynamics at work given gender and class inequality.
2. Hirsch and Khan write that “The goal is to create conditions that
promote the capacity for sexual self-determination in all people while
also insisting that all people recognize the right to self-determination in
others” (xvii). Use some of the suggestions Hirsch and Khan provide,
come up with your own, or draw from other authors’ recommendations
to re-organize social interactions in order to prevent sexual assault and
to increase access to sexual citizenship.

24
19. Thursday 3/31: No class – Asynchronous Exam due Monday 4/4 @ 10:00 am

20. Tuesday, 4/5:

 Half a Million Kids Survived Romania’s Slaughterhouses of souls.’ Now
They Want Justice. Public Radio International, October 28,
2015.https://www.pri.org/stories/2015-12-28/half-million-kids-survived-
romanias-slaughterhouses-souls-now-they-want-justice (student
presentation)

 How Difficult is it to get an Abortion? Here are the Laws in every State
https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2018/05/198385/abortion-laws-in-
every-state

 https://www.npr.org/2021/12/03/1061333491/sociologist-says-women-
are-more-likely-to-choose-abortion-over-adoption

 Blamer, Randall. The Real Origins of the Religious Right: They’ll tell you it
was abortion. Sorry, the historical record’s clear: It was segregation. Politico.
May 27, 2014. https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/05/religious-
right-real-origins-107133

 Political Polarization Prompts Efforts to Bridge the Gap. PBS Newshour 10 Jan
22 https://www.pbs.org/video/bridging-the-divide-1641854634/

25
21. Thursday 4/7: Bordo: pages 242-253, “The Double Bind of Masculinity”

 Saval pages 73-96 “The Optimist” (student presentation)

Reality, Dystopias, Utopias, and the Dialectic: Imagining What’s Next for Gender

22. Tuesday 4/12: Atwood: pages 1-99

 Dress codes:
https://youtu.be/5DxfdANEv04
https://youtu.be/1X2Y77ruPEw

 What does Pence’s ‘No Girls Allowed Rule have to do with School Dress
Codes?” https://www.aclu.org/blog/speak-freely/what-does-mike-pences-
no-girls-allowed-rule-have-common-school-dress-codes-and

23. Thursday 4/14: Atwood: pages 103-195

 “Slut Shaming: A New Level of Bullying for Girls”

http://www.npr.org/2013/01/07/168812354/online-shaming-a-new-level-of-
cyberbullying-for-girls. (to be listened to in class)

 Trump Administration will Shield Health Care Workers who Refuse

Services Based on Religious Grounds
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/01/18/578811426/trump-
will-protect-health-workers-who-reject-patients-on-religious-grounds

 Trump Administration Rolling Back Women’s Rights by 50 years

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/trump-domestic-
abuse-sexual-assault-definition-womens-rights-justice-department-
a8744546.html

24. Tuesday 4/18: Atwood: pages 199-311

 Terrorists have misogyny in common

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/mar/28/lone-
attackers-domestic-violence-khalid-masood-westminster-attacks-
terrorism
 Texas rep's bill to fine men for masturbatory emissions has made its way
up the legislative ladder
https://womenintheworld.com/2017/03/13/texas-senator-introduces-
bill-that-would-fine-men-for-masturbatory-emissions/?refresh

26
25. Thursday 4/21: Gilman: 1-62

 Pantsuits for women were once illegal

http://www.racked.com/2016/12/5/13778914/pantsuits-
history?ncid=newsltushpmgnews

 “Just make Us Equal” Revival of the Equal Rights Amendment

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/17/us/era-amendment-house.html

 Rare Half Female Half Male Cardinal spotted in Pennsylvania

https://wgntv.com/news/trending/rare-half-male-half-female-cardinal-
spotted-in-pennsylvania/

 Maned Lioness Displays both Female and Male Traits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcvRM4oqCAY&ab_channel=Nature
onPBS

 “Newly Recorded Condor ‘Virgin Birth,’”

https://www.audubon.org/news/newly-recorded-condor-virgin-birth-
another-way-birds-are-reptiles

 Female Condors Produce without Mating

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQTEfBHGEAM

 Feminist in chief: Obama is “what a feminist looks

like”https://www.cbsnews.com/news/president-obama-essay-on-
feminism-glamour-magazine-daughters-sasha-malia-hillary-clinton/

 President Obama says, “This is What a Feminist Looks Like” by Barack

Obama https://www.glamour.com/story/glamour-exclusive-president-
barack-obama-says-this-is-what-a-feminist-looks-like

26. Tuesday 4/26: Gilman: 63-146

Can you envision the social construction of gender in an utopian society of your
making? How would you describe it? (see Kimmel pages 408-412)

Discuss take-home final. The final exam is due by electronically by 10:00 am ET on

May 2. Exams turned in on the due date, but after the due date time are docked 5
points. Late final exams cannot be accepted except in cases of documented severe
illness or family emergency. This might constitute an incomplete for the class grade.

27
My policy is not to return final exams, but, per Babson Policy, I do keep them for 6
months, in case you would like to discuss yours.

A note on Final Papers and Analytical Thesis Statements

Papers and presentations use analytical thesis statements and give students the
opportunity to closely examine several texts and put them in conversation with each
other. Please, no summaries or digests of the texts; the papers and presentations are
not meant to be merely descriptive. Analysis does not focus on what happens in any
given text (the way a description does); an analysis interprets why something happens
in a text. In an analytical paper, the thesis, usually the last sentence or two of the
introductory paragraph, outlines the analysis of the paper. (Please check your rhetoric
guide for more details.) Please use class texts only.

Citations: Please use MLA (Modern Language Association) or ASA (American

Sociological Association) style citations. All sources must be cited, including course
texts, internet sources, and ideas that are paraphrased. Lack of proper citation
suggests academic dishonesty, or plagiarism. Please know that I take the issue of
academic integrity seriously, and I expect you too as well. It is my policy to forward all
plagiarism cases to the campus Honor Board. Direct quotes must always be cited in
any written work (quizzes, PPTs, etc.)

Guidelines for MLA documentation style can be found in Diana Hacker’s A Writer’s
Reference; online at http://libguides.babson.edu/citing; and at Babson’s Writing
Center (Babson Hall 205) and Speech Resource Center (Olin 009). Guidelines for ASA
documentation can be found here:
http://lib.trinity.edu/research/citing/ASA_Style_Citations_4.pdf

As the writer/presenter, you will construct a thesis that argues for a particular
interpretation of the text, and then use textual examples to support your argument.
In a 5-8 page paper, you should have at least three supporting points of proof (textual
citations) for your analysis. A thesis statement is not a statement of fact such as
“There is discrimination in America,” or an incontrovertible claim such as, “There will
always be some unhappiness in the world.” Avoid general, obvious, or tautological
statements that fail to provide insight such as, “Ignorance is the lack of knowledge,” or
“Most doctors recommend a healthy diet.” A thesis makes controversial claims and
then supports them with textual evidence. However, be careful not to make a
statement that is so rigid and extreme that it makes a poor argument or is really an
opinion rather than a theory: “James Weldon Johnson is a fraud.” Avoid statements
that purport to be universal and all-inclusive: “All people attempt to raise their social
status” or “We have had male dominance since the beginning of time.” One test of
whether a thesis statement is a good analytical argument rather than a statement of
fact is to see if you could present an opposing view. Your job as a writer is to
persuade your audience that the view you chose is the most convincing given the

28
evidence assembled. Having said that, you cannot only selectively provide evidence
and ignore other plausible perspectives; otherwise, your argument will not ring true.
Again, choose the strongest and most persuasive argument given the textual
evidence.

The word “argument” is often interpreted as disagreement, and it is true that dissent
is one way to generate analysis, but disagreement does not an analytical thesis make,
nor do you necessarily have to disagree with an author to critically examine his/her
work.

Therefore, the essential ingredient of a thesis is not disagreement with the author
(though this can happen) but a particular understanding, view or interpretation of the
text and the ability to persuade others of the significance of this view (they do not
have to agree with you) by using textual evidence as support. Your thesis can be a
statement of appreciation for what the author does well, or a comparison of one
author to another (or several others).

Here is an example of a thesis that links two texts:

Because she provides a multitude of solutions to gender and class inequality and
leaves her audience emotionally energized enough to implement them, Gilman’s
bubbly and charming utopia is a more valuable critique of social injustice than
Atwood’s dark, dystopic collapse.

Definition of a thesis:

A strong thesis makes a claim that (1) requires proof and (2) offers some point
about the significance of your evidence that would not have been immediately
obvious to your readers. By contrast, a weak thesis either makes no claim, or makes a
claim that does not need proving, such as a statement of fact or an opinion with which
virtually all of your readers would most likely agree before reading your paper (e.g.,
exercise is good for you).

 Rosenwasser and Stephen in Writing Analytically 2nd Ed. 2000

Please make sure you properly cite your sources in the paper (see above for ASA or
MLA citation styles). Ideas, concepts, theories and quotes that are not your own must
all be cited. Any quote from any text must also be properly cited. The lack of citation is
plagiarism, so do not forget to use citations. Again, please use only class texts, no
secondary sources.

Here are some other reminders for written work – quizzes, presentations, papers,
and essay-based exams:

29
Double space and 12 pt. font.

Remember page numbers.

Do not have more than 15% of your paper as quotes from another author.

Block quotations over 4 lines (use long quotes very sparingly in a short paper).

Do not use informal, casual or slang language in written work.

Do not use contractions in formal written work (e.g., "don't" should be written "do
not").

Titles of books, magazine, newspapers and films – all texts considered a complete
work – are underlined or italicized, not put in quotation marks. Titles of chapters of
books or titles of articles that appear in an edited publication or journal – anything
that is considered part of a larger work – appear in quotation marks.

Grading

An “A” paper/exam/presentation demonstrates a thorough comprehension of the

concepts and themes of the course and applies them in the analysis of course texts. It
is well written, insightful and provides an original interpretation of the texts. It makes
appropriate use of quotations and textual support. The paper is properly formatted
using citations, paragraphs, page numbers, correct grammar and correct spelling. It is
analytical and presents an argument supported by text that, while recognizing other
plausible interpretations, successfully convinces the reader that the argument
presented is the best.

A “B” paper/exam/presentation is substantively and conceptually good, but might

not be very well written or well organized. Alternatively, it might be well written, but
not reflect a very deep or insightful understanding of the issues. For instance, the
argument might be simpleminded and shallow rather than nuanced and multilayered.
For example: “The narrator in Johnson’s Autobiography of an Ex-colored Man was
correct to hide his African heritage in order to attain economic success.” Additionally,
it may be apparent that the student has done the readings, and generally understands
them, but has not necessarily thought about them enough to afford a deep analysis.

A “C” paper/exam/presentation adequately demonstrates that the student has done

the reading, but it might be poorly written making comprehension difficult. It may
reflect a superficial and/or partially incorrect understanding of the text/lectures/class
discussions. The discussion may be vague and general and not supported by specific

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textual examples. It may be opinion without substance, or it may be largely
descriptive rather than analytical.

A “D” paper/exam/presentation is inadequate or poor. It is barely acceptable. The

student has made some attempt and seems to have done some of the reading, but not
understood the issues well enough to analyze them or present them coherently.

A failing paper/ exam/presentation shows no clear idea of how to approach the

assignment. It is disorganized and has little connection to the texts. It might be so
poorly written that it does not make sense. A plagiarized paper/exam will earn a
failing grade.

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