Women's Studies—Courses
Please note that not every course listed is offered each year and that students should consult the following sources for current course offerings:
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
GEND-2016. Introduction to Women’s Studies and Gender Studies
This is the introductory course to the interdisciplinary field of Women’s Studies and Gender Studies. The basis of femininity, masculinity and women’s inequality are examined in the context of wider social relations, including the historical subject, literary voice and the women’s movement.
GEND-3013. Women’s Studies and Gender Studies Methods
This is a foundational course in Gender Studies methodology. It examines the feminist critique of positivism, the development of feminist research methodologies and the use of these methods in a range of disciplines.
ANTH-2533. Women in Cross-cultural Perspective
This course examines male and female roles in a number of different cultural settings, especially non-Western societies. Pa rticular attention is given to the cultural expectations of gender behaviour, the structure of economic opportunities for males and females, and how shifts in opportunity structures impact gender roles. Various examples illustrating the roles of males and females in the context of marriage, domestic group organization, economic decision making and political decision making, will be presented.
ECON-2303. Women in the Third World (SOCI 2623)
This course will critically examine the role of women in the Third World. It will concentrate largely on the changes in these roles and their correspondence with the transition from traditional to new forms of economic organization, production, and power.
ECON-2223. The Political Economy of Women (SOCI 2643)
This is a seminar course examining, in depth, selected topics on the political economy of women. Potential topics include women as paid workers, domestic labour, and women and poverty.
ENGL-2583. Women Writers I
This course will introduce the student to a wide range of women writers from the 14th to the 20th centuries, from Julian of Norwich to Jamaica Kincaid, from Britain, United States, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa. T h e re will be a selection of novels, short stories, essays, and poetry by women. In-class essays will form a major part of the evaluation of the course. The primary text is The Norton Anthology of Litera t u re by Women.
ENGL-2593. Women Writers II
This course will focus on a limited number of women writers, and the examination of these writers will be more in-depth than in Women Writers I. Feminist litera ry criticism will be studied and practised. Authors to be included are Austen, Bronte, Christina Rossetti, Emily Dickinson, Dorothy Parker, Flannery O’Connor, Anne Sexton, Sylvia Plath, Nadine Gord i m e r, Margaret Atwood, Elisabeth Harvor, Jamaica Kincaid, and Lorrie Moore. In-class essays will form a major part of the evaluation of the course. The Norton Anthology of Literature by Women will be supplemented with other texts.
GERO-3083. Gender and Aging
This course examines issues involving how one’s gender affects one’s experience of aging. It looks at how the field of gerontology has traditionally dealt with the concept of gender as well as the feminization of old age, and how this has affected both women’s and men’s experiences of aging.
GERO-3223. Family Ties and Aging
This course examines a variety of issues regarding aging and the family. It considers historical and demographic trends as well as theoretical frameworks in family gerontology. The course covers a number of relationships including those of couples, siblings, and grandparents and grandchildren. It also looks at late-life transitions such as retirement, widowhood, and divorce, that affect family structures and relationships.
HIST-3883. Women in Canadian History
This course looks at the history of Canada from pre-colonial times to the present day from the perspectives of women of the time. Discussion and independent study on topics of interest to the students will be encouraged. Previous courses in Canadian history will be useful but are not essential.
HIST-3613. Gender and Power in Latin American History
Why did the Cuban revolution set out to create a 'new man'? How did Eva Perón become the world's most powerful first lady? Why have women led most human rights movements in Latin America? These are some of the questions to be explored in this course which examines historical relationships between men and women and ideas about masculinity and femininity in Latin America.
PSYC-3523. Psychology of Gender and Gender Relations
An introduction to contemporary issues related to differences in the experience and behaviour of females and males. Prerequisite: PSYC 2023 or permission of the instructor.
PSYC-4433. Seminar in Women and Mental Health
This course will review and critically examine the theory and research in the area of women's mental health. Developed from a feminist perspective, this course will explore women's and girls' experiences of mental health and distress, and the ways in which these experiences have been conceptualized in clinical psychology. Topics include gender and the social determinants of health, problems prevalent among women (e.g., depression, eating disorders, personality disorders), and feminist approaches to intervention. Prerequisites: PSYC 2643 or permission of the instructor.
PSYC-4483. Seminar in the Psychology of Women
This course is designed to examine women's experiences and the treatment of women in psychological re s e a rch, theory, and applied practice from a feminist perspective. This will involve analyzing psychological concepts of women and gender, examining the impact of our culture on our understanding of womanhood and femininity, reflecting on our own experiences, developing critical thinking skills, and understanding the diversity of women. Topics may include feminist approaches to research, stereotypes, sexuality, childhood, violence against women, and women and health. Pre requisite: PSYC 2013 and 2023, or permission of the instructor.
RELG-2233. Women and Religion
This course aims to study how i) women in history and in modern times respond to sociocultural restrictions, and their attempts to create spiritual and social alternatives; ii) how notions of ascetism and sexuality are utilized as liberating and prescriptive modes. It will examine feminist critiques to classical, medieval, and current texts and thinkers. We will closely look at the assumptions that guide both classical texts and modern critiques.
RELG-3653. Christianity and Feminism in Conversation
How do women name the divine? Can a male saviour save women? What is the Christian understanding of humanity? How do women experience sin and grace in their lives? Is the bible really Good News for women? What do feminist spiritualities look like and what aspects of the human do they celebrate? These questions are at the heart of traditional Christian teaching: the doctrine of God, Christology, anthropology, ethics, ecclesiology, biblical interpretation, and spirituality. They have inspired lively conversations among contemporary Christian theologians and laity throughout the world, and have contributed towards the growth of a substantial body of literature. By addressing the above questions and studying related texts, this course will consider the impact of feminist consciousness on the development of Christian theology.
SCWK-3213. Women and Social Work*
This course is designed to enable students to examine critically first, the oppression of women in our society, in particular as consumers of social services; second, the developing literature, theory, and practice of “feminist counselling” as a significant new approach to working with women; and third, the position and status of women within the social work profession. *Please check with professor for prerequisites.
SCWK-3713. Fields of Practice
This course involves an in-depth examination of a particular field of practice, (e.g., mental health, corrections, child welfare) based on student and instructor interest. The focus of the course will be examination and analysis of unmet needs in the field, and professional response to them.
SCWK-4713. Feminist Counselling
This course will provide an in-depth critique of traditional approaches to helping women; will explore the theory, ethics, and practice of feminist counselling, and will provide students with the opportunity to learn the skills and techniques of feminist counselling. Prerequisites: Scwk 3213 and Scwk 3123.
SOCI-2313. Deviance
Review of theory and re s e a rch, with a focus on the social basis of deviance, deviance construction, and the consequences of social reactions to selected forms of deviance.
SOCI-2333. Special Topics: The Sociology of Chinese Women in Literature and Film.
This course explores the sociology of women and China in recent literature and film, particularly in recent work by women in China and of Chinese origins in western countries. The novels focus on three generations of families and illustrate the traditional expectations for women within China and in North America. The films include recent works by Chinese filmmakers that comment on women's place in pre- revolutionary and modern society.
SOCI-2416. Inequality in Society
This course explores existing patterns of social inequality and debates concerning the
possibility and desirability of greater equality. Taking a theoretical and historical focus, we examine the changing nature of inequality in contemporary Canadian society in the context of globalization. Throughout, we develop our understanding of how different forms of inequality - particularly social class, gender and race - intersect. One section of the course may have a service learning requirement, where students engage in volunteer work in the community, and then reflect upon their experiences through reading, writing, and discussion.
SOCI-2423. Social Problems I — Sociological Perspectives
The various perspectives used by sociologists to examine social problems will be described and evaluated. Concrete social problems will be examined to illustrate the use of these perspectives.
SOCI-2433. Social Problems II — Canadian Social Problems
Several current Canadian social problems will be examined from the above perspectives. Problems include poverty, minorities, Canadian identity, the effects of urbanization and technology, etc. Prerequisite: SOCI 2423.
SOCI-2523. The Sociology of Aging (GERO 2113) (HMRT) (RELG) (PSYC)
This course will explore the compara t i ve situation of older women and men in different cultures and different historical periods within western societies. The cultural and socialstructural determinants of their changing status will be examined through alternative theoretical perspectives within sociology. The social construction of ‘elderly’ as a status will be explored through how older people are perc e i ved, described, talked about, and interacted with, in everyday behaviour and how these relations may be ‘negotiated’ by the elderly themselves. The political-economy of aging focuses upon disparities of income, and the determinants and effects of pove rty on the lives of older people.
SOCI-2613. Sociology of Gender
This course will focus, in depth, on particular aspects of the social processes shaping, and shaped by, female and male roles such as gender and power, gender and social structure of work, and feminist social movements.
SOCI-2623. Women in the Third World (ECON 2303)
This course will critically examine the role of women in the Third World. It will concentrate largely on the changes in these roles and their correspondence with the transition from traditional to new forms of economic organization, production, and power.
SOCI-2633. Sociology of the Family
A critical analysis of various conceptual frameworks in family re s e a rch, and a cross- cultural analysis of marriage and the family, both past and present. Pa rticular attention will be paid to the current developments in marriage arrangements, changes in the meaning of marriage and the family, as well as the future of the family.
SOCI-2643. The Political Economy of Women (ECON 2223)
This is a seminar course examining, in depth, selected topics on the political economy of women. Potential topics include women as paid workers, domestic labour and women and poverty.
SOCI-3173. Special Topics: The Sociology of Women and Education.
With the rise of neo-conserva t i ve governments in Canada, we see changes in schooling and higher education due to the restructuring of government finances and privatization. By beginning from the standpoint of women engaged in mothering, classroom teaching, graduate studies and university teaching, this course examines the impact of re-structuring on gender, ethnicity and class in the classroom and in higher education.
SOCI-3323. Sociology of Women & Law
This course will explore the relationship of women to the state and to law. The ways in which criminal and family law influence gender relations in society will be analyzed,
including the implications of legal intervention and non-intervention in family relations.
Sex-specific and sex-related legislation, concerning such issues as sexual harassment, rape, pornography, and affirmative action, will also be examined. Theoretical concepts
and issues, such as the position of women within capitalism, patriarchy, sexuality and reproduction, formal and informal control, will be addressed.
SOCI-3413. Employment Equity Policy and Gender Inequality at Work
This is an advanced course on the organization of gender inequality in the labour force and the policies aimed at creating equal opportunities for women. We begin by studying how gender segregation is organized in the occupations of teaching, clerical work, and other professions. Secondly, the course examines, from a sociological perspective, the federal and provincial government policies which are aimed at the equal and fair treatment of individuals
regardless of sex: pay equity legislation, employment equity programmes, contractual
provisions and human rights legislation on fair employment practices.
STS-3503. Feminist Critiques of Science
This course is an introduction to the feminist litera t u re on science, technology, and mathematics. Topics will include the possibility that a new science, based on feminist principles, might be qualitatively different from modern science. Related topics include the role played by values in science, the relation between ‘p u re’ scientific research and technology (especially military technology), the possibility that there might be a feminist alternative to classical mathematics and logic, and whether young women and men with feminists beliefs should be encouraged to become scientists (given the close connection between science and military technology). Readings will re p resent a range of different feminist perspectives on each of these questions, and we will examine the arguments for and against each of these views.
NOTE: Not all courses listed are offered each year. Please consult with the Department Chair for more information about current and planned course offerings.