Department of Women’s Studies

www.unc.edu/depts/wmst

JOANNE HERSHFIELD, Chair

Professors

E. Jane Burns, Joanne Hershfield.

Associate Professors

Michele Tracy Berger, Karen M. Booth, Silvia Tomášková.

Assistant Professors

Emily S. Burrill, Tanya L. Shields.

Adjunct Professors

Donna Bickford, Annegret Fauser.

Professor Emerita

Barbara J. Harris.

Introduction

The Department of Women’s Studies offers an interdisciplinary course of study in women and gender in the United States and in a range of cultures throughout the world. As a course of study, women’s studies expands the process of knowledge production to include considerations of gender, race, class, and sexuality, offering in so doing a methodology that is interdisciplinary, multicultural, and feminist. Students will be exposed to recent scholarship on feminist theory and to critiques of feminism. They will learn about the intellectual, social, economic, political, and artistic contributions of women in various cultural contexts. They will see how the discipline of women’s studies redefines the traditional scholarly curriculum in order to include perspectives on women and gender as integral aspects of academic inquiry.

Approximately 30 departments offer over 120 courses that focus entirely on the study of women and gender. Many of these courses have been cross-listed as women’s studies courses and are identified below; others are taught as special sections of an established course and are identified separately each semester.

Programs of Study

The Department of Women’s Studies offers the bachelor of arts degree with a major in women’s studies. A minor in women’s studies and a minor in sexuality studies also are offered.

Majoring in Women’s Studies:
Bachelor of Arts

Core Requirements

• Four intellectual and theoretical foundations courses: WMST 101, 102, 695, and one course in minority/Third World/non-Western women chosen from the following list: AFAM/AFRI/WMST 430; AFAM/HIST/WMST 569; AFAM/WMST 266, 285; AFRI/WMST 261; ANTH/WMST 440; ASIA/HIST/WMST 537; COMM/WMST 561; HIST/WMST 280, 576; INTS/WMST 281, 388, 410; JAPN/WMST 381, 384; PLAN/WMST 662; WMST 289, 293, 368

• Three interdisciplinary perspectives courses chosen from at least two of the following four categories:

• Historical studies: AFAM/HIST/WMST 569; AFRI 261, 262; AMST/JWST/WMST 253; ASIA/HIST/WMST 537; CLAS 240, 241, 242, 245; HIST 362; HIST/WMST 258, 259, 264, 280, 375, 479, 500, 501, 568, 576; WMST 237, 289, 560

• Basic and applied sciences: HBHE 563

• Humanities and fine arts: AFAM/WMST 285; ANTH/LING/WMST 302; ANTH/WMST 436; ART/WMST 254, 451; ASIA/CMPL/WMST 380; CLAS 269; CMPL 374/WMST 373, CMPL/WMST 392; COMM/WMST 224, 561, 656; ENGL/FOLK/WMST 684; ENGL/WMST 140, 263, 363, 374, 446, 665, 666; GERM/WMST 220, 250; HIST/WMST 264; JAPN/WMST 381, 384; MUSC/WMST 188, 248; PHIL/WMST 275, 475; RUSS/WMST 486; SPAN/WMST 620; WMST 64, 66, 80, 101, 231, 294, 297, 350, 352

• Social sciences: AFAM/AFRI/WMST 430; AFAM/WMST 266; AFRI/WMST 261; AMST/ECON/WMST 385; ANTH 537/FOLK 537/WMST 438; ANTH/WMST 278, 436, 440, 441, 458, 660; EXSS/WMST 260; GEOG/WMST 225; INTS/WMST 281, 388, 410; JOMC 442/WMST 415; PLAN/WMST 662; POLI/WMST 217, 218, 219, 265, 477; RECR/WMST 310; RELI/WMST 244, 371, 424; SOCI/WMST 124, 444; WMST 51, 111, 293, 368, 553, 610

• One course in the theory and practice of women’s studies from the following list: WMST 391, 396, 691H (requires admission to departmental honors program)

The major requires 24 credit hours taken in women’s studies courses or departmental courses cross-listed with the Department of Women’s Studies. Students also must fulfill all General Education requirements.

Minoring in Women’s Studies

A minor in women’s studies enables students who major in another area to develop an expertise in the interdisciplinary study of women and gender. A minor consists of 15 credits (five courses) in women’s studies. The credits must include WMST 101 and come from courses chosen from at least two of the four following interdisciplinary perspectives: historical studies, basic and applied sciences, humanities and fine arts, and social sciences. See the courses listed above as appropriate for the major.

Women’s studies courses include courses exclusively in women’s studies and courses in other departments cross-listed with women’s studies. An internship in women’s studies (WMST 391) can be counted toward three of the 12 credits taken after WMST 101.

Minoring in Sexuality Studies

The minor in sexuality studies coordinates scholars and students from a range of disciplines to study, teach, and create knowledge about human sexuality in its myriad functions and forms. The minor consists of five courses, of which one must be the core course, WMST 111. Where appropriate, courses taken at Duke University or with a study abroad program may also count towards credit for the minor. The five courses required for the minor must involve work in at least three different departments or curricula. As an example, a minor in sexuality studies could be constructed from WMST 111, AMST 269, HIST 358, HIST 467, and WMST 101, for a minimum of 15 hours from at least three departments or curricula.

• Core course: WMST 111

• Additional Courses: AFAM/WMST 266, AFAM 295/WMST 285; AFRI/HIST 535; AMST 269; ANTH 442, 443, 473; ANTH/LING/WMST 302; ANTH/WMST 440, 458; ART 53, 586; ASIA 235; ASIA/ECON 469; CLAS/WMST 242; CMPL 254, 268, 453, 468, 487; CMPL/COMM/GERM 272; COMM 413, 434, 545, 548, 549, 652; ENGL 264, 287, 365, 384, 661, 664; ENGL/WMST 140, 363, 665, 666; FREN 285; HIST 358, 395 (with approval, based on topic), 467, 566; HIST/WMST 479; INTS/WMST 388, 410, 610; JAPN 161; JWST/RELI 444; PLAN 52/WMST 51; POLI/WMST 218, 265; PUBH 423; RELI 450; RELI/WMST 244, 424; RUSS 273; SOCI/WMST 124; WMST 101, 231, 294, 550, 553, 610

Honors in Women’s Studies

An honors degree in women’s studies is available to majors who meet the department’s guidelines for honors and who successfully complete a thesis based upon original and independent research. Contact the department chair for more information.

Contact Information

Associate Professor Michele Tracy Berger, Director of Undergraduate Studies, CB# 3135, 208 Smith Building, (919) 962-3908. Web site: www.unc.edu/depts/wmst.

For information about the minor in sexuality studies, contact Professor John Sweet, Director of Sexuality Studies, CB# 3135, (919) 962-3945, sexuality@unc.edu.

WMST

51 First-Year Seminar: Race, Sex, and Place in America (PLAN 052) (3). See PLAN 052 for description.

64 First-Year Seminar: Plantation Lullabies: Literature by and about African American Women (3). This course introduces students to different ways of understanding plantation culture and how that culture persists today, using close reading strategies and gender analysis. The class will examine film, literature, music, and poetry.

66 First-Year Seminar: World Literature by Women (3). Course introduces students to literature by women from around the world, particularly stories of a girl’s transition to womanhood. Close reading strategies are used to examine films, novels, and poetry.

80 First-Year Seminar: The Actress: Celebrity and the Woman (3). Who is your favorite actress? What do you know about her? What makes you one of her fans? In this seminar students will reflect on the experience, significance, and influence of the stage and motion picture actress in the modern era.

89 First-Year Seminar: Special Topics (3). Special topics course. Content will vary each semester.

101 Introduction to Women’s Studies (3). An interdisciplinary exploration of the intersections of gender, race, class, and sexuality in American society and internationally. Topics include work; sexuality; gender relations, and images of women in literature, art, and science; and the history of feminist movements. Course readings are drawn from the humanities and the social sciences.

102 Introduction to Feminist Thought (3). Prerequisite, WMST 101. Introduces students to United States and global feminist theorizing on debates over gender-based oppression. Gives majors and minors tools to pursue academic work in women’s studies and to understand the relationships among concepts, activism, and change.

111 Introduction to Sexuality Studies (3). This course introduces students to the broad range of disciplinary perspectives used by the field of sexuality studies to study, teach, and create knowledge about human sexuality in various functions and forms.

124 Sex and Gender in Society (SOCI 124) (3). See SOCI 124 for description.

140 Introduction to Gay/Lesbian Literature (ENGL 140) (3). See ENGL 140 for description.

188 Introduction to Women and Music (MUSC 188) (3). See MUSC 188 for description.

217 Women and Politics (POLI 217) (3). See POLI 217 for description.

218 Politics of Sexuality (POLI 218) (3). See POLI 218 for description.

219 Violence against Women: The Legal Perspective (POLI 219) (3). See POLI 219 for description.

220 Women in the Middle Ages (GERM 220) (3). See GERM 220 for description.

224 Introduction to Gender and Communication (COMM 224) (3). See COMM 224 for description.

225 Space, Place, and Difference (GEOG 225) (3). See GEOG 225 for description.

231 Gender and Popular Culture (3). This course examines the ways in which gender and sexual identities are represented and consumed in popular culture.

237 African Gender History (3). This course seeks to familiarize students with the scholarly debates on the importance of gender as a category of analysis, while gaining a greater sense of the African past.

240 Women in Greek Art and Literature (CLAS 240) (3). See CLAS 240 for description.

241 Women in Ancient Rome (CLAS 241) (3). See CLAS 241 for description.

242 Sex and Gender in Antiquity (CLAS 242) (3). See CLAS 242 for description.

243 French Women Writers (3). Works by French women authors read in translation along with pertinent theoretical texts. Course content will vary with each semester incorporating texts from different periods and genres.

244 Gender and Sexuality in the Western Christian Tradition (RELI 244) (3). See RELI 244 for description.

245 Women of Byzantium (CLAS 245) (3). See CLAS 245 for description.

248 Women in Opera (MUSC 248) (3). See MUSC 248 for description.

250 Women in German Cinema (GERM 250) (3). See GERM 250 for description.

253 A Social History of Jewish Women in America (AMST 253, JWST 253) (3). See AMST 253 for description.

254 Women in the Visual Arts I (ART 254) (3). See ART 254 for description.

258 Women in Europe before 1750 (HIST 258) (3). See HIST 258 for description.

259 Women and Gender in Europe since 1750 (HIST 259) (3). See HIST 259 for description.

260 American Women in Sports (EXSS 260) (3). See EXSS 260 for description.

261 African Women: Changing Ideals and Realities (AFRI 261) (3). See AFRI 261 for description.

263 Literature and Gender (ENGL 263) (3). See ENGL 263 for description.

264 Gender in Russian History, 1860–Present (HIST 264) (3). See HIST 264 for description.

265 Feminism and Political Theory (POLI 265) (3). See POLI 265 for description.

266 Black Women in America (AFAM 266) (3). See AFAM 266 for description.

269 Representations of Cleopatra (CLAS 269, CMPL 269) (3). See CLAS 269 for description.

275 Philosophical Issues in Feminism (PHIL 275) (3). See PHIL 275 for description.

278 Women in Science (ANTH 278) (3). The role of women in scientific domains throughout history and a consideration of the status of women and men as scientists. The development of science as a cultural practice.

280 Women and Gender in Latin America (HIST 280) (3). See HIST 280 for description.

281 Gender and Global Change (INTS 281) (3). Prerequisite, WMST 101. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. Students will be introduced to recent debates over the meaning of globalization, historical perspectives on the uneven development of global systems of production, and communication. Course discusses global feminisms and case studies of gendered globalization.

285 African American Women in the Media (AFAM 285) (3). This course will acquaint students with how African American women have been depicted (and depicted themselves) in 20th- and 21st-century media. The course will examine representations of African American women in several aspects of culture including film, art, print, television, theater, and music.

289 Women and the Law in Africa and the Middle East (3). Course focuses on the history of women in African and Middle Eastern colonial and post-colonial legal systems. It examines “native” customary law, Islamic law, and human and women’s rights.

290 Special Topics in Women’s Studies (3). Topics are announced in advance and reflect the interest of the particular instructor. Each course will concern itself with a study in depth of some problem or issue in women’s studies.

293 Gender and Imperialism (3). Required preparation, one course in gender or non-Western societies. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the preparation. Focuses on feminist perspectives on imperialism; the effects of imperialism on colonized and European women; women’s participation in anti-imperialist movements; and the legacies of imperialism for feminism today.

294 Courtship and Courtliness from King Arthur to Queen Victoria (3). Prerequisite, WMST 101. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. Interdisciplinary study of Western views concerning love between the sexes, focusing on courtly love in the Middle Ages and romantic love in the Victorian era. Literary, historical, and art historical materials.

297 Women’s Spirituality across Cultures (3). How women’s spirituality interacts with officially sanctioned religious institutions in a range of cultural contexts and how it forges alternatives to those traditions.

302 Language and Power (ANTH 302, LING 302) (3). See LING 302 for description.

310 Women, Work, and Leisure (RECR 310) (3). See RECR 310 for description.

336 Digitizing the Body (3). This class examines contemporary artistic production by international artists that engage, question, and challenge ideas of the body. Students will create work in relation to the body using digital technology.

350 Spitting in the Wind: “American” Women, Art, and Activism (3). This course uses films, novels, and essays to engage with various notions of activism (as represented in art and social justice organizations) at play in hemispheric America.

352 Rahtid Rebel Women: An Introduction to Caribbean Women (3). This course uses films, novels, and essays to move beyond sun, sand, and sex representations of Caribbean women to examine how they negotiate imperial and national definitions of their place.

363 Feminist Literary Theory (ENGL 363) (3). See ENGL 363 for description.

368 The Struggle Continues: Women of Color in Contemporary United States Social Movements (3). This course will examine the role of women of color as grassroots activists, leaders, and thinkers in the new social and community movements of the postwar period.

371 Women Mystics (RELI 371) (3). See RELI 371 for description.

373 Modern Women Writers (CMPL 374) (3). See CMPL 374 for description.

374 Southern Women Writers (ENGL 374) (3). See ENGL 374 for description.

375 History of Gender in America (HIST 375) (3). This course will explore how Americans from 1600 to the present have defined what is masculine and what is feminine and how they have constructed their identities around those definitions.

380 Almost Despicable Heroines in Japanese and Western Literature (ASIA 380, CMPL 380) (3). See CMPL 380 for description.

381 Women and Work in Japan (JAPN 381) (3). See JAPN 381 for description.

384 Women Writers in Japanese Society (JAPN 384) (3). See JAPN 384 for description.

385 Gender and Economics (AMST 385, ECON 385) (3). See ECON 385 for description.

388 The International Politics of Sexual and Reproductive Health (INTS 388) (3). Prerequisite, WMST 101. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. This course takes a feminist political economy perspective on debates over current health issues of international concern, including HIV/AIDS and population control.

391 Practicum in Women’s Studies (1–12). Prerequisite, WMST 101. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. A supervised internship designed to provide experience working in organizations concerned with women’s issues. Written paper required. Open to women’s studies majors and other qualified students.

392 Women and Work, 1850–1900 (CMPL 392) (3). See CMPL 392 for description.

396 Independent Reading and Research (3). Permission of the department chair. Faculty supervision required. Independent reading and research. A student can repeat the course as long as they work on a different topic each time they enroll.

410 Comparative Queer Politics (INTS 410) (3). Prerequisite, WMST 101. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. The prospects of the emerging global movement for equality for sexual minorities are analyzed in light of the histories and practices of local and national queer movements and international organizations and networks that have emerged to link these diverse communities.

415 Women and Mass Communication (JOMC 442) (3). See JOMC 442 for description.

424 Genders and Theories in the Study of Religion (RELI 424) (3). See RELI 424 for description.

430 Comparative Studies in Culture, Gender, and Global Forces (AFAM 430, AFRI 430) (4). See AFRI 430 for description.

436 Gender and Science (ANTH 436) (3). Feminist approaches to science; history of scientific constructions of male and female nature; and theoretical approaches to the role of gender in science.

437 Gender, Science Fiction, and Film (COMM 436) (3). The course combines several fields, analyzing the construction of gender through science, science fiction, and film. Students are exposed to science issues as they are represented in popular media.

438 Gender in Practice (ANTH 537, FOLK 537) (3). See ANTH 537 for description.

440 Gender and Culture (ANTH 440) (3). See ANTH 440 for description.

441 The Anthropology of Gender, Health, and Illness (ANTH 441) (3). See ANTH 441 for description.

444 Race, Class, and Gender (SOCI 444) (3). See SOCI 444 for description.

446 American Women Authors (ENGL 446) (3). See ENGL 446 for description.

451 Women in the Visual Arts II (ART 451) (3). See ART 451 for description.

458 Archaeology of Sex and Gender (ANTH 458) (3). See ANTH 458 for description.

475 Philosophical Issues in Gender, Race, and Class (PHIL 475) (3). See PHIL 475 for description.

477 Advanced Feminist Political Theory (POLI 477) (3). See POLI 477 for description.

479 History of Female Sexualities in the West (HIST 479) (3). See HIST 479 for description.

486 Contemporary Russian Women’s Writing (RUSS 486) (3). See RUSS 486 for description.

500 Gender and Nation in Europe and beyond, from the 18th to the 20th Century (HIST 500). See HIST 500 for description.

501 Gender of Welfare (HIST 501) (3). See HIST 501 for description.

537 Women in the Middle East (ASIA 537, HIST 537) (3). See HIST 537 for description.

550 The Social Construction of Women’s Bodies (3). Prerequisite, WMST 101. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. Looking specifically at the social and cultural construction of women’s bodies, this course considers the ways in which biological difference is imbued with social significance.

553 Theorizing Black Feminisms (3). Prerequisites, WMST 101 and 102. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisites. Introduction to the theoretical and practical contributions of African American feminists who maintain that issues of race, gender, sexuality, and social class are central, rather than peripheral, to any history or strategy for bringing about social justice in the United States.

555 Women and Creativity (3). Prerequisite, WMST 101. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. This course will present an overview of the variety and diversity of contemporary American women’s experiences of creative expressions. We explore how women have been historically excluded from the arts.

560 Women and Religion in United States History (3). An interdisciplinary consideration of women’s roles, behavior, and ideas in the religious life of Americans from 1636 to 1982.

561 Performance of Literature by Women of Color (COMM 561) (3). See COMM 561 for description.

562 Oral History and Performance (COMM 562, FOLK 562, HIST 562) (3). See COMM 562 for description.

563 Women’s Health (3). Permission of the instructor. An overview of women’s health emphasizing their specific interest as family and community members, as patients, and as health professionals. Implications for health education practice and research.

568 Women in the South (HIST 568) (3). See HIST 568 for description.

569 African American Women’s History (AFAM 569, HIST 569) (3). See HIST 569 for description.

576 The Ethnohistory of Native American Women (HIST 576) (3). See HIST 576 for description.

603 Reproductive Physiology and Conception Control (MHCH 603) (3). See MHCH 603 for description.

610 Feminism, Sexuality, and Human Rights (3). Prerequisite, WMST 101. Recommended preparation, at least one other WMST course beyond introductory level. This course examines how feminist, HIV, sex work, and LGBT activists have used, criticized, and transformed the United Nations’ human rights discourses in struggles against sexual oppression.

620 Women in Hispanic Literature (SPAN 620) (3). See SPAN 620 for description.

656 Women in Film (COMM 656) (3). This course examines the representations of women in contemporary American film and also considers women as producers of film.

660 Kinship, Reproduction, Reproductive Technology, and the New Genetics (ANTH 660) (3). See ANTH 660 for description.

662 Gender Issues in Planning and Development (PLAN 662) (3). See PLAN 662 for description.

665 Queer Latina/o Literature, Performance, and Visual Art (ENGL 665) (3). See ENGL 665 for description.

666 Queer Latina/o Photography and Literature (ENGL 666) (3). See ENGL 666 for description.

684 Women in Folklore and Literature (ENGL 684, FOLK 684) (3). See ENGL 684 for description.

691H Honors in Women’s Studies (3). Prerequisite, WMST 695 or 695H. Permission of the department and the instructor. Writing and completion of an honors essay.

695 Senior Seminar: Principles of Feminist Inquiry (3). Prerequisites, WMST 101 and 102. Required preparation, one additional WMST course. Senior standing or permission of the instructor or the department. An advanced writing-intensive course drawing on a student’s interests and background. Major research of specific topics utilizing feminist perspectives.