Criteria for Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Courses
The Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) program at Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ represents an interdisciplinary approach to feminist scholarship, the purpose of which is to examine the changing roles of women and men locally, regionally, nationally, globally, and cross-culturally across time. Courses within this program, including cross-listed courses, should not only reflect this approach but should also be consistent with the following criteria:
- Course content must acquaint students with recent scholarship on women, gender, and/or feminist theory.
- Race, class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and other systems of domination affect how one experiences gender and subordination. WGSS courses should address, rather than ignore or dismiss, these differences.
- A WGSS course should do one or more of the following: a) critically examine cultural assumptions about gender; b) explore the production of knowledge in art, literature, and other disciplines that reflect on gendered experiences; c) focus on providing information about women, their psychology, biology, roles, experiences, history, and contributions.
- Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies courses should examine and/or employ feminist genres, research methods, structures, analytical tools, aesthetics, criticism, contemporary issues, pedagogy, political theory, etc.