Anthropology 250 – Women in Cross-Cultural Perspective
(Same as WOM 250)
Class meets: Tuesday
and Thursday
Instructor: Kathleen Bubinas, Ph. D.
Office: 119 Northview (N 119)
Phone: 521-5523
Office hours: Tu/Th
8 –
Email: kbubinas@uwc.edu
COURSE
DESCRIPTINON
This course addresses the role of women in human societies using a distinctly anthropological biocultural approach. Men and women are biological organisms embedded in complex cultural and personal histories that vary from society to society. We will utilize ethnographic, archaeological, linguistic, biographic, and biological data to explain the different worlds in which men and women must learn culturally specific gender behavior. Comparative cross-cultural methodologies will be employed to examine particular human traits across a range of diverse societies in the world today and in the recent past. One of the primary goals of this course is to provide each student with a conceptual vocabulary and the analytical skills essential for understanding the dynamic roles of women in human societies throughout the world.
Brettell, Caroline B. and Carolyn F. Sargent 2001 Gender in Cross-Cultural
Perspective.
(3rd ed.)
Lepowsky, Maria 1993 Fruit of the Motherland: Gender in an Egalitarian Society.
Mascia-Lees, Frances E. and Nancy Johnson Black 2000
Gender and Anthropology.
Waveland Press. (‘THEORY’)
In addition there will be several articles on reserve at the library.
Class Participation and Attendance (10 points)
Each student is expected to attend scheduled classes and participate in class discussion. Class attendance is critical in order to engage the material in a useful and productive way. Reading the assignments and being prepared to participate in class discussions are essential to staying involved with the course. The exams draw to a large extent on lectures and class discussions and cannot be adequately completed without participating in and attending class.
I strongly encourage class participation in various forms. Students may contribute to the class through appropriate artwork, readings, news clippings, or personal stories that relate to the topic being discussed. Students who feel uncomfortable speaking in a large class setting will have ample opportunity to express themselves in smaller groups.
Every student who has three or less class absences will receive 10 points for class participation/attendance.
Each student will choose or be assigned a reading from the TEXT. Students will be responsible for presenting this article to the class and for acting as moderator during the discussion period.
Each student’s verbal presentation should be 10-15 minutes in length. Presentations should address the following points.
(1) SUMMARY: Succinctly summarize the article noting the main anthropological concepts presented, as well as the facts and arguments the author uses to support conclusions.
(2) THEORETICAL CONTEXT: Can the article be analyzed within the context of a particular anthropological theory? How is this point handled in the THEORY book? Does the article relate to the LEPOWSKY book?
(3) CRITICAL ANALYSIS: React to the article from a personal perspective. What is your personal reaction to this article? Perhaps you have some insightful experience or information that you can utilize to critically analyze the article. Did you enjoy the article? Was it informative? Did you think there was any bias on the part of the author or faulty reasoning?
Following the class presentation there will be a question and answer period. A student will be assigned as discussant and have at least two questions prepared to ask the presenter.
One week after the class presentation each presenter will hand in a typed summary of their presentation covering all points addressed in the verbal presentation and any additional comments raised during the discussion period. The written summary should be typed, double-spaced, and be three pages in length.
Each student will serve as a discussant for one article. As discussant the student is responsible for composing at least two questions to ask the student presenter during discussion. A copy of the questions asked should be handed in to me at the end of class.
Class presentations will begin the week of February 11.
There will be three take-home exams over the course of the semester. Each exam will consist of two essay questions. Each student is required to answer both essays. Each essay is worth 25 points. All papers should be double-spaced, typed, and will be evaluated in keeping with the college policy on excellence in written work. Please make a copy of all work turned in. Examination dates and class materials covered are noted on the attached course outline.
All work turned in late without an acceptable excuse will be penalized one-third letter grade per calendar day.
Class presentation/discussant 75 points
Exams 150
points
Grade point ranges:
A 225 – 215 B+ 208 – 203 C+ 190 – 185
A- 214 – 209 B 202 – 197 C 184 – 179
B- 196 – 191 C- 178 – 173
D+ 172 – 167 Below 155 points = F
D 166 – 161
D- 160 - 155
COURSE OUTLINE
January 21 Introduction
to course/The anthropology of gender: an
overview
Peach 22-32
Gender and Prehistory 57-60
Conkey 61-70
Nelson 82-89
THEORY: 1-39
January 28 Biology,
gender, and human evolution
Scheper-Hughes 38-44
Hewlett 45-56
February 4 Documenting women’s lives: ethnographies, life
histories and ethnographic films
February 11 Domestic
worlds and public worlds/gender roles
and gender ideologies
Lamphere 100-109
Murcot 110-119
Townsend 120-135
Brenner 135-156
THEORY: 40-46
LEPOWSKY: 31-48, 72 -80
February 18 Cultural
construction of gender and personhood
Watson 166-177
THEORY: 68-79
(Library Reserve)
Ortner, Sherry 1974
Is female to male as nature is to culture? In Michelle Rosaldo and
Louise Lamphere, eds., Women, Culture, and Society.
Ortner, Sherry 1996
So, is female to male as nature is to culture? In Making Gender: The Politics and Erotics
of Culture.
EXAM #1
handed out in class (February 20)
February 25 Cultural
construction of gender and personhood (cont’d)/
gender and the life cycle
LEPOWSKY: 81-124
EXAM #1
due (February 27)
March 4 Culture
and sexuality/ women and myth/gender symbolism
Abu-Lughod 198-207
Gilmore 207-220
Blackwood 237-247
THEORY: 80-91
LEPOWSKY: 125-166
March 11 Equality
and inequality: The sexual division of labor and
gender stratification
O’Hara 270-279
Rasmussen 280-281
*** S P R I N
G B R E A K - N O
C L A S S - M A R C H 17 - 21 ***
March 25 Gender,
property, and the state
Ryan 317-329
THEORY: 47-67
LEPOWSKY: 281-306
(handout)
Engels, F. The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and the State
April 1 Gender, property and the state
(cont’d)
(Library Reserve)
Gaulin, Steven, and James S. Boster 1990 Dowry as Female Competition. American
Anthropologist 92:994-1005.
Schlegel,
Ethnologist 18:4
April 8 Gender,
household, kinship
Menom 352-361
Stack 361-371
Prior 371-379
Di Leonardo 379-389
EXAM #2
handed out (April 10)
April 15 Gender,
ritual and religion
Boddy 397-407
LEPOWSKY: 167-280
EXAM #2
due (April 17)
April 22 Gender,
politics, and reproduction
Davis-Floyd 447-459
Browner 460-470
Ragone 470-480
Gruenbaum 480-492
Miller 492-505
April 29 Colonialism,
development, and the global economy
Van Allen 513-528
Lockwood 529-543
THEORY: 92-102
May 6 Current
issues in the study of women in cross-cultural
perspective
Zimmer-Tamakoski 565-580
THEORY: 103-105
Exam #3 is due Thursday, May 15th between