Content Outline and Competencies:

I. Introduction to Women Studies and the Feminist Movement

A. Sex versus gender

1. Discuss whether sex is biological and gender is socially constructed.

a. Explain why the binary category of gender is culturally relative.

b. Discuss gender stereotypes.

2. Describe and present examples of gender identity intersections with other socially constructed identities such as race, ethnicity, religion, social class, nationality and culture.

3. Define and illustrate expressions of internalized oppression.

B. Patriarchy and oppression

1. Describe the effects of patriarchy on the status and experience of women.

2. Examine the relationship between patriarchy, skin-color privilege and social class.

3. Analyze the relationship between contemporary religious fundamentalism and patriarchy.

C. The Feminist Movement

1. Describe the waves of American feminism.

a. Discuss American laws restricting women’s rights through the Second Wave of American feminism.

b. Identify how early American feminism excluded the wider diversity of women.

2. Compare the first two waves of American feminism with an example from global feminism prior to the late 20th century.

3. Identify several examples of contemporary inequalities that women experience nationally and globally.

4. Discuss and critique younger women’s perceptions of feminism.

II. The Female Body, Images and Cultural Representations

A. Physiological differences between the sexes

1. Identify sexual differentiation at the level of chromosomes, hormones and physical differences.

2. Compare brain differences between the sexes.

3. Analyze research findings on biology’s role in gender identity and behaviors.

B. Realities and cultural myths

1. Describe the research on menstruation and PMS.

2. Evaluate various beliefs on motherhood.

3. Compare cultural expectations for pregnant women.

4. Describe the process and symptoms in menopause and evaluate individual and cultural differences.

5. Discuss female health issues across the lifespan.

C. Cultural and religious control over the female body

1. Describe and explain cultural reasons for female genital mutilation.

2. Discuss virginity testing.

3. Analyze historical and cultural differences in reproductive rights.

4. Describe the nature and significance of seclusion.

D. Images and cultural representations of the body

1. Identify beauty stereotypes and beauty prototypes.

2. Examine mass media’s effects on the public’s concept of body images and of beauty.

3. Describe the beauty industry.

4. Discuss racial, ethnic and cultural differences in beauty ideals.

5. Contrast cultural variations in notions of modesty.

6. Compare and contrast cultural, racial, ethnic and national differences for eating disorders and the role conflicting, intersecting cultural identities have for its etiology.

III. Gender Socialization

A. Interdisciplinary theories on gender role and gender identity development

1. Compare and contrast:

a. Psychoanalytical theories

b. Biological and evolutionary theories

c. Social learning and gender schema theories

d. The social construction of gender

e. Feminist theories

2. Illustrate examples from each theory.

B. Gender role constructions, expectations and scientific realities

1. Describe research methods used by feminist scholars to study women and evaluate research findings regarding gender differences.

2. Explain how family, school and the media may reinforce traditional female role expectations.

3. Describe how cultures may segregate or exclude females from traditional male experiences or expectations.

4. Contrast the various cultural expectations for older women’s social roles.

5. Evaluate research on the correlates between gender, race, ethnicity and social class for differences in self-esteem, self-confidence and personal expectations.

C. The socialization into multiple identities

1. Discuss the intersections of self definition among gender, ethnicity, race, social class, religion, nationality and sexual orientation.

2. Relate how changes in social context influence one’s gendered and cultural identity.

D. Psychological maladies of being female

1. Distinguish the disorders and the various stressors affecting women of different races, ethnicities, nationalities, ages, social classes and cultures.

2. Analyze the role gender socialization may have on the etiology of psychological disorders.

3. Contrast cultural traditions for their therapeutic interventions.

IV. Sexuality

A. Portrayals of gendered sexuality

1. Describe the various stereotypes, contradictions and double standards toward women of different classes, races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, nationalities and ages.

2. Compare various religious interpretations on female sexuality.

B. Research on female sexuality

1. Discuss theories and research on female sexual orientation and behavior.

2. Compare the timing of first sexual experiences across ethnicity/race, class, gender and nationality.

3. Describe myths and realities of same-sex sexuality.

C. Motivations for sex

1. Discuss and evaluate historically and culturally the role of desire, love, power and money on female sexuality.

2. Examine and illustrate how hypersexuality has created a new racism.

3. Describe the global sex trade.

D. Sexually transmitted diseases

1. Compare the incidence and types of STDs for different cultural groups.

2. Describe the global AIDS crisis in the context of the lives of women.

V. Women, Work and the Global Economy

A. Women’s work

1. Differentiate between women’s unpaid and paid work.

2. Discuss historical, cultural, religious and social class differences in expectations toward women’s “work.”

B. Stereotypes, discrimination and affirmative action

1. Describe the types of work and careers women traditionally and at present aspire to and attain.

2. Evaluate whether women’s work is undervalued and underpaid.

3. Discuss types of discrimination toward hiring and promoting women and compare their global situation by race, ethnicity and nationality.

4. Define sexual harassment in the workplace.

5. Evaluate the realities of affirmative action in employment and in pay equity.

C. Institutional supports and barriers

1. Discuss historically the legal rights of women to work in the United States and compare their rights to contemporary global women’s rights.

2. Compare cross-culturally social policies in support of working mothers.

3. Discuss how the global economy shapes women’s lives.

D. Lifespan work issues

1. Discuss obstacles for women in reentering the workforce after childrearing.

2. Appraise ageism in women’s work-life pathways.

VI. Intimate Relations, Marriage and the Family

A. Love and intimacy

1. Compare gendered perceptions of intimacy and discuss the gains and losses for women in intimate relations.

2. Contrast power, influence and equality in coupled relationships.

3. Inspect patterns of mate selection ranging from arranged marriage to free-choice.

4. Formulate a perspective of the “perfect marriage” or “union.”

B. The structure of marriage

1. Describe and compare the various cultural and legal forms of marriage for example: monogamy, polygamy and trial marriages; gay unions and gay marriage.

2. Critically evaluate each type of marriage within its cultural context.

C. Family

1. Compare various family structures: Western middle class, collectivistic and gay families.

2. Contrast patterns of power and authority in families: patriarchy, matriarchy and egalitarianism.

3. Compare by class, ethnicity, culture and nationality the different ways in which women balance work and family.

4. Evaluate historical and cultural similarities and differences of women’s roles in marriage and in the family.

D. Divorce

1. Identify historical factors for the increases in divorce.

2. Compare cultural views on and the practice of divorce.

3. Describe the social and economic implications of divorce for women.

VII. Violence against Women and Violent Acts of Women

A. Battering in close relationships.

1. Describe the incidence of date violence, husband abuse toward wives and violence in lesbian couples.

2. Apply different models and comparative research to explain such abuses.

B. Prevalence of violence

1. Identity violent acts toward female children:

a. Sex-selective abortion

b. Infanticide

c. Systematic neglect

2. Analyze the causes for sexual violence in:

a. Rape

b. Sexual abuse toward children

c. Forced prostitution and sex slavery

d. Wartime and military rape

D. Intervention and prevention

1. Describe and appraise domestic and global strategies and policies for interventions.

2. Evaluate institutional efforts and the efficacy of prevention programs.

E. Women’s violent acts

1. Discuss historically and culturally women’s role in violent acts and criminal behavior.

2. Describe the media’s representation of the violent acts of women.

VII. Global Politics, Third Wave Feminism and Human Rights

A. Contemporary transnational political and economic structures

1. Describe and discuss the effects of social policies on women’s lives nationally and globally.

2. Compare and contrast welfare reform in the United States with the global poverty of women.

B. Contemporary feminist activism

1. Compare and contrast more modern with traditional societies’ worldviews on feminist activity.

2. Revisit and analyze third wave feminism as a social movement for human rights.

Content Outline and Competencies:

I. Islam – the Unity of Beliefs
   A. Emphasize the cultural contributions of the Islamic world 
   B. Explain the origins and history of Islam
   C. Identify the Qur'an as the sacred source of Islamic teachings
   D. Distinguish between additional sources, Sunnah and Shariah, of
Islamic                         teachings
   E. Distinguish between the use of Islam and Muslim 
   F. Identify and explain the five pillars of Islam. 
   G. Identify Islam as a monotheistic religion and compare to other
monotheistic religions
   H. Trace the History of Women in Islam
 
II. Islam - The Diversity
   A. Distinguish the Geographical diversity
   B. Distinguish the religious diversity of Islam
   C. Distinguish the political diversity
   D. Distinguish the rural/urban diversity

III. Islam filtered 
   A. Analyze culture as a filter
   B. Analyze through the Patriarchal heritage

IV. Marriage, Family, and Kinship
   A. Identify the Qur’anic teaching of marriage as a contract
   B. Identify the Qur’anic teaching of Monogamy and Polygamy
   C. Specify the Qur’anic teaching of gender roles in the family
   D. Explain the function and importance of kinship
   E. Develop the Qur’anic teaching on divorce and custody of children
   F. Compare and contrast ideal Islam to everyday Islam in a variety of
societies
        
V.  Health, Body Image, and Reproduction
   A. Describe the general health of Muslim women
   B. Discern the Qur’anic teaching on reproductive health
   C. Compare and contrast the ideal Qur’anic teachings on Sexuality
with the everyday cultural and economic realities 
   D. Discuss the significance of the Qur’anic teaching on modesty 
   E. Compare and contrast ideal Islam to everyday Islam in a variety of
societies

VI. Workplace and  Islamic Economics
   A. Identify Qur’anic teaching on property
   B. Illustrate Islamic banking
   C. Compare and contrast Islamic and western economics
   D. Distinguish the public workplace from the private home
   E. Identify current trends for Muslim women working outside the home 
   F. Compare and contrast ideal Islam to everyday Islam in a variety of
societies
        
VII. Education
   A. Compare and contrast the education of Males and females
   B. Examine secular education
   C. Examine religious education
   D. Examine combination of secular and religious education
   E. Provide Indonesian examples
   F. Compare and contrast ideal Islam to everyday Islam in a variety of
societies

VIII. Violence
   A. Establish the pre-Islamic origin of Female Genital Mutilation
   B. Recite the Qur’anic teaching on rape
   C. Establish the origin of Stoning
   D. Locate the Qur’anic source of the Traditional male right to
violence
   E. Recite the Qur’anic teaching on violence in general
   F. Compare and contrast ideal Islam to everyday Islam in a variety of
societies

IX. Religious Participation
   A. Define imams
   B. Explain the practice of Segregation at mosque
   C. Visit a local mosque for Friday prayers
   D. Compare and contrast the traditional religious role of women with
today’s female imams
   E. Examine the impact of secularization on Islam
   F. Trace the history of the Hajj
   G. Define jihad and compare and contrast lesser and greater jihads
   H. Identify the function and observance of major Islamic holidays
   I. Compare and contrast ideal Islam to everyday Islam in a variety of
societies

X. Political Participation
   A. Discuss the integration of Islam and politics
   B. Discuss the separation of religion and politics in non-Islamic
societies
   C. Examine the absence of religion in politics in Europe
   D. Compare and contrast Islamic and non-Islamic politics
   E. Review the history of the public/private dichotomy 
   F. Trace the disappearance of the public/private dichotomy
   G. Identify and illustrate the variety of political organizations
   H. Identify theories of Feminism and Islam
   I. Compare and contrast ideal Islam to everyday Islam in a variety of
societies 

XI. The Women of Islam Today
   A. Describe the contributions of women and contemporary Islam 
   B. Chart the political and economic future
   C. Analyze the social and religious future

Examinations                       25% of grade
Individual Projects             25% of grade
Group Assignments               25% of grade
Discussion/participation        25% of grade
  Total                                 100%

Grade Criteria:
  A = 90 – 100%        
  B = 80 –  89%               
  C = 70 –  79%               
  D = 60 -  69%         
  F =  0 –  59%