 | WOMEN'S AND GENDER STUDIES: COURSES
Click here for link to Women's and Gender Studies Emphasis Courses
WGST-1000. Women in Canadian Society
This course illustrates and account for the position of women in Canadian society. We explore how gender identities are informed by the process of social construction which privileges some women while disadvantaging others.
WGST-1200.Gal Pals: Women and Friendship
This course examines a diverse range of women’s friendships. Through discussion, reading, and films we will explore topics such as the meaning of friendship for women, how women’s friendships have been portrayed in literature and film, the link between friendship and social activism for women, and the political meanings of women’s friendship in cultures resistant to woman-centered consciousness. (Can be taken for Social Science or Arts credit.)
WGST-1300. Imagining Women
This course examines a broad cross-section of historical and contemporary representations of western women in popular culture, and visual media – photographs, film and video, the fine arts, and advertising. The student will be introduced to feminist and gender-related theories of representation. (Can be taken for either Social Science or Arts credit.)
WGST-1400. Queer Activism
Students engage with LGBTQ+ activism, past and present. Students investigate how queer communities are created and sustained through protest, alliance-building, symbols, and memes. (Also offered as SJST-1400).
WGST-1600.Women and Religion
A comparative, feminist-critical exploration of the status of women and women's religious experience in selected examples of traditional (e.g., Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism) and non-traditional (e.g., Goddess religions, Wicca, Feminism) religions, ancient and modern. (Can be taken for either Social Science or Arts credit.)
WGST-2100. Gender, Sexuality and Social Justice
This course examines the personal and cultural meanings of women’s sexual identities in Canada today. Students consider how these identities are created and experienced in conjunction with other identities such as race/ethnicity, social class, and (dis)ability and how women challenge the personal, social, political, and economic inequities that continue to be based on these identities. Students are encouraged to analyze how their beliefs and behaviours are shaped by heterosexual privilege.(Also offered as Sociology SACR-2100.) (Prerequisites: WGST-1000.)
WGST-2110. Women and Politics
An introduction to the principal themes in the study of women in Canadian politics. Topics may include: feminist theory, women in Canadian political institutions, the status of women in the Canadian economy, and gender equality rights in the Charter. Also offered as Political Science POLS-2110.
WGST-2190. Gender, Movement, and Performance
This course explores how people come to know themselves and others through their bodies.Students investigate movement as a cultural message and explore how stereotypes connected to gender, race, sexuality, and ability are created and contested through the body. (Prerequisite: WGST-1000 or DRAM-1000 or with permission of the instructor)(Cross-listed as an Arts course in Dramatic Art DRAM-2190)
WGST-2200.Women, Race, and Social Justice
This course examines the personal and cultural meanings of women's racial and ethnic identities in Canada today. Students consider how these identities are created and experienced in conjunction with other identities such as sexuality, social class, and (dis)ability and how women challenge the personal, social, political, and economic inequities that continue to be based on these identities. Students are encouraged to analyze how their beliefs and behaviours are shaped by white privilege. (Prerequisite: WGST-1000 or permission of the instructor.)
WGST-2300.Gender and Moral Choice
This course examines how gender affects personal and public definitions of moral problems and their resolution. Issues such as reproductive choices, childrearing, poverty, and war will be used to explore these ideas. (Can be taken for either Social Science or Arts credit.) (Prerequisite: Semester 3 or above standing and one Women's and Gender Studies course or consent of the instructor.)
WGST-2360. Feminist Philosophies
An examination of key philosophical themes in feminism and philosophical debates among feminists. The themes and subjects of debate addressed may include sexism and oppression, feminist identity; theories the political significance of language, personal appearance, and pornography; feminist ethics; and feminist theories of knowledge. (Prerequisite: PHIL-1100 or PHIL-1120 or semester 3 or above standing, or consent of the instructor. Can be taken as an Arts credit.) (Also offered as Philosophy PHIL-2360).
WGST-2400. Work and Equality
This course explores how paid and unpaid work are gendered, valued and rewarded. Students investigate how public policy, law, collective bargaining, and advocacy enhance equality in pay and working conditions for women and racialized workers. (Prerequisites: WORK-1500 or WGST-1000 or SACR-1100 (Also offered as Work and Employment Issues WORK-2400)
WGST-2500.Women's Bodies, Women's Health
This course examines and critiques commonly cited biological evidence in support of sex differences and male superiority, including research on anatomy, genetics, hormones, and differential brain functioning. Students explore the social, cultural, and political meanings of the female body and consider how these understandings influence medical and non-medical definitions of “health” for women. Students investigate how sexism, classism, racism, ageism, and homophobia shape how individuals think about and value different female bodies. (Prerequisite: One Women’s and Gender Studies course or permission of the instructor.) (Can be taken for either Science or Social Science credit.)
WGST-2510.History of Women's Movements in North America
An exploration of the collective action of women in the past and present in North America. Areas of study may include women's involvement with the temperance, civil rights, suffrage, trade union, environmental, reproductive rights, and women's liberation movements. (Also offered as History HIST-2510.)
WGST-2600. Women and Globalization
This course introduces students to gender-sensitive analysis of the role of women in the global economy. Course materials cover the place of women in the international division of labour, the role of women in export-oriented industries in the "Third World," and women as "homeworkers" in the First and Third World. Students will utilize relevant empirical material to develop critical thinking and an understanding of gender inequalities in the "development process." (Prerequisites: at least Semester 3 standing.)(Also offered as Work and Employment Issues WORK-2600.)
WGST-2700. Gender, Power, and Language
This course makes visible the politics hidden in the English language. Students learn how to identify and challenge aspects of language structure and use which perpetuate power and privilege. Topics include naming, slang, metaphor, grammar rules, and humour. (Prerequisite: Semester 3 standing or above and one Women's and Gender Studies course or consent of the instructor.) (Can be taken for either Social Science or Arts credit.)
WGST-2800. Boys to Men: A critical exploration of masculinities
This course uses personal narrative and popular culture to examine the lived realities of boys and men. The course explores dominant models of masculinity in order to challenge gender stereotypes that often flatten and narrow the lives of boys and men, and also the lives of women and girls. (Semester 4 standing or above.)
WGST-2990. Special Topics in Women's Studies
Special Topics courses will be offered occasionally to meet a demonstrated academic need that cannot be satisfied by regular course offerings. (Prerequisites: will vary depending on the subject.)
WGST-3050. Feminist Theories
This course traces the evolution of contemporary feminist theories, the connection between theory and practice, and illustrates the significance of theory-driven practice on women's lives. (Prerequisites: two Women's and Gender Studies (WGST-) courses at the 2000-level or above and at least semester 5 standing.)
WGST-3060. Frameworks for Feminist Research
An exploration of the diverse approaches to feminist research in a variety of fields. Students will examine the core questions and approaches that various disciplines bring to the study of women. (Prerequisites: Two courses at the 2000-level or above from Women's and Gender Studies or consent of the instructor.)
WGST-3100.Women and the Law
This course examines the relationship between gender inequality and the legal system. Topics include abortion, marriage, divorce, custody, equal pay, sexual harassment, rape, pornography, and prostitution. Students are introduced to basic legal research tools, such as statutes, regulations, cases, and legal literature. (Prerequisites: two Women's and Gender Studies courses.)
WGST-3300. Victims, Survivors, and Warriors: Violence in the Lives of Women and Girls
An interdisciplinary exploration of male violence against women and girls locally and globally. The course will explore the power of language to shape our understanding of issues, the many forms of subtle and explicit violence, the impact of violence on the individual and the status of women, and the creative resistance of women and girls, among other issues. (Prerequisites: two Women's and Gender Studies courses and at least semester 4 standing.)
WGST-3340. Love, Honour, and Obey: Marriage and Gender
Romantic heterosexual love shapes contemporary notions of marriage for both straight and gay women. But marriage is about much more than love. It shapes women’s lives and organizes relations between women and men. This course examines the interpersonal, economic, social, cultural, and legal aspects of marriage past and present, primarily in North America. (Pre-requisite: One Women's and Gender Studies course or HIST-2510 or permission of the instructor.)
WGST-3400. Women, War and Peace
This course examines the various and distinct ways in which women experience war and peace, in both historical and contemporary contexts. Topics include home fronts during wartime in both combat and non-combat zones, women's peace activism, displacement, war crimes against women, women in combat, and media coverage of women and war/peace across the 20th and 21st centuries. (Also offered as History HIST-3400.) (Prerequisite: one 2000-level Women's and Gender Studies or History course or POLS-2600 or consent of the instructor.)
WGST-3470.Social Work and Violence
Examines aspects of violence in society, particularly against marginalized groups. The primary focus is on generalist social work intervention related to violence. (Open to senior students. Required course for Social Work/Women's and Gender Studies students; elective for BSW students. Pre-requisite: One Women's and Gender Studies (WGST-) course or permission of the instructor. (Also offered as SWRK-3470.)
WGST-3500. Practical Strategies for Social Change: Intervening to Prevent Sexual Violence
This course introduces students to sexual violence as a social problem; why it matters, the forms it takes, and how it can be changed. The importance of personal and community responsibility for social change is emphasized. This course also provides students with the background knowledge that is needed to successfully teach sexual violence prevention workshops for their peers. Restricted to students who have attained a cumulative GPA of 66% or higher at the time of application. (Prerequisite: Semester 4 standing or above and permission of the instructor by online application at bystander initiative.ca) (Also offered as SOSC-3500, PSYC-3500, SWRK-3500, and SACR-3500.)
WGST-3530. Women, Power, and Environments
This course focuses on environmental issues as they affect women across cultures. It provides a feminist critical analysis of the power relations in modern societies that cause environmental degradation and examines the theories, policies, and institutions that contribute to unsustainable practices. Emphasis is placed on the women-nature debate within various environmental social movements and the historical role women have played as activists. (Also offered as Sociology SACR-3530.) (Prerequisite: Semester 3 or above standing and one course at the 2000-level or above from Women's and Gender Studies or Sociology.)
WGST-3540. Gender, Space, and Time
An examination of sociological and anthropological approaches to the study of space-time relations within the field of gender studies, including a focus on the development of gendered environments and cultural practices. (Also offered as Sociology SACR-3540.) (Prerequisites: SACR-2140 or WGST-1000 and semester 5 or higher standing.)
WGST-3550. Feminist Social Work Practice
This course prepares students to apply the principles, processes, and techniques of feminist social work practice. Required course for Social Work/Women's and Gender Studies students; elective for BSW students (Prerequisites:(SWRK-3360, SWRK-3370 plus three (WGST-xxx) Women Studies courses or, consent of instructor.) (Also offered as SWRK-3550)
WGST-3590.Women, Knowledge, and Reality
An exploration of feminist theories about knowledge and reality that inform and are informed by scholarship in Women's Studies. Students examine how gender might affect identity, reasoning, objectivity, and evidence, and in turn, how such variations might affect feminist political practices. (Prerequisites: Two courses at the 2000-level or above from Women's and Gender Studies and/or Philosophy and at least semester 5 standing.) (Also offered as Philosophy PHIL-3590.) (Can be taken for Arts credit.)
WGST-3700. Madonnas, Monsters, and Machines: Representations of Motherhood
This course examines representations of mothers and motherhood in literature, arts, and popular culture, and the effects of these representations on women’s lives. Topics may include constructs of “good” and “bad” mothers, diverse pathways to motherhood, availability and use of reproductive technologies, and feminist activism around mothering. (Prerequisite: Semester 4 standing or above and two Women's and Gender Studies courses.)
WGST-3800. Masculinity, Crime and Punishment
Students examine the gendered nature of violence, crime and punishment in Canada today. Students will investigate how masculinity is lived on the streets, in the courts and in prisons, and imagine whether new forms of masculinity are possible. (WGST-2800 or permission of the instructor.)
WGST-3850: Tough Chicks: Representations of Women’s Strength and Anger in Popular Culture and Society
This course examines popular interest in “tough chicks.”. Students investigate the social construction of women’s and girls’ anger and aggression in fiction, popular media, and real life. and how these understandings are rooted in sexist, racist, homophobic, and other oppressive discourses. Students are encouraged to examine how their own lives and the lives of other women are impacted by these understandings. This course can be used for either Arts of Social Science credit. (Prerequisites: WGST-1000 and one 2000-level Women's and Gender Studies (WGST-) course or consent of the instructor)
WGST-3900. Feminisms in the 21st Century
This course investigates the meaning and importance of contemporary feminisms through literature, zines, websites, and "manifestos" written by, for, and about young women. Specific topics of interest are young women's activism with respect to the environment, globalization, and the media, as well as their efforts to confront racism, sexism, and classism. (Prerequisites: two Women's and Gender Studies courses and at least semester 3 standing.)
WGST-3990.Special Topics
The content will vary to reflect student need and faculty expertise and may be offered as a cross-listed course with other programs. (Prerequisite: at least semester 4 standing. Additional prerequisites may apply depending on subject.)(May be repeated for credit if content changes.)
WGST-4000. Exploring the Feminist Voice
Students apply theoretical learning in Women’s Studies to individual lived experiences and actions. Through writing and other modes of representation, they communicate their feminist ideas to target audiences. (Prerequisites: WGST-3590 (or WGST-3050) and WGST-3060 or consent of the instructor.)
WGST-4100. Women in Protest
This course examines women at the forefront of protest in historical and contemporary contexts. It analyzes gendered constructs of protest and social and political change. Students will study the role of women in protest movements such as suffrage, reproductive rights, anti-racism, labour rights, environmental justice, anti-globalization, and nationalist and religious movements. Case studies are explored in detail, with particular emphasis on primary-source material from women activists themselves. These studies are complemented by an examination of feminist, social movement, and protest theories. (Prerequisite: WGST-2510 or HIST-2510 and one 3000-level Women's and Gender Studies course or consent of the instructor.)
WGST-4500. Practicum in Social Change
Supervised practicum in a university setting. Students consolidate and enhance their knowledge of sexual violence and bystander intervention, and they lead sexual violence prevention workshops to groups of students on campus. This course equips students to deliver educational content on sensitive issues. (Prerequisite: Final mark of 80% or higher in SOSC-3500/PSYC-3500/SWRK-3500/SACR-3500/WGST-3500 and permission of the instructor by online application at bystanderinitiative.ca.) (Also offered as SOSC-4500, PSYC-4500, SWRK-4500, and SACR-4500.)
WGST-4630. History of Gender and Sexuality
This course explores major themes in the history of gender and sexuality. These may include reproduction, contraception, and abortion; gender, race, and power; sexuality and the state; heterosexual relations and marriage; gay, lesbian, and transgender identities. Time period and geographical region will vary with the instructor.)(Prerequisite: Semester 5 or above standing and one of HIST-2490, HIST-2500, or HIST-2510/WGST-2510 or permission of the instructor.)(Also offered as History HIST-4630.)
WGST-4990. Independent Study in Women’s and Gender Studies
An independent research project that explores and applies advanced feminist theory. Applications must include: research question, preliminary reading list, and writing sample. Students must be prepared to present their research to an audience. (Prerequisites: Minimum grade of 80% in WGST-3590/ PHIL-3590 or WGST-3050 and WGST-3060 and minimum cumulative average of 75%.) (This course may be repeated for credit if topics are different.) Students must apply at uwindsor.ca/wgst/CoursesAndPrograms#IndependentStudy
Additional Information: Women's and Gender Studies Emphasis Courses |