WMST1300

Meets MN Transfer Curriculum Goal Areas 2 & 7 A- Critical Thinking & Human Diversity. This course investigates women's lives, experiences, contributions, and cultures from a female perspective, with a focus on related social structures and values. By adopting an interdisciplinary approach, students will analyze feminist issues through an intersectional lens, considering how gender intersects with other factors such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, culture, religion, age, and differing abilities. The course explores patriarchal systems that have sustained unequal social relationships and exploitation in both political and economic contexts. It also examines the social construction of gender, emphasizing assignment, identity, and expression while highlighting how various societal structures shape these aspects. Additionally, the course analyzes the role of religion and spirituality in women's lives, discussing how religion can both perpetuate male dominance and provide opportunities for women. This course further explores how both women and men can contribute to addressing gender inequality.

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Examine how women have contributed to society, both historically and currently, and why their contributions have often gone unrecognized.
• Analyze the impact of the patriarchal system in the United States on individuals.
• Examine how women have endured and effectively challenged oppression, and the resulting impact on both themselves and society.
• Analyze the negative impacts of traditional images and stereotypes in our lives and consider alternative viewpoints.
• Explore how historically accepted theories and explanations often mirror prejudice and misunderstanding about women, shaping humanity's current beliefs about women.
• Uncover gender issues deeply embedded in everyday life: family, work, education, media, religion, and popular culture.
• Analyze how sexism and misogyny are maintained and reinforced at personal, institutional, and cultural levels.
• Examine the intersections of sexism, racism, heterosexism, classism, ageism, ableism, and colorism.
• Analyze the key themes of gender roles, including how male and female ideals, roles, and expectations are portrayed across different parts of culture and institutions.
• Analyze how the cultural definition of masculinity contributes to violence against women and other genders, as well as the ongoing perpetuation of unequal power structures.
• Investigate ways women, men, and others actively work to dismantle gender inequality.