Diploma in
Women’s Studies
WS3102: Introduction to Feminist Theory
Lecturer: Siobhán O’ Connor-Semahedi
MA, H. Dip. ED.
Lecture
Time: Thursday 7-9.30
Room: CG057
Aims and
Objectives
This module introduces students to the main
theoretical frameworks that have been developed to explain women’s position in
society, including liberal, radical, psychoanalytical, and multicultural
amongst others. The approaches are
examined with reference to key feminist debates and questions for example;
women and work; women’s health; diversity amongst women. At the end of the course it is hoped that
each student will have an overview of the different theoretical debates and be
able to apply the concepts covered to their own arguments and opinions about
various issues affecting women in society.
Course
Outline
30th
Sept. Week 1: Introduction:
Expectations of the course. What is Feminism? What is Feminist Theory? What is its
relevance? What is Patriarchy? Review of
a glossary of possible unfamiliar terms.
Glossary
7th
Oct. Week 2: Liberal Feminism: The
Beginnings. Early Feminist thinkers and their contribution.
Reading Class Handout: Mary Wollstonecraft et al.
14th
Oct. Week 3: Liberal Feminism: The development of these theories and
their position in the 20th and 21st Century. Relevance to today?
21st
Oct. Week 4: Radical Feminism: A Reaction?
“
28th
Oct. Week 5: Radical Feminism: Development.
“Compulsory
Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence” Adrienne Rich
Extract Lady
Chatterley’s Lover D.H Lawrence
Class
Handout: Debates
Germaine Greer
Newspaper Articles
4th
Nov. Week 6: Marxist
Feminism and Socialist Feminism: Woman in the workplace public and private.
Newspaper
Article
11th
Nov. Week 7: Psychoanalytical Feminism:
Theories
“Psychosnslysis and the Imaginary Body” Elizabeth Grosz
“The Other:
Woman” Luce Irigarary
18th
Nov. Week 8: Simone de Beauvoir, woman as the other? Existentialist
Feminism: Theories
Simone de Beauvoir “The Second Sex” (Extract)
Class
Handout: Quotes
25th
Nov. Week 9 & 2nd Dec. Week 10: Multicultural and Global
Feminism: How can ALL women be represented.
bell
hooks “Reflections on Race and Sex”
Anantha Sudhakar “Cultural Context takes the Women’s Movement Beyond the Mainstream”
Valerie
Bryson “Gender, race and Class”
Newspaper
Articles given in class
9th
Dec. Week 11: Post-Modernist Feminism: The role of Feminism in the 21st
Century
Imelda Whelan “Identity Crisis? ‘Post-Feminism’, theMedia
and ‘Feminist Superstars’
Class
Handout: description
16th
Dec. Week 12: Conclusion: Comparing and contrasting the different
Theories.
Imelda
Whelan “New Feminism, Post-Feminism and Feminist Revivals”
Handout:
What Women Really Want
6th
Jan. Week 13: Reading Week: No lecture. I will be available to assist
with readings, questions on assignments and any other problems.
Recommended
Texts:
On order
at the University Bookshop
Kournay,
Janet A. Sterba, James P., Tong, Rosemarie Feminist
Philosophies: Problems, Theories and Applications New
There are a number of editions of
this book. Any one of them is suitable.
Gamble,
Sarah (ed.) The Icon Critical Dictionary of
Feminism and Post Feminism
Other
Useful
All the
books mentioned below are available in the University Library
Andermaher,
Sonya Lovell, Terry Walkowitz, Carol A concise
Glossary of Feminist Theory
Brooks, Ann
Postfeminisms: Feminism, cultural theory
and cultural forms
Code,
Evans,
Judith Introducing Contemporary Feminist Thought
Humm,
Maggie Feminism, A Reader
Smyth, Ailbhe (ed.) Irish Women’s Studies Reader
Watkins,
Susan Alice, Rueda, Marisa, Rodriguez, Marta Feminism
for Beginners Duxford: Icon Books
Whelehan,
Imelda Modern Feminist Thought: From the second
Wave to Post-Feminism Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1995
Other interesting writers not available in the University but possibly in
your local library:
Beasley,
Chris, Oakley, Ann, Spender, Dale
Attendance 10%
Presentation
or Project 50%
Essay or
Assignment 40%
Tutor
Availability
Where:
E-mail: siobhan.oconnor@ul.ie
Telephone: 061 213171
Time: Thursday 5.30-6.30 or by appointment. As often as I can I will be
there.