WMST Honors 30H Spring 2012

Honors VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

WMST 030H MWF 11:10 AM-12:00 noon Professor Christine Ward Gailey
Office Hours: In Honors: Wednesdays 12-1:00 and by appointment
Email: christine.gailey@ucr.edu

Course website: http://iLearn.ucr.edu Violence against Women analyzes a series of case studies from different cultures and time periods to pose the question: What sets of circumstances, socioeconomic structures, and cultural dynamics create gendered violence? Are the specific forms of violence against women related to different forms of gender hierarchy (patriarchy and others)? Are some societies more engaged in gendered violence than others? Both personal and structural forms of gendered violence will be considered: sexual and physical abuse, rape, body mutilation, forced reproduction, battering, amniocentesis/sex selection, womens and girls health, political torture, socialization for victimization, as well as the gendered effects of various state and economic policies. In all of the cases, the analysis will consider the differential incidence and intensity of violence depending on the intersection of gender with different forms of stratification -- race, ethnicity, social class, sexual orientation, and sometimes religion. The course will discuss ways in which women and others have mobilized and responded to these arenas of violence. REQUIRED ARTICLES AND CHAPTERS: Articles and chapters are available under Course Materials on iLearn. Readings for the week should be completed by Fridays class. Anderson, Vera (1997) Excerpts from A Woman Like You: The Face of Domestic Violence. Seattle: Seal Press. (This is not posted one oral history a day will be shared in class) Beasley, Michele (1997) Maltreatment of Maids in Kuwait. In Women and Violence. Miranda Davies, ed. London: Zed, pp. 53-61. Bunster-Burotto, Ximena (1985) Surviving Beyond Fear: Women and Torture in Latin America. In Women and Change in Latin America. June Nash and Helen Safa, eds. S. Hadley, MA: Bergin and Garvey, pp. 297-325. Chang, Iris (1997) The Rape of Nanking: The Forgotten Holocaust of World War II (London: Penguin Books), pp. 129-139. Das, Veena (1995) National Honor and Practical Kinship: Unwanted Women and Children. In Conceiving the New World Order. Faye Ginsburg and Rayna Rapp, eds. Berkeley: University of California Press, pp. 212-233. Gailey, Christine (1998) Making Kinship in the Wake of History: Gendered Violence and Older Child Adoption. Identities Vol. 5(2): 249-292.
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WMST Honors 30H Spring 2012 Herman, Dianne (1989) The Rape Culture. In Women: A Feminist Perspective. Jo Freeman, ed. Mayfield, pp. 20-39. Herman, Judith (2000), Incestuous Fathers and their Families. In FatherDaughter Incest. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Incite! Women of Color against Violence, eds. (2006), Gender Violence and the Prison-Industrial Complex. In The Color of Violence: The Incite! Anthology. Cambridge, MA: South End Press. Falcn, Sylvanna (2006) National Security and the Violation of Women: Militarized Border Rape at the US-Mexico Border. In The Color of Violence: The Incite! Anthology. Cambridge, MA: South End Press, pp. 119-129. Jacobson, Neil and John Gottman (2004) Basic Facts about Battering. In Families and Society: Classic and Contemporary Readings. Scott Coltrane, ed. Thomason/Wadsworth, pp. 402-413. Jones, Ann (2008) A Crime Against Society. The Nation (Dec. 29): 16-20. Katz, Jackson (2007) Ten Things Men Can Do to Prevent Gender Violence. In Gender Violence. Laura OToole, Jessica Schiffman, and Margie Kiter Edwards, eds. New York University Press, 2007, pp. 460-464. Koyama, Emi (2006) Disloyal to Feminism. In The Color of Violence: The Incite! Anthology. Cambridge, MA: South End Press, pp. 208-222. Morsy, Soheir (1995) Deadly Reproduction among Egyptian Women: Maternal Mortality and The Medicalization of Population Control. In Conceiving the New World Order. Faye Ginsburg and Rayna Rapp, eds. Berkeley: University of California Press, pp. 162-176. Narasimhan, Sakuntala (1997) India: From Sati to Sex-Determination Tests. In Women and Violence. Miranda Davies, ed. London: Zed, pp. 43-52. Pleck, Joseph (1987) The Biological Basis of Male Aggression: A Critique. In The Myth of Masculinity. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, pp. 161-173. Sancho, Nelia (1997) The Comfort Women System during World War II. In Gender and Catastrophe, Ronit Lentin, ed. London: Zed Books, pp. 144154. Sanday, Peggy (1995) Pulling Train. In Race, Class, and Gender in the United States. Paula Rothenberg, ed. NY: St. Martins Press, 396-402. Sheffield, Carole (1995) Sexual Terrorism: The Social Control of Women. In Women: A Feminist Perspective, Fifth Ed. Jo Freeman, ed. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield, pp.1-21. Simmons, Aishah (2006) The War against Black Women and the Making of No! In The Color of Violence: The Incite! Anthology. Cambridge, MA: South End Press, pp.170-178. Stetz, Margaret (2007) What the West Failed to Learn about War from the Comfort Women. In Gender Violence. Laura OToole, Jessica Schiffman, and Margie Kiter Edwards, eds. New York University Press, 2007, pp. 223-229. Stone, Linda and Caroline James (1995) Dowry, Bride-Burning, and Female Power in India. Womens Studies International Forum 18(2): 125-134.

WMST Honors 30H Spring 2012 Taylor, Christopher (1999) A Gendered Genocide: Tutsi Women and Hutu Extremists in the 1994 Rwanda Genocide. Political and Legal Anthropology 22,1:42-54. Thiam, Awa (1978) Clitoridectomy and Infibulation. In Speak Out, Black Sisters: Feminism and Oppression in Black Africa. London: Pluto Press, 57-87. Utain, Marsha (2003) Stepping Out of Chaos. Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications, pp. 1-23. Vandergaag, Nikki (2004) Double Jeopardy: Violence against Women. In The No-Nonsense Guide to Womens Rights. London: Verso, pp.101-119. Wallace, Harvey (1996) Characteristics of Family Violence. In Family Violence. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Films: We will screen parts of several documentary and feature films. I will put the films on Reserve in the Media Library afterward if you wish to view the entire feature. COURSE REQUIREMENTS: 1) Take-home midterm exam (6 pages, not including bibliography): 40 pts 2) Eight-page research paper on approved topic: 40 points. 3) Active and constructive class participation: 10 pts (2 points for each week) 4) Presentations of term paper results 10 points (last week of classes; you will receive credit ONLY if you ALSO attend the other presentations) 5) Have readings completed by Friday morning each week for discussion Note re laptops and cell phones: No cell phone use is allowed. They are to be turned off (not just on silent mode) and not consulted during class time. Laptops are permitted only for note-taking. The course is a SEMINAR that is centered on participation and discussion, which are very difficult if everyone is pored over a computer screen. COURSE OUTLINE: WEEK ONE (April 2, 4, 6): WHAT IS GENDERED VIOLENCE? GENDER HIERARCHIES AND VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN Can we speak of natural causes? Is masculinity naturally aggressive? What is sexual terrorism? Mon. --Gendered Violence, violence against women: interpersonal and structural violence Wed. -- Film: Tough Guise (USA) & discuss socialization for violence Fri. Socialization for violence and acceptance of abuse Readings: articles by Pleck; Sheffield

WMST Honors 30H Spring 2012 WEEK TWO (April 9, 11, 13): PRIVACY, FAMILY HONOR AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: PARTNER BATTERING Are societies that value privacy more prone to violence against women? Why are women battered in some societies and not others? Are women in cultures that view family honor as resting in the conduct of women more vulnerable? Mon.-- Myths of Battering & Cycles of Violence in Battering Wed. Film: Once Were Warriors (New Zealand) Fri. rest of film & discuss readings. Readings: Articles by Jacobson & Gottman; Koyama; Wallace WEEK THREE (April 16, 18, 20): INCEST AND SEXUAL ABUSE What conditions create sexual abuse of girls? What is recovery under these circumstances and how do women recover? What is considered sexualized slavery today and what conditions are faced by women so held? Mon.-- Incest Wed.Film: Bastard Out of Carolina (USA) Fri.Recovery and prevention Readings: Articles by Judith Herman; Gailey; Utain WEEK FOUR (April 23, 25, 27): RAPE CULTURES Is rape universal? Is rape about sex? Why does blaming the victim happen? (Case Studies: USA, comparative) Mon.-- Rape Myths and Realities Wed.-- Date Rape, Gang Rape Fri.-- Discussion of readings Readings: Articles by Dianne Herman; Jones; Sanday MIDTERM EXAM QUESTIONS POSTED ON iLEARN on MONDAY. April 23 WEEK FIVE (April 30, May 2, 4): ANALYZING STRUCTURAL AND INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE: FEMINIST INTERSECTIONAL APPROACHES How do hierarchies of race, ethnicity, class, and sexual orientation shape violence directed at women? Mon.-- Race and Class in Rape & Recovery Wed.-- Film: No! Fri.-- Conjugated Oppression: Violence shaped by gender, race, class, and sexual orientation Readings: Articles by Das; Simmons; Vandergaag

WMST Honors 30H Spring 2012 MIDTERM EXAMS DUE MONDAY APRIL 30 IN CLASS. Submit document previously on Safe Assign. WEEK SIX (May 7, 9, 11) : MORALITY AND CONTROL OVER WOMENS SEXUALITY Do moral discourses around virginity, wifely fidelity in marriage, chastity during widowhood, & womens sexual agency legitimate violence? Mon.Hysterectomies, lobotomies, and social control; eating disorders and plastic surgery as internalized sexual control Wed.-- marked for respectability: the clitoridectomy debates Fri. --Honor killings, punitive widowhood Readings: articles by Narasimhan; Stone & James; Thiam WEEK SEVEN (May 14, 16, 18): INSTITUTIONAL VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: MEDICAL , JUDICIAL, and ECONOMIC Forms of structural violence include the normal operation of medical, legaljudicial, and economic institutions. This week we examine cases of medical violence against women (e.g., forced sterilization), legal-judicial (e.g. incarceration of women) and economic violence (e.g., womens experiences of workplace violence, policy effects of food aid, cutbacks in Medicaid and Medicare, recent Welfare Reforms) Mon. Legal-Judicial & Economic Violence Wed.-- Medical Violence Fri. Film: La Operacin (Puerto Rico & South Bronx) Readings: Articles by Beasley; Incite! Editors; Morsy WEEK EIGHT (May 21, 23, 25): STATES AND VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN When do state policies legitimate violence against women? When is violence against women a tool of state repression? Mon.-- Rape as a Political Tool; Migration and Heightened Vulnerability in Borderlands Wed.-- Film: La Seorita Estraviada (Juarez murders of women) Fri. --Discussion of Readings Readings: Articles by Bunster-Burotto; Falcn; Sancho WEEK NINE (May 30, June 1): STATES AND VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: WAR, COLONIALISM, NATIONALISM, GENOCIDE/ETHNIC CLEANSING

WMST Honors 30H Spring 2012 How is modern warfare gendered? How do nationalist movements create disciplines of gender -- e.g., construct women as victims, women as private/in need of male protection, or feminists as sexually depraved? Mon., May 28: NO CLASS (Memorial Day) Wed: Case studies of Genocide: Rwandan, Eastern Congo, and Kosovo wars; Japanese occupation of China and Korea. Fri: Case Studies, continued Readings: Articles by Chang: Taylor; Stetz WEEK TEN (June 4, 6, 8): Presentations of Term Paper results in Class Mon.Film: Lumo (Eastern Congo) Wed.-- Presentations Fri. Presentations

WEEK ELEVEN (June 11): TERM PAPERS DUE MONDAY, June 11 in Multidisciplinary Unit Office, second floor INTS by Noon. Please submit document on SafeAssign before handing in hard copy.

WMST Honors 30H Spring 2012 A NOTE ON SELF-DISCLOSURE:

I have to ask you to be VERY cautious about self-disclosure: I do not expect self-revelation (disclosure) in class or in your papers. You may be interested in certain topics because of the experiences you have had or know someone dear to you has had, and this makes perfect sense: this is fine. In general a course is not a good place to disclose your own trauma to other students, however, because one cannot know whether there is a perpetrator in the class. Some students may think I am trying to silence them. I need to stress that theres a big difference between silencing someone and asking someone not to talk about traumas they or people dear to them have experienced. I am trying in the course to get everyone thinking about the structures and agency of people involved in the major forms of gendered violence today, in the US and in other countries and societies. But the cultural climate in the US does not help victims or survivors assess what is a safe space or setting for self-disclosure, and mental health care is notoriously difficult to get in the US, so I have to set boundaries to ensure everyones safety. I hope you understand.

GETTING HELP WITH GENDERED VIOLENCE:

If you do wish to get advice or help around these issues, come see me during office hours and I can put you in touch with appropriate resources. The Counseling Center at UCR is good about gendered violence and I highly recommend several of the staff there: people who have the training to really help. Resources in the Riverside area that deal with violence against women can be found on our iLearn course website under Resources, or come see me during office hours and I can give you the information. One place to start is the Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center. For partner or other types of familial violence, Alternatives to Domestic Violence is a good place to contact.

TERM PAPER
The term paper will be an original research paper drawing on secondary materials (no first-hand research for this): Bibliography should include at least 1 scholarly books or anthologies, 2 scholarly articles, and 2 substantive internet sites (sponsored by a foundation, think-tank, United Nations, government, or university). Use the citation form in the syllabus. If you have any questions about appropriateness of sources, see me. I am available during office hours to meet you to discuss your term papers. Zero Tolerance for Plagiarism: Copying anyones work (from readings, other students, or internet sites) without acknowledging the source through citations or, if a direct quote is used, you must indicate it with quotation marks as well as the citation. Plagiarism of either sort is grounds for failing the assignment and having the case turned over to Student Judiciary. No exceptions will be made.