THE GEOGRAPHY OF GENDER

Geography 412

Spring 2004

Tues. 11:30-1:00

Course Overview and Objectives

In recent decades, geographers have begun to recognize the importance of gender in the spatial patterns and social dimensions of human activities. Answers to questions such as Who does what? Who gets what? Where? and Why? can no longer ignore how space impacts and is influenced by gender.  For example, gender roles influence mobility patterns of men and women and thus their ability to access jobs.  Feminist scholarship examines how the social construction of race, ethnicity, sexuality, age, nationality, and class shapes the conditions and experiences of both men and women in diverse geographical contexts.

This course examines and compares the historical and contemporary positions of men and women in the household, community, national, and global arenas.  Cross-cultural comparisons address the differences and commonalities among women throughout the world in their struggles for social and economic empowerment. These topics are organized into six sections. The first section introduces geographical concepts such as space, place, and location as they relate to gender and feminism.  An analysis of socio-economic and political indicators highlights different aspects of women’s status in the world.  The second section examines gender roles and relations in the domestic sphere with a case study of Appalachian women.  Women's histories and involvement in the workplace is the subject of the third section.  Here, we explore issues concerning gender and work in both the global North and South.  Examples from countries in various parts of the world illustrate the importance of geographical context in understanding gender relations and divisions of labor. The fourth section addresses the gendering of space in the city.  Here, the built environment and social landscape reproduce dominant gendered identities, but also encourage spaces of resistance and community. The fifth section examines the construction of gender, race and ethnicity during the imperialist era and in contemporary nationalist struggles.  The gendering of nature is examined in the sixth section through an analysis of how women construct and use the natural environment.

Throughout the semester we will read and discuss the novel Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi.  This is an intriguing novel that explores the lives of women in post-revolutionary Iran.  It is extremely relevant to current events and contemporary discussions about women and Islam. Themes from this book will be applied to course topics such as identity and gender, women and nationalism, public versus private space, and gender and war.   

Assigned Readings

Students will be responsible for reading the assigned articles and coming to class prepared for discussion. It is very important that you read the material before class in order to examine and critique the issues addressed in the articles. The following books are required reading for the course:

·          M. Domosh and J. Seager (2001) Putting Women in Place: Feminist Geographers make Sense of the World.  London: The Guilford Press.

·          B. E. Smith (ed.) (1999) Neither Separate Nor Equal: Women, Race, and Class in the South.  Philadelphia: Temple University Press.

·          A. Nafisi (2003) Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books.  New York:  Random House.

·          J. Seager (2003) The Penguin Atlas of Women in the World. Third Edition. New York: Penguin.

Course Requirements and Grading

Evaluation of student performance is based on the following requirements:

(1) Assignments (24% of grade, 30 points each)

Four assignments are required throughout the course.  Three are indicated in the syllabus and relate to material covered in class.  In addition, students will be asked to attend a presentation on campus and write a reaction paper about the presentation that includes a summary and critique of the topic.  Students may choose from a variety of events in Women's Studies, Geography, or a related area of study that has something to do with gender or feminism.  A partial list of suggested presentations are listed on the course web page.

(2) Exams (40% of grade, 100 points each)

The exams (Feb. 26^th and April 8^th) are comprised of an in-class essay exam and a take-home essay exam.  The questions will draw from course material and involve the synthesis of concepts and ideas as well as their application to specific case studies.

(3) Term Paper (26% of grade, 130 points) (due May 5^th)

The term paper involves researching a topic that relates to one of the themes from the assigned novel Reading Lolita in Tehran.  Students choose a topic for the paper at the beginning of the semester and undertake the research on this topic using a variety of reference material.  The paper has several parts that include an abstract, outline, annotated bibliography, written paper (12-15 pages), and class presentation.   These are due at specific times during the semester.

(4) Class participation (10%, 50 points)

Students are expected to read the articles before each class in order to discuss and raise questions about the material in class.  Attendance is required and necessary to gain full advantage of the course material and discussion.  Students should contact the professor in advance if they will not be in class.  More than 3 unexcused absences will lower your grade by 10 points.

General Course Policies

(1) Assignments are to be turned in during class or immediately after class on the day they are due.  Assignments turned in late will be docked 20% of the total points. 

(2) Make-up exams will be allowed only in the case of an illness or other emergency.   Please notify the instructor in advance of the exam.

(3) Plagiarism or other forms of cheating will not be tolerated on the assignments or exams.  Consult the university code in the student handbook for penalties related to cheating. 

Social Justice Statement

As a faculty member of West Virginia University, I am committed to social justice and do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, disability, veteran status, religion, sexual orientation, color, or national origin.  In keeping with this commitment, I expect to maintain a positive learning environment in the classroom

based upon open communication, mutual respect, and non-discrimination.  Any suggestions as to how to further such a positive and open environment in this class will be appreciated.  

                If you are a person with a disability and anticipate needing any type of accommodation in order to participate in this class, please advise me and make appropriate arrangements with WVU Disability Services.

Course Outline

I. Introduction to Gender Geography - Space, Place and Gender

Date                                                    Topic                                                              Readings

Jan 13-15                    Introduction to course, students, and instructor           Domosh & Seager (D&S)

                                                                                                Preface

                                    What is Gender Geography?                                            Handouts

      Selected WWW sites

Jan. 20                        Status of Women in the World                                               Women’s Atlas

                                                * Group Exercise *                                                     

II. Unpacking Gender and Domestic Space

Jan. 22-27                   Gendering the 'home''                                                             D & S, Chpt. 1

Video “Freedom Bags”                                                           Smith, Chpt. 4

v      First assignment due  Jan. 27^th

Jan. 29                        Home-based work – Appalachia case study                          Smith, Chpt. 6

Feb. 3                          Discuss Reading Lolita in Tehran (Part I)                              Nafisi, Pt. I

III. Women and Work

Feb 5-10                      Gendering work                                                                       D & S, Chpt. 2

                                                                                                Atlas, Pt. 5

Feb. 12                        Women and Work in the Southern US                                  Smith, Chpt. 5

                                    * Abstract for term paper due

Feb. 17                        Race, Class and Gender in Southern Work                           Smith, Chpt. 8

Feb. 19                        Women and the NIDL                                                             Smith, Chtp.12

Feb. 24                        Discuss Reading Lolita in Tehran (Part II)                              Nafisi, Pt. II

Feb. 26                        Exam #1

IV. Gendered Places, Urban Spaces

Mar. 2-4                       Women in the City                                                                  D & S, Chpt. 3

                                                                                                                                    Atlas, Pt. 4

Mar. 9-11                     Gender and Mobility (Guest Lecture)                                      D & S, Chpt. 4

v      Second assignment due  Mar. 11^th

*  *  *   S P R I N G   B R E A K  - March 13^th – 21^st     *  *  *

V. Feminism, Nationalism and Imperialism

Mar. 23                        Women and Colonial Space                                                   D & S, Chpt. 5

                                                                                                                                    (pp. 140-160)

Mar. 25                        Discuss Reading Lolita (Part III)                                             Nafisi, Pt. III

Mar. 30                        Gender and Nationalism                                                         D & S Chpt. 5

                                                                                                                                    (pp. 160-173)

Apr. 1 -8                      Organizing for Change in Appalachia                                     Smith, Chpt. 9 & 10

* Take-home exam due April 8^th *

VI. Gendering Nature and the Environment

Apr. 13                         The gendering of nature                                                          D & S Chpt. 6

Video "The Desert is No Lady"

Apr.  20                        Third World women and the environment                              (Handouts)

v      Third assignment due Apr. 20^th  

VII. Conclusion: Placing Wo/men in Space

Apr. 20                         Conclude Reading Lolita in Tehran                                        Nafisi, Pt. IV

Apr. 27-29                  Wrap-up and presentation of term papers

* * Finals Week: Term Papers due Tuesday, May 5^th * *