Time: MWF 2:00-2:50 -- Dr. Cynthia Lucas Hewitt
Room: Wheeler Hall 227 Office Hours: Mon.3-4; Wed. 9-10
website: http://facstaff.morehouse.edu/~chewitt
TEXTS AND READINGS:
Three (3) texts are used:
1. Riane Eisler, The Chalice and the Blade
2. Cheikh Anta Diop, The Cultural Unity of Black Africa (out-of-print;
download from readings)
3. bell hooks, feminist theory, from margin to center
The readings are available for download below.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
45% Readings, Summarization, and Discussion
Students are expected to complete readings before the class in which they are
assigned. A copy of the reading assigned must be brought to class. Study questions
may be distributed ahead of class and typed responses turned at the start of
class. You are expected to answer four (4) of the six (6) sets of questions
provided (40% of grade). During class, students will be called upon to answer
questions pertaining to the reading. In addition, students may bring their own
questions to the class for discussion (5% of grade).
20% Class Presentation
Each student will research one topic for presentation to the class. There will
be up to five students assigned to each topic and they may work together or
separately to present the results of their research to the class. Each student
(individually) must submit a bibliography, a sample reading, and a brief write-up
of their work for the presentation.
15% Midterm
20% Final
Attendance at classes is necessary to complete the class participation and readings
requirements of the class. If you have no more than three (3) absences, 3 pts
of extra credit will be awarded.
Course Schedule
Week #1 - 8/23-25
Introduction.
“feminism: a movement to end sexist oppression,” in feminist
theory, from margin to center, by bell hooks. (Download
chapter)
Week #2 - 8/28-9/1: Women in Society and European Classical Accounts
“Where the Power is,” Chapter 1 in Gender and Governance
by Lisa D. Brush (18 pps.) (download)
Cheikh Anta Diop, The Cultural Unity of Black Africa, Introduction
(Download)
Week #3 - 9/6-8: The Two-Cradle Theory
Cheikh Anta Diop, The Cultural Unity of Black Africa. Introduction,
Chapter 1, “An Historical Account…”, and Chapter 2, “Criticism
on the Classical Theory of a Universal Matriarchy” (57 pps.)(Download).
(Optional) Chapter 3, “History of Patriarchy and Matriarchy” (54 pps.) (Part I)(Part II)
Homework Assignment #1.
Maps and Charts on Diop's Two-Cradle Theory, African Language Diffusion and Zones of Confluence.
Week #4 - 9/11-15: Matrist (Matriarchy) and Patriarchal Societies
Riane Eisler, The Chalice and the Blade, Introduction and Ch. 1-4 (69
pps.)
Week #5 - 9/18-22: “From the Chalice to the Blade:”The
Overthrow of Matrism in Antiquity
Riane Eisler, The Chalice and the Blade, Chs. 6-7.
Cheikh Anta Diop, The Cultural Unity of Black Africa, Chapter 5. “A
Comparison of Other Aspects of the Northern and Meridional Cultures”(Downloard
Chapter 5)
Week #6 - 9/25-29: The Historic Overthrow of Matrism
Wilma Dunaway, “Women at Risk: Capitalist Incorporation and Community
Transformation on the Cherokee Frontier” (Download)
“African Women, Culture and Another Development,” by Molara Ogundipe-Leslie,
in Theorizing Black Feminisms, edited by Stanlie M. James (Download).
Week #7 - 10/2-3: Peace and Cyclical Balance: Matrist Worldviews
Riane Eisler, The Chalice and the Blade, Chapters 9&10.
Ann Jones, “Where Women Rule” (Download)
Tarikhu Farrar, "The Queenmother, Matriarchy, and the Question of Female Political Authority in Precolonial West African Monarchy -- (download) This article is recommended highly.
Midterm
Week #8 - 10/9-13: Feminism from Margin to Center
Beverly Guy-Sheftall, Words of Fire, Introduction. (20 pps.)
bell hooks, Feminist Theory, from margin to center. Introduction and Chapters
1-5 (84 pps.)
Week #9 - 10/16-20: Spirituality and Women’s Liberation
Jacquelyn Grant, “Black Theology and the Black Woman”
Muslim Women’s League, “Women in Society: Political Participation”
and “Issues of Concern for Muslim Women”
RECOMMENDED:
Mary Walker, “A World Where Womanhood Reigns Supreme (The Seeds of My
Own Re-evaluations)
Nahid Angha, “Women in Islam”
Week #10 - 10/23-27: Women’s Liberation and the Workplace
Pauline Terrelonge, “Feminist Consciousness and Black Women,” in
Words of Fire (10 pps.)
Barbara Reskin, “Bringing the Men Back In: Sex Differentiation and the
Devaluation of Women’s Work” (17 pps.)
bell hooks, Feminist Theory, from margin to center. Chapters 6 & 7 (24 pps.)
“Mothering,” in Theorizing Black Feminisms,” by Stanlie M.
Jones (9 pps.)
Week #11 -10/30-11/3: Globalization, Women, the Environment and Development
Gender Equality & The Millennium Development Goals” statement (Download)
“Two-thirds of world’s resources ‘used up’” article
by Tim Radford
Maria Mies, “Consumption Patterns of the North: The Cause of Environmental
Destruction and Poverty in the South” (Download)
Week #12 - 11/6-10: Relationships and Marriage and the Family
Janis Hutchinson, “The Hip Hop Generation, African American Male-Female
Relationships in a Nightclub Setting” (Download)
“’Marriage is for White People’” by Joy Jones
“Bad News for Charles Murray: Undeducated White Women Give Birth to More
Babies…” Journal of Blacks in Higher Education
“Most first-time moms unmarried,” Atlanta Journa- Constitution
Week #13 - 11/13-17: Objectification of Women
Film Clip:
“The Dove Report: Challenging Beauty”
Week #14 - 11/20-22: Violence Against Women
Linda Kalof, “The Effects of Gender and Music Video Imagery on Sexual
Attitudes” (Download)
Judith McFarlane, et. al, “Intimate Partner Violence”
“FGM in Africa: Issues”
Thanksgiving
Week #15 - 11/27-12/1: Globalization, Women and New Social Movements
“Is globalization good for women?” by Alison Jaggar
“Nana Rawlings, First Lady of Ghana.” Film and Discussion with Director,
Rashia Ali.
Paul Nugent, Big Men, Small Boys and Politics in Ghana, Introduction, Chapter
2: “We No Go Sit Down Make Them Cheat Us Every Day!” and excerpt,
“”The Non-Event? Parliamentary Context in Hohoe North.”
Week #16 - 12/4-6: Conclusions