Smith College's Moodle

Course Description and Goals

“The academy is not paradise. But learning is a place where paradise can be created. The classroom, with all its limitations, remains a location of possibility. In that field of possibility we have the opportunity to labour for freedom, to demand of ourselves and our comrades, an openness of mind and heart that allows us to face reality even as we collectively imagine ways to move beyond boundaries, to transgress. This is education as the practice of freedom.” (bell hooks in Teaching to Transgress, 1994, p. 207)

Drawing from bell hook’s inspiring quote above, this course introduces you to the vibrant field of Sociology of Gender and Globalization and its unique interdisciplinary perspectives, borrowing insights from Sociology; Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies; Anthropology; Economics, Politics and so on. This 200-level course moves beyond geographical and disciplinary boundaries, to engage with the key dimensions of global restructuring and globalization through the lens of gender, sexuality, race, class, ethnicity, and North-South relations. We will study how various modes of oppression and inequalities intersect in global manufacturing, supply chains, and in the transnational politics of representation and access in global media, religion, culture, war, and dissenting spaces. Questions that we will interrogate throughout the semester include: What is globalization and how and why is it a contested concept? Is globalization a new process? How can globalization be understood as a social, cultural, political, and ecological process and not just as a technological-economic process? How are structures of identity and oppression i.e., gender, race, ethnicity, class, sexuality, nation, religion, ability, and other forms of difference, interwoven with globalization? How do biological, cultural, historical, and political frameworks shape knowledge and processes of globalization? In exploring these questions, the course incorporates sources ranging from social science research, creative non-fiction, films/documentaries, art, media, and popular culture. Topics may include transnational feminisms, gendered labor and the global economy, feminist and queer theory, reproductive politics and globalization, carceral politics, rights-based advocacy, visual cultures.

This course will accomplish its goals by:

1. Engaging students in pluralistic perspective-taking and awareness of the relationship among society, self, and others
2. Providing opportunities to develop and practice the skills of critical thinking, reasoning, communication, and integration of knowledge and perspectives, including:

●        Communicating persuasively and effectively in public speaking and writing

●        Working collaboratively and creating safe and kind spaces for each other to teach and learn in

3. Students will be expected to be self-reflective and draw from their own identities and global social issues affecting their young adult lives, using theoretical concepts and language from the course. Please remember, using personal experiences to understand academic concepts is valid and important – as the famous feminist saying goes - The Personal is Political! We should strive to use these as examples to illustrate or raise questions about readings and course debates rather than substituting anecdotes for critical thinking.

READINGS

You do not need to purchase any readings/books for this course.  All reading materials will be on the course’s Moodle website and all videos will be linked on the syllabus.  You would be able to access the videos required for the course for free through YouTube or the Smith Kanopy service (https://www.kanopy.com/en/smith/). The course schedule below lists the readings/videos we will cover each class day during the semester.