GENDERED TECHNO-CULTURE
WGST 270-02
Tuesday/Friday 2:00-3:20
Spring 2002
Instructor: Dr. Ann Marie Nicolosi
Office Hours: Tues, 11:15-12:15, 3:30-4:30, Fri, 11:15-12:15
Office: Bliss 123
Telephone: (609) 771-2276
E-mail: nicolosi@tcnj.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
In this course we will explore the relationship between gender and technology. We will focus on specific areas, such as the Internet, reproductive technologies, and the ways in which technology is gendered, and how gender influences technology. This is a "hands-on" course that requires a basic knowledge of computers and the Internet. Together we will try to analyze and understand how gender and technology interact.
COURSE TEXTS:
The following books are required and are available at the bookstore:
Hopkins, Patrick D., ed. Sex/Machine: Readings in Culture, Gender and Technology (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1998).
Cherny, Lynn and Elizabeth Reba Weise, eds. Wired Women: Gender and New Realities in Cyberspace (Seattle: Seal Press, 1996).
Atwood, Margaret. The Handmaid's Tale (New York: Anchor Books, 1998).
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Regular attendance, informed participation and quizzes, and reaction papers to any two Women's History Month events, 20%
It is imperative that you come to class prepared to discuss the readings and to participate. There will be "pop" quizzes periodically. If you are absent or late, you will not be permitted to make-up the quiz. If you have a doctor's note, the zero will not be included in the average. You are required to attend two Women's History Month events and write a 1-2 page reaction paper for each event. There is a link on my website (http://nicolosi.intrasun.tcnj.edu) for a listing of the events. Our class will also have its own discussion list in which students will "talk" to each other about readings, reactions, discussions etc. I will also post pointed questions to guide your reading assignments from time to time. To subscribe to the list, send the following message to listproc@tcnj.edu subscribe GENTEC-L Your name
Creating your own website, 20%
Throughout the semester you will be responsible for creating and maintaining your own website. Your site should be a reflective journal of the themes of the course and your growing understanding of the relationship between technology and gender. It is a semester-long project. (websites put up at the end of the semester usually reflect the short attention and time given to the project). This project will count as your final exam. ANY WEBSITE ADDRESS HANDED IN LATER THAN THE LAST DAY OF CLASS WILL NOT COUNT.
Two papers, 5-7 pages, 20% each.
The first paper is a critical analysis of any of the course readings (except The Handmaid's Tale). If you need assistance, there are some general guidelines to writing a critique at the following websites:
The Book Review or Article Critique: General Guidelines http://www.utoronto.ca/writing/bkrev.html
How To Critique An Article http://www.uwgb.edu/esms/sss/critique.htm
The second paper is a discussion of 5 websites that you disliked and 5 websites you liked. USING YOUR CLASS READINGS, critique the websites and explain why you disliked and liked them.
Any paper handed in late will lose a grade per day.
Group Project, 20%
COURSE READINGS
(* Denotes a reading from electronic reserve)
(*G Denotes a reading from GenderWatch)
(*E Denotes a reading from EBSCO)
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January 22 |
Intro to the course |
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January 25 |
Web page instruction |
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PRODUCTION |
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January 29 |
Hopkins "Introduction" *Oldenziel, Ruth "Introduction" Stanley, Autumn, "Women Hold Up Two-third of the Sky: Notes for a Revised History of Technology, in Hopkins |
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January 31 |
Martin, Michelle. "The Culture of the Telephone," In Hopkins; Scharf, Virginia. "Femininity and the Electric Car," in Hopkins; Cowan, Ruth Schwartz. "The Industrial Revolution in the Home, in Hopkins" Oblepias-Ramos, Lilia. "Doe Technology Work for Women, Too," in Hopkins |
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February 5 |
Video equipment instruction |
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February 8 |
Group Projects--In class explanation, Q&A, choosing of groups *Everts, Saskia, "Empowering Women" (Gender and Technology) This reading is crucial to your group projects (On reserve in library) |
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PRODUCTION AND REPRODUCTION |
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February 12 |
Callahan, Daniel. "Bioethics and Fatherhood," in Hopkins Munson, Ronald. "Artificial Insemination: Who's Responsible?" in Hopkins *Horn, David. "Unnatural Acts: Procreation and the Genealogy of Artifice" Andrews, Lori B. "Surrogate Motherhood: the Challenge for Feminists" in Hopkins |
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February 15 |
Teresi, Dick and Kathleen McAuliffe. "Male Pregnancy" in Hopkins Murphy, Julien S. "Is Pregnancy Necessary? Feminist Concerns about Ectogenesis" in Hopkins. Overall, Christine. "New Reproductive Technology: Some Implications for the Abortion Issue" in Hopkins |
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February 19 |
Holmes, Helen Bequaert. "Sex Preselection: Eugenics for Everyone?," in Hopkins Warren, Mary Anne. "The Ethics of Sex Preselection," in Hopkins *High, Kathy. "23 Questions" Begin reading The Handmaid's Tale |
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February 22 |
No class-work on group projects |
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February 26 |
The HandMaid's Tale |
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March 1 |
No Class-work on group projects |
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March 5 |
Presentation of Group Projects |
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March 8 |
Presentation of Group Projects |
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March 12 |
No Class-Spring Break |
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March 15 |
No Class-Spring Break |
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BODY BUILDING |
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March 19 |
Morgan, Kathryn Pauly. "Women and the Knife: Cosmetic Surgery and the Colonization of Women's Bodies" in Hopkins Davis, Kathy. "Facing the Dilemma" in Hopkins *E Loe, Meika."Fixing Broken Masculinity: Viagra as a Technology for the Production of Gender and Sexuality" |
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March 22 |
Kessler, Suzanne J. "The Medical Construction of Gender: Case Management of Intersexed Infants," in Hopkins Murphy, Timothy. "Reproductive Control and Sexual Destiny," in Hopkins *G Severin, Laura and Mary Wyer. "The Science and Politics of the Search for Sex Differences." *G Hauseman, Bernice. "Do Boys Have to Be Boy? Gender, Narrativity, and the John/Joan Case." *Saunders, Joyan and Liss Platt. "Brains on Toast: The Inexact Science of Gender" |
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March 26 |
FIRST PAPER DUE Surf Day |
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March 29 |
No Class--Exchange for Women's History Month |
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April 2 |
In class video Stepford Wives Lee M. Silver's commentary for watching The Stepford Wives http://www.princeton.edu/~wws320/Films/Stepford%20Wives/Stepford.htm |
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April 5 |
Finish Stepford Wives |
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COMPUTERS AND THE INTERNET |
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April 9 |
Evard, Michele. "So Please Stop, Thank You: Girls Online"* in WW *E Stepulevage, Linda. "Gender/Technology Relations: Complicating the Gender Binary." *Cassell, Justine, and Henry Jenkins. "Chess for Girls? Feminism and Computer Games" *Barbie Liberation Organization. "Home Surgery Instructions" |
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April 12 |
Gilboa, Netta . "Elites, Lamers, Narcs, and Whores: Exploring the Computer Underground"* in WW Camp, L. Jean. "We are Geeks, and We are Not Guys: The Systers Mailing List"* in WW Kendall, Lori "MUDer? I Hardly Know 'Er! Adventures of a Feminist MUDer in WW |
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April 16 |
SECOND PAPER DUE Surf Day |
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April 19 |
Dibbell, Rape in Cyberspace http://www.levity.com/julian/bungle.html Turkle, Sherry, "Tinysex and Gender Trouble," in Hopkins *G "MOBS" on the Net: Critiquing the Gaze of the "Cyber" Bride Industry |
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April 23 |
Riley, Donna, "Sex, Fear and Condescension on Campus: Cybercensorship at Carnegie Mellon" in WW *Morse, Margaret. "Virtually Female: Body and Code" Turkle, Sherry. "Computational Reticence: Why Women Fear the Intimate Machine," in Hopkins |
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TRANSGENDERED TECHNOLOGY |
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April 26 |
Stone, Allucquère Roseanne. "In Novel Conditions: The Cross-Dressing Psychiatrist" in Hopkins Stone, Sandy. "The Empire Strikes Back: A Posttranssexual Manifesto" in Hopkins Raymond, Janice G. "Sappho by Surgery: The Transsexually Constructed Lesbian-Feminist" in Hopkins |
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April 30 |
WEB PAGES DUE |
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May 3 |
No class-exchange for Women's History Month |