WS 200 Introduction to Women’s Studies

Overview of Course

WS 200 examines how gender roles are constructed, reinforced, and challenged across cultures, institutions, and everyday life. In this course you will explore gender in relation to work, education, spirituality, relationships, health, and social systems, while also considering how gender intersects with race, class, sexuality, ability, and nationality. We will investigate historical and contemporary patterns of inequality and power, connecting personal experiences to broader social forces. Course content will align with our itinerary, providing opportunities to critically reflect on diverse cultural perspectives and lived experiences in the places we visit, and deepen our understanding of how gender operates in different social contexts. WS 200 will also invite you to assess your own comfort levels, assumptions, and desires as you encounter new cultural frameworks.
The course will include a mix of lectures, group discussions, interdisciplinary readings, videos, field work and short writing assignments. These activities will guide you in developing the analytical tools needed to formulate informed positions, articulate your perspectives, and engage respectfully with differing viewpoints.
By the end of the course, you will be better equipped to use feminist theory to meaningfully address real-world issues. No prerequisite required—just curiosity, openness, and a willingness to engage deeply with the world.