*Syllabus subject to change. For the most updated version, check here.

John Jay College CUNY: GEN140 Gender, Activism, and Social Change

Tuesdays & Thursdays 9:25-10:40AM 

Rm TBD

Professor: Ellie Bell |they/them| [email protected] | [email protected]

Office Hours: Email me

Campus, College, and University Resources available to students

All campus resources are listed there. There is also a link to Campus Resources on the right. Now is the time to take help wherever you need it and wherever it’s available. 

Getting help in the new academic environment can be especially important when it comes to 

• writing (at the college level, in response to complicated reading and new ideas). Make sure you go to the Writing Center.
• research JJ has fantastic librarians, and you can reach them online; you should play on your own with the library search engines and see what’s available—it’s a lot!
  • Library: https://www.lib.jjay.cuny.edu/ 
  • Ask a Librarian: https://www.lib.jjay.cuny.edu/content/ask-us 

If you feel like you are struggling to keep up, get in touch with me as soon as you can (email is best) so we can think together about what can be done. 

Some Suggestions for Success:

I want you to succeed in this course. If there is something I can do to help you better understand/consume our weekly readings/viewings/listenings, please let me know. Here are a few suggestions for different learning styles and assignments:

• Text to speech tools are available at no cost. These can help auditory learners and those seeking assistance with their reading. Try: Natural Reader
• When listening to podcasts or watching Youtube videos, similarly to Natural Reader, you can adjust the playback speed to be fast or slower. On Spotify and Apple Podcasts, you can click on the “1x” left of the play button. You can click that and select your playback speed. On Youtube, click the gear-shaped settings button on the lower right corner of your video screen. There will be an option that reads “Playback Speed”.
• Youtube and Podcast transcripts will be in the Drive whenever they are available. 

Course Description:

This course introduces students to general topics in activism, gender studies, and justice. The course will draw connections between gender, race, sexuality and grassroots, community and organizational activism and social justice and change. Students will be expected to apply the knowledge gained in the classroom to observational and documentation projects focusing on the activism occurring on the college campus and in the larger community. The course will introduce key terms in the interdisciplinary fields of gender and activist studies and some of the important debates in these fields. It will then focus on a specific form of activism toward social justice and change.

We will learn from different materials about gender, activism, and social change, and from the knowledge we all bring to class about how gender works with other forces we know, like race, class, ethnicity, migration, religious practice, work etc. Our methodology will include close reading of texts, videos, and podcasts, physical exploration, observations, and more. We will draw from the fields of applied theater, anthropology, history, queer theory and, of course, gender studies.

Your Work in the Course and Current Course Expectations

Please come prepared to join in discussion and participate to your fullest extent in this course. If you are unable to participate actively or complete assignments due to unforeseen circumstances, please let me know. 

Presence/Attendance/Regularity: 

Attendance and participation are a part of your grade. Students will receive a participation score out of 5 for each class. You can find the rubric for class participation score on Brightspace. The quality of students’ overall participation in class will also be assessed at midterm and at the end of the semester with a self-evaluation. We will take a broad definition of “participation” in this course, as there is more than one way to actively participate in learning. In our evaluations (both self-evaluations and instructor evaluations), we’ll consider the following:

• reaching out to me proactively if you need support from me at any point during the semester (but preferably before things start to feel stressful)
• finding meaningful ways to contribute to class discussions (small-group, whole-class, online, etc.)
• completing assigned readings and preparing written responses and peer feedback by due dates, attending and arriving on time for class
• giving special attention and care to online/asynchronous tasks, always keeping in mind that there are real people on the other end of your communications
• giving your all to independent tasks by planning ahead: set aside adequate time in your calendar, anticipate challenges/conflicts that may come up, and find ways to protect that time
• thinking intentionally about the parts of yourselves and your experiences you wish to bring to our shared work and being open to the parts of others and others’ experiences that they bring

Reading and Participation:

All the materials you are expected to read, watch, or listen to are in the Course Google Drive and linked on this syllabus. Please check the syllabus weekly, as it is subject to change. You are expected to come prepared for discussion and activities around each week’s assigned reading/viewing/listenings on the first class of each week. These readings/viewings/listenings are assigned to give you the historical, political, and discursive foundations of gender studies and its relationship to activism and social change. We will approach discussions in varying ways and I ask that everyone do their best to participate every week. 

Weekly Assignment Presentations:

Students will be assigned to present on one assigned reading/viewing/listening per week so that all readings are covered. Meaning if we have three readings one week, three students will present, each on one reading. Each student will present once this semester. Presentations will be between 5 and 10 minutes, will summarize the text/video/podcast, and offer questions for the class to consider. 

Reflections: 

Throughout the semester you must submit 3 one-page double-spaced 12-point font reflections on the week’s assigned readings/viewing/listenings. You may choose when and for which assignments you’d like to submit. This is an informal opportunity for you to reflect on the sources, what you learned from them, and what your thoughts and feelings are around them. Please share them as a single running Google Doc to [email protected] and give me commenting access. I will read and comment on each reflection. You needn’t agree with the reading – or with me. No tidy conclusions necessary. 

Reflection Prompt:

What were your thoughts while reading/watching/listening to this source? What were your feelings? What do you agree with? What do you disagree with? What questions are you left with?

Midterm

Central Question:

How have gender roles and expectations changed over time? (ex. Women (at least in the U.S.) are generally considered able to do a range of jobs that weren’t considered appropriate for women in the past). Why have they changed? (ex. Women have advocated for more rights in different workplaces, including the right to not be sexually harassed).

Choose one of the four options:

1. 1000 – 1500 word essay. Using at least three sources that we have used for class (text, video or podcast), answer the Central Question. Include quotes and page numbers from your sources in order to answer these questions. You can also reference notes and concepts from class. For a guide to MLA formatting for quotes, see here: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_formatting_and_style_guide.html
   
2. 1000 – 1500 word interview. Pick someone you know who is in a generation older than you (i.e. mother, grandmother, uncle, aunt, etc.). Interview them for their perspective on the central question. You can use the following questions, or write your own:
   

How have gender roles changed in your lifetime? What differences do you see in what is expected from men and women now, compared to when you were younger? How have gender roles impacted your life? What do you see as the most important cultural or political change for women over the course of your life? What has been the most important cultural or political change for men over the course of your life?  Why do you think those changes have occured?

If you choose to do this option, I highly recommend the use of transcription tools like Otter.ai (https://otter.ai/) to assist in transcribing. Feel free to email me about how to use it.

3. 1000 – 1500 word observation. Pick a location in NYC. Write about the behavior, dress and activities that you observe in this location and what they tell you about gender roles and expectations in 2024. Then, imagine that instead of 2024, you traveled back in time to 1924. Look at some photos of men, women, and families from the 1920s America. What do you observe in terms of behavior, dress and activities that tell you about gender roles and expectations in 1924. Compare and Contrast.

4. Art Piece. Propose an art piece that you would like to do to answer the central question. Painting, music, poetry…. anything is possible, but please propose it to me so that we can figure out together what the appropriate length and scope (i.e. two songs that are in response to the central question; or one painting that is in response).

Due October 24 at 11:59PM

Final

Central Question:

What is a gender-related issue you believe deserves more attention, and what impact could increased awareness have on addressing it? (examples of gender-related issues include reproductive rights, religious rights, trans rights, queer rights, work, motherhood, healthcare, experiences of a certain identity group, etc.)

Choose one of the six options:

1. 10-15 minute podcast. In a group or on your own, create a 10-15 minute podcast discussing your given topic. You can choose to have guests, do an interview format, discussion format, or other. Be sure to have clear points made through the podcast.
2. 5-10 minute video essay. Individually create a video essay exploring your chosen topic. In the same way that your written essays do, ensure it has a thesis and various points you make and support with evidence. 
3. 5-10 documentary. Individually or in groups, create a documentary film about your chosen topic. I suggest viewing documentaries and paying attention to their layout to ensure yours has a narrative or theoretical arch that the viewer can follow. Be sure to support your claims in the documentary with evidence from secondary or primary sources.
4. 10-15 minute talk show. In a group or as an individual create a talk show about your chosen topic. You can have segments like real talk shows do that include jokes or a monologue, games, interviews, etc. I recommend watching some talk shows to get ideas. I also recommend including an interview portion. If you do include an interview, be sure to ask open-ended questions, not yes or no questions.
5. 5-10 minute role play scenario. In groups, create a scenario to film and share. Be sure you are making a point with your scenario by showing something, rather than just playing out a scene. If you’d like help structuring this, please reach out to me and I’d be happy to give advice. This scenario is to be filmed and the recording will be submitted along with the script/outline.
6. 3 pages of infographics. Individually create three infographics regarding your chosen topic. Infographics are meant to be educational, visually exciting, and easily consumable. Be sure to have facts, figures, and/or citations to support any claims you make. I recommend using a platform like Canva to complete your infographic. 

In-Class Presentation:

Everyone will give a 5-7 minute presentation in class on their final project. Presentations should include a discussion of your topic, why you chose the format you did, some information about the process of creation, and perhaps sharing a bit of your final product. We will likely not have time to share the whole thing in class, but you are welcome to request that your final project be shared with the class for their viewing/listening at another time.

Due BEFORE your presentation on either December 10 or 12

Grading:

Most of your grade in this course will reflect the regularity of your participation in reading, discussion, and completing of the assigned reflections. There is a very flexible Midterm assignment in Week 9. This will make up 15% of your grade. The Final Project and Presentation, whose form we will figure out together, will make up 20% of your grade. We can think about any “extra credit” work if it is necessary. Overall:

Participation: 25%

Reading Presentations: 10%

Reflections: 30% (10% each)

Midterm Assignment: 15%

Final Project & Presentation: 20%

These are the numerical values of grades at CUNY:

Letter Grade	Ranges %	GPA
A	93 – 100	4
A-	90 – <93	3.7
B+	87 – <90	3.3
B	83 – <87	3
B-	80 – <83	2.7
C+	73 – <77	2.3
C	73 – <77	2
C-	70 – <73	1.7
D	60 – <70	1
F	< 60	0

Statement of College’s Policy on Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the act of presenting another person’s ideas, research, or writings as your own. Following are some examples of plagiarism, although this is by no means an exhaustive list:

• Copying another person’s actual words without the use of quotation marks and footnotes 

attributing the words and ideas to their source

• Presenting another person’s ideas or theories in your own words without acknowledging the source
• Using information that is not common knowledge without acknowledging the source
• Failing to acknowledge collaborators on homework and laboratory assignments 
• Internet plagiarism includes submitting downloaded term papers or part of term papers, paraphrasing or copying information from the Internet without citing the source, and “cutting andpasting” from various sources without proper attribution. This includes Artificial Intelligence. 

The Library has free guides designed to help students with doubts about research documentation. Students who are unsure how and when to provide documentation are advised to consult with me to make sure they are not breaking the rules. 

To see the course schedule, click here.