Feminist Theory/Feminist Activism

Catalog description

Some complain that feminist theory is "too academic", that it has no ties to social justice or activism. On the other hand, there are those in the academy who accus gender/women's studies of not being sufficiently academic, of not being intellectually rigorous. With those two stereotypes in mind, we will read a variety of feminist theorists, some generally thought of as "academic", and some generally seen as "activist". Can academic theory be useful to political and social activists? Can activism inform academic theorizing? Prerequisite: one theory course, one gender and sexuality studies course, or permission of instructor.