This course will examine the complex issues surrounding gender and identity in American culture. We will look closely at how women have been represented in American culture--with readings spanning from the 19th century to the present day--and consider how our notions of gender are culturally learned rather than natural and innate.

We will not only be looking at ideas surrounding femininity, but also those surrounding masculinity. What does it mean to be a man or woman in our various cultures? While you will not leave this class with a clear answer, you will have a stronger critical understanding of the complexities and contradictions surrounding this question, especially as we begin to consider other "markers" of identity such as race, ethnicity, class, and sexuality.

As a class, we will study a variety of different texts, including authors such as Sojourner Truth, Charlotte Gilman Perkins, Nell Larsen, Amy Tan, and Sandra Cisneros. In addition, we shall examine representations of gender in contemporary visual culture through advertising, sports, the WWF, daytime talk, and movies.

Completed Class Project:
The Joy Luck Club: An Online Resource