Document Type
Syllabus
Publication Date
Fall 9-1-2024
Course Description
WGSS 350 Feminist Inquiry (cross-listed as HONR 300) prepares students to research and write senior theses in WGSS and other fields, and is useful for those working on interdisciplinary research projects (e.g., Honor Scholars, Environmental Fellows, Media Fellows, PACS, Global Health). This course is structured to provide an in-depth overview of both feminist methodology, including theories of what constitutes an ethics of feminist research, and appropriate methods to conduct inter/disciplinary research. We explore some of the many questions that drive feminist inquiry, such as: What makes research feminist? Do gender and sexuality matter in research and do minoritized groups have specific experiences and perspectives that can improve research and/or eliminate bias? How can intersectionality theory be operationalized methodologically? What is at stake if minoritized groups are left out of research initiatives? Do feminist research questions require alternative research methods to get at new ways of seeing the world? In this course, you will have an opportunity to practice and apply course lessons; you will conduct your own mini research project that is grounded in one of the feminist methodological frameworks discussed and that utilizes one or more of the tools of inquiry (or methods) outlined in the syllabus. You will also pick up helpful tools to make research and writing easier. Projects can be tailored to your interests and may serve as an opportunity to do initial work toward a topic you’d like to focus on in your thesis. This project will be rooted in your own interests so bring your curiosity and enthusiasm with you—the course is what we each make of it so make it your own!
Recommended Citation
Holmes, Christina, "HONR 300Cc/WGSS 350A (S, PPD, SS) Feminist Inquiry Holmes Fall 2024" (2024). All Course Syllabi. 618, Scholarly and Creative Work from DePauw University.
https://scholarship.depauw.edu/records_syllabi/618
Student Outcomes
Students develop an advanced understanding of feminist approaches and “core concepts” in feminist theory and activism as they relate to research ethics, methods, write-up and sharing of results. Students identify a problem or research question and apply feminist research methods and theories to conduct original research. Students demonstrate an advanced ability to apply intersectionality and/or queer theoretical and/or transnational approaches as a lens through which they analyze contemporary and historical phenomena, especially in the areas of reviewing others’ scholarship and conducting their own studies. Students recognize different types of oral and written communication employed by feminist scholars and activists, and are able to evaluate the effectiveness of different evidence and writing styles based on one’s audience, goals, and disciplinary background.