girl power: "a self-reliant attitude among girls and young women manifested in ambition, assertiveness and individualism." Oxford English Dictionary, 2002
SSHIS 300: Girl Culture
Spring 2016
Mondays, 12-3pm
Oakland, B
Bldg 2
Dr. Melinda L. de
Jesús
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Course Description: What
does it mean to be a young woman today? What is "girl culture"?
This course, an overview of the emerging field called girls'
studies, employs an interdisciplinary feminist lens to explore
the construction and meaning of "girlhood" in contemporary
American culture, and emphasizes the following themes: identity
formation and development, education and equity, socialization,
sexuality, self-esteem, media representation, consumerism,
agency and activism, and cultural production.
Required Texts:
Girl Culture 2016 Course Reader: Available
at Green Copy, 5267 Broadway, Oakland
Course requirements:
1. Class participation is comprised of these
elements: regular attendance, active participation in
class activities (small group discussions/presentations), and
weekly response papers based on the assigned readings. 50%
2. One short (5-6pg)
writing assignment. Each assignment must be typed and proofread.
No late work will be accepted. Details TBA. 20%
3. Final research project: this project is
designed to deepen your understanding of contemporary girl
culture. Details to follow. Due May 5th at 12pm. 30%
Note: This class is an upper-division seminar
(not a lecture) and will require a significant time commitment
on your part to complete the required readings and writing
assignments, as well as to prepare critical, informed
contributions to each class's discussion. Be certain that you
are interested in engaging in intensive academic work prior to
enrolling. You must have completed a Cultural History course and
have junior standing to enroll.
NB: Plagiarism is a serious offense and will not
be tolerated. Be sure you are familiar with CCA's Academic
Integrity Code: <http://www.cca.edu/students/handbook/integritycode.php>
Girl Culture
Spring 2015
Prof. de Jesús
Girl Culture Final Project Guidelines
Due May 4, 2015
The project is designed to allow you to explore a topic related to girls/girlhood that you feel very passionate about. Your project may be submitted in any format--a scholarly research paper, a creative/visual project, or combination of the two, but to obtain full credit it must relate specifically to issues/concepts/articles discussed in class. All creative/visual projects must be accompanied by a 4-5 page essay describing the goals of the project, its research methodology, works consulted, etc. This essay must be formatted in MLA Style.
Successful projects will include the following:
1) Submission of a detailed project proposal on April 27th. The proposal should be about one page, typed, and should include a brief description (thesis, methods, sources) outlining the goals of your project. It must include a working bibliography of works consulted. Be sure to include full citations.
2) Submission of the project on May 4, 2015.
Activist projects: You may choose to structure your final paper/project around some kind of social or political activism having to do with girls. For example, you could research and/or participate in an existing local or national organization. Or, you could also draft a proposal for your own organization or activist activity. If you choose to do the latter, your project might take the form of a grant proposal, a political referendum, or a call for action. This project may be done collaboratively. Please see me ASAP to discuss this option if you’re interested.
Time Magazine: The Truth about Teen Pregnancy (9/08)
Scarletteen: Sex Education for the Real World
Alternative Menstrual Products
Museum of Menstruation and Women's Health: http://www.mum.org/
Report
of
the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls
February
22, 2016
In-class web-based
assignment on menstruation
Directions: please work in groups answering the following questions. Assign one group member the role of notetaker for this assignment. She will represent your work to the class.
1) View one of the
following movies and discuss how the tone/themes represented
relate to Brumberg's article:
a) Molly
Grows Up (1953) 14:20
b)
Naturally A Girl (1974) 13:18
2) Read the following links
on alternative menstrual products. Note your group's
reactions, questions, etc.
a)
Alternative
Menstrual Products
b Lunapads' "Why
switch to natural menstrual products?" This commercial
site includes cost comparisons of natural vs. conventional
menstrual products
c)Menstrual
cups
comparison charts (very informative site with good images
and information)
d) Discuss: why are there no
tampon/pad dispensers in the women's bathrooms on the Oakland
campus? Care to comment on the Freedom
Hygiene disposal service? (be sure to read the
"Environmental" link!).
3) View 2-3 different
artists linked here. Note your group's reactions to this
artwork.
Art of Menstruation
from Museum of Menstruation
If your group has extra
time:
Story of
Menstruation [Disney film for Kotex] (1946) 10:16
Celebrating
a Girl's First Period
Midterm
(assignment #1) due March 3/12 by 12pm in hard
copy.
Absolutely no late essays
will be accepted.
Select one of the following topics:
1) Reread the Peggy
Orenstein article in the Course Reader. Next, go to
Target, Walmart or another
large retailer and explore the toys marketed
to girls (this should take
about an hour). What do you find on the
shelves? What kind of play is
encouraged? Do the offerings differ from
what's offered to boys? How
is race/ethnicity addressed? What kinds of
toys are being selected by
consumers during your study? Discuss your
observations in relation to Orenstein's work.
2) Does Brumberg's article
accurately describe the contemporary
experience of menstruation?
To find out, interview a few of your
girlfriends about their
memories of menarche/first menstruation, their
attitudes towards
menstruation then and today, their mothers'
atttitudes, and what their
culture's attitudes might be. Describe your
findings in relation to Brumberg's work.
NB: Be sure your essay is
typed, proofread and demonstrates critical
engagement with the assigned
readings. It should be about 4-5 pages in length.
Web-based assignment for April 4, 2016
Select three websites from the list below and discuss what's appealing/not appealing about them, what's missing, what you'd like to see more of, etc. Be sure to note who created/manages the site. Next, rate your chosen sites according to quality of information given, ease of use and navigation, and pertinence to girls' interests and needs.Coalition for Positive Sexuality
girleffect.org
for girls (Girl Scouts of America)
In-class web assignment for March 14, 2016This assignment requires you to complete collaborative work online in groups of three.
I suggest you bookmark this page for easy reference during this exercise.
1) Open your email program and create an email to me <mdejesus@cca.edu>. Copy the questions below into this email (you will be summarizing your findings and sending them to me upon completion of this assignment).
2) First, read/view the GIRL CULTURE photo essay.
3) Next: Open another browser window and go to the "Body Identity Issues" section in the Faculty Guide for Lauren Greenfield's GIRL CULTURE (on the left).
4) As a group, read the sections titled "Body Projects" and "Girls of Color" in addition to *one other section* that your group wants to explore (for example, "Media Messages," "Social Tyranny," "Beauty as Power," "Exhibitionism," "Sports," "Unhealthy Bodies and Minds"). Be sure to watch your time here!
After viewing and reading each Body Identity Issue page, scroll up to "Discussion Questions" and respond to the questions posed (one group of discussion questions is listed for each theme).
5) Summarize your findings and send me an email about your groups' discussions and conclusions: mdejesus@cca.edu.
This exercise should take an hour.
Group-selected Body identity issue:
Discussion questions for "Body Projects" and "Girls of Color"
Image and Text
What do the images and narratives reveal about girls' “body projects?” What details support your opinions?The Ideal Female
What is the contemporary feminine ideal? What influences are informing your responses? How would your parents answer this same question?Maintenance
Lillian, 19 years old states, “I look at my brother. He's sixteen, and he does not have half the shit floating around in his mind that I did when I was his age. Guys get up, roll out of bed. The farthest my brother ever has to go to get ready is maybe put in some hair gel and wash his face. That's it. Being a guy, there's so much less expectation for your looks and for what you wear.” Discuss Lillian's assertion that there are greater appearance expectations for girls than there are for boys.Selling Products
What advantage exists for suppliers of “body products” such as makeup, clothing, diet aids, and plastic surgery procedures when girls’ are unhappy about their bodies?
Image and Text
What do the images and narratives reveal about girls of color and body identity issues? What details support your opinions?Cultural Non-Conformity
Nkechi's narrative discusses cultural differences between Nigerian and American girls. Discuss her opinion that good looks are more important to American girls. Discuss her opinion that “In African American society, there is a lot of leeway as far as body type.”The Lure of Hollywood
How has growing up in Los Angeles affected Nkechi's plans for a professional career? Her parents, who were born in Nigeria, were upset with her decision to stay in Los Angeles for college rather than attend Stanford. Discuss this issue from her perspective and from her parents' perspectives.Bridging the Gap
Ruby's narrative discusses cultural differences between Latina and American girls and how body image is becoming increasingly more important for Latinas. Discuss the causes for this phenomenon and its implications.
Resources: **under construction**
Girls Inc. (formerly Girls Clubs of America)
Girl Power Site (US Dept of Health and Human Services)
GIRL
CULTURE by Lauren Greenfield
Faculty
Guide
to Lauren Greenfield's Girl Culture
Joan Jacob Brumberg's "Introduction to Lauren Greenfield's Girl
Culture"http://www.laurengreenfield.com/index.php?p=NTA3CQP9
Time
Magazine
Photo Essay for Girl Culture
http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/2165/context/cover/
http://www.girlsrockmovie.com/
http://www.girlsrockcamp.org/
http://www.williemaerockcamp.org/av.html
Thirteen
http://dir.salon.com/story/mwt/feature/2003/09/05/thirteen/index.html
Molly Grows Up: http://ia300138.us.archive.org/2/items/MollyGro1953/MollyGro1953_256kb.mp4
Growing up and liking it:
http://www.mum.org/GULIcov.htm
Museum of Menstruation and Women's Health: http://www.mum.org/
2007-2013 MLJ/melinda luisa de jesús
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