Course for international guest/part time students
- Faculty
- Faculty of Humanities
- Organization
- BTK Department of American Studies
- Code
- BBI-AME17-322E.04
- Title
- Elective seminar in the history of the United States: American Women's History
- Usual semester
- Spring
- ECTS
- 5
- Language
- en
- Learning outcomes
- The course aims to approach American women’s history as a problem-based field rather than a linear narrative, focusing on themes such as bodies, labor, politics, and representation. Students will explore how shifting social norms, legal structures, and economic systems have shaped women’s experiences from the 18th century to the present. By the end of the semester, students will be able to formulate their own interpretations and identify recurring patterns that continue to shape contemporary discussions on gender and citizenship.
- Course content
- The course examines key questions such as the definition of womanhood, control over the female body, invisible labor, racial and class hierarchies, and the limits of emancipation. Feature films (e.g., The Crucible, Harriet, Iron Jawed Angels, Hidden Figures) serve as primary analytical sources to explore historical processes. Topics include internal conflicts within suffrage movements, the exclusionary nature of white feminism, and the tension between radical and moderate strategies in women's political activism.
- Assessment method
- Active participation (70%): Includes preparation, group work, and analytical tasks during sessions. Maximum 3 absences allowed. Final written reflection (30%): An in-class essay based on open-ended questions about the key patterns and processes discussed throughout the semester. Optional presentation (up to +10%): A short elective presentation on a major theme for bonus points. Grading scale: 0–27 pts (1), 28–32 (2), 33–37 (3), 38–42 (4), 43–50 (5).
- Bibliography
- Heather Andrea Williams. American Slavery: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press 2014. Melissa E. Blair, Vanessa M. Holden and Maeve Kane. American Women’s History. A New Narrative History. Blackwell, 2023. Susan Ware. American Women’s History. A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press, 2015. Nancy A. Hewitt and Anne M. Walk (eds.). A Companion to American Women’s History. Blackwell, 2021.