This site explores how Adeline Hornbek, single mother of four, defied traditional gender roles to become the owner of a successful ranch under the Homestead Act.
In this video segment from Africa, learn about the Dama, a rare event and rite of passage for the Dogon in Mali.
Irish women discuss social and economic changes that have taken place over the last half century in this video from Wide Angle.
Despite dramatic increases in the number of women earning advanced degrees in science and engineering, women remain scarce at the senior ranks in these disciplines in both industry and academia. Dr. Elga Wasserman, author of "The Door in the Dream" speaks about possible causes for this imbalance and suggest steps that can be taken in order to remove the barriers that persist. (47 minutes)
International Women's Voices has several objectives. It introduces students to a variety of works by contemporary women writers from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and North America. The emphasis is on non-western writers. The readings are chosen to encourage students to think about how each author's work reflects a distinct cultural heritage and to what extent, if any, we can identify a female voice that transcends national cultures. In lectures and readings distributed in class, students learn about the history and culture of each of the countries these authors represent. The way in which colonialism, religion, nation formation and language influence each writer is a major concern of this course. In addition, students examine the patterns of socialization of women in patriarchal cultures, and how, in the imaginary world, authors resolve or understand the relationship of the characters to love, work, identity, sex roles, marriage and politics.This class is a communication intensive course. In addition to becoming more thoughtful readers, students are expected to become a more able and more confident writers. Assignments are designed to allow for revision of each paper. The class will also offer opportunities for speaking and debating so that students can build oral presentation skills that are essential for success once they leave MIT. The class is limited to 25 students and there is substantial classroom discussion.
" This course offers an introduction to Women's and Gender Studies, an interdisciplinary academic field that asks critical questions about the meaning of gender in society. The primary goal of this course is to familiarize students with key issues, questions and debates in Women's and Gender Studies scholarship, both historical and contemporary. Gender scholarship critically analyzes themes of gendered performance and power in a range of social spheres, such as law, culture, work, medicine and the family."
Growth and development through the life span including physical, social, cognitive and neurological development. Topics covered included daycare, education, disabilities, parenting, types of families, gender identity and roles, career decisions, illnesses and treatments, aging, retirement, generativity, and dying.
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Neeraj, a young girl in rural India who performs her household chores during the day and goes to school at night, is profiled in this video segment from Wide Angle.
This Wide Angle video looks at the reservations that a traditional Indian family had about their daughter taking a job in India’s outsourcing industry.
Widows from the village of Tamra in the Galilee manage all of the aspects of their small business in this video segment from Wide Angle.
An interdisciplinary examination of the Asian-American experience with particular emphasis on gender and race from mid-nineteenth century to present. Topics include: Asian American women's history, Asian American feminisms, gender and ethnic nationalism, images of Asian American men and women in film and media, sexuality, and the impact of immigration on gender roles. Uses extensive primary sources and audio-visual media.
