WS216 Gender and Science

Tentative Daily Schedule

 

Nov 24th                    Why Feminism?

AM: • Introductions, Index cards

Readings:

• Women and power, Kelly

• The science wars, Sharon Begley, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 12, p114

 

Journal Entry 1: Due before the afternoon class

Discuss a moment of oppression you have experienced or witnessed. Why is this oppression and not a solitary incident or a personal bias?

 

PM: Groups will be assigned

Discussion of the readings

                                   

Journal Entry 2: Discuss “objectivity” in science (due before 9 pm to the e-journal and response before 9 am next day)

 

Nov 255h                    Is Science Objective?

AM:

Readings:

• Chapter 1-5 of “What is this thing called science?” by AF Chalmers

• Methods and Values, National Academy of Sciences, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 11, p111

 

Science Autobiography I due tomorrow

 

Nov 26th                    Women in Science

AM: CLASS AT 8:30          

Readings:
            • Introduction, Gender in Science Reader,

• Women (still) need not apply, Margaret Eisenhart and Elizabeth Finkel, Chapter 1, p 13

                        Women in Geology: Jeff Noblett

                        Experiences in Physics: Barbara Whitten

                        Reflections on women in science: Neena Grover

Science Autobiography I due before class

 

 

 

Nov 27th- Nov 30    THANKSGIVING BREAK

Readings:

• Rosalind Franklin and DNA, Anne Sayre

Find a women scientist to interview and start the process for the mid-term

Find a biased news article reporting science in the popular media

 

 

 

Dec 1  Discuss Rosalind Franklin and the DNA, and the news article

                        Groups start research on a specific field of science

Readings: (read these along with doing your research)

• A six year longitudinal study of undergraduate women in engineering and science, Suzanne Brainard and Linda Carlin, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 2, p24 (FOCUS ON RESULTS)

• NSF Employment study confirms issues facing women and minorities, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 3, p 38

• Nepotism and sexism in peer review, The Gender in Science Reader, Chapter 4, p 42

 

Dec 2                          Women in Science

Meet to discuss history of women in science (based on research)- Jigsaw groups

Readings:

•Chapter 1-4 of Athena Unbound, Henry Etzkowitz, Carol Kemelgor, and Brian Uzzi, Cambridge Press (on reserve in the library)

Prepare for Presentation I

Start preparing for Paper I (midterm)

 

Dec 3                          Women in Science

Group Presentations (10 minutes each, on the board)

Guest Lecture: Dr. Margaret Eisenhart, University of Colorado, Boulder

                       

Meet with the professors about your mid-term paper: outline?

 

Journal Entry 3: Respond to something that Dr. Eisenhart talked about.

 

Journal Entry 4: What do you see as real differences in sex/gender? Reflect on what values we (individual/society) places on these differences.

 

Dec 4th                      Science and Women: Sex and Difference

Readings:

• In pursuit of difference: scientific studies of women and men, Lynda Birke, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 24, p309

• Life in the XY corral, Anne Fausto-Sterling, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 19, p 234

• From molecules to brain, normal science supports the sexist belief about difference, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 27, p367

• The egg and the sperm: how science constructed a romance on stereotypical male-female roles, Emily Martin (Articles)

Meet with the professors/writing center to discuss your paper: 1st draft?

Journal summaries due tomorrow

 

Dec 5th            Science and Women: Science and Race

Readings:

• Race and gender Fallacies: The paucity of biological determinist explanations of difference. Gisela Kaplan and Lesley J Rogers, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 25, p 323

• Gender, race, and nation: The comparative anatomy of “hottentot” women in Europe 1815-1817, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 26, p343

 

Journal Summary due (Entries 1 through 4)

Go to the writing center regarding your paper?

 

Dec 8th            Feminisms and Science    Paper 1 due 9 AM

Readings:

AM     • Introduction to Women’s Studies, Tong (on reserve at the library)

• Are there feminist methodologies appropriate for the natural sciences and do they make a difference, Sue Rosser, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 13, p 123

• Science and science criticism, Ruth Hubbard, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 5, p 49

PM      Historical Roots

• Dominion over nature, Carolyn Merchant, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 8, p68

• Secrets of God, Nature, and Life, Evelyn Keller Fox, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 10, p 98

 

Journal Entry 5 On an article on which your group is not leading a discussion.

 

Dec 9th            Feminisms and Science: Feminist Perspectives

Readings:

• Ecological feminist philosophies, Karen Warren (articles)

• Feminist standpoint epistemology, Sandra Harding, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 14, p 145

• Subjects, power, and knowledge: description and prescription in feminist philosophies of Science, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 17, p213

 

Journal Entry 6 On an article on which your group is not leading a discussion.

 

Get the Paper II topic approved

                       

Dec 10th                      Feminisms and Science: Feminist Perspectives (Continued)

Readings:

• Toward a feminist natural sciences: linking theory and practice, E Anne Kerr, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 29, p386

• Structuring feminist science, Muriel Lederman, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 32, p 437

• Implications of feminist critiques of science: Linking theory and practice, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 29, p386

 

Journal Entry 7: On an article on which your group is not leading a discussion.

 

Start researching for Paper II

 

Dec 11th                      Feminisms and Science: Critiques

Readings: (Articles)

            • Feminist epistemology: stalking an un-dead horse, Noretta Koertge

            • Why feminist epistemology isn’t, Janet Richards

• Are “feminist perspectives” in mathematics and science feminist, Ruskai

 

Journal Entry 8: On an article on which your group is not leading a discussion.

Start Research for Paper II

Don’t forget to write Autobiography II

 

Dec 12th:                     Science and Culture: Multicultural Science

Readings:

• Is science multicultural? Challenges, resources, opportunities, uncertainties, Sandra Harding, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 16, p213

• Democratizing biology: reinventing biology from a feminist, ecological, and third world perspective, Vandana Shiva The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 33, p 447

• The biopolitics of a multicultural field, Donna Haraway, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 20, p 252

 

Journal Summaries due (entries 5 through 8)

 

Research for Paper II (Start working on the paper over the weekend)

 

Dec 15th                      Practicing Feminist Science

Readings:

•Introduction, Teaching the majority: breaking the gender barrier in science, mathematics, and engineering, Sue Rosser, Athene Series, page 1-20

• Girls in science education: of rice and fruit trees, Liz Whitelegg, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 28, p373

• Towards a feminist natural science: linking theory and practice, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 29, p 386

• Epilogue, Hilary Rose, The Gender and Science Reader, Chapter 35, p 483

• Suggested reading: Athena Unbound: Policy for women in science, Athena Unbound, (on reserve at the library)

 

1st draft of the paper should be taken to the Writing Center

 

Group Research on a specific field of science to see how feminist research is changing the field/classroom- using Teaching the Majority and The Gender and Science Reader, along with other research

 

Dec 16th-17th                           Science Pedagogy

Presentations, Portfolio due (includes Autobiography II)

 

Dec 18th                      Paper II due. Class ends!