Women's Studies (WMST) 309 - Lecture 20

Feminist Community Service Learning:

Women's Movement and the Arts

Spring 2008

Mondays and Wednesdays: 14:00 to 16:45

Class Dates: May 14 to June 25

 

Instructor:	Ronnie Joy Leah, Ph. D.
Office Location:	MH 318 (WRC)
Office Phone:	282-6877
E-Mail:	rleah@ucalgary.ca
Office Hours:	In class and by appointment

Additional Information

All required readings are to be completed before class.

Course Description

This course is part of the "Feminist Community Service Learning" series of courses, offered in partnership with the Women's Resource Centre.  We will study how the creative arts can foster activism in the women's movement.  Combining theory with experiential learning, we'll explore a number of areas of creative expression, including music and dance, theatre and puppetry, visual arts, film and video, and spoken word.   We'll explore creative arts in relation to the theory and goals of community service learning.  Classes will provide the foundation for undertaking related community service projects with the WRC, volunteering for at least three hours a week with a service project relevant to women's issues.  This will be a great opportunity to learn about creative activism, apply your knowledge, and become involved the Women's Resource Centre.

Objectives of the Course

• To develop knowledge and experience of community service learning
• To explore the theory and practice of creative arts in the women's movement

Textbooks and Readings:

Ø      Wildfire: Art as Activism. Edited by Deborah Barndt. Toronto: Sumach Press, 2006.

 

Ø      Women and Environments: Women, Art & Community Activism.  No.72/73 - Fall/Winter 2004.

Assignments and Evaluation

3 Short Essays                          worth 30% (10% each)

(critical reflections on community project, course readings and class discussion)

Essay #1 due:             May 26

Essay #2 due:             June 2

Essay #3 due:             June 16

 

Literature Review             worth 20%

(area chosen for community service learning plus relevant arts activism)

            Due:                             June 9

 

Class Presentation                  worth 20%

            (creative presentation demonstrating arts activism in community project)

            In class:                        June 23 and June 25 

 

Final Essay                               worth 30%

(integration of community service learning experience with course theory and readings, and literature review)

            Due:                             June 30

 

More detailed information on the Assignments will be available in class.

 

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.
Note: Please hand in your essays directly to your tutor or instructor if possible. If it is not possible to do so, a daytime drop box is available in SS110; a date stamp is provided for your use. A night drop box is also available for after-hours submission. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date, and placed in the instructor's mailbox.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination:  NO

Please note: If your class is held in the evening, the Registrar's Office will make every attempt to schedule the final exam during the evening; however, there is NO guarantee that the exam will NOT be scheduled during the day.

Policy for Late Assignments

Assignments submitted after the deadline may be penalized with the loss of a grade (e.g.: A- to B+) for each day late.

Writing Skills Statement

Faculty policy directs that all written assignments (including, although to a lesser extent, written exam responses) will be assessed at least partly on writing skills. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Writing skills include not only surface correctness (grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc) but also general clarity and organization. Research papers must be properly documented.
If you need help with your writing, you may use the Writing Centre.  Visit the website for more details: www.efwr.ucalgary.ca

Grading System

The following grading system is used in the Faculty of Communication and Culture:

A+ (96-100); A (92-95); A- (86-91); B+ (81-85); B (77-80); B- (71-76);
C+ (65-70); C (62-64); C- (59-61); D+ (55-58); D (50-54); F (0-49)

Plagiarism

Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course and possibly suspension or expulsion from the university.

You must document not only direct quotations but also paraphrases and ideas where they appear in your text. A reference list at the end is insufficient by itself. Readers must be able to tell exactly where your words and ideas end and other people's words and ideas begin. This includes assignments submitted in non-traditional formats such as Web pages or visual media, and material taken from such sources.

Please consult your instructor or the Writing Centre (SS 106, efwr.ucalgary.ca) if you have any questions regarding how to document sources.

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability who may require academic accommodation, it is your responsibility to register with the Disability Resource Centre (220-8237) and discuss your needs with your instructor no later than fourteen (14) days after the start of the course.

Students' Union

For details about the current Students' Union contacts for the Faculty of Communication and Culture see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/su

"SAFEWALK" Program -- 220-5333

Campus Security will escort individuals day or night -- call 220-5333 for assistance. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most parking lot booths.

Ethics

Whenever you perform research with human participants (i.e. surveys, interviews, observation) as part of your university studies, you are responsible for following university research ethics guidelines.  Your instructor must review and approve of your research plans and supervise your research.  For more information about your research ethics responsibilities, see the U of C Research Ethics "Information for Applicants," sections 3.0 to 9.0, inclusive: http://www.ucalgary.ca/UofC/research/html/ethics/info_undergrad.html

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

Detailed schedule of readings will be distributed in class.