Spring 2005

WGS 301 • Ethnicity & Gender: La Chicana

Course Description

Description The purpose of this course is to explore the life and culture of Chicanas in the United States. The first part of the course will explore various theories of Chicana feminism as well as provide a brief historical overview of Chicana experiences. It will further examine the cultural representations of Chicanas in ethnography and certain forms of expressive culture. Finally, it will examine how these cultural representations bode on the every day experiences of Mexican American women. Course Requirements Students will write four short analytical essays, each no more than five pages in length. This means that you may skip any one of the five essays listed below except essay #1. Essays are due at the beginning of each class session. All late papers will be penalized. There will be no mid-term or final. Each writing assignment will be worth 20% of the grade. The remaining 20% will correspond to seminar discussion and other forms of daily participation. Textbooks Castillo, Ana. Massacre of the Dreamers. Cisneros, Sandra. House on Mango Street. Course Reader (available at Longhorn Copies, 2520 Guadalupe, 476-4498.)

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