Women and Gender Studies Courses

WGS725 Gender and Public Policy

[3–0, 3 cr.]

This is an introduction to decision-making processes and current and contemporary legal and social debates over public policy directly affecting women in major spheres of public life, with a focus on the Lebanese and Arab contexts (e.g., citizenship, political participation, foreign domestic workers, etc.). Topics may focus on public health, political participation, employment policies and practices, etc.

WGS730 Theories of Gender and Global Feminism

[3–0, 3 cr.]

This interdisciplinary seminar is focused on contemporary feminist theories and theories of gender. It will examine the broad range of theories that make up the body of contemporary scholarship referred to as “feminist theory” and the fundamental questions these theories raise about the origins of gender difference, the nature and origins of patriarchy, the intersections between gender, race, class, sexuality, and nationality as categories of analysis and bases of oppression or empowerment.

WGS732 Arab and Islamic Feminisms (history and theory)

[3–0, 3 cr.]

This course examines the nature, development, and articulation of Arab and Islamic feminisms and the debates around them. It highlights the intellectual work of prominent Arab/Muslim feminists, and includes an examination of Islamic feminist thought and its relation to Islamic jurisprudence, with a critical evaluation of how interpretations of the Quran and Sunnah (Prophetic Hadith/Sayings) have shaped and continue to affect the lives of women in the Arab/Muslim world.

WGS744 Topics in Women and Gender Studies

[3–0, 3 cr.]

The choice of the topic depends on current issues in women & gender studies and the interest of the concerned professor (media & gender representation; gender & sexual identities; gender & religion; etc.)

May be repeated for credit with topic or instructor change.

WGS760 Research Methods in Studies of Women & Gender

[3–0, 3 cr.]

This course provides an overview of a variety of feminist and gender research methodologies, both quantitative and qualitative, used mostly in social science research. Students will learn how to design a research project, select the most appropriate theory and methodology for answering a specific research question, and collect and analyze/interpret data.

WGS780 Internship

[3 cr.]

Students are required to complete an internship in a local, regional, or international organization working on women’s issues in the Middle East. This course is geared towards providing students with hands-on, practical experience in the field, and the possibility to put (feminist) theory into practice.

WGS799 MA Thesis and Thesis Proposal

[6 cr.]

Students must complete a thesis according to university regulations. Before commencing work on the thesis, the student must present a thesis proposal for approval by three faculty members. The thesis proposal should comprise a research question relevant to the program and the regional context, and include a set of hypotheses, the sources of information and an outline of the research method to be used. The thesis supervisor should approve the proposal before submission to the other two faculty members for their approval.

WGS815 Gender and Migration

[3–0, 3 cr.]

This seminar will use a gender lens to studying various forms of migration, forced and exploitative migration and trafficking in persons. Migration can contribute to socio-economic development but it can also be an outcome and a cause of vulnerabilities. Migrant women tend to be particularly vulnerable to involuntary servitude and trafficking. As such we will look at structural and social determinants that enable such transnational migration and trafficking to take place, the gendered impact of such movements, and the range of measures and legal instruments that exist locally, regionally and internationally that cover migrants and trafficked persons. Themes covered include: international gendered labor markets, migration to and from the Middle East, domestic labor, Human Trafficking; Sex trafficking, displacement through conflict and development, remittances, and human rights.