The paper should have a title, introduction, analysis of your topic, and conclusion.
The paper itself should be at least 4 pages + annotated bibliography.
Your analysis should take a feminist/gender studies approach to discuss the research you have done–what can we learn about gender/sexuality and people’s lives? The analysis should use at least 4 major concepts from the weekly readings in class–give clear definitions and apply the concepts explicitly. The analysis should use and explain direct quotes from your sources. In your conclusion, discuss what you have learned through your research and analysis. The visual component is anything you think enhances your major points and/or overall thesis, findings, or conclusion. You can use visual images, charts, a video link, a cartoon, etc. You can embed the visuals into the paper or you can submit a separate link.
Topic Choice
For this project, you will conduct research on the positions and lives of contemporary women around the world. Our goal is to think about feminism(s) transnationally, not just as a movement of women in the West. Toward that end, I would rather you NOT focus exclusively on women in the US and Western Europe unless you are making links to women in other parts of the world OR you can make a compelling case for why this specific group or culture merits a closer look. For example, if we don’t have a chance to examine Native American women in this class, I can imagine a project that would look at the struggle for women’s equality in a specific Native American culture/community. I offer a few suggested topics below, but you are also free to choose an issue or topic that is not on the list. There are a couple of links provided to explore other possibilities. You can also conduct your own search for International/Global women’s issues.
Possible Topics:
Missing Women (Canadian and U.S. indigenous women)
The possibilities for girl children in China, India, and other nations
Representations of women in world films (not Hollywood)
Feminist activist organizations (not U.S.)
Life under the Taliban for women in Afghanistan.
Matriarchal Cultures (i.e. China’s Mosuo)
Sex (Human) trafficking around the world
The role of the veil in Islamic cultures–what is the women’s perspective?
Positions of women in Latin America
The lives of immigrant women in the US (similar to the Week One Reading Map article).
Effect of global capitalism on women–microloans; off-shore industries and gender; etc.
Here are a few websites where you can go for additional ideas and information.
https://www.womenforwomen.org/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIleH6p_Pj3wIVBDZpCh1V2QWoEAAYASAAEgKmyfD_BwE
https://www.unwomen.org/en
Annotated bibliography
This part of your project needs to include specific evidence (quotes, paraphrases) from at least five sources. You can use library research, (books, journal articles, newspaper articles), Internet research (though be sure to evaluate all websites carefully for credibility), or tap into the readings from the course (both assigned and in the resources links).
Each annotated entry should do the following:
Summarize the key ideas (use at least 3 direct quotes to explain/define).
Connect the reading to concept(s) from class materials.
Explain what the ideas from this source contribute to your understanding of your topic.