UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON

Dept. of Women Studies

Autumn 1997, Mon & Wed 10:30 - 12:20 p.m.; Savery 245

Dr. Angela B. Ginorio Office hours: Wed 1:30-3:30 p.m. or by appointment

Women Studies Padelford B-110P 685-2238 e-mail: ginorio@

NWCROW Cunningham 203 543-9531

Through the study of the experiences of women scientists we will explore science in ways which illuminate science’s meaning as both a method of inquiry and as a profession while also expanding our knowledge about women. In this exploration we will have three tools: biographies of women scientists, a variety of approaches to science--including the feminist critiques, and the psycho-social concept of socially defined identities.

This course requires active participation in all aspects of the class, from class discussion to self- and peer-evaluation. The goals for this class are to actively:

It is assumed that you come to this class with some introductory knowledge about feminism and science. Readings for this class build upon knowledge you may gained in a Women Studies 200 and a college level science course, or acquired through other means. This is a reading and discussion course. There are four major requirements:

Required textbooks:

Ginorio, A. B. (1995). Warming the climate for women in academic science. Washington, D.C.: Association of American Colleges & Universities.

Harding, S. (1991). Whose science? Whose knowledge? Thinking from women’s lives. Ithaca, NY: Cornell UP.

Suggested book:

Bertsch McGrayne, S. (1993). Nobel prize women in science: Their lives, struggles and momentous discoveries. Secaucaus, NJ: Birch Lane Press Book.

Other required reading for this class will be selected from other sources identified by the instructor and/or the students responsible for that day’s presentation. The class will decide how best to make available the readings on the first day of classes. Options include readings being placed either in reserve in OUGL or Women Studies library (open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon. through Friday).

The schedule presents the dates of our classes and the topics that will be covered. If in examining these topics in the first day of classes there is an area of interest to you that is not covered, we can discuss how to incorporate it in the syllabus. Each student is expected to lead a class discussion. Students can choose a topic from among those topics marked by an asterisk (*). Each student will select one of the topics for her/his discussion session. If the number of students is larger than the number of topics, students will work in groups. If the number of students is smaller than the number of topics, students can choose to work together on more than one presentation.

At the end of the course, students will have the following written products:

1. discussion:

a. list of readings to address the topic [due one week* before the discussion]

b. list of questions to guide the discussion [due one* week before the discussion]

c. 2 page summary of the discussion [due one week after the discussion]

2. class participation:

a. an evaluation of each discussion [due at the class after the discussion]

3. biography reports:

a. a brief report (approx. one typewritten page) based on the biography you have chosen. The first biographical report is due one week after the first class on "women scientists" [due 5 Nov], the remaining are due [Wed 3 Dec].

4. project:

a. no more than 1 page statement of what your final project will be [due Wed 22 Oct]

b. final report on the project [due day that the final examination would have been given]

Timeliness and presentation of materials are important. Some materials (lists of readings, questions for presentations, evaluation of each discussion, the first biographical report, and the project proposal) can be submitted through e-mail, the rest must be submitted in hard-copy. If people work in teams, agreement about grading must be reached at the time that the proposal for either the discussion or the project is submitted. Except for exceptional circumstances, no incompletes will be granted.

*The lead time for turning in lists of readings and questions may be increased to accommodate students due to disability.

If you would like to request academic accommodations due to a disability, please contact Disabled Student Services, 448 Schmitz Hall by calling 543-8924 (V/TDD). If you have a letter from Disabled Student Services, indicating that you have a disability that requires academic accommodations, please present the letter to me so we can discuss this and other accommodations that you might need for class.

Mon 29 Overview [Be ready to make a preliminary choice of topic for presentation.]

Wed 1 What is science: Students’ view of science and scientists

[Instructor will make final assignment of topic for presentation.]

Mon 6 What is science: Public’s view

Wed 8 What is science: Official story (method) and point of view of scientists (guest lecturer)

Mon 13 What is science? History of science (practices, insiders/outsiders)

[Be ready to make a preliminary choice of biography.]

Wed 15 What is science? Sociology of science (groups & status)

[Instructor will make final assignment of biography.]

Mon 20 Feminist critiques of science: Access to & status of girls and women in science education

Wed 22 Feminist critiques of science: Access to and status of women in scientific work

[Written proposal for the final project due.]

Mon 27* Women scientists: Socially defined identities

[Instructor will return proposal for final project with comments.]

Wed 29* Women scientists: Family and community of origin

November

Mon 3* Women scientists: Mentors and role models

Wed 5* Feminist critiques of science: A feminist or women’s way of doing science

[first biographical report due]

Mon 10* What is science? Philosophy of science (set of claims)

[instructor returns biographical report with comments]

Wed 12* Feminist critiques of science: Empiricists

Mon 17* Women scientists: Their contributions and recognition

Wed 19* Feminist critiques of science: Standpoint theorists-Insiders and outsiders in science

Mon 24* Women scientists: Ethics

Wed 26* Women scientists: Social responsibility

Mon 1* Women scientists: Connections and tensions with feminism

Wed 3* What is science: Point of view of women scientists [remaining biographical reports due]

Mon 8 Women in/and science: A common agenda?

Wed 10 Class presentations on final project everyone