Professor West and Professor Maison
August 5th-9th, 2019 MTWRF 2-5pm
Tucker 217
GOVT 150: Breaking the Glass Ceiling
Course Description
This course offers an overview of the importance ofwomen in positions of leadership and why there are so few women in positions of power in order to understand the impact of traditional gender roles and passive normatives on societal dynamics. By discussing traditional gender roles and perceptions of women, we can understand why women in leadership positions are so scarce and how societal perceptions of femininity challenge the traditional masculine model of leadership. In order to analyze the importance in upsetting the normative expectation of leadership, we will cover the 100th year anniversary of coeducation at the College of William and Mary and the importance of the first woman President, Katherine Rowe on future possibilities for younger generations of females.
Content Learning objectives
By the end of this course you should have a working understanding of:
- The impact of gender roles on the glass ceiling and the facilitation of negative stigmas/lack of representation
- What the impact of President Rowe’s inauguration means to the William & Mary community and how it challenges the normative expectations of male leadership
- Perceptions of women in power and how it challenges the perceived traditional style of leadership
- The roles women have in society and how these roles mean different qualities and experiences
Skill Objectives
The purpose of a COLL 150 course is to engage in deep discussions and analyses of articles, data, and other forms of research. By the end of this class, you should have learned and improved skills such as
- Conducting analysis and research on discussion topics while relating them to current events
- Analyzing the importance of the first female president of William and Mary and the implications it has on future change and growth in the context of 100 years of coeducation
- Discussing in an academic context conversations about the perceptions of women and how this impacts the small amount of women in leadership positions
- Writing critical responses to class topics while making clear and concise arguments based on scholarly research
Articles and Assignments
This course will consist of multimedia homework assignments that are expected to be completed before class in order to be prepared for classroom discussion and a general knowledge of class topics.
Monday:
- Topic for the day: The first woman president of William and Mary
- HW DUE:
- Read Flat Hat article on life lessons from Katherine Rowe http://flathatnews.com/2018/08/22/another-title-new-identity-college-president-katherine-rowe-shares-life-lessons-from-various-career-achievements/
- Read Bio of President Rowe https://www.wm.edu/about/administration/president/about/index.php
- Write short paragraph on what you think the importance of her presidency is and what it means to you for discussion
Tuesday:
- Topic for the day: History of women in coeducation/ celebrating 100 years
- HW DUE:
- Read Article on Women at the College https://www.wm.edu/news/stories/2018/100-years-of-coeducation-at-wm.php
Wednesday:
- Topic for the day: The impact of gender roles on the perceptions of women and the idea of masculine leadership
- HW DUE:
- Read Women in Leadership: A Developmental Paradox? http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=b6b3032b-10ae-4501-8c69-20fb28511710%40pdc-v-sessmgr02
- Find a Ted Talk you think addresses a facet of gender roles and feminism that appeals to you. Prepare to share it with the class and give a quick speech about why you like this Ted Talk and how it relates to our class content.
Thursday:
- Topic for the day: Importance of change/challenging the normative and current events
- HW DUE:
- Watch Shonda Rhimes’ video on the glass ceiling https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/video/shonda-rhimes-accepts-sherry-lansing-756208
- Read Nancy Pelosi Profile https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/04/us/politics/nancy-pelosi-house-leader-women.html
- Read article on the glass ceiling https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/21/sunday-review/women-ceos-glass-ceiling.html
Friday:
- Topic for the day: Wrap up and Final Assessment
- HW DUE: FINAL ASSESSMENT. Research a Woman in a leadership position and prepare a 2-3 page excerpt on her experiences, job qualifications, and her role in breaking the glass ceiling. This woman can be a either a politician, activist, businesswoman, or anything other person in a widely known form of power. Contact professor with questions or proposals. Due by Sunday, August 11th at 11:59pm
Assessments
This class is focused on the understanding and comprehension of class materials, thus the assessments will be based solely on class participation in discussions, one in-class presentation, and two writing assignments. The in-class presentation will be based on a student researched Ted-Talk that is presented to class. The two writing assignments will be 1) a beginning response paper in relation to President Rowe and the class and 2) the final assessment which is a 2-3 pagepaper on a Woman in leadership of your choice. These assessments are designed to examine your knowledge in skills in applying the topics we have learned in class in a broader scope.