This is an archived course. A more recent version may be available at ocw.mit.edu.

Lecture Summaries

Note: Lecture summaries are not available for all sessions.

SES # TOPICS LECTURE SUMMARIES
2 The roots of contemporary gender debates: The 19th century American women's rights movement Ses# 2 summary (PDF)
3-4 Interpreting classic women's rights documents: The Seneca Falls Convention and "The Declaration of Sentiments" (1848)

Ses# 3 summary (PDF)

Ses# 4 summary (PDF)
5 Strategies for gender change: "Direct action voting"/civil disobedience; gender, race, and suffrage

Ses# 5 summary (PDF)

The case of Hester Vaughn (1868-69) (PDF)
6 Gender, race, and suffrage, continued. Ses# 6 summary (PDF)
7-8 Resistance or illness?: Discourses of women, medicine, and madness in 19th century America and beyond

Ses# 7 summary (PDF)

Ses# 8 summary (PDF)
9 Beyond suffrage: The roots of the Second Wave of the American women's right's movement: World War II and postwar era Ses# 9 summary (PDF)
10-11 The second wave of women's rights activism - The new feminism (1963-present)

Ses# 10 summary (PDF)

Ses# 11 summary (PDF)
12 Socialization and gender roles: Social constructionism vs. biological essentialism Ses # 12 summary (PDF)
13-14 Representation of women in advertising and popular visual media

Ses# 13 summary (PDF)

Ses# 14 summary (PDF)
15 Socialization: Race, ethnicity, nationality and gender roles; gender and education Ses# 15 summary (PDF)
17 Crossing gender boundaries Ses# 17 summary (PDF)
19 Sexuality, contraception and reproductive choice Ses# 19 summary (PDF)
20 Gender and work Ses# 20 summary (PDF)