WGSS 326: Women and Addiction
Instructor: Sarah Carnahan
Tues/Thurs 9:30-11:18, Central Classrooms 222
Office Hours: By Appointment
Office Location: University Hall 337B
Contact:
Accommodation of students with Disabilities:
Students who have verification from Disability Services are responsible for contacting the instructor as soon as possible to make necessary arrangements. The Office for Disability Services (150 Pomerene Hall; 614-292-3307) verifies the need for accommodations and assists in the development of accommodation strategies.
Course Description
This course offers a multicultural feminist perspective on women and addiction. Using an interdisciplinary approach, students will explore addiction within the contexts of social construction, popular culture, mental health, and public policy. Discussion topics explore the socially constructed meanings of addiction, gender, power, and privilege. Particular attention will be given to the various ways these social constructions can create cultural beliefs about addictions. Careful attention is paid to the ways in which popular culture shapes cultural beliefs and knowledge about women and addictions and how those beliefs impact public policy and even the recovery process. Students will engage in an interactive approach to learning about women and addiction. Through lectures, class discussions, readings, popular culture analyses, blogging/journaling, group work, and in-class activities, students will gain a better perspective on gender, intersectionality, and addiction.
A Note About Course Readings:
With the exception of the book that you will focus on for your group presentation, all of the readings for the course can be accessed on Carmen or the internet. Because you do not have to pay for a textbook, I do expect that you will print out all assigned readings and bring them to class to have as a reference. Failure to have the readings will be reflected in the class participation grade. If you have any concerns about this policy, please speak to me individually.
Learning Objectives:
· Acquire an understanding of how issues of addiction might be viewed within an intersectional feminist framework, and how such perspective relies on and departs from traditional addiction theories.
· Consider how addiction can operate as a tool of social control based on the social construction of difference, i.e. race, sex, class, and sexual orientation.
· Examine how systems of oppression and inequality can be factors in the development of addiction.
· Explore the relationships between gender ideology, socialization, and addiction.
· Challenge dominant beliefs about addiction within the contexts of intersectional identities and oppressions, motherhood, and reproduction.
Because this is a women's studies course, all assignments are expected to reflect an understanding of feminist scholarship. This does not mean that you are expected to be or become a feminist, but it does mean that you will be expected to demonstrate the ability to apply feminist theories and critical methods in your work. We will practice looking through a feminist lens throughout the quarter in our discussions.
Attendance Policy:
Each student is allowed one excused absence over the duration of the quarter. For each absence beyond that, except in extenuating circumstances, the student’s final grade will be dropped by two points. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of the class, and if you miss attendance, you will be marked absent.
Classroom Conduct and Technology Policy:
Because this is a discussion-based class, it is crucial that you are as fully present as possible in the classroom and the conversation. I consider this to be not only a matter of respect to myself as the instructor, but also to your peers as members of a collaborative learning community. Thus, except in the case of an emergency, phones should be turned off for the duration of the class. If you are seen texting, instant messaging, checking the internet, etc., on a mobile device (phones, tablets, ipods) during class, you will be marked absent for that day. Additionally, laptop computers are not necessary for this class, so unless you have a specific need to use one, please refrain from laptop usage. If you have concerns about these policies, feel free to speak to me, as I want to make the classroom environment accessible as well as respectful.
Course Requirements:
Class Participation (15%): What makes a feminist classroom truly dynamic is the quality of its discussions. Though there will be some small lectures during the quarter, most classes will be discussion based, with an emphasis on dialogue and sharing of perspectives, ideas, and interpretations. It is expected that you will be an active and informed participant in all class discussions and that you will have read assigned texts by the dates indicated on the syllabus. Students are expected to engage in respectful intellectual dialogue in the classroom and will periodically hand in evaluations of each other as in-class group participants.
Carmen Discussion Questions (15%): Students will also be expected to post one discussion question per week on the Carmen discussion board. Questions must be posted no later than 7am on the day the reading is due, and they must be about the reading that is going to be discussed in the subsequent class meeting. These questions may be anonymous, but if you post anonymously, please email me a copy of the question when you post it. Students need to be self-reflexive about their social locations and how this may impact their interpretation of a reading, situation, etc.
Group Book Presentation (15%): In groups of 4-5, students will choose a book that is related to the topic of women and addiction. The book may be factual, fiction, memoir, etc. The book must be pre-approved by the instructor. On the date noted in the syllabus, each group will have 15 minutes to present an outline and analysis of their chosen book. More information will be given about the group presentation in class #2.
Blog Entries (25%): Throughout the quarter you will write five blog entries that pertain to the class. Each entry is worth 5% of your grade. You will be given a prompt in class for each entry, and the due dates are marked on the syllabus. We will go over specifics of this requirement in class.
Digital Scrapbook (30%): Throughout the quarter, you will collect artifacts (newspaper articles, internet articles from places like Lexus Nexus, popular magazine articles and/or images, films, music videos, and advertisements) that reflect the breadth of materials and issues we have explored in class. For your final digital scrapbook, you will choose 5 items that speak to course materials and theoretical concepts; each item will be the focus of a feminist intersectional analysis. Each entry must be a minimum of 600 words and will reflect your understanding of the class material. You are required to cite class material (lecture notes, class readings, class discussions) within each. Digital Scrapbooks are due on the date noted on the assignment schedule.
Please note that assignments are due on the dates designated in the syllabus. If an emergency arises and you make arrangements with me ahead of time, I may agree to accept a late assignment. If I do not agree or if prior arrangements have not been made, you will receive a lowered grade for that assignment. Blog grades will be dropped by two points for each day that they are late. A computer malfunction is not an acceptable excuse for not completing an assignment on time.
Additionally, I reserve the right to make changes to the syllabus if needed throughout the quarter. If changes become necessary for the benefit of the class, I will send them out in writing via email.
Academic Misconduct:
All students are responsible for doing their own work and plagiarism will NOT be tolerated. As defined by University Rule 3335-31-02, plagiarism is “the representation of another’s works or ideas as one’s own; it includes the unacknowledged word for word use and/or paraphrasing of another person’s work, and/or the inappropriate unacknowledged use of another person’s ideas.” Plagiarism is one of the most serious offenses that can be committed in an academic community; as such, it is the obligation of this department and its instructors to report all cases of suspected plagiarism to the Committee on Academic Misconduct. After the report is filed, a hearing takes place and if the student is found guilty, the possible punishment ranges from failing the class to suspension or expulsion from the university. Although the existence of the Internet makes it relatively easy to plagiarize, it also makes it even easier for instructors to find evidence of plagiarism. It is obvious to most teachers when a student turns in work that is not his or her own and plagiarism search engines make documenting the offense very simple.
Make sure to:
* Always cite your sources (I can help with this) and ask questions before you turn in an assignment if you are uncertain about what constitutes plagiarism
To preserve the integrity of OSU as an institution of higher learning, to maintain your own integrity, and to avoid jeopardizing your future, do not plagiarize!
Resources
Your instructor: Please feel free to contact me at any time over the course of the quarter if you are struggling with papers, course work, etc. I am willing to work with you. Email is the best way to contact me. I will do my best to respond to your email within 24-hours on weekdays, and by Sunday evening at the latest on weekends (beginning Friday evening). Also, I encourage you to use my office hours if you have questions/concerns about the course or course assignments/material.
The OSU Writing Center: OSU Writing Center consultants are an excellent resource for writers at any level or stage in the writing process. Take advantage of the free individual tutoring that you can receive there. The Writing Center is located in 485 Mendenhall Laboratory, on the south side of the oval.
Phone: 614.688.4291 Website: http://ctsw.osu.edu/
Your Health
A recent American College Health Survey found stress, sleep problems, anxiety, depression, interpersonal concerns, death of a significant other and alcohol use among the top ten health impediments to academic performance. Students experiencing personal problems or situational crises during the quarter are encouraged to contact the OSU Counseling and Consultation Services (614-292-5766) for assistance, support and advocacy. This service is free and confidential.
Schedule of Assignments
Introduction to Feminist Thought
March 27 Welcome and Introduction
March 29 Weiss, “’I’m not a feminist, but . . . ‘”
Crenshaw, “Mapping the Margins”
Frye, “Oppression”
* blog post #1 due by noon on Sunday, April 1
Feminist Approaches to Addiction
April 3 Kasl, “Defining Addiction: “Patterns of Chemical and Psychological Addictions”
Kasl, “Is Addiction Inevitable? Patriarchy, Hierarchy, and Capitalism”
April 5 Northrup, “The Patriarchal Myth and Addictive System”
Downing, “Sex Role Setups and Alcoholism”
Gender, Power, and Addiction
April 10 Kandall, “Women and Addiction: A Historical Perspective”
Gmelch, “Women, Drinking, and Drugs”
Fassel & Shaef “A Feminist Perspective on Work Addiction”
April 12 Covington, “Women and Addiction: A Trauma-Informed Approach”
Johnson, “Concurrent Drug and Alcohol Dependency and Mental Health Problems Among Incarcerated Women”
* blog post #2 due by noon on Sunday, April 15
Class, Gender, and Addiction
April 17 Peterman, et al, “Relationship Between Past Food Deprivation and Current Dietary Practices”
Grant, “Rural Women’s Stories of Recovery from Addiction”
Addiction in the Non-Heterosexual Community
April 19 “Where’s the Smoke…Tobacco Companies Have Used Some icky Tactics…”
Staddon “Labeling Out: The Personal Account of an Ex-Alcoholic Lesbian Feminist”
McCabe, “The Relationship Between Discrimination and Substance
Use Disorders Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults in the U.S.”
Group Presentations
April 24 Guest Speaker; Reading TBD
April 26 Group Presentations Due Today
Women and Sex Addiction
May 1 Wilson Shaef “Sexual Addiction”
Ferree “Females and Sex Addiction”
Knapp “Sex,” from Drinking: A Love Story
Addiction & Reproduction
May 3 Campbell “Introduction: Drug Policy, Social Reproduction, and Social Justice”
Gallagher “Collective Bad Faith: ‘Protecting the Fetus’”
Daniels “Fathers, Mothers, & Fetal Harm: Rethinking Gender Difference & Reproductive Responsibility”
May 8 Young “Punishment, Treatment, and Empowerment.:…”
Roberts “Punishing Drug Addicts Who Have Babies”
* blog post #3 due by noon on Sunday, May 13
Body Image, Disordered Eating, Food Addiction
May 10 Maine “Chapter One” of Effective Clinical Practice in the Treatment of Eating Disorders: The Heart of the Matter
Liu, excerpts from “Gaining: The Truth about Life after Eating Disorders”
Definitions and descriptions of each Eating Disorder at this link: http://www.dsm5.org/ProposedRevisions/Pages/EatingDisorders.aspx
May 15 Hornbacher, excerpts from “Wasted”
Hornbacher, guest blog post at:
http://confessionsofacompulsiveeater.com/guest-post-by-author-marya- hornbacher-giveaway/
May 17 Rabin, “Can You Be Addicted to Foods?”
* blog post #4 due by noon on Sunday, May 20
Recovery
May 22 Guest Speaker; Reading TBD
*blog post #5 due by noon on Monday, August 15
May 24 Morell “Radicalizing Recovery: Addiction, Spirituality, and Politics” Kurtz “Recovery, the 12-Step Movement, and Politics”
Berenson, “Powerlessness – Liberating or Enslaving?”
May 29 Chodron “How We Get Hooked, How We Get Unhooked”
hooks, “Growing Away from Addiction”
May 31 Wrap-Up
* Digital Scrapbooks due (on your blog) no later than noon on Wednesday, June 6th