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Syllabus

   Prerequisites

You will need critical reading and writing skills to successfully complete this course, hence you must have completed English 1001 or its equivalent. 

  General Education

This course transfers to other Illinois schools as part of the Illinois Articulation Initiative's iTransfer General Education program, fulfilling the requirements for an HF907 D class. Likewise, it will satisfy the following IVCC general education goals:

1. To apply analytical and problem solving skills to personal, social, and professional issues and situations.
    
2. To communicate orally and in writing, socially and interpersonally.
    
3. To develop an awareness of the contributions made to civilization by the diverse cultures of the world.
    
4. To understand and use contemporary technology effectively and to understand its impact on the individual and society.
    
5. To work and study effectively both individually and in collaboration with others.
    
6. To understand what it means to act ethically and responsibly as an individual in one’s career and as a member of society.
    
7. To develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle physically, mentally, and spiritually.
    
8. To appreciate the ongoing value of learning, self-improvement, and career planning.

  Course Objectives

This course is designed to give students an understanding of the foundation of both western civilization and patriarchy, especially as they apply to the status and relationships of men and women today. Students will learn of archeological finds, including architecture, art, literature—both belles letters and otherwise—and human remains and also of social, philosophical, and historical theories that explain or attempt to explain the ideologies of ancient societies. 

Specifically, by the end of the course students should demonstrate the ability to:

Objective 1:  Identify significant events, people, ideas and historical trends that have shaped our Western culture socially, culturally and politically. 

Objective 2:  Examine the development of gender norms, identities, and roles as they are shaped by historical, political, and social factors, such as the representation of women in writings or art, whether philosophical, literary, etc.

Objective 3:  Analyze various artifacts for what they say or may say about gender and gender roles.

Objective 4:  Examine historical, social, and philosophical ideals and concepts through written and oral expression. 

Objective 5:  Understand and appreciate the cultural diversity of Western civilization for its relevance to modern society and for its historical importance.

Objective 6:  Describe various perspectives of ancient history

Objective 7:  Find and use scholarly historical sources

Objective 8:  Express the way culture and ideology impact one’s gender development, and vice versa.

Objective 9:  Consider their own lives, as either males or females, and their own writing and thoughts, as the product of either males or females, in light of these historical perspectives, and be empowered to think critically on topics such as cultural and political values and norms.

  Required Texts for Purchase

Bruhns, Karen Olsen, and Karen E. Stothert.  Women in Ancient America.  Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, 1999. 

Davis-Kimball, Jeannine with Mona Behan.  Warrior Women: An Archeologist's Search for History's Hidden Heroines. New York: Warner Books, Inc., 2002.

Selected readings, as assigned, mostly from a Xanedu packet, available in the IVCC Bookstore, and online.

  Recommended Text

Lynch, Rose Marie, and Kimberly M. Radek. Style Book. 2001.

  Grading Scale (%)

    A: 100-90     B: 89-80     C: 79-70     D: 69-60     F: 59-0

  Breakdown of Grades 

Participation: 20%             
Examination #1: 20%
Examination #2: 20%
Reaction Papers (2): 20%             
Research Applications Paper: 20% 
            

Participation: You will be evaluated on your attendance as well as on your contributions to the class. All homework, discussion, presentations and extra credit (if any), and quizzes contribute to your participation grade. 

The Examinations: You will be tested over the material covered in class lecture material, discussions, and assigned readings. The examinations may include short answer, multiple choice, and passage identification questions but will be largely comprised of essay questions. These exams will show that you have read these texts critically and analytically, identifying common themes and gender issues in them, and can write clearly about them.

The Papers: All submitted drafts should be done on a computer. They must be double-spaced and should and follow standard MLA format. You may turn them in to me at the beginning of class or you may e-mail them to me in Microsoft Word or in rich text file, as long as the subject line of the e-mail indicates this class and the specific assignment it is addressing. 

	In the reaction papers you will react to a work of literature or a critical essay that we've covered in class, explaining how its messages relates to you, whether you find it an enjoyable, truthful, and/or useful read, whether you think it is a good or great work of literature or criticism, whether you think it is feminist in nature, and what the implications of its content are on modern people's lives, quoting from the work to support the points you make about it..
	Your research applications paper will combine a gender analysis with artifact and literary analysis, and should be comparative and persuasive. You will select an option from the topic list. You should review the options and pick one early in the semester, as they represent a comprehensive understanding of all of the course work.

All of these papers should, of course, have clearly stated thesis statements in their first paragraphs. Your reaction papers are due at the end of the unit from which you've chosen their subjects, and your research applications paper is due at the end of Unit 9.  Papers will be given letter grades that will be converted to percentage points before the final semester grade is calculated, and they will be evaluated on audience, grammar, organization, presentation, spelling, and style in addition to the content.

  Expected Student Behaviors

     Students will read texts with understanding and appreciation, reacting to and analyzing what he or she has read, by the date(s) they are to be discussed.

     Students will listen actively to lectures and discussions, taking notes and asking/submitting questions for clarification on ideas or issues, if needed.

     Students will participate in discussion, offering his or her insights about the literature or asking the class or instructor for clarification on material he or she does not completely understand.

     Students will integrate and cite accurately information of other writers, using other writers' opinions, beliefs, and/or observations to support his or her own opinions, beliefs, and/or observations.

     Students will synthesize lecture, discussion, and text materials to come to a more solid world view on the impact writing and gender have and have had upon history and literature and the impact history and literature have and have had upon writing.

       Students will respect each other's personal beliefs and be committed to helping each other learn more about the course information and themselves. Students will help each other become more confident in his or her own unique personal voice and see the authority in his or her own personal experience. 
 

  Attendance

You are expected to attend class regularly.  As part of this course, you will be participating in periodic classroom assessment activities; therefore, attendance is an extremely important factor in determining your success in the class. You may submit late work; however, be aware that I grade late work at my own discretion and convenience.  If you miss class, then you should contact a classmate for notes or see me for any assignment instructions.  Please do not expect me to give you a private encore lecture. 

  Plagiarism

The College's policy on plagiarism applies in this class; I will question you if your work does not appear to be your own. Keep all notes, outlines, drafts, and finished assignments so that you can demonstrate that writing you have submitted is your own work, should any question of plagiarism arise. IVCC's policy on plagiarism is part of the student code of conduct, which can be found in your catalogue.

Withdrawal Policy

If you decide to withdraw from the class, for whatever reason, you must either send me an e-mail asking me to withdraw you from the course or come to my office during office hours to sign the appropriate paperwork by noon on April 13th. In other words, I do not automatically withdraw you if you just stop attending and/or submitting homework.  Please keep in mind that withdrawal from a course can affect financial aid.  Students who receive financial aid should see an advisor in the Financial Aid Office before withdrawing from a course.
 

Assistance
If you need support or assistance because of a disability, you may be eligible for academic accommodations through the Special Populations office.  Stop by office B-204 or call (815) 224-0284 for more information.

Tentative Class Schedule and the World Map

 The Instructor's Homepage | IVCC Homepage 

Contact Kimberly M. Radek, the instructor of Women in Ancient Cultures, at Kimberly_Radek@ivcc.edu . 

This page was last updated on 21 November 2008 . Copyright Kimberly M. Radek, 2003.