2016-17 Academic Catalog

Around the globe, feminist advocacy networks and social movements have led efforts combating violence against women. Recently, a campus anti-rape movement has highlighted the prevalence of sexual assault against college women. This course will focus on the theories and praxis feminists have put forth to resist gender and sexual violence. We will explore cases of feminist self-defense in order to understand how it differs from militarized notions of self-defense, and examine how it supports initiatives for peace and conflict resolution. Class members will participate in self-defense programs and reflect on feminist theories of resistance in the context of personal experience.