Women's Courses Research Articles

Religion and Mythology in a Sample of Undergraduate Psychology of Women Courses

The coverage of religion and mythology in undergraduate courses in the Psychology of Women was explored by (a) surveying a sample of undergraduate instructors (N=72); and (b) examining coverage in textbooks on the Psychology of Women (N=95). 48.6% of teachers said they include some coverage, while 43.1% said they never do. The total percentage of coverage in textbooks is small, ranging from a mean of 2.0% in the 1970s to 1.1% in the current decade.

Michigan Agricultural College: The Evolution of a Land-Grant Philosophy, 1855-1925 by Keith R. Widder

148 Michigan Historical Review Keith R. Widder. Michigan Agricultural College: The Evolution of a Land Grant Philosophy, 1855-1925. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 2005. Pp. 547. Bibliography. Illustrations. Index. Cloth, $39.95. Big-Ten behemoth Michigan State University (MSU) began as a gleam in agricultural reformers' eyes. The 1850 state constitution instructed the legislature to "as soon as practicable, provide for the establishment of an agricultural school" (p. x). Although many farmers saw litde virtue in the proposal and the University of Michigan and its first president, Henry Tappan, vigorously opposed it, soon buildings rose in swampy woodlands outside Lansing. Several names adorned the institution in its first seventy years: "Michigan Agricultural College" (MAC) is the most useful. The book ends with the adoption of the familiar "Michigan State" in 1925. MAC straddled the line between those rejecting practical education and those desiring it, continually trying to synthesize the two emphases. An experimental farm and academic education coexisted from the beginning. Early students who helped clear the wooded land for the campus and establish the experimental farm also read Shakespeare, Milton, Scott, and Stowe. A proposal to replace the four-year mixed curriculum with a purely agricultural two-year version met with fierce student resistance. MAC was an escape route for young people seeking an affordable way out of agricultural drudgery. MAC was one of a handful of agricultural schools that predated the Morrill Land Grant Act (1862), which distributed federal land for states to sell to endow colleges of agriculture and "mechanics" (i.e., engineering). MAC's head start did not absolve it of guilt in farmers' eyes when it failed to produce people like themselves, and few graduates returned to the soil. By 1925 only four hundred (about 17 percent) of twenty-three hundred MAC students enrolled in the agricultural course, and even they were more likely to become county extension agents than farmers. Indeed, most alumni opted for professional work related to agriculture, as landscape architects, horticulturalists, teachers of agriculture, and managers of agricultural businesses and cooperatives. The other side of "A&M" was treated as an unfortunate legacy of the Morrill Act. MAC delayed creating an engineering program until 1885 and then treated it as a stepchild. Feeling against "mechanics" ran so high that 1913 legislation briefly forbade sufficient financing for the program's survival. The women's course, begun in 1896, also faced the dilemma of satisfying those citizens who expected MAC to benefit farm life direcdy even as most faculty and students preferred a more theoretical training Book Reviews 149 that opened other options. The rise of domestic science, which promised tomodernize homemaking and provide careers, offered a viable solution. After World War I, new programs in applied science and liberal arts offered nonagricultural alternatives for undergraduates. The creation of seven Ph.D. programs began the college's eventual transition into a research university. Federal funding helped MAC gain public credibility. The Hatch (1887) and Smith (1906) Acts promoted the land-grant colleges' experimental farms. MAC's Cooperative Extension Service, created in 1914 and reinforced by the federal Smith-Hughes Act in 1917, finally found effective ways to bring MAC's services to the rural public. MAC's radio station carried agricultural advice and news as well as sports and music to the people of Michigan, and its growing body of alumni spread the land-grant message. The first four chapters of Michigan Agricultural College, which I have thus far summarized, form an extended essay on the land-grant philosophy and the dilemmas of balancing academic and "useful" knowledge. The final six chapters turn to more specialized topics: the alumni, African-American students, foreign students, athletics, and the impact ofWorld War I on the college. These chapters may be of interest primarily to alumni. MAC's small size and lack of dormitories initially limited the extra-curriculum. But after the turn of the century a panoply of athletics, drama, music, social dances, religious groups, and student societies brought MAC students into the emerging national student culture and fostered alumni loyalty. MAC's Big-Ten athletic future was not evident early.Women played MAC's first interscholastic basketball game, and the men's football team...

Science, Women and Revolution in Russia by Ann Hibner s> Koblitz (review)

REVIEWS 349 emerged to the railroadprojectsfrom differentbureaucraticsectors,Nicholas stayed the course. However, he did not propose a massive expansion of railroadbuilding acrossthe empire. He also did not allow privateinvestment thatwould have undoubtedlyexpanded the development quickly.In addition, upon completion of the St Petersburg-Moscow line in I85I, he proposed another state-supported line from St Petersburg to Warsaw. It is obvious today, but also to his contemporaries,thatthiswas a criticalmistake.Nicholas should have developed furtherraillines from Moscow south, especiallyto the Crimea. Haywood also gives a mixed picture of Nicholas by noting that in I842 Russia was not far behind England and the United States in railroad development, but by I855 when Russia had only 653 miles of track, many European nations and the United States far exceeded this number by many times. The book is divided into five large chapters, with an introduction and an epilogue. Each chapter is furtherdivided into partsand subpartsas Haywood provides a well-written, detailed, and compelling narrativeof this topic. For instance, chapter one is solely concerned with the planning period from I842- I843, but includesthe detailsof thefinancialconcerns,labourconcerns, and even technical details of what to do with the swamps and how to cut culverts.Each chapter continues the storywithjust as much detail. Haywood claims that his work is simplya narrativeor even a referenceworkand not an analysis,but that might be diminishingthe importance of thisvolume. Either way the scholar uses it, the book provides the kind of in-depth information that is so important for further research and more analytical work on the political, economic, and military importance of railroad development in Russia during the nineteenth century. The volume is nicely supplemented with a few maps, a fine index, and an excellent bibliography. College ofDuPage WILLIAM B. WHISENHUNT Glen Ellyn,Illinois Koblitz, Ann Hibner. Science, Women andRevolution inRussia.Womenin Science. Harwood Academic Publishers,Amsterdam, 2000. XV+ 2 I I pp. Notes. Chronology. Glossaryof names. Glossaryof terms. Bibliography.Index. $48.oo: /32.OO. BIOGRAPHER of Sofia Kovalevskaia,the firstfemale professorof mathematics in the nineteenth century, Ann Hibner Koblitz is well placed to examine the relationship between feminism, science and progressive politics. Her focus here is on the tsarist empire and the women of the i86os who challenged patriarchal values and norms in both society and politics. The first chapter provides a useful overview of the period and of the women, and their male supporters, who saw study of the natural sciences as the way to overcome Russia'sbackwardness.Koblitz then adoptsa thematicapproachwhich, while it entailssome repetition, is usefulin tryingto answerthe question sheposes of how Russianwomen were able to make such stridesin the sciences, compared to women in the west. While the analysisof the i86os is ratheroptimisticin its assessmentof the supportfor such women fromthe male scientificcommunity 350 SEER, 8o, 2, 2002 (notably as mentors and collaborators),the obstacles to women establishing themselvesand being accepted as the professionalequalsof men in the natural sciences are not underplayed.The fact that between twenty-fiveand fortyper cent of the Russian women who studied in western Europe in the i86os and early I870s obtained some kind of advanced scientific or medical degree is remarkable.That was no guarantee of employment at home, however, as the autocracy tried to control women's access to both education and careers in the sciences and medicine. Koblitz observes that what many contemporary feminists and later historianshave seen as a triumph the establishmentin the i 870s of 'higherwomen's courses'in the big cities of the tsaristempire could be seen as a step back for women in science, since they offered certificatesof competence ratherthan degrees. Koblitz considers why such women were 'lost' as role models for future female scientists. Certainly, they were very supportive of each other, both personally and professionally, but tsarist regulations prevented many from becoming mentors, even in the higher women's courses. A few did, one example being the mathematician Elizaveta Litvinova, who was influential for, among many others, Nadezhda Krupskaia,later a Bolshevikpedagogue (itis refreshingto see Krupskaiadescribedin a professionalcapacity, and only incidentally as Lenin'swife). With the assassinationof Alexander II, a period of reaction set in which found women such as Krupskaia turning to direct revolutionaryaction. From the mid I86os, there were novels...

Teaching the Psychology of Women Courses in Another Discipline

A survey of course titles in African American Studies departments and programs was conducted to examine the course offerings on the psychology of women, the psychology of African American women, and other areas of psychology as well as courses on gender from other disciplines. A total of 82 programs or departments of African American Studies and 182 courses were listed. The course discipline was stated in the majority of courses, with psychology having the most courses. Only a small percentage of the psychology courses listed gender in addition to race in the title. Of those courses listed in psychology, the majority were in social, developmental, or clinical psychology. The disciplines of English, sociology, history, and political science had listings of courses with both gender and race titles. This small survey indicates that the psychology of women has not had much influence on the curriculum of African American Studies. Possible reasons for this are discussed, as are solutions to this problem.

Changes in Female Students' Attitudes Toward Women's Lifestyles and Career Choices During a Psychology of Women Course

(1997). Changes in Female Students' Attitudes Toward Women's Lifestyles and Career Choices During a Psychology of Women Course. Teaching of Psychology: Vol. 24, No. 1, pp. 50-52.

Changes in Female Students’ Attitudes toward Women's Lifestyles and Career Choices during a Psychology of Women Course

Changes in Female Students’ Attitudes toward Women's Lifestyles and Career Choices during a Psychology of Women Course

Rethinking the Romance: Teaching the Content and Function of Gender I Stereotypes in the Psychology of Women Course

Rethinking the Romance: Teaching the Content and Function of Gender I Stereotypes in the Psychology of Women Course

Rethinking the Romance: Teaching the Content and Function of Gender Stereotypes in the Psychology of Women Course

To understand the content and function of gender stereotypes, students in a psychology of women course read a typical Harlequin-style romance novel of their choice. They write a paper analyzing its messages about femininity, masculinity, love, and relationships as well as addressing why women write and read these books. Later, students use their graded papers as resources for a class discussion. Student reaction to the assignment is positive.

Feminist Social Work Education in Mainstream and Nonmainstream Classrooms

Women's courses continue to face questions about their contribution to the social work curriculum and their relevance for mainstream and nonmainstream students. The study described in this article compared the effects of feminist social work education in three classes of predominately white students with those in one class of native Canadian and immigrant students. In all the classes, the students' feminist identification increased, practice approaches changed, and self-esteem was enhanced. The effects in the nonmainstream class equaled or surpassed those in the mainstream classes. The authors specify the process by which the students incorporated a gender awareness into their personal lives and professional stance.

CHANGES IN FEMALE ENTRY TO TRADE TRAINING IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA

This study examines whether there were significant changes in the entry of young women to trade training in South Australia as a result of equal opportunities policies and initiatives to change the means of entry to trade training. It surveys the period 1981 to 1984 because that, like the present, was a period of change in education and training arrangements. It looks at women's hold on places in pre‐vocational courses and apprenticeships in the most male‐dominated trade areas and examines in detail the outcomes of the first three Introduction to Trades for Young Women courses in 1982 and 1983. It concludes that they led to only a slight improvement in female participation in trade training. The difficulties these courses faced in articulating with both student income support policies and the selection procedures for pre‐vocational courses are discussed. The study demonstrates a marginal increase in the numbers of female apprentices outside hairdressing between 1981 and 1984 and evidence of weak commitment to an effective equal opportunities policy. A brief comparison is made between the situation at the beginning and end of the decade. This suggests that female participation in the most male‐dominated trades areas in South Australia was generally lower than the Australian average in those areas, an outcome which must open to question the policy commitment to change.

Placing Women Psychologists in the Psychology of Women Course

Pedagogical techniques for incorporating information on women psychologists into the psychology of women course are suggested. Special emphasis is placed on the impact of women psychologists as role models for female students who need information on how to integrate lifestyle choices with their professional careers.

Integrating Scholarship on Ethnicity into the Psychology of Women Course

This article presents the argument that instructors of courses in the psychology of women need to integrate the scholarship on ethnicity into their curriculum. We offer a possible structure for including this content by organizing the course discussions around major themes. The course consists of presentations based on these themes. Examples of films, topics, exercises, and popular books to be used are presented. Implications of incorporating the contents for other courses in the psychology curriculum are discussed.

Psychology of Women Students' Self-Concepts, Attitudes, and Assertiveness: A Decade of Research

In two studies, I compared students' pretest-posttest scores on self-concept, attitudes, and assertiveness in Psychology of Women and other psychology courses taught by women. In the 1970s, I conducted the study to determine if emphasizing intellectual mastery in Psychology of Women facilitated personal change. I replicated the study to determine if students in the 1980s differed from students in the 1970s on these measures. The data indicated that intellectual mastery in Psychology of Women facilitated personal change in both decades. Students in the 1980s were neither significantly different from students in the 1970s on pretest scores nor in their reports of personal change at posttest. Students' scores on these measures have not changed, and Psychology of Women courses emphasizing intellectual mastery continue to serve a dual purpose.

Vladimir Solov'ev on the Fate and Purpose of Philosophy

lecture of V. S. Solov'ev (1853-1900) on The Historical Tasks of Philosophy [Istoricheskie dela filosofii] was given by the young privat-docent on November 20, 1880 at St. Petersburg University; the text of the lecture was published in the periodical Russkaia mysl' (1881, no. 2) soon thereafter. lecture prepared the way for two parallel courses: a course in metaphysics at the university and a course in the history of ancient philosophy in the Advanced Women's Courses of K. N. Bestuzhev-Riumin.1 It is clear from the text of the lecture how important a role Solov'ev's simultaneous and mutually related pursuits in metaphysics, the history of philosophy, comparative mythology, and the history of religion played in his early works.2

Women working for women

This article raises some of the issues of being defined as a “Community Women's Workshop” at the Congress in Ireland. Background information is given on the organisers of the Women Working for Women course. The course aimed to place the problems and issues facing women working for women in the context of the role and value of women in society. In doing this course a process was developed which drew on and combined experience, imagination, and theory. The article deals with the response of the women at the Workshop and the points they made. And finally some of the issues of being from the North of Ireland at the Congress are noted.

Value of Book Discussions in a Psychology of Women Course

This article describes a means to achieve the basic goals of a psychology of women course through stimulating reading and examining book authors' feminist positions. Guided discussions of the theses of six books allowed students to compare theory, experiences, and thinking, thus providing them with an intellectual rather than an emotional examination of value-laden materials. Students reported that their own personal change was substantial and that the instructor's advocacy was moderate. Course evaluations suggested that this strategy is an effective means to reach the stated goals.

Asian American Women's Studies Courses: A Look Back at Our Beginnings

It has been over a decade since I first team-taught the Asian American women's course at UCLA. I was still a student, as were many of the other members of the team. Together we struggled to obtain materials that were nonexistent, develop an analysis where there previously was none, and perform as leaders even though we had not done so before. This was in 1973, three years after the first Asian women's seminar was conducted at the University of California at Berkeley, and one year after the first one had been offered at UCLA. Since then, there have been a number of Asian American women's classes taught, mostly in the western region of the United States. In the meantime, I had obtained my doctorate, and upon graduation reflected on the fact that this course had been the most meaningful class in which I had participated; thus, I continue to teach the Asian American women's course at UCLA. In the twelve years that have passed, Asian women's studies has matured, along with those teaching it. The history of this course is a case study in the conflict inherent in the struggle to change entrenched social roles.

The Psychology of Women Course: A Continuing Catalyst for Change

This article presents the argument that psychology departments need to continue to increase their efforts to develop separate courses on the psychology of women as a catalyst to mobilize resources for the more difficult task of mainstreaming this new research into the rest of the curriculum. Major topics include: historical perspective on women in the curriculum, documentation of the growing legitimacy of a separate psychology of women, current statistics on departments offering psychology of women courses, an examination of mainstreaming, and demonstration of the value of a separate psychology of women course. Finally, the article describes resources that faculty can use to support their efforts to develop and expand the psychology of women course.

Changing Women's Self-Perceptions: Impact of a Psychology of Women Course

Changing Women's Self-Perceptions: Impact of a Psychology of Women Course

For and about Women: The Theory and Practice of Women's Studies in the United States

In 1977, a decade after the first women's studies courses appeared across the United States, the National Women's Studies Association was founded to promote and sustain "the educational strategy of a breakthrough in consciousness and knowledge" that would "transform" individuals, institutions, relationships, and, ultimately, the whole of society.' Insisting that the academic is political and the cognitive is affective, the NWSA's constitution clearly reflected the influence of the women's liberation movement on women's studies. Research and teaching at all educational levels and in all academic and community settings would be not