WMST 1000 TEST QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
A+ GRADED
What is Women's Studies? What is the importance of Women's Studies both inside and
outside of the academy? - ANSWER "Women's studies is an important and exciting
experience that introduces new ways of seeing both of the world and oneself. Women's
studies courses investigate women's experiences, perspectives, and contributions,
placing women at the center of inquiry." - Kelly et al, p. 8
Women's studies scholars are able to ask new questions, and uncover the ways in which
the experiences/perspectives/contributions and voices of women and other
marginalized identities have been over-looked, under-appreciated, or even silenced into
raditional academic fields of study
An interdisciplinary field of study - borrows theories, concepts, and methodologies from
sociology, philosophy, psychology, history, political science, and critical race theory in
the study of a wide range of issues affecting the lives of women and other marginalized
groups
Why have educational systems traditionally been limiting rather than empowering
places for women? - ANSWER Push to "female" careers
Women have been encouraged to pursue occupations that have traditionally been
associated with women rather than those that have traditionally been associated with
men
Women have not been encouraged to pursue careers in technology, engineering, math
Expectations about where men and women's natural abilities lie
Women usually encounter male professors in university/college
Women often constructed as passive and emotional
Teachers, parents, media, and others in positions of authority, reinforce stereotypes
that women are by nature passive and emotional rather than inquisitive and assertive
Men tend to occupy positions of authority
Men tend to occupy higher-level administrative roles
They have had the authority to define what counts as "valid areas of inquiry" and
"legitimate methods for knowledge seeking"
Because of the gender imbalance that we find when it comes to those who have the
most power when it comes to structuring the education system, women, women's
, experiences, and work by those working in women's studies have not been adequately
brought into the mainstream education system and curricula
"The dominant message is that human experience equals male experience. Sometimes
this message is overt, but it is sometimes so subtle and deeply embedded in the
educational experience that we are not aware of it - Kelly et al, p. 9
What does feminism mean today? What are some of the reasons that women do not want
to be associated with feminism? - ANSWER "The term feminism refers to the belief that
women have been historically subordinate to men as well as to the commitment to
working for freedom for women in all aspects of social life." - Kelly, et al., p. 11
Feminism is not about having women dominate men. It's also not about hating men.
Feminism is about equality.
Women don't want to be associated with feminism because:
Range of stereotypes and negative cultural representations associated with feminists
Man hating
Perpetuating the view that all men are evil
Working to have women dominate men
Most of the reasons people distance themselves from the term feminist are inconsistent
with the definition and foals of feminism and the feminist movement
What are the key issues that characterized each of the three feminist movements? -
ANSWER 1st Wave Feminism - Better education for women, political representation for
women.
2nd Wave Feminism:
Advancing social and legal status of women
Further political representation
Change in existing patriarchal laws (divorce, domestic violence, abortion)
Sociocultural purposes: improve representation of women in media, advance women's
status in workplace, question the assumption that women should prize marriage and
raising children over their education and careers
Do you agree with conservative feminist writer Christina Hoff Sommers "that you can't
have everything" with regards to women having both a career and a family? If so, why?
If not, why not? - ANSWER
Does having more women in political office necessarily mean we will notice a more
"feminist voice", and a more equal society for women and men? What are the arguments
A+ GRADED
What is Women's Studies? What is the importance of Women's Studies both inside and
outside of the academy? - ANSWER "Women's studies is an important and exciting
experience that introduces new ways of seeing both of the world and oneself. Women's
studies courses investigate women's experiences, perspectives, and contributions,
placing women at the center of inquiry." - Kelly et al, p. 8
Women's studies scholars are able to ask new questions, and uncover the ways in which
the experiences/perspectives/contributions and voices of women and other
marginalized identities have been over-looked, under-appreciated, or even silenced into
raditional academic fields of study
An interdisciplinary field of study - borrows theories, concepts, and methodologies from
sociology, philosophy, psychology, history, political science, and critical race theory in
the study of a wide range of issues affecting the lives of women and other marginalized
groups
Why have educational systems traditionally been limiting rather than empowering
places for women? - ANSWER Push to "female" careers
Women have been encouraged to pursue occupations that have traditionally been
associated with women rather than those that have traditionally been associated with
men
Women have not been encouraged to pursue careers in technology, engineering, math
Expectations about where men and women's natural abilities lie
Women usually encounter male professors in university/college
Women often constructed as passive and emotional
Teachers, parents, media, and others in positions of authority, reinforce stereotypes
that women are by nature passive and emotional rather than inquisitive and assertive
Men tend to occupy positions of authority
Men tend to occupy higher-level administrative roles
They have had the authority to define what counts as "valid areas of inquiry" and
"legitimate methods for knowledge seeking"
Because of the gender imbalance that we find when it comes to those who have the
most power when it comes to structuring the education system, women, women's
, experiences, and work by those working in women's studies have not been adequately
brought into the mainstream education system and curricula
"The dominant message is that human experience equals male experience. Sometimes
this message is overt, but it is sometimes so subtle and deeply embedded in the
educational experience that we are not aware of it - Kelly et al, p. 9
What does feminism mean today? What are some of the reasons that women do not want
to be associated with feminism? - ANSWER "The term feminism refers to the belief that
women have been historically subordinate to men as well as to the commitment to
working for freedom for women in all aspects of social life." - Kelly, et al., p. 11
Feminism is not about having women dominate men. It's also not about hating men.
Feminism is about equality.
Women don't want to be associated with feminism because:
Range of stereotypes and negative cultural representations associated with feminists
Man hating
Perpetuating the view that all men are evil
Working to have women dominate men
Most of the reasons people distance themselves from the term feminist are inconsistent
with the definition and foals of feminism and the feminist movement
What are the key issues that characterized each of the three feminist movements? -
ANSWER 1st Wave Feminism - Better education for women, political representation for
women.
2nd Wave Feminism:
Advancing social and legal status of women
Further political representation
Change in existing patriarchal laws (divorce, domestic violence, abortion)
Sociocultural purposes: improve representation of women in media, advance women's
status in workplace, question the assumption that women should prize marriage and
raising children over their education and careers
Do you agree with conservative feminist writer Christina Hoff Sommers "that you can't
have everything" with regards to women having both a career and a family? If so, why?
If not, why not? - ANSWER
Does having more women in political office necessarily mean we will notice a more
"feminist voice", and a more equal society for women and men? What are the arguments
