San José State University Department of History History 181: Advanced Topics in American History: Sex, Gender, and Medicine Section 1, Fall 2015 4 Unit Course Instructor: Office Location: Telephone: Email: Office Hours: Class Days/Time: Classroom: Libra R. Hilde DMH 215 (408) 924-5512 Libra.hilde@sjsu.edu Wednesdays 2:00-4:00 p.m., or by appointment Monday and Wednesday, 12:00-1:15 p.m. DMH 165 Faculty Web Page Copies of course materials can be found on my faculty web page http://www.sjsu.edu/people/libra.hilde/hist181 Course Description This course examines the roles and experiences of American women as both patients and practitioners of western medicine. Though many of the readings focus on women, we will also explore how medical science and gender affect men. The course has four main topical themes: the medical invention of sex and gender from the medieval and early modern periods through the twentieth century, gendered medical definitions and experiences of bodily functions, disease, and suffering, men and women as healers and health care professionals, and gender and medicine in a modern context. Course Goals and Course Learning Outcomes Upon successful completion of this course, students will have: Developed a critical understanding of the interplay between sex, gender, science, society, and health care in United States history. Acquired an understanding of the major events and transitions in American medicine, and of the role of medical science in defining and shaping our conceptions of sex, gender, male and female bodies, disease, and masculine and feminine capabilities throughout time. Course Name, Number, Semester, and Year Page 1 of 11
Learned to use online databases to locate primary sources on a particular topic and analyzed those sources with attention to historical context. Conducted interviews with current health care professionals and patients. Students will have analyzed the interview responses and assessed the role of gender in patient and physician/nurse perceptions of their training, experiences, care, and interaction style. Applied new skills in gender analysis to a research paper on a topic within the framework of the course but beyond class readings and discussions. Students will be encouraged to research and write about topics in gender and medicine not included on the syllabus, such as, but not limited to: infertility, breast cancer, gender and medical technology, health and fashion, alternative medicine, and sterilization, contraception and world health. Conducted independent historical research using both primary and secondary sources, interpreted and analyzed the material, and conveyed their ideas in effective prose and in a formal oral presentation. Students will emerge from this course with stronger written and oral communication skills. Required Texts/Readings The following required readings are available at the bookstore, and have been placed on reserve at King Library. Many of the journal articles listed on the syllabus are available online and will be distributed to the class. Textbook Judith Walzer Leavitt, ed., Women and Health in America: Historical Readings Other Readings Allan Brandt, No Magic Bullet: A Social History of Venereal Disease in the United States since 1880 Ludmilla Jordanova, Sexual Visions; Images of Gender in Science and Medicine between the Eighteenth and Twentieth Centuries (pdf) Judith Walzer Leavitt, Brought To Bed: Childbearing in America, 1750-1950 Regina Moranz-Sanchez, Sympathy and Science: Women Physicians in American Medicine Harriet Washington, Medical Apartheid Other equipment / material requirements Several of the short paper assignments involve using online databases or collections. You will receive detailed instructions for each assignment. Library Liaison Nyle Monday is the library liason for history students. Contact him at 808-2011 or Nyle.Monday@sjsu.edu Classroom Protocol My classroom protocol consists of one simple rule: don t be dumb. You would be amazed at what you can see from the front of a classroom. Chances are, if it is rude and disruptive, I can see it even if you think I cannot. Course Name, Number, Semester, and Year Page 2 of 11
Dropping and Adding Students are responsible for understanding the policies and procedures about add/drop, grade forgiveness, etc. Refer to the current semester s Catalog Policies section at http://info.sjsu.edu/static/catalog/policies.html. Add/drop deadlines can be found on the current academic calendar web page located at http://www.sjsu.edu/academic_programs/calendars/academic_calendar/. The Late Drop Policy is available at http://www.sjsu.edu/aars/policies/latedrops/policy/. Students should be aware of the current deadlines and penalties for dropping classes. Information about the latest changes and news is available at the Advising Hub at http://www.sjsu.edu/advising/. Assignments and Grading Policy Students are expected to arrive in class having carefully and critically read the assigned books, papers, and documents. The course will combine lecture and discussion every week, so arrive in class each Thursday prepared to talk about the readings. Expect a long lecture on Mondays and a short lecture followed by discussion on Wednesdays. Class Participation (15%) Class participation is part of your grade. I do not call on people, so you may choose to remain quiet, but be aware that this choice will affect your participation grade. In order to earn an A or even B level participation grade, you must add to our discussions. Keep in mind that listening is important, and quality of commentary is often preferable to quantity. A student who is quiet but clearly engaged will earn a higher grade than someone who regularly fails to pay attention. (CLO 1, 2). Short Writing Assignments (10%) There will be six short written assignments due throughout the semester. The topics and instructions will be distributed a week ahead of time. Each paper should be typed and double-spaced and at least one and a half pages in length (longer is fine). These papers will not be accepted late. For these assignments, you will be expected to interview a family member or friend, or find and analyze a primary source using online databases. (CLO 1, 2, and 3). Midterm Exam (20%) An in-class midterm will be given on October 14th. The exam questions will be based on lecture and course readings. (CLO 1, 2). Interview Project (5%): Each student will be expected to conduct an interview with a currently employed physician or nurse (of any gender). You may choose a practitioner of allopathic or of alternative medicine. You must also interview a friend or family member who has spent significant time in a hospital as a patient. A list of questions will be provided, but you are encouraged to think of your own as well. You will write a short (5 pages) paper based on your findings, or two shorter papers (2.5 pages each). Detailed instructions will be provided. (CLO 4, 5, 6). Research Paper of 10-12 pages (20%) Course Name, Number, Semester, and Year Page 3 of 11
Students will choose a topic in consultation with the instructor. The papers will be due at the end of the course, on December 2nd. Each student is also expected to give a short oral presentation on their paper topic and findings in the final two weeks of the course. (CLO 5, 6). Oral Presentation (5%) Each student will give a formal oral presentation on their research topic and findings. A rubric explaining the expectations for and grading of the presentation will be distributed later. Presentations will occur during the final two weeks of the course. (CLO 6) Final Exam (25%) The final exam is scheduled for Thursday, December 10, 9:45 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. (CLO 1, 2) The grading scale for this course will be: 97-100= A+ 87-89= B+ 77-79= C+ 67-69= D+ 93-96= A 83-86= B 73-76= C 63-66= D 90-92= A- 80-82= B- 70-72= C- 60-62= D- A student with a semester average below 60 will fail the course. SJSU mandates that a grade of Incomplete be granted only when a student has satisfactorily completed a substantial portion of the course requirements and is unable to complete the course because of an accident, illness, or some other event beyond the student's control. Success in this course is based on the expectation that students will spend, for each unit of credit, a minimum of forty-five hours over the length of the course (normally 3 hours per unit per week with 1 of the hours used for lecture) for instruction or preparation/studying or course related activities including but not limited to internships, labs, clinical practica. Other course structures will have equivalent workload expectations as described in the syllabus. Because this is a 4-unit course, students can expect to spend a minimum of twelve hours per week preparing for and attending classes and completing course assignments. Careful time management will be required to keep up with readings and assignments in an intensive course such as this one. For this class, you will have to undertake additional activities outside the class hours including individual meetings with me to discuss your paper topic, thesis, and progress, and a project that will involve interviewing a current medical doctor or nurse (or a practitioner of alternative medicine), and a friend or family member who has been a patient in a hospital setting. You will write a short paper based on your interview and observations. In addition, several of your short writing assignments will involve using online databases or collections beyond the course readings. University Policies Academic integrity Your commitment as a student to learning is evidenced by your enrollment at San Jose State University. The University s Academic Integrity policy, located at http://www.sjsu.edu/senate/s07-2.htm, requires you to be honest in all your academic course work. Faculty members are required to report all infractions to the office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development. The Student Conduct and Ethical Development website is available at http://www.sjsu.edu/studentconduct/. Course Name, Number, Semester, and Year Page 4 of 11
Instances of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Cheating on exams or plagiarism (presenting the work of another as your own, or the use of another person s ideas without giving proper credit) will result in a failing grade and sanctions by the University. For this class, all assignments are to be completed by the individual student unless otherwise specified. If you would like to include your assignment or any material you have submitted, or plan to submit for another class, please note that SJSU s Academic Policy S07-2 requires approval of instructors. Campus Policy in Compliance with the American Disabilities Act If you need course adaptations or accommodations because of a disability, or if you need to make special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible, or see me during office hours. Presidential Directive 97-03 requires that students with disabilities requesting accommodations must register with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at http://www.drc.sjsu.edu/ to establish a record of their disability. Student Technology Resources Computer labs for student use are available in the Academic Success Center located on the 1 st floor of Clark Hall and on the 2 nd floor of the Student Union. Additional computer labs may be available in your department/college. Computers are also available in the Martin Luther King Library. A wide variety of audio-visual equipment is available for student checkout from Media Services located in IRC 112. These items include digital and VHS camcorders, VHS and Beta video players, 16 mm, slide, overhead, DVD, CD, and audiotape players, sound systems, wireless microphones, projection screens and monitors. Learning Assistance Resource Center The Learning Assistance Resource Center (LARC) is located in Room 600 in the Student Services Center. It is designed to assist students in the development of their full academic potential and to inspire them to become independent learners. The Center's tutors are trained and nationally certified by the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA). They provide content-based tutoring in many lower division courses (some upper division) as well as writing and study skills assistance. Small group, individual, and drop-in tutoring are available. Please visit the LARC website for more information at http://www.sjsu.edu/larc/. SJSU Writing Center The SJSU Writing Center is located in Room 126 in Clark Hall. It is staffed by professional instructors and upper-division or graduate-level writing specialists from each of the seven SJSU colleges. Our writing specialists have met a rigorous GPA requirement, and they are well trained to assist all students at all levels within all disciplines to become better writers. The Writing Center website is located at http://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/about/staff/. Peer Mentor Center The Peer Mentor Center is located on the 1 st floor of Clark Hall in the Academic Success Center. The Peer Mentor Center is staffed with Peer Mentors who excel in helping students manage university life, tackling problems that range from academic challenges to interpersonal struggles. Course Name, Number, Semester, and Year Page 5 of 11
On the road to graduation, Peer Mentors are navigators, offering roadside assistance to peers who feel a bit lost or simply need help mapping out the locations of campus resources. Peer Mentor services are free and available on a drop in basis, no reservation required. The Peer Mentor Center website is located at http://www.sjsu.edu/muse/peermentor/ Course Name, Number, Semester, and Year Page 6 of 11
History 181, Fall 2015, Course Schedule Table 1 Course Schedule Week Date Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines 1 2 3 4 August 24 August 26 August 31 September 2 Sept. 7 Sept. 9 Sept. 14 Sept. 16 Introduction: Thinking about Gender and Medicine No reading Medical Science and the Creation of Sex and Gender Thomas Laqueur, Discovery of the Sexes in Making Sex: Body and Gender from the Greeks to Freud, 1990, Chapter 5. (pdf) Estelle Cohen, The Body as a Historical Category: Science and Imagination, 1660-1760 in The Good Body: Asceticism in Contemporary Culture, Mary G. Winkler and Letha B. Cole, eds, 1994, 67-90. R. Marstensen, The Transformation of Eve: Women s Bodies, Medicine and Culture in Early Modern England, in Roy Porter and Michlaus Teich, eds, Sexual Knowledge, Sexual Science, 1994, 107-33. Gender, Medicine, and Victorian Science Holiday No Class Ludmilla Jordanova, Sexual Visions: Images of Gender in Science and Medicine between the Eighteenth and Twentieth Centuries, 1-65; 87-159. (pdf) First Short Assignment Due Menstruation: Polluted Female Bodies Carroll Smith-Rosenberg and Charles Rosenberg, The Female Animal: Medical and Biological Views of Woman and Her Role in Nineteenth- Century America, in Women and Health, 111-130. Joan Jacobs Brumberg, Something Happens to Girls : Menarche and the Emergence of the Modern American Hygienic Imperative, in Women and Health, 150-171. George Wythe Cook, Puberty in the Girl, American Journal of Obstetrics and Diseases of Women and Children 46 (1902): 804-807. Emily Martin, Medical Metaphors of Women s Bodies: Menstruation and Menopause, in The Woman in the Body: A Cultural Analysis of Reproduction (Boston: Beacon Press, 1987), 27-53. 5 Childbirth and Health Course Name, Number, Semester, and Year Page 7 of 11
Week Date Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines Sept. 21 Sept. 23 Leavitt, Brought to Bed, 1-127. Carolyn Leonard Carson, And the Results Showed Promise: Physicians, Childbirth and Southern Black Migrant Women, 1916-1930: Pittsburgh as a Case Study, in Women and Health, 347-370. Catherine Beecher, Letters to the People on Health and Happiness (1855) in Roots of Bitterness: Documents of the Social History of American Women, eds. Nancy Cott, et. al., 1996, 263-269. Second Short Assignment Due 6 Sept. 28 Sept. 30 7 Oct. 5 Oct. 7 8 Oct. 12 Gender, Suffering, and Mental Health Charlotte Perkins Gilman, The Yellow Wallpaper (30 pp.) Elaine S. Abelson, The Invention of Kleptomania, in Women and Health, 390-404. Judith Walzer Leavitt, Gendered Expectation: Women and Early Twentieth-Century Public Health, in Women and Health, 612-633. Paper Topic Statement Due (with bibliography) Medicine and Sexuality Carl Degler, What Ought to Be and What Was: Women s Sexuality in the Nineteenth Century, in Women and Health, 192-212. Elizabeth Lunbeck, A New Generation of Women : Progressive Psychiatrists and the Hypersexual Female, in Women and Health, 229-249. Katharine Bement Davis, Factors in the Sex Life of Twenty-two Hundred Women (New York: Harper and Bros., 1929), 62-78. Jennifer Terry, Lesbians Under the Medical Gaze: Scientists Search for Remarkable Differences, Journal of Sex Research 27 (1990): 317-339. Carol Groneman, Nymphomania: The Historical Construction of Female Sexuality, Signs, Vol. 19, No. 2 (Winter 1994), 337-367. (J-STOR). Elizabeth Sheehan, Victorian Clitoridectomy: Isaac Baker Brown and his Harmless Operative Procedure, Medical Anthropology Newsletter, Vol. 12, No. (August, 1981), 9-15. Ben Barker-Benfield, The Spermatic Economy: A Nineteenth Century View of Sexuality, Feminist Studies, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Summer, 1972), 45-74. Birth Control Film: The Pill Course Name, Number, Semester, and Year Page 8 of 11
Week Date Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines Oct. 14 Midterm 9 10 Oct. 19 Oct. 21 Oct. 26 Oct. 28 Linda Gordon, Voluntary Motherhood: The Beginnings of Feminist Birth Control Ideas in the United States, in Women and Health, 253-268. Andrea Tone, Contraceptive Consumers: Gender and the Political Economy of Birth Control in the 1930s, in Women and Health, 306-325. Jessie M. Rodrique, The Black Community and the Birth Control Movement, in Women and Health, 293-305. Adeline Riddle, Birth Control, Medical Woman s Journal 26 (1916): 286-288. Letters from Women to the Birth Control Review 1917-1918. A Negro Number, Birth Control Review 16 (1932): 163-167. Optional: F. Gordon (1992) Reproductive Rights: the Early Twentieth Century European Debate Gender and History, 4 (1992): 387-99. Barbara N. Ramusack, Embattled Advocates: The Debate Over Birth Control in India, 1920-1940, Journal of Women s History, 1 (1989): 34-64. Midwives and Nurses Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, The Living Mother of a Living Child : Midwifery and Mortality in Postrevolutionary New England, in Women and Health, 48-64. Susan L. Smith, White Nurses, Black Midwives, and Public Health in Mississippi, 1920-1950, in Women and Health, 444-458. The Story of Aunt Easter, in Roots of Bitterness: Documents of the Social History of American Women, eds. Nancy Cott, et al (Boston: Northeastern University Press, 1996), 341-343. Susan Reverby, Neither for the Drawing Room nor for the Kitchen : Private Duty Nursing in Boston, 1873-1920, in Women and Health, 460-474. Darlene Clark Hine, They Shall Mount Up With Wings as Eagles : Historical Images of Black Nurses, 1890-1950, in Women and Health, 475-488. Third Short Assignment Due Men and Women as Physicians Morantz-Sanchez, Sympathy and Science, chaps. 2, 3, 8. Darlene Clark Hine, Co-Laborers in the Work of the Lord: Nineteenth- Century Black Women Physicians, in Send Us a Lady Physician: Women Course Name, Number, Semester, and Year Page 9 of 11
Week Date Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines Doctors in America, 1835-1920, ed. Ruth Abram (W. W. Norton and Co., 1985), 107-120. Individual Meetings to discuss paper progress/thesis 11 Nov. 2 Nov. 4 Race, Sex, and Eugenics Harriet Washington, Medical Apartheid, 157-270. 12 13 14 Nov. 9 Nov. 11 Nov. 16 Nov. 18 Nov. 23 Nov. 25 Abortion Holiday No Class Leslie Reagan, About to Meet Her Maker : Women, Doctors, Dying Declarations, and the States Investigation of Abortion, Chicago, 1867-1940, in Women and Health, 269-292. Loretta Ross, African American Women and Abortion, 1800-1970, in Theorizing Black Feminism: The Visionary Pragmatism of Black Women (Routledge: London and New York: 1993). Rickie Solinger, A Complete Disaster : Abortion and the Politics of Hospital Abortion Committees, 1950-1970, in Women and Health, 659-680. Optional: Rita Arditti and Shelly Minden, An Interview with Mirtha Quintanales, From the Third World Women s Archives, in Test-Tube Women ed. Rita Arditti, et al (Boston: Pandora Press, 1984), 119-130. Fourth Short Assignment Due Germs, Gender, and STD s Morantz-Sanchez, Sympathy and Science, chaps 7 and 9. Brandt, No Magic Bullet, chaps. 1-4. Leavitt, Typhoid Mary in Sickness and Health. Fifth Short Assignment Due Gender and Power in Medicine, Elective Surgery Holiday No Class (this is a good time to do your interviews) Course Name, Number, Semester, and Year Page 10 of 11
Week Date Topics, Readings, Assignments, Deadlines Morantz-Sanchez, Sympathy and Science, chaps. 11-12. Leavitt, Brought to Bed, 141-epilogue. 15 Nov. 30 Dec. 2 Paper Presentations Research Papers Due 16 Dec. 7 Paper Presentations cont./course Summary Interview Projects Due Final Exam Thursday, December 10, 9:45 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Course Name, Number, Semester, and Year Page 11 of 11