Centre of Excellence – History of Feminism Diploma Course
What Will You Learn?
The History of Feminism Diploma Course guides you through the growth of feminism from its early medieval roots up to the present day. We’ll look at feminism through the “wave construct”, to understand how it flourished within the context of the political activities, social justice movements and world events that were happening at the time.
Alongside the issues fought and the achievements gained, the course also places a spotlight on the various women without whom the cause of feminism would not have succeeded.
Explore both the religious and secular roots of feminism before moving on to the 18th century and the French Revolution’s role in expanding feminist ideas. Learn about the relationship between social reform and feminism, the “first wave feminism proper” and the role of the suffragettes and suffragists, Britain’s women’s suffrage movement, and America’s “Cult of True Womanhood”.
Moving on to second-wave feminism, you’ll continue to explore women’s rights in America and Betty Friedan’s The Feminist Mystique, and the experiences of Black women and lesbians.
Examining the second wave in the UK, we’ll look at its roots in leftwing politics and the labour movement. You’ll also learn about the polarizing opinions around female sexuality and sexual activity that developed at this time.
The course discusses how third-wave feminism is tightly tied to American lawyer Anita Hill’s testimony against Clarence Thomas and the emergence of the Riot Grrrl punk subculture.
Finally, you will learn how fourth-wave feminism is characterised by the use of the internet and defined by major movements that occurred on social media, such as #MeToo.
By studying this course, you will:
- Discover the origins of feminism
- Learn what is meant by first, second, third and fourth-wave feminism
- Learn how feminism flourished differently in the UK and the US
- Explore the suffragist and suffragette movements and how the women’s vote was won
- Become familiar with the gains of second-wave feminism
- Understand how black feminism differed from white feminism in the US
- Understand what the sex wars were and who was involved
- Learn what Riot Grrrl culture had to do with feminism
- Examine modern feminism
Course Syllabus
What will I learn on the course?
Module 1: The Roots of Feminism
Module 2: The Age of Reforming Women
Module 3: Suffragettes and Suffragists
Module 4: Suffragists in the US
Module 5: America’s Feminist Mystique
Module 6: Separate Agendas – Feminists of Colour
Module 7: Women’s Lib in the UK
Module 8: Feminist Sex Wars
Module 9: The Arrival of the Third Wave
Module 10: Intersectionality and the Internet
Who Would Benefit from This Course?
People who would benefit from this course include those interested in studying history, specifically women’s rights, politics and gender studies. It’ll provide a helpful foundation for a lifelong appreciation of all that the women who came before us did to achieve equality for today’s women and those who’ve yet to come.
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