Third World Feminism

In this course we will approach Third World Feminism from two perspectives. First, we will examine the relationship of gender to Third Worldism, the political theory and practice which emerged in the decolonizing post-WWII world. Secondly, we will explore U.S. Third World feminism, which reinterpreted Third Worldist principles for women of color in the United States. Students will learn to approach the goals of Third Worldist projects - self-determination, anti-imperialism, development, liberation - from a gendered perspective. Students will also track how the meaning of "Third World" in the term Third World Feminism shifted over the course of the 20th century. In addition to secondary literature, we will examine primary sources (newspapers, films, interviews) from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the United States. (GloDeFem)