Feminist Foundations This course provides an introduction to the interdisciplinary field of gender, sexuality, and feminist studies. Focusing on the histories of feminism in the U.S., from the nineteenth century to the present, the course reveals the importance of gender and sexuality as analytical categories to understand social reality and to comprehend important areas of culture. Examining gender and sexuality always in conjunction with the categories of race and class, the course foregrounds how inequalities are perpetuated in different fields of human activity and the creative ways in which feminist movements have resisted these processes.

Socialist Feminism What is the relationship of patriarchy to class oppression? We will examine how feminists and the left have attempted to answer this question, from the 19th century to the present-day. We will do so through an exploration of socialist feminist theories like dual systems theory and social reproduction theory. We will also consider socialist feminist practice, through the at-times vexed relationship between feminist and left-wing movements in the First, Second, and Third Worlds. In other words, we will read Marx and Engels, but we will also read revolutionaries and writers like Alexandra Kollontai, Ding Ling, Claudia Jones, and Domitila Chúngara. Finally, we will look at contemporary writing on labor and reproduction to conceptualize what a socialist feminist platform for the 21st century might look like.

Gender and Sexuality in Asian America How and why has the racialization of Asian Americans taken on particular gendered and sexual characteristics? We will examine immigration law, foreign policy, labor markets, and the economy, to understand the material roots behind cultural perceptions of Asian femininities, masculinities, families, and queerness. Finally, we will look at contemporary cultural production to see how Asian Americans are contesting and reshaping gender and sexuality for themselves. Potential topics include bachelor societies, war brides, feminized labor, interracial relationships, family businesses, tiger moms, and incels. This course takes a broad understanding of the term Asian American, and will cover topics relating to West Asians, Central Asians, South Asians, Southeast Asians, and East Asians.

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.

Cynthia Gao

Reviews and ratings for Cynthia Gao at Middlebury College.Cynthia Gao teaches Feminist Foundations, Socialist Feminism, Gender/Sexuality in Asian Amer and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Cynthia Gao good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

I really enjoyed this course because I wanted to learn more aboout feminism, and I feel I got that experience. Professor Gao not only explains the history of feminism, but really dives into different types of feminist frameworks and their differences and impact on a global scale. For a course mainly based in the U.S., she does a great job of connecting it to a broader international history. There is a decent amount of reading but nothing out of control, and she is a very fair grader with lots of project exams. 

A wonderful class with great students and an amazing professor. I had never taken a feminism class before this, but it is so good that I now am intending to minor in GSFS. 10/10, Professor Gao is so knowledgeable and great and tying our discussions into her lectures.

We alternated between lecture and discussion days, making the readings important for effective class discussions. The papers allowed for a lot of personal liberty and each writing assignment encouraged different writing styles.