Women Gender Study Writing Intensive Essay

WGS 101 Fall 2018

Essay 1 Assignment: Gender As a Relational Concept

Beginning with Thompson’s critique of hegemonic feminism, course readings and discussions have demonstrated that gender, while necessary, is insufficient as a singularly defined category of analysis. Instead, gender is best understood as a relationally defined concept.

To that end, this assignment asks you to explain and examine this claim:

While feminism is centrally concerned with ending sexist oppression and securing women’s liberation, these efforts are limited by analyses of gender as a singularly defined category of analysis.

Your essay should begin with a thesis statement that restates this claim in your own words. The body of the essay should be made up of arguments that support your thesis statement. The arguments you develop should substantively engage ideas found in course readings.

Requirements & Guidelines

✓ Due September 23 by 11:59pm via Blackboard — late essays will incur a 5 point penalty for each day the essay is late

✓ Include quotations from at least 3 different course readings — source selection is limited to readings assigned between 8/27 and 9/19

✓ Sources should be cited using in-text citations (example included below) — do not include a list of works cited

✓ 5 full, double-spaced pages

Grading Criteria

✓ Representational Accuracy: Extent to which your essay makes accurate and meaningful use of feminist theories and concepts

✓ Source Integrity: Extent to which your interpretation of course readings reflects the intent of the author and the degree to which quotes are substantively used

✓ Organization & Structure: Extent to which ideas are organized in a cohesive and fluid manner; use of thesis statement, topic sentences and transitions; free of grammatical errors

Citation Format Example: “To acknowledge that conversations about race were difficult is altogether different from claiming that there were no such conversations” (Evans 2015: 144).