which one is the better approach to the issues discussed in Manne's Down Girl (the relations of unequal owing, as exemplified, for instance by the prevalence of sexual assault and testimonial injustice)?

PHIL  451:  Feminist  Moral  Issues   Spring  2019    

Instructor:  Maja  Sidzińska    

 

Short  Paper  Assignment  Instructions  

 

Write  a  short  paper  (550-­‐800  words,  maximum  enforced)  addressing  ONE  of  the  topics   below.       This  paper  is  due  Thursday,  Mar.  21.  Upload  your  paper  to  iLearn  (via  TurnItIn)  before   class  on  Thursday,  Mar.  21  (that  is,  before  2pm  PST).  This  paper  is  short,  but  it  is  worth  24   points  (24%  of  your  grade  for  the  course).  Therefore,  please  interpret  the  readings  you  are   drawing  on  carefully,  and  develop  your  argument  thoughtfully.  Please  keep  in  mind  that   this  paper  will  later  be  used  as  the  "base"  from  which  to  develop  your  longer  paper.       Topic  1:  Cudd  and  Jones  (2003)  discuss  the  difference  between  "difference  feminism"  and   "equality  feminism."  At  issue  in  this  difference  is  the  question  of  whether  women's   liberatory  project  would  be  best  served  by  positing  the  existence  of  two  types  of  selves:  the   feminine  and  the  masculine  selves  (and  holding  that  they  are  different  yet  equal,  and   advocating  for  equity),  or  whether  women's  liberatory  project  would  be  best  served  by   positing  one  type  of  gender-­‐neutral  self  (and  holding  that  women  and  men  both  possess   this  kind  of  self,  and  advocating  for  equality).  Keep  in  mind  that  both  approaches  to   feminism  are  useful,  with  one  more  useful  in  some  contexts,  and  the  other  more  useful  in   other  contexts.  But  which  one  is  the  better  approach  to  the  issues  discussed  in   Manne's  Down  Girl  (the  relations  of  unequal  owing,  as  exemplified,  for  instance  by   the  prevalence  of  sexual  assault  and  testimonial  injustice)?  When  introducing  your   argument,  make  sure  you  argue  for  a  clear  and  comprehensible  thesis,  and  give  reasons   (logical  reasons,  empirical  evidence,  or  examples/counterexamples)  in  support  of  that  thesis.   Anticipate  and  respond  to  likely  criticism  or  possible  counter-­‐arguments.     Topic  2:  Throughout  multiple  readings,  the  framework  of  intersectionality  has  been   discussed;  see  especially  bell  hooks  (1984)  and  Trina  Grillo  (1995).  The  question  of  what   women  as  a  group,  are  like,  and  what  their  problems  are  like,  has  been  raised.  Do  all  women   share  a  common  set  of  problems?  Or  given  an  intersectional  framework,  are  different   groups  of  women,  necessarily  sitting  at  different  "intersections,"  not  analyzable  qua   women?  In  other  words,  we  can  wonder  whether  sexist  oppression  can  be  isolated  from   other  oppressions.  In  light  of  this,  do  the  issues  raised  in  Manne's  Down  Girl  lend   themselves  to  a  women-­‐qua-­‐women  approach  where  commonalities  are  emphasized   or  are  they  better  approached  from  an  intersectional  perspective  in  which   differences  are  emphasized?  Keep  in  mind  that  both  approaches  to  feminism  are  useful,   with  one  more  useful  in  some  contexts,  and  the  other  more  useful  in  other  contexts.  When   introducing  your  argument,  make  sure  you  argue  for  a  clear  and  comprehensible  thesis,  and   give  reasons  (logical  reasons,  empirical  evidence,  or  examples/counterexamples)  in  support   of  that  thesis.  Anticipate  and  respond  to  likely  criticism  or  possible  counter-­‐arguments.  

Grading  criteria:  your  papers  will  be  graded  based  on  the  following.     1. Faithful/accurate  interpretation  of  the  text(s)   2. Strength  of  your  argument  (i.e.  Are  you  using  convincing  

reasons/evidence/examples?  Did  you  address  a  counterargument?)   3. Originality  of  your  argument   4. Is  your  argument  concise,  direct,  and  does  it  avoid  making  assertions  without  

support?  Does  your  writing  avoid  repetition?   5. Clarity  of  writing  

  Writing  guidelines:  

• basic  font  (Times  New  Roman,  Cambria,  Calibri,  etc.)   • 12-­‐pt  font   • double  spaced   • author-­‐date-­‐page  citation  style;  e.g.  "(Copp  2008,  187)"     • list  your  references  at  the  end  of  the  paper  (references  do  not  count  as  part  of  the  

word-­‐count)   • do  not  cite  or  paraphrase  the  text  without  giving  the  reference   • do  not  plagiarize-­‐-­‐don't  use  phrases,  sentences,  or  paragraphs  that  are  not  your  

own;  this  is  a  form  of  academic  dishonesty  and  against  university  and  class  policy;   plagiarism  will  result  in  receiving  no  credit  for  the  assignment  and  being  reported  to   the  ethics  division  of  the  university  

• revise,  revise,  revise!  Do  not  write  your  paper  in  one  sitting.