Women in politics

This course begins with an examination of how the Cold War reinforced the ideals of the suburban, nuclear family and how these ideals impacted women's trajectory towards independence and equality, and ends with the rise of the Me Too movement and a look at how the 2018 midterm election ushered in a new era of women in politics.

Beginning with the passing of the 19th Amendment and on through World War II, explore the new cultural and economic opportunities that emerged for women in this period while gaining an understanding of how racial, familial, and legal structures placed constraints on that independence. Learn how women's contributions to the war effort provided both new opportunities and new barriers.

Learn about the emergence of women's history and its impact on the study of history as a whole. Then, examine the experiences of women in Colonial America. We will learn the ways that women struggled to loosen the constraints of family by proclaiming that they, like men, possessed individual rights.

Departing from the Civil War years, examine how gender shaped women's work outside the home in the late 19th century. Explore efforts to affirm domesticity while providing women with paths to independence, and uncover how the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments impacted women’s political participation.