HIS 323-01 - American Women Since WWII

4 credits (Spring)

Students in this seminar will explore the history of American women since the Second World War. The postwar decades and late twentieth century witnessed enormous changes in the lives of American women, including both expanding opportunities as well as rising expectations. We will consider how American women fomented and navigated these changes, paying careful attention to the significance of race, class, sexuality, and citizenship status in shaping their experiences. Students will begin the semester by engaging in a close reading of historical texts, both primary and secondary, to establish a shared foundation in the historiography of this period, in the theoretical basis of women’s history as a field, and in the special considerations of doing contemporary history. Students will conclude the semester by producing an article-length research paper and a 15-minute presentation of their historical research into this era. Students will be expected to mine digital archives as well as traditional collections in order to locate sufficient primary sources for their project.

Prerequisite: HIS 100 and HIS 222 or HIS 295-01.
Instructor: Lewis