Gender History: Europe and America, 1650-1850

This program covers the history of gender in Western Europe and the United States during the 17th and 18th centuries. Emphasis is on understanding shifting gender roles in light of larger socio-cultural, political, economic, legal, and religious histories. Common women and men, like artisans, soldiers, peasants, and nuns, are the focus of our study, and their daily experiences will be contrasted with gendered expectations for elites and portrayals of gender in literature, religious texts, and art. Special areas of attention include the gendered realities of early American colonists and enslaved people in the United States, as well as the impacts of the Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment, and the American and French Revolutions on gender roles and expectations. Program readings and writing assignments are extensive; you will practice text analysis, seminar skills, and academic essay writing. This program is a continuation of the yearlong gender history sequence that began in fall, but both students from the fall program and students new to gender history are welcome to join.