Women's and Gender Studies


Faculty List

  • H. Dinani, M.A., (Toronto), Ph.D. (Emory), Assistant Professor
  • J. English, M.A., Ph.D. (Toronto), Associate Professor, Teaching Stream
  • A. Grewal, M.A. (Trent), Ph.D. (Chicago), Assistant Professor
  • C. Guberman, M.E.S. (York), Associate Professor, Teaching Stream
  • A. Hachimi, M.A., Ph.D. (Hawaii), Associate Professor
  • N.C. Johnston, M.A., Ph.D. (York, Canada), Associate Professor, Teaching Stream
  • R. Maynard, Ph.D. (Conditional, Toronto), Assistant Professor
  • J. Sharma, M.A. (Delhi), M/Phil. (Delhi), Ph.D. (Cantab), Associate Professor 
  • S. Ye, M.A. (Cincinnati), Ph.D. (Minnesota), Assistant Professor


Undergraduate Advisor Email: wst-undergrad-advisor@utsc.utoronto.ca 

For more information, visit the Department of Historical and Cultural Studies website.

Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of Toronto Scarborough is an interdisciplinary program that explores the intersections of gender, race, sexuality, class, age, disability, nationality and other relations of power that shape multiple social and cultural differences and inequalities.

The program offers both a rigorous and supportive environment for students to pursue an undergraduate Major/Major (Co-op)/ or Minor Program in Women's and Gender Studies. The programs integrate theory and practice by introducing students to scholarship from a wide range of intellectual perspectives, and challenging them to work for change and equality in their communities and in their daily lives.

Through our innovative learning environments, transformative feminist teaching and curriculum, students will learn to scrutinize structures of power, inequality and injustice. Students will ultimately develop the knowledge, language and tools they need to question conventional assumptions about the world around them.

Topics include women’s roles in society, history, family, religion and politics; women, literature, and language; women, science, and the environment; gender, media, and the arts; gender and work; race, gender, and empire; sexuality and transnationality; violence, LGBT history and activism; histories of Black feminism; gendered Islamophobia. Our program's interdisciplinary focus can be carried into many academic and professional areas in the Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as in science and technology. Students acquire skills in critical thinking, creative problem-solving, analytical research, effective writing and communication and community engagement. These skills prepare students for careers in education, research, journalism, arts, social work, activism, government, politics, law, business, administration, policy analysis and equity advocacy.

Guidelines for first-year course selection

Students who intend to complete a Women's and Gender Studies program should first take WSTA01H3 and WSTA03H3 in their first year before proceeding to the upper-level courses.

For updates and detailed information regarding Women's and Gender Studies, please visit the Department of Historical and Cultural Studies website.

Program Combination Restrictions in Women’s and Gender Studies

The Major and Minor programs in Women’s and Gender Studies cannot be combined.

Experiential Learning and Outreach

For a community-based experiential learning opportunity in your academic field of interest, consider the course CTLB03H3, which can be found in the Teaching and Learning section of the Calendar.

Women's and Gender Studies Programs

MAJOR PROGRAM IN WOMEN'S AND GENDER STUDIES (ARTS)

Undergraduate Advisor: 416-287-7184 Email: wst-undergrad-advisor@utsc.utoronto.ca

Program Requirements
Students must complete 7.0 credits as follows:

1. 1.0 credit from the following
WSTA01H3 Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies
WSTA03H3 Introduction to Feminist Theories and Thought

2. WSTB05H3 Understanding Power and Knowledge in Research

3. WSTB11H3 Intersections of Inequality

4. WSTC02H3 Feminist Qualitative Research in Action

5. 2.5 additional credits in WST courses from the list below, of which at least 0.5 credit must be at the C-level, and a further 1.0 credit must be at the D-level (including 0.5 credit from WSTD03H3 or WSTD04H3 or WSTD09H3 or WSTD10H3)
WSTB06H3 Women in Diaspora
WSTB09H3 Gender, Race, and Colonialism
WSTB10H3 Women, Power and Protest
WSTB12H3 Women, Violence and Resistance
WSTB13H3 Gender, Media and Culture
WSTB20H3/​(WSTC20H3) Women, the Environment, and Change
WSTB22H3/​HISB22H3 Histories of Black feminism Canada: From ‘runaway slaves’ to #BlackLivesMatter
WSTB25H3 LGBTQ History, Theory and Activism
WSTC10H3/​AFSC53H3 Gender and Critical Development
WSTC12H3 Writing the Self: Global Women's Autobiographies
WSTC13H3 Women, Gender and Islam
WSTC14H3 Women, Community and Policy Change
WSTC16H3 Criminalized Women: Gender, Justice and the Law
WSTC22H3 Gender and Film
WSTC23H3 Community Engagement Practicum
WSTC24H3 Gender in the Kitchen
WSTC25H3 Transnational Sexuality
WSTC26H3 Critical Race and Black Feminist Theories
WSTC28H3/​LINC28H3 Language and Gender
WSTC30H3 Special Topics in Women's and Gender Studies
WSTC31H3 Special Topics in Women's and Gender Studies
WSTC40H3 Gender and Disability
WSTC66H3/​HISC66H3 Histories of Gender and Sexuality in Muslim Societies: Between Law, Ethics and Culture
WSTD01H3 Independent Project in Women's and Gender Studies
WSTD03H3 Senior Seminar in Sex, Gender and the Body
WSTD04H3 Senior Seminar in Gender, Equity and Human Rights
WSTD07H3 Themes in the History of Childhood and Culture
WSTD09H3 Race, Gender, and Islamophobia
WSTD10H3 The Power of Story for Social Change
WSTD11H3 Special Topics in Women’s and Gender Studies
WSTD16H3/​HISD16H3 Socialist Feminism in Global Context
WSTD30H3/​GASD30H3 Gender and Techno-Orientalism
WSTD46H3/​HISD46H3 Selected Topics in Canadian Women's History

6. 2.0 credits from the course list below:
AFSC97H3/​HISC97H3 Women and Power in Africa
ANTC14H3 Feminism and Anthropology
ANTC15H3 Genders and Sexualities
ANTD01H3 The Body in Culture and Society
ENGB50H3 Women and Literature: Forging a Tradition
[(ENGB51H3) or ENGC54H3 Gender and Genre]
ENGB74H3 The Body in Literature and Film
(ENGC77H3)/(VPAC48H3) The Body in Contemporary Culture: Theories and Representations
ENGC34H3 Early Modern Women and Literature: 1500-1700
ENGC51H3 Contemporary Arab Women Writers
ENGD80H3 Women and Canadian Writing
GASB20H3 Gender and Social Institutions in Asia
GASC20H3 Gendering Global Asia
GASD20H3 Advanced Seminar: Social Change and Gender Relations in Chinese Societies
GASD56H3/​HISD56H3 'Coolies' and Others: Asian Labouring Diasporas in the British Empire 
GGRD09H3 Feminist Geographies
GGRD10H3 Health and Sexuality
HISC45H3 Immigrant and Race Relations in Canadian History
HLTC02H3 Women and Health: Past and Present
HLTC46H3 Gender, Health and Society
IDSD06H3 Feminist and Postcolonial Perspectives in Development Studies
MGHC23H3/​(MGTC23H3) Diversity in the Workplace
PHLB13H3 Philosophy and Feminism
POLC94H3 Globalization, Gender and Development
PSYD18H3 Psychology of Gender
SOCB22H3 Sociology of Gender
SOCB49H3 Sociology of Family
SOCC09H3 Sociology of Gender and Work
SOCC24H3 Special Topics in Gender and Family
SOCC29H3 Family and Gender in the Middle East
SOCC38H3 Gender and Education
(VPHB57H3) Women in the Arts: Hot Mamas, Amazons, and Madonnas

MAJOR (CO-OPERATIVE) PROGRAM IN WOMEN'S AND GENDER STUDIES (ARTS)

Co-op Contact: askcoop@utoronto.ca

The Major (Co-op) Program in Women's and Gender Studies is a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) program that combines academic studies with paid work terms in the public, private, and/or non-profit sectors. The program provides students with the opportunity to develop the academic and professional skills required to pursue employment in these areas, or to continue on to graduate training in an academic field related to Women's and Gender Studies upon graduation.
In addition to their academic course requirements, students must successfully complete the additive Arts & Science Co-op Work Term Preparation courses and a minimum of two Co-op work terms.

Enrolment Requirements
The minimum qualifications for entry are 4.0 credits, including one of WSTA01H3 or WSTA03H3, plus a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5.

Current Co-op Students:
Students admitted to a Co-op Degree POSt in their first year of study must request a Co-op Subject POSt on ACORN upon completion of 4.0 credits and must meet the minimum qualifications for entry as noted above.

Prospective Co-op Students:
Prospective Co-op students (i.e., those not yet admitted to a Co-op Degree POSt) must submit a program request on ACORN, and meet the minimum qualifications noted above. Deadlines follow the Limited Enrolment Program Application Deadlines set by the Office of the Registrar each year. Failure to submit the program request on ACORN will result in that student's application not being considered.

Program Requirements
Students are required to complete the program requirements as described in the Major Program in Women's and Gender Studies.

Co-op Work Term Requirements
Students must satisfactorily complete two Co-op work terms, each of four-months duration. To be eligible for their first work term, students must be enrolled in the Major (Co-op) Program in Women's and Gender Studies and have completed at least 9.0 credits, including WSTA01H3, WSTA03H3 and WSTB05H3.
In addition to their academic program requirements, Co-op students complete up to four Co-op specific courses. These courses are designed to prepare students for their job search and work term experience, and to maximize the benefits of their Co-op work terms. They cover a variety of topics intended to assist students in developing the skills and tools required to secure work terms that are appropriate to their program of study, and to perform professionally in the workplace. These courses must be completed in sequence, and are taken in addition to a full course load. They are recorded on transcripts as credit/no credit (CR/NCR) and are considered to be additive credit to the 20.0 required degree credits. No additional course fee is assessed as registration is included in the Co-op Program fee.

Co-op Preparation Course Requirements:

1. COPB50H3/​(COPD01H3) – Foundations for Success in Arts & Science Co-op
- Students entering Co-op from outside of UTSC (high school or other postsecondary) will complete this course in the Fall or Winter of their first year at UTSC. Enrolment in each section is based on admission category: Typically, students in Computer Science, Mathematics and Statistics enroll in the Fall semester while all other Arts & Science Co-op admission categories enroll in the Winter semester however this may vary year to year.
- Current UTSC students entering Co-op in April/May will complete this course in the Summer semester.
- Current UTSC students entering Co-op in July/August will complete this course in the Fall semester.

2. COPB51H3/​(COPD03H3) – Preparing to Compete for your Co-op Work Term
- This course will be completed eight months in advance of the first scheduled work term.

3. COPB52H3/​(COPD11H3) – Managing your Work Term Search & Transition to Work
- This course will be completed four months in advance of the first work scheduled work term.

4. COPC98H3/​(COPD12H3) – Integrating Your Work Term Experience Part I
- This course will be completed four months in advance of the second scheduled work term.

5. COPC99H3/​(COPD13H3) – Integrating Your Work Term Experience Part II
- This course will be completed four months in advance of the third scheduled work term (for programs that require the completion of 3 work terms and/or four months in advance of any additional work terms that have been approved by the Arts and Science Co-op Office.

Students must be available for work terms in each of the Fall, Winter and Summer semesters and must complete at least one of their required work terms in either a Fall or Winter semester. This, in turn, requires that students take courses during at least one Summer semester.

For information on fees, status in Co-op programs, and certification of completion of Co-op programs, see the 6B.5 Co-operative Programs section or the Arts and Science Co-op section in the UTSC Calendar.

MINOR PROGRAM IN WOMEN'S AND GENDER STUDIES (ARTS)

Undergraduate Advisor: 416-287-7184 Email: wst-undergrad-advisor@utsc.utoronto.ca

Program Requirements
Students must complete 4.0 credits as follows:

1. 1.0 credit from the following
WSTA01H3 Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies
WSTA03H3 Introduction to Feminist Theories and Thought

2. WSTB05H3 Understanding Power and Knowledge in Research

3. WSTB11H3 Intersections of Inequality

4. 2.0 additional credits as follows:
0.5 credit at the C-level in WST courses taken from the list in requirement 5 of the Major program in Women’s and Gender Studies
and
0.5 credit at the D-level in WST courses taken from the list in requirement 5 of the Major program in Women’s and Gender Studies
and
1.0 credit in courses taken from the list in requirement 6 of the Major program in Women’s and Gender Studies.

Women's and Gender Studies Courses

WSTA01H3 - Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies

This course explores the intersection of social relations of power including gender, race, class, sexuality and disability, and provides an interdisciplinary and integrated approach to the study of women’s lives in Canadian and global contexts. There is a strong focus on the development of critical reading and analytic skills.

Exclusion: (NEW160Y), WGS160Y, WGS101H
Breadth Requirements: Social and Behavioural Sciences

WSTA03H3 - Introduction to Feminist Theories and Thought

An introduction to feminist theories and thoughts with a focus on diverse, interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspectives. An overview of the major themes, concepts and terminologies in feminist thinking and an exploration of their meanings.

Exclusion: (NEW160Y), WGS160Y, WGS200Y, WGS260H
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies

WSTB05H3 - Understanding Power and Knowledge in Research

Using a feminist and intersectional lens, this course will critically analyze dominant and alternative paradigms of knowledge production including research and social media. Concepts of objectivity, bias, and ethics will be explored. There is an experiential learning component.

Prerequisite: WSTA01H3 or WSTA03H3 or (WSTA02H3)
Exclusion: WGS202H, WGS360H
Breadth Requirements: Social and Behavioural Sciences

WSTB06H3 - Women in Diaspora

Because of gendered responsibilities for creating homes, migrant women create and experience diasporic relations (to family and friends elsewhere) in distinctive ways. This course uses methods and materials from literature, history and the social sciences to understand the meaning of home for migrant women from many different cultural origins.

Prerequisite: 1.0 credit at the A-level in CLA, GAS, HIS or WST courses
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies

WSTB09H3 - Gender, Race, and Colonialism

This course is an introduction to how the history of colonialism and the power relations of the colonial world have shaped the historical and social constructions of race and gender. The course considers political, legal, economic, and cultural realms through which colonialism produced new gendered and racial social relationships across different societies and communities. The ways in which colonial power was challenged and resisted will also be explored.

Prerequisite: 1.0 credit at the A-level in any Humanities or Social Science courses
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies

WSTB10H3 - Women, Power and Protest

An examination of local and global movements for change, past and current, which address issues concerning women.
This course will survey initiatives from the individual and community to the national and international levels to bring about change for women in a variety of spheres.

Prerequisite: 1.0 credit at the A-level in GAS, HIS, WST, or other Humanities and Social Sciences courses
Exclusion: (WSTA02H3)
Recommended Preparation: WSTA01H3 or WSTA03H3
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies

WSTB11H3 - Intersections of Inequality

An overview of the complex interactions among race, class, gender and sexuality in traditional and modern societies. Drawing on both historical and contemporary patterns in diverse societies, the course offers feminist perspectives on the ways in which race, class, gender, and sexual orientation have shaped the lives of women and men.

Prerequisite: WSTA01H3 or [WSTA03H3 or (WSTA02H3)]
Breadth Requirements: Social and Behavioural Sciences

WSTB12H3 - Women, Violence and Resistance

An analysis of violence against women and recent forms of resistance to violence.  A historical, cultural, and structural approach to studying gender-based violence. Family, state, economic and ideological aspects will be addressed.  Initiatives toward making communities safer, including strategies for prevention and education will be examined.   

Prerequisite: WSTA01H3 and [WSTA03H3 or (WSTA02H3) or WSTB05H3 or WSTB11H3 or one half credit from the list provided in requirement #6 in the Major in Women's and Gender Studies]
Exclusion: (NEW373H), WGS373H
Breadth Requirements: Social and Behavioural Sciences

WSTB13H3 - Gender, Media and Culture

An interdisciplinary approach to feminist critiques of the media. Gendered representation will be examined in media such as film, television, video, newspapers, magazines and on-line technologies. Students will also develop a perspective on women's participation in, and contributions toward, the various media industries.

Prerequisite: WSTA01H3 or [WSTA03H3 or (WSTA02H3)]
Exclusion: (NEW271Y), WGS271Y, WGS205H
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies

WSTB20H3 - Women, the Environment, and Change

Issues related to women, gender and the environment will be addressed through current, historical and transnational perspectives. Topics include: the impact of climate change on gendered and racialized bodies; planning for safer places; global sustainable development; ecofeminism and activism for change.

Prerequisite: Any 4.0 credits
Exclusion: (WSTC20H3)
Breadth Requirements: Social and Behavioural Sciences

WSTB22H3 - Histories of Black Feminism Canada: From ‘Runaway Slaves’ to #BlackLivesMatter

This introductory survey course connects the rich histories of Black radical women’s acts, deeds, and words in Canada. It traces the lives and political thought of Black women and gender-non-conforming people who refused and fled enslavement, took part in individual and collective struggles against segregated labour, education, and immigration practices; providing a historical context for the emergence of the contemporary queer-led #BlackLivesMatter movement. Students will be introduced, through histories of activism, resistance, and refusal, to multiple concepts and currents in Black feminist studies. This includes, for example, theories of power, race, and gender, transnational/diasporic Black feminisms, Black-Indigenous solidarities, abolition and decolonization. Students will participate in experiential learning and engage an interdisciplinary array of key texts and readings including primary and secondary sources, oral histories, and online archives.


Same as HISB22H3


Prerequisite: 1.0 credit at the A-level in any Humanities or Social Science courses
Exclusion: HISB22H3, WGS340H5
Recommended Preparation: WSTA01H3 or WSTA03H3
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies
Course Experience: University-Based Experience

WSTB25H3 - LGBTQ History, Theory and Activism

This course introduces students to current discussions, debates and theories in LGBT and queer studies and activism. It will critically examine terms such as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, heterosexual, and ally, and explore how class, race, culture, ability, and history of colonization impact the experience of LGBTQ-identified people.

Prerequisite: 4.0 credits, including 1.0 credit in Humanities or Social Sciences
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies
Note: Priority will be given to students enrolled in a Women's and Gender Studies program.

WSTC02H3 - Feminist Qualitative Research in Action

Students will design and conduct a qualitative research project in the community on an issue related to women and/or gender. The course will also include an overview of the various phases of carrying out research: planning the research project, choosing appropriate methods for data collection, analyzing the data and reporting the results. Students should expect to spend approximately 10 hours conducting their research in the community over the course of the semester.

Prerequisite: WSTB05H3 and WSTB11H3 and 0.5 credit taken from the courses listed in requirement 6 of the Major Program in Women's and Gender Studies
Exclusion: (WSTD02H3)
Enrolment Limits: 15
Breadth Requirements: Social and Behavioural Sciences
Course Experience: Partnership-Based Experience

WSTC10H3 - Gender and Critical Development

How development affects, and is affected by, women around the world. Topics may include labour and economic issues, food production, the effects of technological change, women organizing for change, and feminist critiques of traditional development models.

Same as AFSC53H3

Prerequisite: [AFSA03H3/IDSA02H3 or IDSB01H3 or IDSB02H3] or [[WSTA01H3 or WSTA03H3] and [an additional 0.5 credit in WST courses]]
Exclusion: AFSC53H3
Breadth Requirements: Social and Behavioural Sciences

WSTC12H3 - Writing the Self: Global Women's Autobiographies

An exploration of the ways in which women from different countries construct the gendered subject in their representations of childhood, sexuality, work, maternity and illness. Texts will be read in English and an emphasis will be placed on the cultural contexts of gender, ethnicity, sexuality and class.

Prerequisite: [WSTA01H3 and [WSTA03H3 or (WSTA02H3)] and [1.0 additional credit in WST courses]
Recommended Preparation: WSTB13H3
Enrolment Limits: 50
Breadth Requirements: Arts, Literature and Language

WSTC13H3 - Women, Gender and Islam

Explores historical and contemporary debates regarding the construction of gender in Islam. Topics include the historical representations of Muslim woman, veiling, sexuality, Islamic law and Islamic feminism. This course situates Muslim women as multidimensional actors as opposed to the static, Orientalist images that have gained currency in the post 9/11 era.

Prerequisite: 1.5 credits in WST courses including 0.5 credit at the B- or C-level
Exclusion: WSTC30H3 (if taken in the 2008 Winter Session), WGS301H
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies

WSTC14H3 - Women, Community and Policy Change

An examination of the impact of social policy on women's lives, from a historical perspective. The course will survey discriminatory practices in social policy as they affect women and immigration, health care, welfare, and the workplace. Topics may include maternity leave, sexual harassment, family benefits, divorce, and human rights policies.

Prerequisite: WSTA01H3 and [WSTA03H3 or (WSTA02H3)]
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies

WSTC16H3 - Criminalized Women: Gender, Justice and the Law

Examining popular media and history students will investigate themes of criminality, gender and violence in relation to the social construction of justice. Some criminal cases involving female defendants will also be analyzed to examine historical issues and social contexts. Debates in feminist theory, criminology and the law will be discussed.

Prerequisite: [WSTA01H3 and [WSTA03H3 or (WSTA02H3)]] or [1.0 credit in SOC courses]
Recommended Preparation: WSTB13H3
Enrolment Limits: 40
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies

WSTC22H3 - Gender and Film

This course examines the representations of gender in narrative, documentary and experimental films by a selection of global directors from a social, critical and historical perspective. We will analyse and engage with the filmic representations of race, class and sexual orientation, and explore how traditional and non-traditional cinema can challenge or perpetuate normative notions of gender.

Prerequisite: Any 5.0 credits, including: [WSTA01H3 and [WSTA02H3 or WSTA03H3]] or [0.5 credit in ENG, FRE or GAS cinema/film focused courses]
Recommended Preparation: WSTB13H3
Enrolment Limits: 50
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies

WSTC23H3 - Community Engagement Practicum

An opportunity for students in the Major and Minor programs in Women’s and Gender Studies to apply theoretical knowledge related to women and gender to practical community experience through experiential learning within a community, educational or social setting.

Prerequisite: WSTA01H3 and [WSTA03H3 or (WSTA02H3)] and WSTB05H3 and WSTB11H3 and WSTC02H3
Exclusion: HCSC01H3
Enrolment Limits: 8
Breadth Requirements: Social and Behavioural Sciences
Course Experience: Partnership-Based Experience

WSTC24H3 - Gender in the Kitchen

Across cultures, women are the main preparers and servers of food in domestic settings; in commercial food production and in restaurants, and especially in elite dining establishments, males dominate. Using agricultural histories, recipes, cookbooks, memoirs, and restaurant reviews and through the exploration of students’ own domestic culinary knowledge, students will analyze the origins, practices, and consequences of such deeply gendered patterns of food labour and consumption.

Same as FSTC24H3

Prerequisite: 8.0 credits, including [0.5 credit at the A- or B-level in WST courses] and [0.5 credit at the A or B-level in FST courses]
Exclusion: FSTC24H3
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies

WSTC25H3 - Transnational Sexuality

This course examines how sexuality and gender are shaped and redefined by cultural, economic, and political globalization. We will examine concepts of identity, sexual practices and queerness, as well as sexuality/gender inequality in relation to formulations of the local-global, nations, the transnational, family, homeland, diaspora, community, borders, margins, and urban-rural.

Prerequisite: [1.0 credit at the A-level] and [1.0 credit at the B-level in WST courses, or other Humanities and Social Sciences courses]
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies
Note: Priority will be given to students enrolled in the Major and Minor programs in Women’s and Gender Studies. Additional students will be admitted as space permits.

WSTC26H3 - Critical Race and Black Feminist Theories

This course focuses on the theoretical approaches of critical race theory and black feminist thought this course examines how race and racism are represented and enacted across dominant cultural modes of expression and the ideas, actions, and resistances produced by Black women. The course will analyze intersections of gender subordination, homophobia, systems and institutions of colonialism, slavery and capitalism historically and in the contemporary period.

Prerequisite: WSTA03H3 and WSTB11H3 and an additional 1.0 credit in WST courses
Exclusion: WGS340H5
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies

WSTC28H3 - Language and Gender

An introduction to the research on differences between women and men in how they use language and how they behave in conversational interaction, together with an examination of the role of language in reflecting and perpetuating cultural attitudes towards gender.
Same as LINC28H3

Prerequisite: [WSTA01H3 or WSTA03H3] and one full credit at the B-level in ANT, LIN, SOC or WST
Exclusion: JAL355H and LINC28H3
Breadth Requirements: Social and Behavioural Sciences

WSTC30H3 - Special Topics in Women's and Gender Studies

An examination of a current topic relevant to women and gender studies. Students will have the opportunity to explore recent scholarship in a specific content area which will vary from year to year. Participation in a related project/practicum in the community may be incorporated into the course.

Prerequisite: WSTA01H3 and [WSTA03H3 or (WSTA02H3)]

WSTC31H3 - Special Topics in Women's and Gender Studies

An examination of a current topic relevant to women's and gender studies.
Students will have the opportunity to explore recent scholarship in a specific content area which will vary from year to year. Participation in a related project/practicum in the community may be incorporated into the course.

Prerequisite: WSTA01H3 and [WSTA03H3 or (WSTA02H3)]

WSTC40H3 - Gender and Disability

This course introduces debates and approaches to the intersection of disability with social determinants of gender, sexuality, class, race and ethnicity. Students will examine international human rights for persons with disabilities, images and representations of gender and the body, research questions for political activism, and social injustice.

Prerequisite: 1.5 credits, including [WSTA01H3 or WSTA03H3] and [0.5 credit at the B- or C-level in WST courses]
Exclusion: WGS366H
Enrolment Limits: 50
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies

WSTC66H3 - Histories of Gender and Sexuality in Muslim Societies: Between Law, Ethics and Culture

This course tracks the evolving histories of gender and sexuality in diverse Muslim societies. We will examine how gendered norms and sexual mores were negotiated through law, ethics, and custom. We will compare and contrast these themes in diverse societies, from the Prophet Muhammad’s community in 7th century Arabia to North American and West African Muslim communities in the 21st century.

Same as HISC66H3


Prerequisite: [Any 4.0 credits, including 0.5 credit at the A- or B-level in HIS courses] or [1.5 credits in WST courses, including 0.5 credit at the B- or C-level]
Exclusion: HISC66H3, RLG312H1
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies

WSTD01H3 - Independent Project in Women's and Gender Studies

An opportunity to undertake an in-depth research topic under the supervision of a Women's and Gender Studies faculty member. Students will work with their supervisor to finalize the course content and methods of approach; assessment will be based on an advanced essay/project on the approved topic, which will be evaluated by the supervising faculty member and program coordinator. The material studied will differ significantly in content and/or concentration from topics offered in regular courses.

Prerequisite: At least 15.0 credits including: WSTA01H3 and WSTB05H3 and [WSTA03H3 or (WSTA02H3)] and [1.5 credits taken from the courses in requirement 5 and 6 in the Major program in Women's and Gender Studies]. Only students in the Major program in Women's and Gender Studies that have a CGPA of at least 3.3 can enrol in this course. When applying to a faculty supervisor, students need to present a brief written statement of the topic they wish to explore in the term prior to the start of the course.
Course Experience: University-Based Experience

WSTD03H3 - Senior Seminar in Sex, Gender and the Body

An advanced and in-depth examination of selected topics related to health, sexualities, the gendered body, and the representations and constructions of women and gender. The course will be in a seminar format with student participation expected. It is writing intensive and involves a major research project.

Prerequisite: WSTA01H3 and [WSTA03H3 or (WSTA02H3)] and WSTB11H3 and [1.0 credit at the C-level from requirement 5 or 6 of the Major program in Women's and Gender Studies]
Enrolment Limits: 15
Course Experience: University-Based Experience

WSTD04H3 - Senior Seminar in Gender, Equity and Human Rights

An advanced and in-depth examination of selected topics related to women and gender, equity, diversity and human rights in the context of local and global communities, and diaspora. The course will be in a seminar format with student participation expected, and it also involves a major research project.

Prerequisite: 8.0 credits including 2.0 credits in WST courses
Enrolment Limits: 15
Course Experience: University-Based Experience

WSTD07H3 - Themes in the History of Childhood and Culture

A comparative analysis of transnational histories and cultural and gendered ideologies of children and childhood through case studies of foundlings in Italy, factory children in England, orphans and adoption in the American West, labouring children in Canada and Australia, mixed-race children in British India.
Same as HISD07H3

Prerequisite: Any 8.0 credits, including: [0.5 credit at the A- or B-level in HIS or WST courses] and [0.5 credit at the C-level in HIS or WST courses]
Exclusion: HISD07H3
Recommended Preparation: HISB02H3 or HISB03H3 or WSTB06H3
Enrolment Limits: 15
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies

WSTD08H3 - Abolition Feminisms

During the historic protests of 2020, “Abolition Now” was a central demand forwarded by Black and queer-led social movements. But what is abolition? What is its significance as a theory of change, a body of scholarship, and as a practice? This course explores how leading abolitionist and feminist thinkers theorize the state, punishment, criminalization, the root causes of violence, and the meaning of safety. It explores the historical genealogies of abolitionist thought and practice in relation to shifting forms of racial, gendered and economic violence. Students will analyze the works of formerly enslaved and free Black abolitionists, prison writings during the Black Power Era as well as canonical scholarly texts in the field. A central focus of the course is contemporary abolitionist feminist thought. The course is conceptually grounded in Black and queer feminisms, and features works by Indigenous, South Asian women and other women of colour.

Prerequisite: [[WSTA03H3 and WSTB11H3] and [WSTB22H3 or WSTC26H3] and [1.0 additional credit in WST]] or [1.0 credit in WST and 6.0 credits in any other Humanities or Social Sciences discipline]
Recommended Preparation: HISB22H3/WSTB22H3, WSTC26H3
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies

WSTD09H3 - Race, Gender, and Islamophobia

An in-depth examination of Islamophobic discourses, practices and institutionalized discriminatory policies, and their impact on Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim. Themes include the relationship between Islamophobia, gender orientalism and empire; Islamophobic violence; Islamophobia in the media; the Islamophobia industry; the mobilization of feminism and human rights in the mainstreaming of Islamophobia. Equal attention will be paid to resisting Islamophobia through art, advocacy, and education.

Prerequisite: WSTB11H3 and 1.0 credit at the C-level from courses listed in requirements 5 and 6 of the Major program in Women's and Gender Studies
Recommended Preparation: ANTC80H3, RLG204H1 or NMC475H1
Enrolment Limits: 15
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies
Note: Priority will be given to students in the Major program in Women’s and Gender Studies

WSTD10H3 - The Power of Story for Social Change

With a focus on collecting and retelling complex stories of life in Scarborough and beyond, this applied research course introduces students to the theory, methods and practice of feminist oral history. This course involves conducting research in the community and the final project includes a digital component.

Prerequisite: 3.5 credits in WST courses, including: [WSTB05H3 and 0.5 credit at the C-level]
Exclusion: HISC28H3, HISD25H3, WSTC02H3 (Fall 2013), HISD44H3 (Fall 2013), CITC10H3 (Fall 2013)
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies
Course Experience: Partnership-Based Experience

WSTD11H3 - Special Topics in Women's and Gender Studies

An advanced and in-depth seminar dedicated to a topic relevant to Women’s and Gender Studies. Students will have the opportunity to explore recent scholarship in a specific content area, which will vary from year to year. Participation in a related project/practicum in the community may be incorporated into the course.

Prerequisite: WSTB11H3 and 1.0 credit at the C-level from the courses in requirement 5 or 6 of the Major program in Women's and Gender Studies
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies

WSTD16H3 - Socialist Feminism in Global Context

A comparative exploration of socialist feminism, encompassing its diverse histories in different locations, particularly China, Russia, Germany and Canada. Primary documents, including literary texts, magazines, political pamphlets and group manifestos that constitute socialist feminist ideas, practices and imaginaries in different times and places will be central. We will also seek to understand socialist feminism and its legacies in relation to other contemporary stands of feminism.
Same as HISD16H3
Transnational Area

Prerequisite: [1.0 credit at the B-level] and [1.0 credit at the C-level in HIS, WST, or other Humanities and Social Sciences courses]
Exclusion: HISD16H3
Enrolment Limits: 15
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies

WSTD30H3 - Gender and Techno-Orientalism

This course examines how popular culture projects its fantasies and fears about the future onto Asia through sexualized and racialized technology. Through the lens of techno-Orientalism this course explores questions of colonialism, imperialism and globalization in relation to cyborgs, digital industry, high-tech labor, and internet/media economics. Topics include the hyper-sexuality of Asian women, racialized and sexualized trauma and disability. This course requires student engagement and participation. Students are required to watch films in class and creative assignments such as filmmaking and digital projects are encouraged.
Same as GASD30H3

Prerequisite: [1.0 credit at the B-level] and [1.0 credit at the C-level in WST courses or other Humanities and Social Sciences courses]
Exclusion: GASD30H3
Enrolment Limits: 15
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies
Note: Priority will be given to students enrolled in the Major/Major Co-op and Minor programs Women’s and Gender Studies, and the Specialist, Major and Minor programs in Global Asia Studies. Additional students will be admitted as space permits.

WSTD46H3 - Selected Topics in Canadian Women's History

Weekly discussions of assigned readings. The course covers a broad chronological sweep but also highlights certain themes, including race and gender relations, working women and family economies, sexuality, and women and the courts. We will also explore topics in gender history, including masculinity studies and gay history.
Same as HISD46H3

Prerequisite: Any 8.0 credits, including: [0.5 credit at the A- or B-level in CLA, FST, GAS, HIS or WST courses] and [0.5 credit at the C-level in CLA, FST, GAS, HIS or WST courses]
Exclusion: HISD46H3
Recommended Preparation: HISB02H3 or HISB03H3 or HISB14H3 or WSTB06H3 or HISB50H3 or GASB57H3/HISB57H3 or HISC09H3 or HISC29H3
Enrolment Limits: 15
Breadth Requirements: History, Philosophy and Cultural Studies

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