This course introduces students to the critical analysis of Asian American women’s literary, artistic, and cultural production representing a range of genres and mediums: cultural history, autobiography, legal scholarship, stand-up comedy, short fiction, visual art, and video documentary. Topics we may explore include the following: the linkages between gender and race; the relation between memory, story, and history; femininity and the family; sex and desire; violence inside and outside of the home; mixed heritage; homophobia; and immigrant experiences. This course also emphasizes the development of students’ expository writing skills.

Course requirements: an oral presentation, several 1-2 page responses, the development of a research project (annotated bibliography and a 4-6 page paper), and a final exam.