Women’s Biographies

general courses

The focus in this course is on the multi-faceted (sociological, educational, historical and literary) analysis of the biographies and autobiographies of women. The starting point is to discuss the methodology of biographical research. Then - the category of herstory. Herstory refers to the recognition of women's history; it is focus on the narrative from the perspective of women. The main issues relate to the women’s identity and reflexivity. There will be a discussions about selected examples of female’s figures in mythology, religion, literature, history and science. In the area of interest will be also stories of women -prisoners. An important task will be to study the biographies of women in pop-culture and public discourse.

The course consists of subjects of the different aspects of the women’s biographies. Its nature is interdisciplinary and includes 3 main issues:

Methodology of biographical research;

Women’s biographies and figures in traditional perspective;

Women’s biographies and figures in pop-culture and public discourse.

The aims of the course are:

Introducing into the area of biography research, especially into the area of women’s biographies research;

Description of the basic ideas, concepts and authors of women’s biographies and histories.

The so called dense reading; learning the comprehending the text and auto-biographical.

The course consists of the themes:

1. Introduction to the program, presentation of the main issues and literature. 2. Biography and autobiography. Biographical research.

3. Stories of women: HERstory. Biographical history of women's writing.

4. The first biographies of women: the stories of the saints. Religion and biography. The main figures of women in religion (martyr, mystic, sinner).

5. Historical biographies. Key figures in the history of female (queen, witch, muse, feminist).

6. Journals and diaries as the main species of female writing. Analysis of selected female writings.

7. Imaginary biographies - can you create yourself?

8. Biographies of “Radicals” - Prison stories.

9. Biography and the discourse of pop-culture.

10. Summary.

Literatura polskojęzyczna:

Bell Q., Virginia Woolf. Biografia, przeł. M. Lavergne, Twój Styl, Warszawa 2004.

Borkowska G., Czermińska M., Phillips U., Pisarki polskie od średniowiecza do współczesności. Przewodnik, Gdańsk 2000.

Czapliński P., Kobiety i duch tożsamości, "Opcje" 2003, nr 3.

Croce G., Geniusz kobiecy. Duchowość kobiety od średniowiecza po dziś, Kraków 2011.

Darska B., Głosy kobiet. Prasa feministyczna po roku 1989 wobec tożsamości i dyskursu, Olsztyn 2009.

Donimirski A., Kobiety z mitów i legend, Katowice 1988.

Janion M., Kobiety i duch inności, Warszawa 1996.

Kłosińska K., Miniatury. Czytanie i pisanie „kobiece”, Katowice 2006.

Lalak D., Życie jako biografia. Podejście biograficzne w perspektywie pedagogicznej, Warszawa 2010.

Perrot M., Moja historia kobiet, przeł. M. Szafrańska-Brandt, PAX 2009.

Runyan W.M., Historie życia a psychobiografia, przeł. J. Kasprzewski, Warszawa 1992.

Zębala A., Problem autobiografii kobiecej w studiach genderowych, "Ruch Literacki" 2005, nr 6.

Burzyńska A., Markowski M. P. (red.), Teorie literatury w XX wieku. Antologia, Kraków 2006.

Czermińska M. (red.), Autobiografia, Gdańsk 2009.

Iwasiów I. (red.) Prywatne/publiczne. Gatunki pisarstwa kobiecego, Szczecin 2008.

Literatura anglojęzyczna:

Heilbrun C., Writing a Woman's Life, New York 1989.

Maynes M.-Jo Pierce J.L., Laslett B. (red.), Telling Stories: The Use of Personal Narratives in the Social Sciences and History, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY 2008.

Meyer Ch., Oberman M. (red.), When Mothers Kill: Interviews from Prison, NYU Press, New York 2008.

Smith S., Watson J. (red.), Reading Autobiography: Interpreting Life Narratives, University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, 2010.

Ohm D. (red.), Herstory: Women Who Changed the World, New York 1995.

Źródła internetowe:

Women’sStudies: http://womensstudies.homestead.com/herstory.html

After the faculty student:

KNOWLEDGE

1. Has got a basic knowledge related to biographical research methodology and history of women.

2. Can critically read and interpret texts (so-called dense reading).

3. Recognizes and discusses the key concepts and conditions that constitute the phenomenon of women’s biographical writing.

SKILLS

1. Can search and use materials which extend the knowledge already learned during the course.

2.Can present her/his opinions in a creative and independent way; can argue "for" and "against" on the basis of empirical considerations.

SOCIAL SKILLS

1.Acquire skills of cooperation and communication.

2.Can perform a presentation on given subject.

3.Can criticize the presented contents.

4.Recognizes and respects diversity of opinions.

The student is required to write an essay on one of the topics from the list presented during the classes (items 3 - 9 of the sylabus).

The subject of the essay (along with the references - at least one item) should be submitted no later than by 30 Novemeber and approved by the teacher.

The essay should be based on the references collected by the student himself/herself, but after consultation with the teacher.

The form of the essay should be original and meet the basic requirements of scientific work (references, footnotes). The essay should not be shorter than 3 pages and not longer than 6 pages A4 (TimesNewRoman, 12 font). Essays written in a different format and without applying these rules will not be assessed. After the faculty student:

KNOWLEDGE

1. Has got a basic knowledge related to biographical research methodology and history of women. And recognizes the key concepts and conditions that constitute the phenomenon of women’s biographical writing.

SKILLS

1. Independent, creative and critical approach to the use of didactic aids and the materials (literature, bibliography, empirical examples), which expand the knowledge already learned during the course.

2. Independent, creative and critical presentation of her/his arguments and comments.

SOCIAL SKILLS

1. The activity to plan her/his actions and research ideas.

2. Cooperation to work in the group; correct linguistic communication.