My interest in this class, and the track in general, relates more readily to the "gender" aspect than the "women" part. Gender politics and discourse inform everything, and I don't believe that in focusing on that, rather than the empowerment of women through a history from their point of view(s), we take any power away from women in the discussion in the process. However, in researching the pitfalls of the gendered experience, male or female, I think that I, on a personal level, can begin to understand the motives inherent in the separatism that people create when examining the genders even today.
I considered a minor in Entrepreneurship because I plan to attend culinary school and obtain a second bachelor's not long after finishing here, with the eventual goal of owning my own bakery or restaurant, but I'm terrible at anything related to math or finance and didn't feel like being graded on something I could probably do much better at teaching myself or outsourcing to someone with a different skill set, but I digress. Because of all of this, my primary research goal is in w0men and entrepreneurship, specifically the roadblocks involved in obtaining small business loans in a banking system that often still employs quite a bit of institutionalized patriarchy. I'm not sure if this is a practical goal, at least regarding the field research aspect, in which case there are a number of other women's issues that interest (or infuriate) me in equal measure. This is only my initial idea because it most readily informs my own personal concerns.
Extensive scholarly research, especially using databases, is not something I'm particularly well-versed in, though I have written lengthy term papers in the past for English and Philosophy, so I plan to use this class as a jumping off point for developing those skills. While the prospect of going to graduate school is becoming increasingly less likely, I would like to do some 5000 level graduate seminars next year, and obviously, scholarly research will be imperative at that level.
I have read, understand, and agree to the terms of the course syllabus and the blogging protocols.
