This course will introduce you to the discipline of Women's Studies. We will employ a multicultural/interdisciplinary/experiential approach to address a number of questions: How does our culture define women and men? How do images of women and men in media shape our behavior? What roles do our ideas about gender play in the institutions of family, sexuality, health, work and politics? What can we learn about women, women·s lives, and a gendered culture through service learning, and how can we help to empower community members—both children and adults--as we learn? How do we conduct research in Women·s Studies? Strong emphasis will be placed on developing critical literacy skills and the ability to analyze power relations in a creative, safe and stimulating environment.