Global Women Leaders: Past and Present

This course will introduce students to global women's history, and focus on the emergence of women political leaders in the 20th century. We will begin by looking at the history of patriarchy around the world, and then consider the growth of feminist politics. We will look at movements for women's self-determination in the 19th and 20th centuries, and women's emergence as national political leaders in the 20th century. We then focus on a series of global women leaders, primarily heads of state, and explore their biographies and historical contributions. What conditions have permitted women to emerge as heads of state in the 20th century? Have women made a distinctive contribution as heads of state and political activists? In addition to lectures and discussions, class meetings include viewing several films.