Childhood Sexual Abuse: A Multidisciplinary Investigation ISIS 3310-001 Professor Dr.

Tonja Wissinger Term Fall 2011 Meetings TR 1:00-2:15 CB 1.202

Course

Professors Contact Information

972-883-2814 n/a HH 2.804 twissin@utdallas.edu TR 10:30-11:30 and by appointment. Additional information will be provided on the first day of class and Other Information throughout the semester.
Office Phone Other Phone Office Location Email Address Office Hours

General Course Information

Pre-requisites, Corequisites, & other restrictions

No prerequisites The past is not dead. In fact, its not even past. William Faulkner We didnt start the fire. It was always burnin since the worlds been turning. Billy Joel The statistics are alarming. Most experts estimate that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 8 boys have had sexual contact with an adult before the age of eighteen. Most of the adult abusers are known to the child; many are family friends and/ or relatives. In this course, we will examine childhood sexual abuse in America using multiple cultural forms: psychiatry, fiction, drama, film, news stories, and television. Additionally, we will consider how the definitions of sexual abuse have evolved and changed from the late 1800's to the 21st century.

Course Description

1. Students will be able to describe three or more myths about sexual abuse and be able to provide accurate information to correct those myths. 2. Students will be able to analyze representations of perpetrators Learning Outcomes and abuse victims in the mass media, film, and literary works. 3. Students will be able to analyze how social class, marital status, race, age, and sexual orientation intersect with gender in the cultural representations of abuse victims and their abusers..

Required Texts & Materials

Dora: An Analysis of a Case of Hysteria Sigmund Freud The Annotated Lolita Vladimir Nabokov The Bluest Eye Toni Morrison Doubt: A Parable John Patrick Shanley Additional readings will be available online.
n/a

Suggested Texts, Readings, & Materials

Assignments & Academic Calendar

[Topics, Reading Assignments, Due Dates, Exam Dates]

Re: Written assignments The assignments will be explained on the specified day and discussed throughout the semester. **All written assignments must be well organized, free of spelling and grammatical errors, and printed in a 12-14 font. EVERYTHING (yes, everything!) must be double-spaced. Handwritten work will not be accepted. Do not e-mail the written assignments to me without permission. Re: Assigned readings I require that students complete the assigned readings prior to class. Come prepared to discuss the readings. I require each student to submit two discussion questions for each assigned reading.

**This schedule is subject to modification.

Aug 25

R Introduction

Aug. 30/Sept 1

TR Lecture: What We (think we) Know About Sexual Abuse. *The Self-Study will be assigned on Tuesday.

Sept. 6 & 8

Freud and Friends T Lecture: Overview of Freuds Seduction Theory *The Self-Study is due. Come prepared to discuss. R The Suppression of the Seduction Theory. Reading: The Aetiology of Hysteria T Reading: Dora, pp. 7-81. R Reading: Dora, pp. 81-157.

Sept. 13 & 15

Sept. 20 & 22

T *Analytic response essay (Freud) is due. Come prepared to discuss. **Online Investigation is assigned. R Discussion: Youve Got the Cutest Babyface: Shirley Temple, the Little Rascals, and pageant tots. **Online Investigation is due. .

Sept. 27 & 29

Lolita and Other Nymphets T Lolita, pp. 3-105 (Skip the Introduction). R Lolita, pp. 105-209.

T Lolita, pp. 209-309 & Introduction. Oct, 4 & 6 R Lecture: Lolitas Sister, Selena: Adventures in Peyton Place. Reading: handout or online reading. **Online Investigation is assigned.

T Long Island Lolita: Finding Amy Fisher. Reading: Lolita Misrepresented, Lolita Reclaimed by Patnoe. *Brief description of your online investigation is due along with your discussion questions Oct. 11 & 13 R *Analytic response essay (Lolita) is due. Come prepared to discuss. **Proposals, final projects, and oral presentations will be discussed

Oct. 18 & 20

Quiet As Its Kept Race and Class. T Morrison, pp. 1-93. R Morrison, pp. 97-205 & Afterword.

T Film Oct. 25 & 27 R Film **Proposals are due.

Nov. 1 & 3

T Readings: Short Stories by Dorothy Allison. R *Analytic response essay (race and class) is due. Come prepared to discuss. **Online Investigation is assigned. Boys: The Forgotten Victims T Discussion: Boy Scouts and Altar Boys **Online Investigation is due.

Nov. 8 & 10 R Reading: Doubt: A Parable by Shanley. *Analytic response essay (abused boys) is due. Come prepared to discuss. Nov. 15 & 17 From Lolita to Laura Palmer and Beyond TR Lecture: Madwomen and Trauma Victims. Online Investigation is assigned. T Discussion: Kids Can Be So Cruel: The Harm They Do To Each Other. **Online Investigation is due. R Happy Thanksgiving!

Nov. 22 & 24

Nov. 29/ Dec. 1

M Oral Presentations W Oral Presentations

Dec. 6

R Oral Presentations

Dec. 9
Course Policies

Final papers are due in my office before 5:00 pm. Remember to submit your paper to turnitin.com. Self-Study 10% Analytic Response Essays 10% each (40% total) Attendance and Class Participation (includes discussion questions and online investigations) 20%. Research Project (includes a one page proposal and brief oral presentation) 30%. . Extensions for assignments will only be given in unusual circumstances and at my discretion. There will be no extra credit work. No exceptions. Late work will receive a substantially lower grade.

Grading (credit) Criteria

Make-up Exams Extra Credit Late Work

Special n/a Assignments Remember that attendance, class participation, and classroom citizenship (see section below) constitutes 20% of your course grade. Class participation means arriving on time, contributing to discussions, and submission of discussion questions. Bring your Class textbooks, notebook paper, and a pen to each class session. Attendance *If you are unable to attend class, you are responsible for obtaining the lecture notes from another class member. *Attendance will be taken during each class session Missing class will have an adverse effect on your final grade.

Technology Policy: Cell phones must be silenced during class. I do not want to see them or hear them (absolutely no texting). Please, no laptops or ear devices. Violation of this policy will affect your grade. Classroom Classroom Conduct: I expect students to be attentive during class. Citizenship Please, no eating or sleeping! Additionally, reading newspapers, magazines, or studying for another class will not be tolerated. During discussions, I expect students to be respectful of the views of others. No name-calling, swearing, or racist/sexist/homophobic statements. Common courtesy is appreciated. Also, if you are having a problem with another student, please discuss it with me. These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor. For additional syllabi policies: http://go.utdallas.edu/syllabus-policies