Content:
This semester, we have discussed various approaches to understanding women’s relationship to, and
participation in, political violence. We have discussed the political motivations for several revolutionary
groups and their understanding of political violence and have placed them into a historical and political
context. We have also read and discussed feminist challenges to the justification of political violence. The
assignment of the final paper is an in-depth analysis of either the gender politics of one particular political
group that committed political violence; an analysis of a particular woman who was/is a member of a group
committing political violence, or an analysis of the debate on women and violence (“theory” paper).
Topic #1:
Pick a political group whose members were/are advocating and committing political violence as part of
their political agenda, and discuss them in terms of gender, using a feminist analytical lens. You can choose
either a group we have discussed in the course of the semester, or a group we did not cover. Either way,
make sure to provide a historical and political context for your discussion.
Topic #2:
Decide on a female member of a revolutionary group and discuss her participation in political violence.
You can choose either a woman we already discussed in the course of the semester or identify a woman
you would like to write on. You need to provide information on the group she participated in and create a
historical and political context for your discussion of the relevance of her gender in her political work.
When deciding on a group and/or a specific female figure, consider the information available on their
actions and their group dynamics (existing publications, mission statements and personal documents by
members of the group, memoirs etc.). For these two particular assignments, the more information is
available, the better for an in-depth analysis.
Topic #3:
You can also write your paper as a more general examination of women’s relationship to political violence.
Formulate an argument around women’s (historical) participation in political violence and develop and
support it throughout your paper. In your discussion, consider controversies around issues such as
masculinity and femininity in revolutionary identities, different concepts on the source of women’s
oppression and liberation, women’s relationship to nation and nationalism, the definition of feminism, and
women’s social role as mothers and primary caretakers.
2
If you would like to formulate a research topic not included in the three topics explained above, you
need to meet with me and discuss your ideas before you can decide on that particular focus.
Sources:
You can use any text we have covered this semester to substantiate your argument. I encourage you to use
the assigned readings as a departure point for your outside research for your paper (3-4 readings).
You need to incorporate at least five outside sources into your paper. These five sources cannot be from
the Internet, but should be texts from print media (i.e., academic journals). If you come across an online
journal, make sure it is peer-reviewed (usually edited through a university). The quality of your sources
will influence the quality of your research (ergo, your grade) – e.g., a thoroughly researched article in an
academic journal will give you different insights into the matter than a newspaper article. The sources also
need to be from different authors – several chapters in one book are considered one source.
You need to have a bibliography (works cited) at the end of your paper that lists every source that has
informed your analysis. Including your outside sources and texts we have covered in class you should be
drawing on 8-9 texts in your paper. Cite and/or quote your sources throughout your paper, so it is clear
what information you are collecting to build your argument, while ensuring that your voice (your argument)
remains distinct.
Format:
Standard format: 1-inch margins at top/bottom, and 1/1.25 left/right, 12 font, double spaced, page numbers,
course name and number, instructor’s name and date. Have a title for your paper – it sets up your reader
and helps you clarify what you are writing about.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/41675328.pdf?refreqid=fastly-default%3A9fbbe97a4c04a6a528baf54c05ecef0e&ab_segments=&origin=&initiator=&acceptTC=1
