Personal Learning Goals

PERSONAL LEARNING GOALS FOR HUM-410/WGS-491

     Coming into college, I had already declared Women & Gender Studies (WGS) as my major; and after success in a philosophy course and encouragement from an instructor, I chose to double major with a Philosophy degree. I quickly discovered that both of the disciplines are multi-faceted and demand deep critical thought about societal norms and how the individual experiences them.

      WGS is an area of study that allows you to recognize then dissolve society's guidelines for behavior based on a person's biological make up. I was taught to separate the concepts of sex and gender and view them both as individual experiences not to be categorized or defined. I've found it comes naturally to accept the idea of the spectrum of gender, defiance of gender roles, and feminist ideologies. I have begun thoroughly analyzing media and daily experiences through a feminist lens but have found, from this, that my weakness is ceasing to participate in sexist and gender restrictive behavior. Whether it's laughing at a joke, enjoying an show, or tolerating inappropriate behavior from others, I've found it difficult to completely break away from once seemingly harmless practices that perpetuate sexism.

      Philosophy, much like WGS, is an area of study with an incredible history that can be applied to every aspect of people's lives. I've learned how intricate the human experience is and the different ways we cope with existance. The critical thinking philosophy promotes is invaluable. Being able to pinpoint key ideologies in play in the world allows me to analyze where our behaviors come from and predict what direction we are moving in as a society. A weakness of mine in regards to the discipline of philosophy is being motivated to study the types of philosophies I am not particularly interested in. It is imperative, as a student of philosophy, to attempt to actively participate in every truth in order to understand your fellow human and to find your own. I need to take steps towards a full, rounded understanding of the ideologies of those I try so hard to reject.

      My goals for the course revolve heavily on fully understanding my studies through other humanities lenses, especially historical and literary frameworks. I strive to learn from my peers about topics I have studied from a strict feminist lens. It's also important to my learning to share with others my knowledge of the topics and to then collaborate with my peers on new ideas and outlooks based on their experiences with the subjects. I look forward to expanding my method of understanding to include new and effective tactics. Being surrounded with other students who are experienced in their respective disciplines and given the chance to exchange ideas is extremely excited and I'm looking forward to it!