WOMEN FIGHTING INJUSTICE: 5 FILMS

COURSE DESCRIPTION

It took until the ratification of the 19th amendment in 1920 for women in America to gain the right to vote, despite repeated calls for suffrage dating back over 70 years. In England it wasn’t till 1928 that all women over the age of 21, even those without property, could vote.  Women in the workplace have long faced discrimination in pay and conditions as well as discrimination based on race. Even worse, some women face physical and emotional abuse at the hands of spouses and others.

In this course we will discuss five fiction films from the US, England and Australia that depict historical examples of injustice towards women. These films feature groups of women who confront issues of suffrage, discrimination or abuse. But unlike a woman who acts alone to stand up for her rights, groups face internal issues of leadership, conflict, strategy, communication and access to resources, in order to mobilize and work effectively for their rights. 

Through guided class discussion supplemented with additional material, we will explore group dynamics of protest as well as the historical events depicted in each film.