STUDY GROUP LEADER Kate (Ehrlich) Seideman (katee1248@gmail.com)
TIME Wednesday, 11:10 - 12:35
DATES September 10 - October 8
PLACE 60 Turner St, Waltham (BOLLI)
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.
All the films in this course deal with issues of Justice and Fairness in one way or another.
What does Justice mean to you?
Have you ever felt that you were treated unfairly at work or other settings?
Read the background, watch the film, read/view the homework
Think about the key questions posed each week
Engage in discussion - we are learning together
Listen to others and respect their comments
Try to support your comments by referring to details from the film or your reading
Kate Seideman (Ehrlich) grew up in Melbourne, Australia. She went to college (undergraduate and graduate) in England before moving to America for post-doctoral research. Since coming to Boston she has worked in research or early product development for several large high tech companies addressing issues of collaboration and ease-of-use. She has been a BOLLI member for over 8 years. She is currently a member of the BOLLI SGSC and co-leader of the Membership Committee. She previously taught Strong Women: Five Australian Films.