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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Feminism and Social Justice by University of California, Santa Cruz

4.8
stars
5,989 ratings

About the Course

"Feminism and Social Justice" is an adaptation of Distinguished Professor Bettina Aptheker's long-running course at UC Santa Cruz. In the course, Professor Aptheker presents a broad definition of feminism that serves to frame three significant events in the history of feminism and social justice: the Empire Zinc strike of 1951, the 1971-1972 trial of Angela Davis, and the #metoo Movement....

Top reviews

SC

Apr 11, 2021

It was a wonderful introduction on the vast studies on Feminism abd Social Justice. It made desire to learn more and to study how feminism as a movement has operated in my country in the last century.

VK

Jul 16, 2021

The course gave me various insights and exposure to feminist and black struggles in the American polity. I could some leads from the lessons which might be useful to work on my future research papers.

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51 - 75 of 1,481 Reviews for Feminism and Social Justice

By Riya B

Oct 31, 2020

It was quite informative and comprehensible. I loved how the course included videos and information from the past which allowed me to connect the dots and understand the origins of various issues, the laws and policies that were formed and changed along with time and with different movements. Before taking the course, all I understood about feminism was "a movement demanding equality". This course has helped me broaden my horizon on the very concept of feminism, especially by introducing the concept of intersectionality and collective empowerment. I would definitely recommend this course to my friends and colleagues.

By Барташевич М І

May 17, 2020

This course realli inspired me. I am a philosophy student and the next year I am supposed to write my graduate work, but I had some problems with choosing the topic, because the theme of my bachelor`s work did not inspire me any more. So, it was some kind of creative crisis. But then I saw this course. Earlie I`ve been studying feminism and especially the famous work of Simone de Beauvoir The Second Sex, so I decided to join. And now I`m really thinking of choosing feminism for my graduate work. In conclusion I`d like to point out that this course is really easy to learn and I enjoyed it a lot. Thank you for that!:)

By Zainab R

Apr 7, 2020

I am so glad I was able to take this course and I wish more and more people would take it:

a) Dr Aptheker is a brilliant teacher—her lectures are coherent and she is very clear about what she is talking about. It was a delight to take this course from someone like who has been a part of such great movements.

b) It is an important course for anyone who is interested in feminism and social justice; it focuses on intersectionality, Dr Aptheker makes use of cases that we have heard of to go ahead with what she wants to talk about, the course looks through an interdisciplinary lens which makes it all the more interesting.

By Bryan A G B

Aug 2, 2020

Professor Aptheker is person who has a lot of knowledge and conscience about the topic, having studied it, practicing it and actually taken an active role in many of the most known famous feminist movements in the world. Her course was full of historic background, current issues and a lot of self-deconstruction about the way we live and think. This course focuses on feminism and social justice movements overall, treating every topic with respect and a big amount of awareness, since exact dates, facts, and quotes are brought to the conversation. I absolutely recommend this course made by Professor Aptheker.

By Jennifer S

Jun 27, 2020

Este curso respondió a una de mis pasiones y prinicipios y su construcción es impecable. La profesora Bettina Aptheker es una contadora de historias excepcional, su conocimiento del tema, su amabilidad y deseo de transmitir sus conocimientos y la consciencia social que implican, fueron importantes para el seguimiento y terminación del curso. Los temas son realmente interesantes y pertinentes. El curso está estructurado para enlazar correctamente el feminismo y la necesidad de que el mismo (o los mismos) sean o respondan a luchas sociales omnicomprensivas. Muchas gracias, lo disfruté y aprendí mucho.

By sofia b l

Aug 26, 2020

I loved the course! Im 16 years old and it really made me think and reflect on many many things and aspects of our society today. Bettina is an amazing woman and lecturer and I will for sure continue to research about her. If yo want to learn about feminism, social justice, the power of social movements, privilege, violence and so much more interesting topics this is your course. I really am thrilled to continue investigating and learn so much more about social justice after doing this course, so I really hope if your reading this you give it a chance because you are not going to regret it. :)

By Veronica N

Feb 2, 2020

I found this course to be incredibly interesting. The lectures were the right links and covered the right amount of detail. The instructor has a great deal of in-depth knowledge about the subject, and even first-hand knowledge. I liked the learning checks during the lecture, the discussion questions, and the quizzes. I especially liked that there was no writing required on my part. I have taken this course to familiarize myself with the subject and had there been a lot of writing involved, I would not have signed up. My life is too busy so this course is perfect as it is designed.

By Ajnabi K P

Jun 8, 2020

Social justice feminism is the practice of recognizing issues of oppression dealing with race, class, sexuality, and citizenship and challenging them through practice rather than theory. This form of feminism allows for a broader audience beyond the white middle aged women who began the movement. It actively fights racism and class privilege by “ensuring that those most affected by policies and practices are at the decision making table.” It advocates for more women of color in leadership roles and allows recognition for global gender justice and women's rights.

By Amy

Apr 18, 2023

I enjoyed this course, which examines feminism through an intersectional lens using key historical moments, such as the movement to free Angela Davis and the #metoo movement. My biggest takeaway was that feminism--as the collective empowerment of all women--is not possible until racism, colonialism, and other systems of oppression are ended. Also, the feminist movement must center Black women, who are the most marginalized. All of our freedom is bound up in the freedom of Black women, who Malcolm X called "the most disrespected person in America."

By Caroline k

Nov 17, 2020

i really like this course. no like is an understatement I love this course. The stories are so inspiring. not boring at all. It taught me the true meaning of feminism opened my eyes to how unfair this world is ,how many concepts we live on are entirely wrong. this difference btw man and women , between black and white, between classes is just a society abstract thriving for power while stumping on the weak.

i learned the relation between feminism, class, race ... Cause we cant reach a level of equality if some group of people cant get justice.

By Cemre A

Nov 29, 2020

Most of my life people called me "you are such an opposer" or "..such a feminist" in a very condescending way. I've always thought to myself "I am not a feminist because it is ridiculous to defend what I already have. It is like defending my right to blink". But I was in denial because people put so much negativity in the concept, made it sound like women are just being spoiled. This course gave me the courage to embrace feminism and understand it in a deeper level. And Prof. Aptheker is THE BEST. I am so glad I took this course.

By Eunice C

Jun 17, 2020

A very good course especially for someone who wants to learn more about feminism! What made it more interesting to watch is because of Prof. Aptheker; not only did she know what she was talking about, but she has experienced and gone through most of it, too, which made it more personal for her and somehow made me more engaged in the course. This experience was very enjoyable for me and I definitely learned a lot. It has opened my eyes into the various injustices that women face everywhere. I wish the course had been longer!

By Giovana G P

Aug 8, 2020

This course provided a lot of extremely important knowledge to educate me even better about the feminist movement and social justice, Professor Bettina Aptheker's explains in a very clear and intelligent way her ideas, explanations, incredible references in addition to her life stories that undoubtedly make part of the revolution that has been going on over the years. It was an honor to be able to participate, this course should be taught literally everywhere for everyone, thank you very much for this experience.

By Josephine-Frances E

Feb 1, 2023

I recommend this course with all my heart. Informative, invocative and involving, it provided a historical context for Feminism and the ongoing fight to acheive social justice for abused people - not only women, but also those experiencing racism.

Professor Apthker has an astounding amount of first-hand information about many of the most important instances in the fight for social justice in the USA over the past 60 years and shares her insights and experiences with such warmth, humour and critical analysis.

By Lisa H

Feb 25, 2020

The professor was very knowledgeable and did an excellent job of distilling a lot of complicated concepts into easily understandable parts. She is in command of the related historical concepts. Her presentation was organized and clear. I also found her to be very personable, with a great sense of humor (appropriately so). I also enjoyed the variety of topics covered and the specific examples that she used as the basis for her lectures. I would take another course taught by her without hesitation.

By Rodr�guez M D

Nov 24, 2020

Aprendí demasiados datos curiosos sobre el tema. Comprendí a profundidad el movimiento, sobre todo, entendí que el feminismo no es solo para mujeres, debido a que los actos contra los que van, nos perjudican a todos; en varios aspectos como racismo, homofobia, transfobia y clasismo. Recomiendo demasiado este curso, dice mucho sobre la historia de Estados Unidos, pero así entiendes cómo varios casos han influenciado a nuestro país (México). Agradezco a la maestra y soy su fan de ahora en adelante.

By Zheni Y

Oct 25, 2020

I found this course extremely insightful. I loved how it focused on the intersectionality of feminism and used historical examples to illustrate its main points. Professor Aptheker is an amazing teacher - I thoroughly enjoyed her way of telling stories, engaging not only the students in the classroom with her, but also those of us in front of our screens. Her first-hand experience with the presented events helped perceiving the explained problems as something universal that involves all of us.

By Avi

Jul 27, 2021

A Great course for those who want to gain both further understanding and examine this area through some exceptional case studies.

I found each week grew my core understanding of this area by providing new insights and areas I had not considered.

The Professor demonstrates deep knowledge and is very active in this field. So you get insights from someone who "Eats their own cooking" as they say.

Thank you Professor Bettina Aptheker for making the complex seem simple for a newbie such as myself.

By Francesca N

Mar 28, 2020

Brief but powerful. Intersectionality reveals to be an inevitable tool and method to look into only apparently separate struggles. I also appreciated the frequent references to historical facts, anecdotes, and personal stories, again not at all just personal, but rather loud enough to be inspiring and eye-opening about otherwise hidden patterns.

Would certainly recommend it, especially to those who are willing to challenge a stereotypical interpretation of feminism and feminist studies.

By Pamela V G

Nov 3, 2020

Excellent course, I wish it never had to end. I found every example very pertinent to the course and also remarkable for explaining feminism and social justice with an intersectional focus. I learned a lot and also I think it was a privilege to have Bettina Aptheker as our professor. It has encouraged me to follow feminist studies, it is a relevant issue for achieving social justice in our world. So thank you for this course, there should be more about the topic of gender and feminism.

By Navid S

Apr 6, 2019

This course is truly educational and inspirational. It gives the power of knowledge that is a necessary step in making any kind of change in our society. We owe it to ourselves to learn, increase our awareness and knowledge, before we can change and improve our society. The first step towards change is knowledge, which this course offers, the second step is to change our hearts. That part is our own responsibility. Thank you for the course, Dr. Aptheker, and the gift of the first step.

By Yanick F

Apr 6, 2022

Highly interesting course which discusses topics of the US history I have never been confronted with before. I learned a lot about political movements in the 20th century in the US and their protagonists. Professor Aptheker teaches in a calm and fascinating way. The course is easy to follow and you don't need much time to finish it. After finishing it, I was even more interested in the topics of feminsim and social justice and I am looking forward to read more about these topics.

By Amy A

Sep 16, 2020

I loved this course! I could not wait to log on to learn more from Prof. Bettina Aptheker. The pace of this course was perfect and I especially appreciated the careful balance of theory and application of feminist principles. Thank you Prof. Aptheker (and Coursera) for making this course available. I consider myself a feminist and advocate for vulnerable women, however I have never taken a Women's Studies course. Participating in this class has opened a new door for me. In power.

By Emily C

Jul 18, 2020

Weekly course topics were diverse and covered material and historical events that wouldn't necessarily be included in a typical introductory Women's Studies course. Lectures were accessible, but they provoked thought and listener engagement. Professor Aptheker's humor and personal anecdotes made me feel like I was inside the classroom. This was an interesting crash course in feminism and the intersections of gender-based oppressions with race, class, and other systems of power.

By Petey P

Jun 4, 2022

Excellent course - I highly recommend this course for anyone who is interested in social justice movements and how they have evolved throughout history. Dr. Athepler is a very good presenter of historic and current information and she has first hand knowlege of the events surrounding these important cases. I really enjoyed this course - thanks for providing this for FREE! It really piqued my interest and gave me a great perspective on how "women's rights are human rights".