MALA 61023: The Abortion Debate
3 semester hours, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas
June 3-July 5, 2013 (online course)
Instructor: Charles Bellinger c.bellinger@tcu.edu 817-257-7668
Prerequisites: none.
Description of Content: Abortion has been a
highly controversial subject in American culture since the 1960s, and it will
likely remain so for the foreseeable future. This course will examine this
complex issue from various angles: medical, psychological, philosophical,
legal, and religious.
Course Objectives:
1. To introduce students to the key aspects of the contemporary debate about
abortion.
2. To provide an opportunity for students to develop and articulate their
thinking on abortion.
Course procedures:
1. Online discussions of essays, books, and web sites.
Requirements and grading:
1. Online participation (60%). Students will post responses to the reading
assignments 4-5 days each week. Participation will receive a letter grade each
week. Higher grades will be earned through demonstrating the ability to
understand the reading assignments accurately and respond to their arguments in
a substantive way. Being able to dialogue with other students in the class
respectfully and with philosophical maturity will be valued, but the grading
will focus more on the responses to the readings.
2. Position paper (40%). (10-12 pages; research beyond the course assignments
is not required or expected)
3. Grading scale:
| A = 94-100 | A- = 87-93 | B+ = 79-86 | B = 71-78 | B- 62-70 | C+ = 46-53 | C = 46-53 | C- = 38-45 |
Texts:
Baird, Robert M., and Stuart E. Rosenbaum, eds. The Ethics of Abortion:
Pro-Life vs. Pro-Choice. 3rd ed. Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books, 2001.
ISBN: 1573928763 $24*
["Baird" in reading assignments below]
Johnson,
Abby. Unplanned: The Dramatic True Story of the Former Planned Parenthood
Leader Who Crossed the Life Line to Fight for Women in Crisis. Carol
Stream, Ill.: Tyndale, 2011. ISBN: 1414339402 $12*
["Johnson"]
Wicklund,
Susan. This Common Secret: My Journey As an Abortion
Doctor. New York: Public Affairs, 2007. ISBN: 1586486470 $11*
["Wicklund"]
*these
are list prices; books can often be obtained for less through various vendors.
There
will be additional readings and videos assigned by the instructor.
|
week |
essays
in books |
web
sites |
online
essays |
|
Week
1
Cultural / Psychological Perspectives |
Baird, Introduction, ch. 2 (Messer-May)
Wicklund, 1-127 |
Jennifer
Baumgardner, ed. Abortion & Life. 78-80, 111-113, 119-125. Mathewes-Green,
Real Choices, pages 85-99
Swope,
Paul. “Abortion: A Failure to Communicate,” First Things 82 (April
1998): 31–35. |
|
|
Week
2
Feminist and Medical Perspectives |
Baird,
ch. 1 (Selzer), 14-15 Wicklund, 128-248 |
I'm
Not Sorry.net: Celebrating the Right to Choose Feminists
for Life of America http://www.feministsforlife.org/
|
Ellen
Willis, "Putting Women Back in the Abortion Debate" http://lib.tcu.edu/staff/bellinger/abortion/Ellen_Willis.pdf
Juli
Loesch Wiley, "Solidarity and Shalom"
Bernard
Nathanson, excerpts from The Hand of God, 54-62, 187-196. Lisa
Harris, "Second Trimester Abortion Provision: Breaking the Silence and
Changing the Discourse," Reproductive Health Matters 16 (2008):
74-81. Gosnell trial articles |
|
Week
3
Moral and Religious Arguments |
Baird, ch. 16-17 (Leber-Maguire), 21-23 (Thomson-Wilcox-Warren) Johnson,
1st half of book |
Religious
Coalition for Reproductive Choice
LifeSite News |
Alberto Guibilini and
Francesca Minerva. "After-birth abortion: why should the baby live?" Francis Beckwith.
“'Potential Persons' in the 'After-Birth Abortion' Article" Norma
McCorvey [Jane Roe], excerpts from Won by Love http://lib.tcu.edu/staff/bellinger/abortion/McCorvey.pdf
Bellinger,
Charles K. "Questions on Abortion and the Struggle Against
Tyranny." |
|
Week
4
Moral and Legal Arguments |
Baird, ch. 7 (Roe), 9 (Casey), 11 (McConnell) Johnson,
2nd half of book |
National
Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League National Right to Life Committee http://www.nrlc.org/ |
George McKenna. "On Abortion: A Lincolnian Position." Atlantic Monthly 276, no. 3 (Sept. 95): 51-68. http://lib.tcu.edu/staff/bellinger/abortion/McKenna.pdf William Brennan. "Specifying the Abortion-Holocaust Connections." Robert Weisbord. “Legalized Abortion and the Holocaust: An Insulting Parallel.” The Jewish Veteran (1982). Jacob Neusner. "Israel's Holocaust." Christianity Today (Oct. 26, 1998). |
|
Week
5
Overview |
position paper due July 2 Baird, ch. 25-26 (Callahan-Marquis) intra-class debate
|
|
Bernadette Waterman Ward. “Abortion as a
Sacrament: Mimetic Desire and Sacrifice in Sexual Politics.” Contagion
7 (2000):18–35. |
Texas
Christian University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 regarding students with
disabilities. Eligible students seeking accommodations should contact the
Coordinator for Students with Disabilities in the Center for Academic Services
located in Sadler Hall, 11. Accommodations are not retroactive, therefore,
students should contact the Coordinator as soon as possible in the term for
which they are seeking accommodations. Further information can be obtained from
the Center for Academic Services, TCU Box 297710, Fort Worth, TX 76129, or at
(817) 257-7486.
Charles
Bellinger's home page: http://lib.tcu.edu/staff/bellinger/cbhome.htm