group of students waving pride flags

Acquire a deeper understanding of social justice
Tad Andracki
Student Spotlight

Grappling difficult questions

"I loved that GWS allowed me to grapple with difficult questions—questions about identity, justice, modernity—with the support of people with a dazzling depth and breadth of knowledge across disciplines." GWS Alumn Tad Andracki
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illustrated reproductive justice banner

Repro Justice Micro-Syllabus

Learn more about reproductive activism through a collection of teaching materials on Reproductive In/Justice from our faculty. These resources will continue to be updated.

paste-up of Jenny Holzer quote "abuse of power comes as no surprise"

Gender, Race, and Power

Learn how ideas about race and gender have been developed over time and used to both maintain and question systems of power. Addresses institutions such as law, media, education, workplaces, and medicine to examine how power is used to oppress, and how seemingly powerless groups work to create change.
Galindo Coatlicue + State

Latinx Feminisms

This class focuses on the complexities of Latinx feminist thought and practice. Students will engage topics including anti-Blackness, colonization, gender-based violence, reproductive justice, artivism, and more.

march with banner reading "Third World Women: We Cannot Live Without Our Lives"

Feminist & Queer Activisms

From anti-lynching campaigns to Black Lives Matter, Wages for Housework to domestic worker organizing, and ACT UP to queer migration politics, this class examines the histories and principles of feminist, queer, and anti-racist social movements.

Pete Railand art showing students reading and text "dream empower question study"

Internship Course

The GWS Internship class helps students apply knowledge from their GWS courses to the real world, while also honing skills relevant to their future careers. Students get meaningful hands-on experience by working on a project for a local organization while earning academic credit for the GWS program.
four women of color wearing shirts saying Kitchen Table Press

Feminist & Gender Theory

This class addresses key debates in contemporary feminisms and considers different theorizations of gender as they are lived, embodied, and performed. Students will learn the foundational concepts and interventions of feminist theory and develop their ability to apply theoretical arguments to current social and political issues.
Daily Illini clipping: Gay Awareness Week, May 4-9, 1986

Locating Queer Culture

This class teaches students hands-on research methods including oral history and archival research, while also exploring the rich legacy of queer culture and activism at the University of Illinois. Students will build their own original research projects that contribute to the archives of queer history on our campus.