Syllabus

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NOTE: ASSIGNMENTS ARE LISTED HERE ON THE DAY ASSIGNED, NOT THE DAY DUE. UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED, ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE DUE BEFORE THE START OF THE NEXT CLASS

 

 

Course Objectives:

Required Texts, Videos, and Materials Readings for this course are available directly from this web syllabus or digitally and for free through the course's Blackboard site in the "content" folder. This syllabus will indicate where you can find each reading. There are no required materials beyond having what you need to take notes each class. A reliable high-speed internet connection will make the class more convenient, but it is not required as you can use the computers at school if you plan carefully.

Policies and Grades

Class policies are available from Handouts
Grade breakdown is available from Grades

 

Required Out-of-Class Campus Talks on Sex Work (10/08 - 11/05) you must attend one of the four book series talks between 10/08 - 11/05 on campus. We have no class on 10/23 to compensate for the time you will spend at your chosen talk. Unless you attend the 10/22 talk (and use details from that talk in your essay that week) you will also have to write a summary of the talk you attend. Details to be discussed in class and circulated by e-mail. (this assignment works towards learning outcome 5)

 

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Unit 1:

Debates and Definitions

CLASS 1 Thursday 8/28:

Introduction to the class; signing of contracts

assigned viewing due 9/02: Live Nude Girls Unite! (2000)

This is only the trailer to film. It is NOT sufficient for doing the homework!

To watch the film, you will have to create a free two week subscription to fandor.com.

Once you have created your free two-week subscription, you can watch the film directly here.

I've also left 3 copies on reserve at the John Jay Library

(you need only watch the first 58 minutes of the film)

assigned reading due by classtime on 9/02: edited excerpt from the Boston Review's review of Melissa Gira Grant's Playing the Whore: The Work of Sex Work. Edited excerpt for the assignment available here.

Want to Know More?
Grant is a former sex worker and argues that debates about sex work far too often exclude the opinion of sex workers like herself. You might want to check out this interview (left) with her from the Vice network.

 

assigned writing due by classtime through blackboard on 9/02: hw1

 

(again, this is not the video you need to watch for homework)

 

If you forget how to submit assignments through blackboard, see here

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 2)

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CLASS 2: Tuesday 9/02

There is no grade for this assignment, but if you don't submit your completed training certificate (see assignment) you can not submit any other assignments in this class

Because aspects of this class includes research involving humans, this research--by law--must follow certain ethical criteria in oder to protect the rights and welfare of human subjects. Among these are requirements that all researchers (and in this class, that's YOU!) get trained and certified in the ethics of such research. Training is easy, free, and done online. And your certification lasts five years, so doing it now will save you time in future classes that feature research.

 

assigned homework due by classtime on 9/04: citi certification hw

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CLASS 3: Thursday 9/04

assigned reading due by classtime on 9/09: pp. 3- 7 (stop at the top of p. 7) of R. Weitzer, Legalizing Prostitution: From Illicit Vice to Lawful Business (available from our Blackboard website under "contents")

Does All This Writing Stuff Matter in the Real World? Only if you want a job! See this study (pdf file) explaining why MOST employers either require or prefer to hire candidates who have writing skills and often test for them.

assigned writing due by classtime through blackboard on 9/09: questions on pp. 3 – 7 of Legalizing Prostitution & introduction to Claim/Evidence/Warrant

Note that students who get a 92/100 or above on this hw and the next will be allowed one additional absence for the semester (so, 4 instead of 3)

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 2)

A FRITZ SUGGESTION: At 15% of your semester grade, HWs 2 is the most important homeworks of the course. It worth 15% not because it is long (it isn't) but because the assignments help you develop a skill you will use for the rest of the semester and I want you to give the homework the care and attention that it merits. That's also why I reward students who get a 92/100 or above on both assignments (see above)

 

Deposit due for Thursday's 9/11 optional evening (6:10 pm) extra-credit kayaking field trip

The field trip is entirely optional and completely FREE But to make sure that those who sign up for the trip and so reserve one of the limited number of spaces do actually show up for the kayaking, I will take a $10 deposit. I will return the entirety of your deposit when we launch so that if you kayak the trip will cost you nothing. Those who don't show up, sadly, will forfeit their deposit. I will distribute forfeited funds to the kayakers.

 

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CLASS 4: Tuesday 9/09

assigned reading due 9/11: pp. 7-21 of R. Weitzer, Legalizing Prostitution: From Illicit Vice to Lawful Business (available from our Blackboard website under "contents")

assigned writing due by classtime through blackboard on 9/11: questions on pp. 7-21 of Legalizing Prostitution and continuation of claim/evidence/warrant exercises.

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 2)

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Unit 2: The Nineteenth Century

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HISTORY: LEARNING FROM THE PAST AND SETTING THE STAGE

CLASS 4: Thursday 9/11

Last Year' Class Kayaking Trip 9/11/13

assigned reading due 9/16: two readings: (1) Goode and Ben-Yehuda, Moral Panics: The Social Construction of Deviance, pp. 1-8 (you can skip section on Brazil and stop reading at "sexual psychopath laws"); (2)Timothy J. Gilfoyle, City of Eros: New York City, Prostitution, and the Commercialization of Sex, 1790 - 1920. pp. 29-36 & pp. 53-54.

Both readings (1 & 2) are available on our blackboard site under "content"

assigned writing due by classtime through blackboard on 9/16: questions on readings 1 & 2

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 2)

Optional evening (6:10 pm) kayak trip down Manhattan's West Side (weather permitting; 9/18 rain date) and lecture on New York docks and organized crime in the 1950s. The trip is free but open only to the first 9 students who sign up for it and requires a $10 deposit--the full deposit will be returned to you when we launch. Details announced in class. Students who take an optional quiz at the end of the trip will receive extra-credit class participation points Deposit due 9/04 in class.

HELP ON THE READING! I've put together a glossary of words, concepts, and phrases from the reading that might be confusing to you. See here.

 

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CLASS 5: Tuesday 9/16

assigned reading due 9/18: City of Eros, pp. 55 - 75 (really only 16 pages) (available on Blackboard under "content")

assigned writing due by classtime through blackboard on 9/18: questions on reading

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 2)

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CLASS 6: Thursday 9/18

assigned reading due 9/23: (yes, there is no class that day but there's still HW due at THE END OF CLASS TIME) City of Eros, pp. 119 - 142 (but skip pp. 135 - 138 )

assigned writing due by THE END OF CLASS TIME through blackboard on 9/23: questions on City of Eros, pp. 119 - 142 (the questions will take about 20% more time than usual, but the assignment is due at the END of class time to give you an extra 90 minutes to complete the homework).

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 2)

National Police Gazette A drawing titled “The Genius of Advertising” from an 1880 issue of the National Police Gazette shows men outside a brothel gazing at pictures of some of the attractions awaiting them inside. (from the New York Times)

 

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Tuesday 9/23

NO CLASS, BUT HW DUE AT THE END OF CLASS TIME AND HW ASSIGNED DUE 9/25

assigned reading due 9/25: (yes, there is no class that day but there's still HW due at THE END OF CLASS TIME) City of Eros, pp. 161 - 172

assigned writing due by THE END OF CLASS TIME through blackboard on 9/25: questions on reading

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 2)

(this homework requires viewing adult material; if you have registered as a "no adult material" student, please contact me for an alternate question)

 

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Thursday 9/25

NO CLASS, BUT HW DUE AT THE END OF CLASS TIME AND HW ASSIGNED DUE 9/30

assigned writing due by class time through blackboard on 9/30: paper 1 (hw 8)

NOTICE: OPTIONAL EXTRA-CREDIT EVIDENCE CHART DUE SUNDAY 9/28 at 10:30 AM THROUGH BLACKBOARD. IF YOU DO THIS EVIDENCE CHART ASSIGNMENT NOT ONLY WILL YOU GET AN EXTRA 5% ON YOUR UPCOMING ESSAY, YOU WILL GET FEEDBACK FROM ME ON THE STRUCTURE OF YOUR ARGUMENT AND YOUR EVIDENCE. THIS FEEDBACK WILL PROBABLY DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE YOUR GRADE. SEE HERE FOR DETAIL. I WILL AIM TO GET ALL OF THE FEEDBACK ON THIS OPTIONAL HW BACK TO YOU BY MONDAY AT NOON.

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 2)

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Unit 3: The Twentieth Century

CLASS 7: Tuesday 9/30

assigned reading due 10/02: Elizabeth Clement, Love for Sale: Courting, Treating, and Prostitution in New York City, 1900-1945 (available on Blackboard under "content") (pp. 76 - 98 but skip pp. 81-86, pick up again at "The Lesons Learned in the Brothels" p. 86)

assigned writing due by classtime through blackboard on 10/02: hw9

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 2)

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CLASS 8: Thursday 10/02

assigned reading due 10/07: Clement, Love for Sale (available on Blackboard under "content") (pp. 98 - 113)

(HW 10 cancelled) Prepare for quiz on 10/07: this quiz will be open note. You are allowed to have as many original, handwritten notes as you wish. You can not have the reading itself with you, however. So be sure to take notes on a seperate piece of paper.

Pay attention to the author's central arguments, not the details supporting those arguements. Likewise, pay attention to the vocabulary the author uses.

The point value of the now-cancelled HW10 will be added to the value of the quiz.

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 2)

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CLASS 9: Tuesday 10/07

IN-CLASS QUIZ ON READING

assigned reading due 10/09: Clement, Love for Sale (available on Blackboard under "content") pp. 177-193.

assigned writing due by classtime through blackboard on 10/09: hw11 and prepare for quiz on 10/09

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 2)

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CLASS 10: Thursday 10/09

IN-CLASS QUIZ ON READING

assigned reading due 10/14: Clement, Love for Sale (available on Blackboard under "content") 193 to end of chapter 6

assigned writing due by classtime through blackboard on 10/14: hw12 and prepare for quiz on 10/14.

this quiz will be open note. You are allowed to have as many original, handwritten notes as you wish. You can not have the reading itself with you, however. So be sure to take notes on a seperate piece of paper.

Pay attention to the author's central arguments, not the details supporting those arguements. Likewise, pay attention to the vocabulary the author uses.

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 2)

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Unit 4: Gay Sex Work in The Early Twentieth Century

CLASS 11: Tuesday 10/14

IN-CLASS QUIZ ON READING

assigned reading due 10/16: Kat Long, The Forbidden Apple: A Century of Sex & Sin in New York City, pp. 57 – 67 ; Kevin Mumford, Interzones: Black/White Sex Districts in Chicago and New York in the Early Twentieth Century, pp. 83-85. (available on Blackboard under "content")

assigned writing due by classtime through blackboard on 10/16: questions on reading (hw 13)

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 2)

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Unit 5: Preparing for Database Research & The Debate To Legalize Prostitution

CLASS 12: Thursday 10/16

assigned reading due 10/21: Melissa Grant, "The War on Sex Workers" from Reason Magazine February 2013 (delivered as a pdf to your desktop); Janice Raymond, Ten Reasons for Not Legalizing Prostitution (delivered as a pdf to your desktop); excerpts from Amanda Brooks, The Internet Escort's Handbook vol. 1 (available on Blackboard under "content")

assigned writing due by classtime through blackboard on 10/21: questions on reading (hw 14)

PREPARE FOR OPEN-NOTE QUIZ ON BROOKS EXCERPT.

(this assignment works towards learning outcomes 1 and 2)

 

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CLASS 13: Tuesday 10 /21

VERY RELEVANT OUT-OF CLASS EVENT ON WED 10/22 FOR THIS ESSAY! As noted at the top of the syllabus, you must attend one of the four book series talks between 10/08 - 11/05 (and we have no class on 10/23 to compensate for the time you will spend at your chosen talk). The talk on 10/22 on the interaction between government agencies and sex work directly speaks to your essay and you will be able to use evidence from the talk for your essay.

OPEN NOTE QUIZ ON BROOKS

assigned writing due classtime through blackboard on 10/28: policy paper on law enforcement and sex work. (hw 15)

(this assignment works towards learning outcomes 1 and 2)

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WEDNESDAY 10/22

Optional book series talk (see additional details in box to right)

4:15-5:30 pm Systems’ Responses to the Sex Industry

In this panel, researchers, non-profit workers, law enforcement personnel, and funders examine the official governmental systems and institutions that interact with the sex trade, discuss the current funding environment for systems responses, and envision alternatives.

ROOM LOCATION FOR THIS EVENTS POSTED BY THE COLLEGE HERE

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CLASS 14: Thursday 10 /23

NO CLASS!

There is no class today to compensate for the time you will spend at one of the four book series talks below between 10/08 - 11/05.

see 10/21 for HW

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Unit 6: Database Research: Mapping Internet-based Sex Workers in the NYC Area

CLASS 15: Tuesday 10 /28

IN-CLASS: EXCEL TRAINING DAY.

Today in class you will receiving training in a useful workplace skill--Excel spreadsheets. We will be using Excel to track the data we collect about internet-based sex workers.

(this assignment works towards learning outcomes 1 and 2)

assigned writing due by classtime through blackboard on 10/30: sample database collection assignment (hw 17)

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CLASS 16: Thursday 10/30

IN-CLASS: data collection discussion

assigned writing due by classtime through blackboard on 11/04: Data collection 1

 

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CLASS 17: Tuesday 11/04

NO CLASS, BUT HW ASSIGNED

assigned writing due by classtime through blackboard on 11/06: Data collection 2

DECISION DATE FOR EXTRA-CREDIT (up to +5 semester points) OPTION OF PAIRING WITH A THIRD-YEAR STUDENT IN SPATIAL STATISTICS CLASS WHILE DOING THE SEX WORKER INTERNET RESEARCH (see here for syllabus of that class). DETAILS TO BE DISCUSSED IN CLASS

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 1, 2, 3, and 4)

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CLASS 18: Thursday 11/06

NO CLASS, BUT HW ASSIGNED

assigned writing due by classtime through blackboard on 11/11: Data collection 4

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 1, 2, 3, and 4)

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CLASS 19: Tuesday 11/11

NO CLASS, BUT HW ASSIGNED

assigned writing due by classtime through blackboard on 11/13: Data collection 5

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 1, 2, 3, and 4)

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CLASS 20: Thursday 11/13

IN-CLASS: data collection discussion

assigned writing due by classtime through blackboard on 11/18: Data collection 6

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 1, 2, 3, and 4)

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CLASS 21: Tuesday 11/18

IN-CLASS: data collection discussion

assigned writing due by classtime through blackboard on 11/13: Step 1 of preparation for research week presentations on sex worker mapping project

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 1, 2, 3, and 4)

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CLASS 22: Thursday 11/20

IN-CLASS: data collection discussion

assigned writing due by classtime through blackboard on 11/25: Step 2 of preparation for research week presentations on sex worker mapping project

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 1, 2, 3, and 4)

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CLASS 23: Tuesday 11/25

IN-CLASS: data collection discussion

assigned writing due by classtime through blackboard on 12/02: Step 3 of preparation for research week presentations on sex worker mapping project

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 1, 2, 3, and 4)

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Thursday 11/25

NO CLASS! Thanksgiving break

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Unit 6: Male Sex Workers & a Changing Times Square

CLASS 24: Tuesday 12/02

IN-CLASS: data collection discussion

assigned reading due 12/04: Robert McNamara, The Times Square Hustler: Male Prostitution in New York City, pp. 2-4 and pp. 35 – 52.

assigned writing due by classtime through blackboard on 12/04: questions on reading (hw 18)

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 2)

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CLASS 25: Thursday 12/04

assigned reading due 12/10 (yes, 12/10):Long, The Forbidden Apple: A Century of Sex & Sin in New York City, pp.181-245.

assigned writing due by midnight through blackboard on 12/10 (yes, 12/10): questions on reading (hw 19)

(this assignment works towards learning outcome 2)

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Tuesday 12/09

NO CLASS!

TODAY YOU WILL BE PRESENTING YOUR SEX WORK MAPS AT THE UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH SHOWCASE

1:30-3:00 in NB Student Dining Hall

(but note that you have HW assigned 12/04 that's due tomorrow, 12/10 at midnight)