Sex Trafficking Syllabus Spring 2015 Class 1 January 12, 2015 Data Wars Class 2 January 26, 2015 The Strip Club Debate Class 3 February 2, 2015 Prostitution And Feminist Thought Class 4 February 9, 2015 Legalization: European Responses Class 5 February 16, 2015 Pimps and Traffickers Class 6 February 23, 2015 The Internet March 2, 8 and 16, 2015: No class (paper research) March 23 Spring Break Class 7 March 30, 2015 The Role of Pornography Class 8 April 6, 2015 Regulating Pornography Class 9 April 13, 2015 Student Presentations Class 10 April 20, 2015 Student Presentations Class 11 April 27, 2015 Student Presentations Paper Due: May 13, 2015, 5 p.m. via e-mail to [email protected] First Assignment: Jeffreys: “The Industrial Vagina: The Political Economy of the Global Sex Trade, Introduction.” Ronald Weitzer, “Sex Trafficking and the Sex Trade Industry: The Need for Evidence-Based Theory and Legislation.” (posted at D2L.) Be prepared to discuss the following: Are Weitzer’s criticisms of the use of prevalence statistics convincing? Identify instances of unsubstantiated factual statements made by Weitzer in the article. Sex Trafficking Seminar Spring 2015 Instructor: Jody Raphael, [email protected] Class meeting time and location: Mondays, 1 p.m.-2:40 p.m. Room 633 O’Malley Office hours: Monday, 10-1 or by appointment Course materials: Sheila Jeffreys, “The Industrial Vagina: The Political Economy of the Global Sex Trade,” Routledge, 209 (paperback); additional supplementary materials as supplied by the instructor, distributed during the first class period. Course Requirements: Students will prepare a research paper, maximum 30 pages long, doublespaced. Students will answer a research question assigned by the instructor. Three weeks are release weeks for paper research and writing. This time can also be used for consultations with the instructor, who is also available to read rough drafts or partial drafts of papers, which will be promptly returned with comments. Three class periods are dedicated to paper presentations of ten minutes each, followed by three minutes of class feedback. The paper is due by May 13, 2015 at 5 p.m. delivered via e-mail to [email protected]. Students should NOT deliver a hard copy of the paper. When the instructor receives the paper, within 24 hours she will e-mail the student with the message, “Got it.” If a student does not receive such a message, this means that the e-mail did not get through and the paper should be resent immediately. Class attendance is mandatory. Students with an illness or emergency causing them to miss class should contact the instructor in advance, or as soon as possible thereafter; unexcused absence will result in a deduction from the course grade (see below). Grading 50% of the grade will be based on the final paper, with 25% on research and 25% on argumentation and persuasiveness. 10% will be based on the oral presentation of the paper. 22% will be based on class attendance (2 points per class). 18% will be based on participation in seminar discussion. Seminar Goals Students will learn: to identify usable research, eliminating estimates and other unreliable data about sex trafficking; about various debates and controversies about the facts and prevalence of sex trafficking; about legal responses and policies to combat sex trafficking and their efficacy; how the Internet facilitates prostitution and sex trafficking, and how legal responses are limited; how the pornography industry promotes sex trafficking; to use research data for public policy purposes; write clearly for an audience unfamiliar with the subject; and to present short and convincing oral testimony. Class Readings and Assignments Class 1: Data Wars Introduction, Jeffreys; Weitzer, “ Sex Trafficking and The Sex Industry: The Need for EvidenceBased Theory and Legislation’ (posted). Class 2: The Strip Club Debate Jeffreys, Chapter 4; strip club reports as assigned in Class 1. Class 3: Prostitution and Feminist Thought Jeffreys, Chapter 1; friends’ reports as assigned in Class 2. Class 4: Legalization: European Response Jeffreys, Chapter 8; country reports as assigned in Class 3. Class 5: Pimps and Traffickers Jeffreys, Chapter 7; Supplemental Materials: Raphael and Ashley, “Domestic Sex Trafficking of Chicago Women and Girls;” “From Victims to Victimizers: Interviews with 25 ex-pimps in Chicago. Class 6: The Internet Internet Materials in Supplement; Backpage.com reports as assigned in Class 5. Class 7: The Role of Pornography (movie) Jensen: “A Cruel Edge: The Painful Truth About Today’s Pornography—And What Men Can Do About It” (Supplemental Materials); “Shades of Grey” reports as assigned in Class 6. Class 7: Regulating Pornography Supplemental Materials on Regulating Pornography