We can relate to a lot of the things we talk about, and I find that cool. You can take what we’re learning in class and bring it into your own life.
As an aspiring educator, Jillian Russell, ’28, jumped at the chance to better understand her future students through a class about girlhood. What she didn’t expect, however, was how much she would learn about herself.
“We can relate to a lot of the things we talk about, and I find that cool,” said Jillian, an elementary education major from Raynham. “You can take what we’re learning in class and bring it into your own life.”
Jillian is enrolled in a new first-year seminar called Girl World. The class, taught by Dr. Halle Singh, explores the notion of girlhood and its cultural, political and social dynamics. Students study girls' representation in films, novels, video games, music and social media. They examine how girl culture affects girls’ daily lives – including their own.
“My goal is for them to think more critically about the media they consume and have the skills to do that every day,” Singh said.
The class is one of an array of offerings through the new Department of Childhood Studies, which launched this fall and runs a major and minor for undergraduates.
Singh’s class also connects to her research. For her PhD dissertation, she explored girlhood at night from a political and cultural perspective. She juxtaposed the traditional view that girls shouldn’t be out after dark against things girls actually do such as having sleepovers and sneaking out of the house.
“I’d always been interested in girlhood and understanding it,” said Singh, who co-founded the Girlhood Studies Collective, an international community of scholars, researchers and practitioners working in this field.
Singh uses the course topic to help students develop writing skills that are applicable to any class. One essay assignment challenged them to dissect a meme about girlhood.
Emily Doherty, ’28, credited Singh and the class with transforming her from a quiet high schooler into a college student who is more confident speaking up.
“I’m learning to be more open and get involved,” said the elementary education major from Wilmington. “Getting involved in the conversation will help you better understand what you’re learning.”
During a recent class meeting, students shared mini books called zines that they made using words, drawings, pictures, and other visuals. Students covered topics as diverse as dress codes, mental health, and ear piercings.
“The purpose of a zine is to share and educate someone on something,” Singh said. “It’s about articulating what we care about.”
Kylie Gagne, ’28, an elementary education major from Dartmouth, made a zine about beauty standards and how people are not defined by others’ impressions of their looks.
In a separate class discussion, Kylie appreciated learning how playing with a seemingly simple doll actually relates to societal expectations of girls.
“It reveals things about yourself,” she said. “There are deeper meanings behind all aspects of girlhood, and it’s cool to dive into that in this class.”
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