SARA L. PUOTINEN, Ph.D.
Email: sara@room34.com
Twitter: @undisciplined
EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Women’s Studies, 2000-2006
Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Dissertation: “Feminist Ethics and the Project of Democracy”
Dr. Cynthia Willett, advisor
Exam Areas: Feminist Ethics, Feminist Theory
MA in Ethics, Culture and Society, 1996-1999
Claremont School of Theology, Claremont, CA
Masters Thesis: “Longing to Belong: Feminism and the Desire for Identity”
Exam Areas: Ethics and Culture, Women in Religion
BA in Religion, 1992-1996
Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN
Senior Thesis: “Does the Category of Women’s Experience Limit Feminist Theology?”
AREAS OF INTEREST
Feminist/Queer Ethics, Feminist/Queer/Anti-racist Pedagogies, Feminist Activism and Social Media, Queering Theory, Feminist Theory
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Visiting Assistant Professor, 2008-Fall, 2011
Department of Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
Lecturer, 2006-2008
Department of Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
Women’s Studies Instructor, 2002-2003
Department of Women’s Studies
Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Women’s Studies Teaching Assistant, 2001-2002
Department of Women’s Studies
Emory University, Atlanta, GA
COURSES TAUGHT
Undergraduate
- Introduction to Women’s Studies
- Politics of Sex
- Introduction to GLBT Studies
- Point/Counterpoint: Contemporary Feminist Debates
- Popular Culture Woman
- Queering Theory
- Queering Desire
- Rebels, Radicals, and Revolutionaries: History of Western Feminisms
- International Feminist Theory: Feminism from a Transnational Perspective
- Feminist Thought and Theory
- History of Feminist Thought (teaching assistant)
- Women and American Identities (teaching assistant)
Graduate
- International Feminist Theory: Feminism from a Transnational Perspective
- Feminist Pedagogies
- Feminist and Queer Explorations in Troublemaking
- Queer Ethics
SOCIAL MEDIA TEACHING AND PRAXIS
Movable Type/U Think Blogs at the University of Minnesota, 2007-2011
Extensively used for class management, class discussion, assignments and feminist and queer praxis (15 blogs total). For a links to course blogs, click here.
Word Press Blogs, Spring 2009-present
Used for research, writing, feminist and queer praxis, feminist consciousness-raising, virtue ethics and building connections and coalitions. Blogs include:
- (making/being in/staying in) Trouble: http://trouble.room34.com
- It’s Diablogical! with Kandance Creel Falcón: http://teachingblogs.room34.com
- story: http://story.room34.com
Twitter, 2010-present
Used for class management, class discussion and assignments. Also used for research and active engagement with students:
- Queering Desire: http://www.twitter.com/qd2010
- Feminist Pedagogies: http://www.twitter.com/femped2010
- GWSSProf: http://www.twitter.com/gwssprof
- Undisciplined: http://www.twitter.com/undisciplined
Teaching with Technology Workshops for Educators and Students, 2009-present
Developed workshops on teaching with blogs for Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies Department, University of Minnesota. In addition to regularly giving formal and informal workshops, also posted online at:
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies Visiting Scholar, 2006-2008; 2012-2013
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
Research Assistant, Spring 2002
Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Special Collections and Archives, Woodruff Library
Identified and prepared primary source materials for classroom instruction in Special Collections. Assisted students, faculty, and visiting scholars in locating collections and materials relevant to course assignments and academic projects.
Exhibit Coordinator, Spring 2002
Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Struggling for a Voice: Women Journalists in the South, selections from Special Collections and Archives, Robert W. Woodruff Library, Emory University, March 19-May 31, 2002.
Reviewed manuscript collections and selected materials for exhibit. Researched and prepared caption text and background information. Arranged items for presentation.
WRITING
Articles and Book Chapter
“Living and Grieving Beside Judith.” Journal of the Motherhood Initiative. 1.2 (December 2010).
“Teaching with Blogs and Blogging while Teaching: Using Blogs to Expand Access to Feminist (Cyber)Spaces” with Kandace Creel Falcón, Feminist Cyberspaces (March 2012).
“Twitter Cares? Using Twitter to Care About, For and With Women Who Have Had Abortions.”
CONFERENCE ACTIVITIES
“(Re) Claiming Education,” invited speaker, Women and Gender Studies Colloquium, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, April 2016.
“Living Beside/s the Academy: An Ethical Response,” invited speaker, Annual George Hall Lecture, Religion Department, Gustavus Adolphus College, May 2014.
“This is not a how-to manual but an invitation to engage: A Feminist Blogging Manifesto by a Chicana Feminist and a White Feminist Troublemaker” with Kandace Creel Falcón, Wisconsin Women’s Studies Conference, Madison, WI, March 2011.
“Using Blogs in the Feminist Classroom,” Midwest Modern Language Association Conference, Chicago, IL, November 2010.
“Troublemaking as a Virtue? Reading the ethical significance of Gender Trouble through Aristotle and Foucault,” Midwest Society for Women in Philosophy, Madison, WI, October 20-22, 2010.
“Teaching with Blogs and Blogging while Teaching: Using Blogs for Teaching and Research,” Feminist Studies Colloquium Series 2009-2010, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, February 2010.
“Is Grief Our Only Resource for Staying in Trouble?,” Feminist Studies Colloquium Series 2009-2010, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, October 2009.
“The Ethics of Making, Being and Staying in Trouble,” Feminist Ethics and Social Theory Conference, Clearwater Beach, FL, September 2009, unable to attend.
“Judith Butler and the Virtue of Troublemaking,” National Women’s Studies Association Conference, St. Charles, IL, June 2007.
“Flexibility, Vigilance and Vision: Feminist Virtues for the 21st Century,” invited talk given at Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN, February 2007.
“The Farm: An Autobiography” and “The Farm, Part II: The Puotinen Women,” invited presenter at Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN, February 2007.
“How Do We Make Ourselves into Allies? Developing a Feminist Virtue Ethic of Difference and Dissensus,” Feminist Studies Colloquium Series 2006-2007, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, November 2006.
“Feminism, Virtue and the Democratic Ethos,” The Seventh Annual Conference of the Radical Philosophy Association, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, November 2006.
“Flexibility, Courage, and Truth-Telling: Developing a Democratic Ethos for Feminism,” Midwest Society for Women in Philosophy Fall Meeting, St. Cloud State, St. Cloud, MN, October 2006.
“Losing the Farm: Two Sisters Reflect on the Value of Space,” Fifth Biennial Feminism(s) and Rhetoric(s) Conference, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI, October 2005.
“The Farm: An Autobiography” and “The Farm, Part II: The Puotinen Women,” invited presenter at Finn Grand Fest, Northern Michigan University, Marquette, MI, August 2005.
“Feminist Identity Politics and Radical Democracy,” National Women’s Studies Association Conference, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, June 2004.
“Trick-players, Outlaws and Story-Tellers: The Feminist Trickster Subject,” Midwest Society for Women in Philosophy Spring Meeting, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, April 2004.
“A Presentation on the film, The Farm, Part II: The Puotinen Women,” Critical Moments Conference, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, March 2003.
“The Farm: An Autobiography,” Projecting Their Films Festival, Austin, MN, August 2002.
“Tragic Hope and the Future of Feminist Politics,” National Women’s Studies Association Conference, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, June 2001.
“The Longing to Belong: Feminism and the Desire for Identity,” Second Biennial Feminism(s) and Rhetoric(s) Conference, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, October 1999.
AWARDS
Merit Fellowship, Department of Women’s Studies, Emory University, 2000-2004 Summer Research Grant, Department of Women’s Studies, Emory University, 2002 Travel Grant, Department of Women’s Studies, Emory University, 2001-2006
Phi Beta Kappa, Gustavus Adolphus College, 1996
George Hall Outstanding Religion Major, Gustavus Adolphus College, 1996
SERVICE ACTIVITIES AND STUDENT MENTORING
- Blog Administrator, GWSS Community Blog, 2010-2011
- Facebook Administrator, GWSS Department Page, 2010-2011
- Planning Committee, Feminist Studies Colloquium, 2009-10
- Judge, Schochet GLBT Studies Writing Awards, 2009-10
- Committee Member, Graduate Committee, University of Minnesota, 2010-2011
- Committee Member, GLBTQ Committee, University of Minnesota, 2009- 2010
- Planning Committee, Queering the Academy cluster talk, University of Minnesota, 2009
- Graduate Exams Outside Reader, Sarah Boardman, Winter 2010
- Graduate Exams Committee Member, Mary-Jo Wiatrak-Uhlenkott, University of Minnesota, 2009-10
- Senior Project Advisor, Sally Hansen, University of Minnesota, 2010-2011
- Senior Project Advisor, Alyssa Rydberg, University of Minnesota, Spring 2009
- Senior Project Advisor, Mary Anderson, University of Minensota, Fall 2011
- Senior Project Reader, Kelly Sharon, University of Minnesota, Fall 2011 UROP
- Mentor, Remy Corso, University of Minnesota, Spring 2009
- External Reviewer, Routledge Press, 2007-2008
- Member, National Women’s Studies Association, 2000-2011
- Member, Women’s Studies Graduate Association, Emory University, 2000-2006
- Mentor, Women’s Studies Undergraduate Outreach, Emory University, 2002
- Selection Committee, Women’s Studies Undergraduate Conference, Emory University, 2001