INT 491 - (University Wide) A Midwife’s Tale and the Social Web

Investigates the concept of “social web” as introduced in the 1999-2000 University of Maine Class Book, A Midwife’s Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812. The “social web” is a metaphor to describe how the late eighteenth century community of Hallowell, Maine was woven together by the intricate warp and woof of social relations documented in Ballard’s diary and contextualized and interpreted by historian Laurel Ulrich. Using primary, secondary and fictional sources, an interdisciplinary group of faculty will lead students through an investigation of the ethical, legal, social and spiritual issues attendant upon womanhood and women’s work in Martha Ballard’s time and today.

Satisfies the General Education Ethics, Social Contexts and Institutions and Cultural Diversity and International Perspectives Requirements.

Credits: 3