University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa SOC 362
Sociology of Gender Spring 2016
Meeting Time: MWF 1:30 – 2:20 PM Location: GAR 103
Instructor: Mari Kita Email: [email protected] Office: Saunders 241 Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday 10:00 AM- 11:30 AM Teaching Assistant: Gita Neupane Email: [email protected] Office: Saunders 218 Office Hours: Monday 12:30 - 1:30 pm or by appointment Course Description: How are gender identities socially constructed? How does gender intersect with race, ethnicity, class, disability, sexuality, age and other dimensions of identity? How are gender and sexuality shaped by family, education, the media, politics, economics, the criminal justice system, religion and medical practice? This course addresses these questions from a sociological perspective. We will examine how and why contemporary U.S. communities create gender categories, how genders and sexualities affect our daily lives, and how they change. Students will gain tools for investigating the values and social processes behind their own experiences of gender socialization. Student Learning Objectives: At the end of the class students should be able to do the following.
• Question the taken-for-granted ideas about sex and gender. • Understand the interconnectivity of gender, race, and class. • Relate and apply the class materials to the things that happen in our everyday lives. • Work toward clear and effective verbal and written communications. • Write a term paper using the proper manuscript and citation format.
Required Text: Renzetti, Daniel J. Curran and Claire M. 2011. Women, Men, and Society. 6th Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson. Additional readings will be provided on laulima. Assignments and Exams:
Exams – There will be three exams (two midterms and one final exam), which will include multiple-choice and short essay format items. Tests will be closed-book and will not be cumulative as they will cover each sections of the course that they follow. DO
NOT SCHEDULE trips, flights, interviews, medical appointments, or any other events on exam dates as no make-up exams will be given. However, under extraordinary circumstances (death in the family, serious illness, etc.) a make-up exam may be arranged. Response paper – You are required to write a reflection paper on either one of the two movies we will watch in class. The paper must be 4-5 pages long (1 inch margin, 12 point font, and double spaced). Apply theories, concepts, and ideas that we leaned in class to any aspects of the movie using the assigned reading materials. This should show that you have enough understanding of the class material to be able to apply to various situations you observe in the film. Please note that this is NOT a summary of the film but rather, it is an analysis of the film from the perspective of gender. In addition to the assigned materials, outside material can be used as sources to support your arguments, provided they are properly cited in the ASA format within the paper. A hard copy of the paper must be turned in to the instructor or the TA on the due date. Late papers will be penalized ½ of a letter grade for each day late, including the day on which they are due.
Attendance Policy: An attendance sheet will be passed out at the beginning of every class. Missing classes more than 4 times will cause your highest potential grade to drop by 10 %. Course Schedule:
Week Topics Reading Assignments and Exams
Week 1 1/11
Studying Gender: Overview Sociological Perspectives on Gender Feminist Sociology of Gender
RCM Chapter 1
Week 2 1/20
NO CLASS 1/18
Biology, Sex, and Gender Chromosomes and Hormones Intersex and Gender in Medical Practices
RCM Chapter 2
Week 3 1/25
Cultural Construction of Gender and Sexuality “Doing” Gender
Lorber, Judith. The Social Construction of Gender. Messner, Michael, A. Boyhood, Organized Sports, and the
Definitions of Masculinity Definitions of Femininity
Construction of Masculinities
Week 4 2/1
Cultural Construction of Gender and Sexuality Cont.
RCM Chapter 3
Week 5 2/8
Early Childhood Gender Socialization Learning Gender Growing up Feminine or Masculine Early Peer Group Socialization By the Time a Child is Five
RCM Chapter 4
Week 6 2/17
NO CLASS 2/15
Schools and Gender An Historical Overview of Women and Men in Education Educating Girls and Boys Educating Teenage Girls and Boys Educating Women and Men
RCM Chapter 5 Midterm #1 on 2/19 Friday
Week 7 2/22
Intersectionality The Intersection of Race, Gender and Class White Privilege and Male Privilege Asian Men in the U.S. History
McIntosh, Peggy. White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack Chesney-Lind, Meda & Eliason, Michelle. 2006. From Invisible to Incorrigible: The Demonization of Marginalized Women and Girls Espiritu, Yen. All Men are Not Created Equal: Asian Men in the U.S. History.
Week 8 2/29
Gender and the Family Evaluating the Functionalist Perspectives of the Family Sexuality, Sexual Orientation, and Reproductive Freedom Varieties of Intimate Relationships Violence in Families and Intimate Relationships
RCM Chapter 7
Week 9 3/7
Gender and the Media Media Representations of Gender and Race Gender and Pop Culture Femininity and Masculinity in the Advertisement
RCM Chapter 6
Bring gendered advertisement to class
Week 10 3/14
Gender and the Media Cont. Film: The Slanted Screen
Midterm #2 on 3/18 Friday
Week 11 SPRING RESESS
NO
CLASS 3/21 – 3/25
Week 12 3/28
Employment and Economy Gendered Workplaces, Wage and Promotion Gaps Sexual Harassment Women and Poverty
RCM Chapter 8 Zarembka, Joy M. America’s Dirty Work: Migrant Maids and Modern-Day Slavery
Week 13 4/4
Crime and Violence Women and Men as Offenders With Justice for ALL?: Gender and the Criminal Justice System Criminal Victimization
RCM Chapter 9
Reflection paper for The Slanted Screen due on 4/4
Week 14 4/11
Crime and Violence Cont. Film: Tough Guise
Week 15 4/18
Politics, Government, and Military Gender and Politics Gender and Colonialism Gender and Military
RCM Chapter 10
Week 16 4/25
Spirituality Religion and Spirituality as Social Forces Gender, Spirituality, and Representation Honor Killings
RCM Chapter 11 Schweitzer, Yoram. Palestinian Female Suicide Bombers: Virtuous Heroines or Damaged Goods?
Week 17 5/2
Review Reflection paper for Tough Guise due on 5/2
Week 18 5/9
Finals Week Final Exam TBD
Grading Scale:
First exam – 25% Second exam – 25% Final exam – 25% Response paper – 15% Attendance – 10%
Grade Distribution:
94 – 100%= A 80-82%= B- 67 – 69%= D+ 90-93%= A- 76 – 79%= C+ 64-66%= D 86 – 89%= B+ 73-75%= C 60-63%= D- 83-85%= B 70-72%= C- 59% or lower= F
Academic Dishonesty: Any form of cheating will not be tolerated. Any student caught cheating during exams will be removed from class and will receive an automatic F for the class. Plagiarism, in any form, will not be tolerated either. Not understanding plagiarism will not be an acceptable excuse. Repeated plagiarism will result in the student being referred to the Office of Judicial Affairs. Please refer to the student code of conduct for further information. Kokua Statement: Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability is invited to contact me privately. I would be happy to work with you, and the KOKUA Program (Office for Students with Disabilities) to ensure reasonable accommodations in my course. KOKUA can be reached at (808) 956-7511 or (808) 956- 7612 (voice/text) in room 013 of the Queen Lili'uokalani Center for Student Services.