Syllabus for Soc 225: Gender and Society

A) Setting the Stage

February 3: Introduction (The business of 'doing soc225')

February 5,10, 12, 17: Sexual Differences and Feminist Theories:

• Lecture (2/5): Introduction: Defining Sex and Gender - Conceptualizing Gender Inequality and Equality (Outline) Readings

Lecture (2/10): "Biology vs. Society" or "Biology is Society" (Outline)

Readings

Lecture (2/12): Sociological Approaches to Gender (Outline)

Readings

Lecture (2/17): Doing Science - "Or, how we think influences what we see" (Outline)

Readings

B) Structuring Play, Learning and Growing Up: The Role of Schools, Families, and Work

• February 19, 24 and 26: Structuring Play and Body Image Messages

  Precept 3 (week of 2/17) Open discussion

  Lecture (2/19): Structuring play (Outline)

  Readings

  Tech-Games for Girls A new company trying to breakdown stereotypes. What do you think? Newsgroup Comment

  Lecture (2/24-2/26): Body Image and Sexuality (Outline) (Outline)

  Readings

March 3, 5, and 10: Consequences of Structured Play and Body Image Messages

• Lectures (3/3-5): The Gender Gap in Education and Explanations for the Differential Outline Outline

Readings

Lecture (3/10): The Teen Pregnancy Debate (Outline)

Readings

WWW Link

WWW Link

March 12 and 24: Marriage, Mothering and Fathering, and Resource Allocation

Lecture (3/12): The Social Construction of Gender and Housework

(Guest lecture by Connie Gager: "Teenage Girls' and Boys' Contributions to Housework: Do Family Characteristics Make a Difference?")

Readings

Lecture (3/24): Marriage, Power, Resource Control and Their Consequences (Outline)

special guest/lecture: Jennifer Allyn, Catalyst - "Working with Businesses and the Professions to Develop Leadership Opportunities for Women"

Readings

WWW Link

WWW Link

WWW Link

Assignment 1 Due March 13

March 14-22: Spring Break

• Lecture (3/26): Trends in Marriage, Marriage Markets, and Housework (Outline)

C) Gender and Work

Precept 6 (week of 3/24): Assignment 2 & 3 handed out.

Lecture (3/31): Part I: Description, Trends of Labor Force (Outline) Participation and Occupational Sex Segregation

Readings

Readings

Lecture (4/2): Part II: Explanations for the Earnings Gap

Readings

Precept (week of 3/31)

Lecture (4/7-9): Understanding Sexual Harrassment (Outline)

Dealing with Sexual Harassment

Readings

special guest/lecture: Abigail Cope Saguy "Legal Frames for Understanding Sexual Harassment in France and the U.S."

special guest/lecture: Janet Waronker - "Understanding Sexual Harassment at Princeton University"

WWW Link

D) Race,Development, and Social Change: Women and Men Confront Gender Role Constructs and Inequality

April 14-16: Gender and Race

• Precept (week of 4/14) discussion: open, Assignment 2 due. (Outline)

Readings

Lecture (4/21-4/23): Confronting, Exposing and Redefining Gender Constructs.
(Outline 4/21)(Outline 4/23)

Readings

Special lecture: Professor Curran's research in Thailand "The Paradox of Women's Status in Thailand"

WWW Link

WWW Link

WWW Link

E) Gender, Poverty and the Role of the State

April 28 and 30: Feminization of Poverty and Welfare Debates

Readings

Lecture (4/28): Debates about the "Feminization (Outline) of Poverty" and Consequences of Welfare Reform

Readings

April 30: Assignment 3 due

Lecture (4/30): Course review. (Outline)

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