MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SEX ROLES AND GENDER Dr. Karin A. Mack Office: 208 Bowen Sociology 4403/6403 Office Phone: 325-7874 Fall 1995 Office Hours: M/W 2-3:30p.m. e-mail address: mack@soc.msstate.edu Course Description: Gender constitutes a fundamental component of stratification systems and a major determinant of personality, behavior, lifestyle, aspirations, and achievement. This course is structured to encourage students to theoretically examine the societal, group, and personal effects of sex/gender systems. Students will be exposed to the fundamentals of sociological inquiry along with feminist revisions of scientific inquiry. Students will be expected to read and think about the readings--the final exam will stress synthesis and knowledge of complex ideas. The first part of the course focuses on the theoretical foundation of inquiry in gendered systems. The remainder of the course examines major societal institutions--(e.g., media, work, family)--and their links to gender. Required Reading: Claire Renzetti and Daniel Curran. 1995. Women, Men, and Society. Allyn and Bacon. Deborah Tannen. 1990. You Just Don't Understand Women and Men in Conversation, Ballantine. Nancy Tuana and Rosemarie Tong. 1995. Feminism and Philosophy. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Plus selected articles as listed below. Additional Graduate Students Readings: Mary Maynard and June Purvis. 1994. Researching Women's Lives. Taylor & Francis. Paula England and George Farkas. 1986. Households, Employment and Gender. Aldine deGruyter. Assignments: 1. Readings assignments for each class period are listed below. It will be to your benefit to read the assigned readings for a given class in advance of the lectures for that class and I strongly encourage you to do so. Class attendance and particpation is mandatory for this course. Come to class prepared to discuss the readings at a college level. There are 50 points possible for class participation. 2. Throughout the term, students will have to answer questions about the class readings or lecture material. For each question I ask (there will be a total of 10 questions) students should prepare their answers on a 4x6 index card. You may use both sides of the index card, but I expect your answers to be thoughtful and concise. Up to ten points will be awarded for each card (total of 100 points possible). (9-10 points = A; 8 points=B; 7 points=C; 6 points=D; 0-5 points=F) 3. Given that one of the basic principles of sociological inquiry is research, students will conduct two mini-research projects. Specific guidelines for the projects will be handed out early in the semester. The projects will involve gathering and analyzing your own data. Each project will be 5-7 typed pages and each is worth 100 points (90-100 = A; 80-89=B; 70-79=C; 60-69=D; 0-59=F) 4. Final examination--Saturday, December 9, 3-6 p.m.. The final exam will be comprehensive and I will expect you to be able to synthesize ideas that are presented in the readings, lectures and films. The exam is worth 150 points. 5. Late Assignments: -Card questions should be turned in at the beginning of the class (each is due the class period after it is assigned). Cards not turned in during class, but turned in that day will lose one point. An additional point will be deducted for each additional day that a card is turned in late. -The mini-research projects are due on October 23 and November 22. 10 points will be deducted from projects not turned in before 3:00 p.m. on those days. An additional 10 points will be deducted for each additional day the paper is late. -Only with an excused absence consistent with University policy as indicated in the undergraduate catalogue will you be permitted to make up the final exam and then only under strict testing conditions. Grading: Possible points for each assignment: Card questions: 100 points; Mini-research projects: 100 points each; Final Exam: 150 points; Class participation: 50 points. Total possible points = 500 (A=450-500; B=400-449; C=350-399; D=300-349; F=0-299) Attendance: Students are expected to attend every class. Card questions will be given out during class periods and are due at the beginning of the next class period. If you must miss a class, the card questions will be posted on my office door immediately after class so you can check them before the next class period. Graduate Student Assignments/Grading: Graduate students will be required to answer card questions and complete one paper. In lieu of taking the final exam it is expected that the graduate students will complete a substantial paper--along the lines of a dissertation/thesis proposal, chapter for a dissertation/thesis, a ASA paper submission or the like. Instructions for the paper will be handed out early in the semester. Graduate students will also be graded on class participation. A proposal for the final paper is due on Oct. 23. The final due date for the paper is Dec. 9th. Grading for graduate students: Card questions: 100 points; Research assignment: 350 points; Class participation: 50 points. Total possible points = 500 (A=450-500; B=400-449; C=350-399; D=300-349; F=0-299). Taking an incomplete in this course will be strongly discouraged--plan accordingly in order to finish your paper prior to Dec. 9th. Weekly Schedule, Lecture Topics and Reading Assignments (Additional readings for graduate students are listed in italics) Friday, August 25 Introduction to Sociology--Method of Sociological Inquiry Renzetti, Chapter 1 Maynard and Purvis, pp. 1-92 Monday, August 28 Theory--Liberal Feminism Tuana, pp. 5-26 Wednesday, August 30 Tuana, pp. 27-47 Friday, September 1 Theory--Psychoanalytic Feminism Tuana, pp. 195-216 Monday, September 4 HOLIDAY Wednesday, September 6 Renzetti, Chapter 4 Tuana, pp. 217-246 Maynard and Purvis, pp. 93-165 Friday, September 8 Tuana, pp. 247-259 Monday, September 11 Theory--Marxist Feminism Tuana, pp. 65-90 Wednesday, September 13 Tuana, pp. 91-103 Friday, September 15 Tuana, pp. 104-128 Monday, September 18 Theory--Socialist Feminism Tuana, pp. 261-271 Wednesday, September 20 Tuana, pp. 272-298 Friday, September 22 Tuana, pp. 299-324 Monday, September 25 Theory--Radical Feminism Tuana, pp. 131-161 Wednesday, September 27 Tuana, pp. 162-174 Frye, Oppression Friday, September 29 Tuana, pp. 175-192 Monday, October 2 Women & Scientific Inquiry Harding: Introduction/Chapter 3 Biology & Gender Study Group: The Importance... Wednesday, October 4 Renzetti, Chapter 2 Friday, October 6 Gender in the Media and Conversation Still Killing Us Softly Tannen, pp. 11-95 Monday, October 9 Tannen, pp. 96-187 Wednesday, October 11 Tannen, pp. 188-298 Friday, October 13 Renzetti, Chapter 6, pp. 146-171 Monday, October 16 Renzetti, Chapter 6, pp. 172-180 Wednesday, October 18 Friday, October 20 Gender in the Family and Household Renzetti, Chapter 7, pp. 182-236 England, pp. 3-28 Monday, October 23 FIRST MINI-RESEARCH PROJECT DUE GRADUATE STUDENTS PROPOSALS DUE Wednesday, October 25 England, pp. 29-72 Friday, October 27 England, pp. 73-120 Monday, October 30 Gender in the Workplace Renzetti, Chapter 8, pp. 253-289 England, pp. 121-146 Wednesday, November 1 Renzetti, Chapter 8, pp. 289-305 England, pp. 147-180 Friday, November 3 Monday, November 6 Wednesday, November 8 Gender and Violence Renzetti, Chapter 7, pp. 237-252 Friday, November 10 Renzetti, Chapter 9, pp. 333-355 Monday, November 13 Spike Lee Wednesday, November 15 Spike Lee Continued Hooks, whose pussy is this? a feminist comment Friday, November 17 Spike Lee Continued Monday, November 20 Gender & Education Renzetti, Chapter 5, pp. 105-126 Wednesday, November 22 SECOND MINI-RESEARCH PROJECT DUE Renzetti, Chapter 5, pp. 127-144 Friday, November 24 No Class (Recover from eating too much!) Monday, November 27 Gender & Health Renzetti, Chapter 12, pp. 429-447 Wednesday, November 29 Renzetti, Chapter 12, pp. 448-486 Friday, December 1 Future of Gender Structures England, pp. 181-196 Monday, December 4 Wednesday, December 6 Review Saturday, December 9 FINAL EXAM 3-6:00 p.m. GRADUATE STUDENTS FINAL PAPER DUE BY 6:00p.m. Karin A. Mack, Ph.D. mack@soc.msstate.edu Department of Sociology, Phone: 601-325-7874 Anthropology and Social Work FAX: 601-325-4564 P. O. Drawer C Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MS 39762