WS 320 SOCIALIZATION OF WOMEN San Diego State University Dr. Janet Kohen Spring 1993 Office: AH 3141 Hours: TTH 10:45 - 12:00 Phone: 594-6460 and by appointment READINGS: Text: Women's Lives, Bernice Lott, Brooks/Cole, 1987. Available at K and B Books, 5187 College Ave. 287-2665 Readings: K and B Books, 5190 College Ave, 287-2665. GOALS: To understand how the biological fact of being female becomes socially constructed into the cultural role of femininity. To analyze the impact of social institutions such as family, school, media, law and economy on the socialization of women to the feminine role. To explore potential changes in social structure and socialization practices in establishing the feminine gender. To understand differences and similarities between ethnic, racial and international communities. To apply assigned readings and personal experiences within structured written research projects. ORGANIZATION: 1. Class: Class sessions will be lecture-discussion with the emphasis on discussion. They will also include audio-visual materials and presentation of projects. Class attendance is expected but will not contribute to the course grade. However, students are responsible for all materials presented in class. Likewise, understanding of the definitions and central issues of the course depends on class attendance and participation. Students cannot receive even a "C" without class attendance. 2. Exams: There will be three objective exams, each covering about one-third of the course. Exams will cover all readings as well as material presented in class, including audio-visual. THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UP EXAMS WITHOUT NOTIFICATION OF THE INSTRUCTOR PRIOR TO THE EXAM AND AN OFFICIALLY DOCUMENTED REASON. Dates for exams: Section 1: Feb. 25, Mar. 25, May 11 Section 2: Feb. 24, Mar. 24, May 12 3. Class Assignments/Projects: There are 8 topics in this course. Of those, 6 have a related out-of-class project for a writing assignment. Those 6 projects are evenly divided between the first, second, and third parts of the semester. YOU ARE REQUIRED TO DO 1 PROJECT/WRITING ASSIGNMENT IN EACH THIRD OF THE SEMESTER. SPECIFICALLY, YOU MUST COMPLETE ONE PROJECT/PAPER BEFORE THE FIRST EXAM; ONE BEFORE THE SECOND EXAM; AND ONE BEFORE THE THIRD EXAM. DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT ASKING TO DO MORE THAN ONE PROJECT WITHIN A SPECIFIC SEGMENT OF THE COURSE, I.E., THE LAST THIRD OF THE COURSE. All projects require a written summary. The minimal requirements for your summary include: a. description and results of your project b. implications of your findings for the topic under study c. incorporating specific references to the ASSIGNED COURSE READINGS giving page numbers d. following the rules of composition including organization, grammar, and punctuation THESE ARE MINIMAL REQUIREMENTS. THEY DESCRIBE A "C" PAPER. Alternative projects are acceptable with consent of the instructor. I welcome and encourage such alternative ideas for projects. 4. Grades: Grades will be assigned following a percentile distribution. Pluses and minuses will be used in reporting final grades. Final grades will be determined as follows: points number required total Each exam 60 3 180 Each project 40 3 120 300 ALL SOURCES FOR CREDIT IN THIS COURSE ARE INCLUDED IN THIS SYLLABUS. THERE ARE NO EXTRA CREDIT PROJECTS. IF YOU NEED HELP SEE THE INSTRUCTOR EARLY IN THE COURSE. COURSE OUTLINE: READING AND CLASS PROJECTS WITH DUE DATES Week of Jan 25 Socialization and Biology Text: Chs. 1, 2 Lowe: "The Dialectic of Biology and Culture." In M. Lowe and R. Hubbard (eds.) Women's Nature, Pergamon, 1983. Feb 1/8 Early Socialization Text: Chs. 3, 4 Lever: "Sex differences in the complexity of children's play and games." American Soc. Review, 43 (1978), pp. 471-483. Bem: "Gender Schema Theory." Signs, Summer, 1983. Rommel: "Grade School Blues." MS, January, 1984. ASSIGNMENT: (Select ONE of following or choose ONE under the next topic for your first required paper) A) Select a children's story book or picture book. Analyze the messages it gives children about their gender role. You could select a book from your own childhood; try to find a non-sexist book and discuss why it is non-sexist and how readily available it was, etc.. Bring the book to class the day the assignment is due. B) Visit a toy department or toy store. Survey the toys for gender stereotypes and observe what parents, girls, and boys are interested in. You might focus on toy packaging, toy display or parent/child interaction. C) In either a toy or clothing store/department, ask a clerk for suggestions for a boy/girl baby/toddler. Find out what is popular among parents. Check out selection. (Could look at furniture as well.) D) You can always suggest alternative projects. For this topic, you could observe in a day care center, observe adult male/female interactions with an infant/toddler, review infant/child care manuals or magazines, etc. Check with me just on alternative projects. DUE DATE: Section 1: Feb. 9; Section 2: Feb. 10 Feb 15/22 Adolescence: Implications of Womanhood Text: Chs. 5, 6 Ladner: "Definition of Womanhood." Tomorrow's Tomorrow, Doubleday, 1971. AAUW How Schools Shrotchange Girls ASSIGNMENT: (Select one of the following) A) Borrow, buy or recover from your attic a copy of a teen magazine such as SIXTEEN, TIGER BEAT, SEVENTEEN, etc.. (Do not buy Glamor, Mademoiselle, Vogue. They are read by older teens and young women.) Analyze advertisements or advice columns, or stories. What major topics are presented? What image of young teens' interests is suggested? Are there contradictions which would lead to ambivalence among readers? You might compare these magazines to those for young male teens. OR B) Interview 5 teenage girls (8th-12th grades). What are the major interests of girls their age? How is their experience in school different from boys (treatment by teachers, taking shop classes, sports)? What makes girls popular with other girls? With boys? How do their parents expect them to relate to boys? What aspirations do their parents have for them after highschool? What aspirations do they have for themselves? You need not ask all these questions. You might concentrate on just one area: school, parents, etc... Just focus on issues presented in the assigned readings. DUE DATE: Section 1: Feb. 23; Section 2: Feb. 24 ***FIRST EXAM: Section 1: Feb. 25; Section 2: Feb. 24 (Last hour of class.) Mar 1/8 Sexuality - Love Text: Ch. 7, Ch. 8, pp. 121-129 Phelps: "Sexual Alienation." J. Freeman (ed.) Women, A Feminist Perspective, Mayfield, 1979. Druess and Henifin: "Why are so many anorexics women?" In Hubbard, Henifin, and Fried (eds.), Women Look at Biology Look at Women, 1979. Barrett, M.B. "You're looking me in the face." Ch. 1. From Invisible Lives. New York: William Morrow and Co. 1989. Furstenberg & Brooks-Gunn: Teenage Pregnancy ASSIGNMENT: (Select one of the following or choose one under the next topic for your second required paper.) A) Select an example of any popular media--a magazine, movie, popular song/video, etc.. Investigate what sexual preferences are presented, the model of sexuality presented for males vs. females (i.e. the roles). Any negative images of sexual behavior? Is women's sexuality presented as a commodity, something to be captured and tamed, etc.? OR B) Select a popular women's magazine (not a magazine like Woman's Day unless you intend to compare it to something like Cosmopolitan). Review ads on beauty products, hygiene, fashion. What messages are presented about women's attitude toward their own sexuality/bodies, the function of women's sexuality in relationship to other women, and in relationship to men? How is aging presented? How is love presented? DUE DATE: Section 1: mar. 9; Section 2: Mar. 10 Mar 15/22 Interpersonal Relations: Power, Sex, and Gender Text: Ch. 9, Ch. 13, pp. 241-255. Fishman: "Interaction: The Work Women Do." Social Problems, 1978. Brownmiller: "The Contrived Postures of Femininity." MS, March, 1984. Sandroff "Sexual Harassment in Fortune 500" Benson/Thompson: "Sexual Harassment on a University Campus." Social Problems, 1982. "Women on Campus." Thought and Action, Spring 1990. Shange: is not good to be born a girl ASSIGNMENT: (Select one of the following) A) Watch a half hour of TV or couples on a bus, in a restaurant, etc.. Observe differences in conversation, posture, touching, anything else relevant to readings. OR B) Interview 5 SDSU males and 5 SDSU females for a definition of sexual harassment and the characteristics of a likely college student victim. Then ask for a definition of date rape and the characteristics of a likely college student victim. Find out if they know anyone who has been a victim of harassment or date rape, etc. DUE DATE: Section 1: Mar. 23; Section 2: Mar. 24 ***SECOND EXAM: Section 1: Mar. 25; Section 2: Mar. 24 (Last hour of class.) Mar 29/ Life Commitments: Marriage/Parenthood Apr 12 Text: Ch. 8, pp. 129-146, Chs. 10, 11 Newspaper articles. Pogrebin, L. "The teflon father." MS, October, 1990. pp. 95-96. Roache, J. "Confessions of a househusband." MS. #1, November 1972. pp. 25-27. ASSIGNMENT: (Select one of the following or choose the assignment for the next topic for your third required paper.) A) Ask a sample of 10 singles (5 males, 5 females) about their expectations for marriage and parenthood. At what age do they expect to marry or commit to a long term relationship? Do they expect that relationship will be 'permanent?' Do they want children? How many? At what age? Sex preference? If no children, why not? How do they expect to combine career, parenthood, marriage? OR B) Analyze Working Woman, Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day, or another magazine for married women, and describe the model of married mothers that they present through ads, advice columns, etc.. DUE DATE: Section 1: Apr. 13; Section 2: Apr. 14 Apr 19/26 Jobs and Careers Text: Ch. 12 Woo: Gap between striving 7 Achieving Kanter: "Impact of hierarchal structures on work." In Kahn-Hut, Daniels & Cobard (eds.) Women and Work, 1982. Bourne/Wikler: "Commitment and the cultural mandate." In Kahn-Hut, Daniels & Cobard (eds.) Women and Work, 1982. Harrigan: "Dear Betty Harrigan" Working Woman, Dec. 88. ASSIGNMENT: A. Interview a woman who is employed in the field you intend to practice after college. Find out how she got into the field, what are the future prospects for women, if women have any special advantages or disadvantages, if women are treated differently than men?, etc.. B. Based on movies, TV prime time, or soaps, discuss, giving specific examples, the image of a working woman in today's media. Remember to relate your discussion to assigned readings. DUE DATE: Section 1: Apr. 27; Section 2: Apr. 28 May 3/10 The Future: Changes and Challenges Text: Ch. 13, pp. 255-260; Ch. 14, pp. 268-272 and Ch. 16. Goode: "Why men resist." In Thorne and Yalom (eds.), Rethinking the Family, Longman, 1982. Pharr: Homophobia as a weapon of Sexism Faludi: Ch 1, Introduction ***THIRD EXAM: Section 1: May 11; Section 2: May 12