Reflection 1 - Auditing Your Skills for the Job Market (Sociology)

SYLLABUS_SexandGender_F1811.docx

Home >Social Science homework help >Sociology homework help >Reflection 1 - Auditing Your Skills for the Job Market (Sociology)

SYLLABUS_2015

SEX AND GENDER

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER

DENVER CAMPUS – Online class

SOCIOLOGY – SOCY 3080 - SECTION 001

FALL 2018

WORTH: 3.0 credit hours

Instructor: Allison-Scott Pruitt

Office Hours: Since this is an online course, there are no formal office hours. I am happy to set up phone or video chats if you need to talk.

My Email: allison.pruitt@colorado.edu (I usually check my email at least once a day. However, please give me 24-48 hours to respond to your email).

Cell Phone: 303-961-1791 (Please only TEXT and only in extreme academic emergencies directly related to this class).

*You are responsible for the knowing the content of this syllabus. Therefore, you should read it carefully on your own and come talk to me immediately if you have any questions.*

COURSE DESCRIPTION

In this class we will look at the causes and consequences of sex role differentiation at the individual, group, and societal levels. Current issues related to changing norms and values concerning gender in modern society are examined. This course is cross-listed with WGST 3080.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

· Demonstrate a basic understanding of gender studies concepts.

· Identify and critically analyze current theoretical ideologies concerning sex and gender.

· Demonstrate an understanding of the systems of gender inequality in such institutions as: family, education, the workplace, the media and politics.

· Apply gender study knowledge to one’s critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

CONTENT ADVISORY

A certain level of discomfort is typical in many sociology classes. This course deals with themes and content that may make you uncomfortable or disturb you. This content includes (but is not limited to): discussion of sex and sexuality, racism, explicit language, and religion. If you have concerns about your ability to participate, please let me know. If at any point in the semester you have responses or reactions that are difficult to sort out, it can be useful to talk them over with someone you trust. We are all responsible for maintaining a safe, respectful learning environment.

COURSE OUTLINE

1. Defining Sex and Gender

2. Theories Sex and Gender

3. Gender/Sex Socialization

4. Masculinities

5. Femininities

6. Gender/Sex Variation

7. Sexuality

8. Gender, Sex, and Work

9. Pathologizing, Policing, and Punishing Sex and Gender

10. Gender, Sex, and the Body

REQUIRED MATERIALS

1. Margolis, Jane and Allan Fisher. 2002. Unlocking the Clubhouse: Women in Computing. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

2. Green, Jamison. 2004. Becoming a Visible Man. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press

3. Access to a Netflix account for films

There are also a selection of REQUIRED readings and videos posted on Canvas (see Topics and Reading Schedule at end of syllabus).

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

DISCUSSION BOARDS: Since we do not have in-person meetings, your participation in the course will be through discussion boards. There are two discussion boards per week, due on Wednesday and Friday at 11:59 pm. There are 15 weeks in the semester (not counting fall break), 30 discussions total. Each discussion is worth a maximum of five points. A rubric is at the end of the syllabus.

QUIZZES: After each section, there will be a short multiple-choice quiz. Quiz weeks are marked on the schedule and are due on Sunday at 11:59 pm. There are 10 quizzes worth 10 points each.

ASSIGNMENTS: There are five assignments, one due every three weeks. Assignment five is due at the time of the final exam. Each assignment is worth 50 points. Assignments are due on Sunday at 11:59 pm. A description of each assignment is at the end of this syllabus.

EXTRA CREDIT: You may write one book review worth up to a maximum of 10 percentage points. The average number of points students are awarded for this is six. The rubric is at the end of this syllabus, along with a list of approved books. You may suggest another book, but you must get approval BEFORE submitting the paper. If you choose a book not on the list without approval, you will not receive any extra credit.

Note on extra credit: Extra credit denotes something extra. Read the rubric carefully. You are not being asked to demonstrate you understand class concepts- your assignments were the opportunity to do that. You are being asked to move beyond the learning objectives, extend them, add something new that relates to this class but is not simply a regurgitation of it, and draw in your own sources that apply class concepts in a novel fashion.

LATE POLICY: This class is online and you can complete the work at any time. Each module will be open at least one week in advance, so you may work ahead if you know you will be busy one week (ex: a planned vacation). For this reason, no late work will be accepted. I strongly suggest you look at your work, activity, and social schedules to decide when to complete the assignments.

GRADING INFORMATION

- All grades will be posted on Canvas. You can access your scores at any time within the Canvas gradebook.

- Please note that I do NOT curve grades.

- If you would like to challenge a grade for an assignment, please email me with specific concerns or questions and I will set up a meeting with you. You may not challenge a grade after two weeks from the time the grade was posted. Your final grade on Canvas will appear 24 hours before they are posted to your record. Final grades will only be changed if they are calculated incorrectly.

- At the end of the term, I do math, not magic. I believe grading should be objective. Your final grade is awarded based on the points you earn on assignments, not effort or time spent. If you are in a situation where you need a certain grade (probation, athletics, scholarships, etc.) or are otherwise concerned, please speak to me ASAP so I can help you to achieve your goal.

GRADE SUMMARY

Discussions: 150 points

Quizzes: 100 points

Assignments: 250 points

TOTAL POINTS: 500

GRADING SCALE

Points	Percent	Grade
468+	94-100	A
447-467	90-93	A-
433-446	87-89	B+
418-432	84-86	B
398-417	80-83	B-
383-397	77-79	C+
368-383	74-76	C
348-367	70-73	C-
333-347	67-69	D+
318-332	64-66	D
298-317	60-63	D-
297 and under	0 - 59	F

If you calculate this out, you will note they grades already rounded at the .5

CLAS INCOMPLETE (IW/IF) POLICY

In accordance with UCD policy, incompletes will be granted in only the most extreme circumstances and where a student has already completed a significant amount of work. CLAS incomplete policy is as follows:

*Below are the official policies of the University of Colorado Denver*

“Students in CLAS classes may be awarded an Incomplete grade, "IW' or 'IF' , only if the following conditions are satisfied: (1) student successfully completes 75% of course, (2) student has special circumstances that precluded the completion of graded assignments, (3) the missed assignments are to be completed with the original instructor, and (4) course grade is determined using original grade combined with missed assignments.

· Students who must retake the course are not eligible for an Incomplete.

· Students with poor academic performance are not eligible for an Incomplete.

· Students making up an incomplete should not re-register for the course.

Students who meet criteria for an incomplete are encouraged to complete the CLAS Course Completion Agreement which is available from the CLAS Advising Office, NC 2024. This informal, but important, contract verifies completed assignments, identifies missing assignments, gives current course grade, and stipulates the time frame and other conditions necessary to obtain a letter grade in the course.”

*Please note that incomplete work must be finished by the end of the subsequent semester or the “I” will automatically be recorded as an “F” on your transcript.

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY: Academic dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated in this class. If you are caught cheating, plagiarizing, or assisting another student in engaging in the above behaviors you will be reported to University officials for disciplinary action. In addition, I reserve the right to lower your grade or, most likely, give you a failing grade for the course. Below are UCD’s official policies regarding academic dishonesty.

· Definition of Academic Dishonesty

Students are expected to know, understand, and comply with the ethical standards of the University. In addition, students have an obligation to inform the appropriate official of any acts of academic dishonesty by other students of the University. Academic dishonesty is defined as a student's use of unauthorized assistance with intent to deceive an instructor or other such person who may be assigned to evaluate the student’s work in meeting course and degree requirements. Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, the following.

· Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the use of another person’s distinctive ideas or words without acknowledgment. The incorporation of another person’s work into one’s own requires appropriate identification and acknowledgment, regardless of the means of appropriation. The following are considered to be forms of plagiarism when the source is not noted:

1. Word-for-word copying of another person's ideas or words.

2. The mosaic (the interspersing of one’s own words here and there while, in essence, copying another's work).

3. The paraphrase (the rewriting of another’s work, yet still using their fundamental idea or theory).

4. Fabrication of references (inventing or counterfeiting sources).

5. Submission of another’s work as one's own.

6. Neglecting quotation marks on material that is otherwise acknowledged.

· Cheating

Cheating involves the possession, communication, or use of information, materials, notes, study aids or other devices not authorized by the instructor in an academic exercise, or communication with another person during such an exercise. Examples of cheating are:

1. Copying from another's paper or receiving unauthorized assistance from another during an academic exercise or in the submission of academic material.

2. Using a calculator when its use has been disallowed.

3. Collaborating with another student or students during an academic exercise without the consent of the instructor.

· Fabrication and Falsification

Fabrication involves inventing or counterfeiting information, i.e., creating results not obtained in a study or laboratory experiment. Falsification, on the other hand, involves deliberately altering or changing results to suit one’s needs in an experiment or other academic exercise.

· Multiple Submissions

This is the submission of academic work for which academic credit has already been earned, when such submission is made without instructor authorization.

· Misuse of Academic Materials

The misuse of academic materials includes, but is not limited to, the following:

1. Stealing or destroying library or reference materials or computer programs.

2. Stealing or destroying another student’s notes or materials, or having such materials in one’s possession without the owner’s permission.

3. Receiving assistance in locating or using sources of information in an assignment when such assistance has been forbidden by the instructor.

4. Illegitimate possession, disposition, or use of examinations or answer keys to examinations.

5. Unauthorized alteration, forgery, or falsification.

6. Unauthorized sale or purchase of examinations, papers, or assignments.

SPECIAL LEARNING NEEDS: The University of Colorado Denver is committed to ensuring the full participation of all students in its programs, including students with disabilities. If you have a disability or think you have a disability and need accommodations to succeed in this course, I encourage you to contact Disability Resources and Services (DRS) and/or speak with me as soon as you can. (DRS is located in Academic Building 1, Suite 2116, and at disabilityresources@ucdenver.edu.) I am committed to providing equal access as required by federal law, and I am interested in developing strategies for your success in this course.

FORMATTING ASSIGNMENTS AND PAPERS: You may use any citation style you are comfortable with as long as you are using it consistently and correctly. Assignments and papers should be in Times New Roman, 12-point font.

TOPICS AND READING SCHEDULE

**I reserve the right to make changes to this schedule**

DATE TOPIC ASSIGNMENT

PART ONE: Defining Sex and Gender, Theories of Sex and Gender, Gender/Sex Socialization, Masculinities, Femininities, and Gender/Sex Variation.

Week One, beginning August 20th

Defining Sex and Gender

Reading: Kessler, Suzanne J. 1990. “The medical construction of gender: case management of intersex infants.” Signs 16(1): 3-24.

Muehlenhard, Charlene L. and Zoe D. Peterson. 2011. “Distinguishing between sex and gender: history, current conceptualizations, and implications. Sex Roles 64(12): 791-803.

Watch: Laci Green “Gender Binary, Gender Baggage”

*** Quiz week

Week Two, beginning August 27th

Theories of Sex and Gender (and Race)

Reading: Risman, Barbara J. 2004. “Gender as a social structure: theory wrestling with activism.” Gender & Society 18(4):429-450.

Zimmerman, Candace and Don H. Zimmerman. 1987. “Doing gender.” Gender & Society 1(1):122-151.

Crenshaw, Kimberle. 2015. “Why intersectionality can’t wait” in The Washington Post online.

*** Quiz week

Week Three, beginning September 3rd

Gender Socialization

Reading: Lever, Janet (1976) Sex Differences in the Games Children Play Social Problems 23(4): 478-487.

Rahilly, Elizabeth. 2015. “The gender binary meets the gender-variant child.” Gender & Society 29(3): 338-361.

*** Quiz week

***Assignment one due

Week Four , beginning September 10th

Masculinities

Read: Morris, Max and Eric Anderson. 2015. “’Charlie is so cool like’: authenticity, popularity, and inclusive masculinity on YouTube. Sociology 49(6):1200-1217.

Klien, Amanda A. “Abject femininity and compulsive masculinity on Jersey Shore” in Reality Gendervision edited by Brenda Weber.

Watch: Masculinity and Gaming (This video contains homophobic language)

*** Quiz week

Week Five, beginning September 17th

Femininities

Read: Solint, Rebecca. 2014. Men Explain Things to Me. Chicago, IL: Haymarket Books. Chapter one (scanned on Canvas).

Bugdgeon, Shelley. 2011. “The contradictions of successful femininity: third-wave feminism, postfeminism, and ‘new’ femininities” in New Femininities edited by Rosalind Gill and Christina Scharff.

Watch: Beyonce “Yours and Mine”

*** Quiz week

Week Six, beginning September 24th

Gender/Sex Variation

Start Reading: Green, Jamison. 2004. Becoming a Visible Man. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press

Watch: “Mala Mala” on Netflix

*** Assignment two due

Week Seven, beginning October 1st

Finish Reading: Green, Jamison. 2004. Becoming a Visible Man. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press

Also read: Hicklin, Aaron. 2017. “Intersex and proud: model Hanne Gaby Odiele on finally celebrating her body.” In The Guardian.

Watch: Cecilia McDonald’s Ted Talk “Intersex People and the Physics of Judgement”

*** Quiz week

PART TWO: Gender and Sexuality, Gender, Sex, and Work, Pathologizing, Policing, and Punishing Sex and Gender, and Sex, Gender, and the Body

Week Eight, beginning October 8th

Gender and Sexuality

Read: Clarkson, Jay. 2008 “The limitations of the discourse of norms: gay visibility and degrees of transgression” Journal of Communication Inquiry 32(4): 368-383.

Blair, Karen L. and Rhea Ashley Hoskin. 2014. “Experiences of femme identity: coming out, invisibility, and femmephobia.” Psychology & Sexuality.

Watch: Tillet Wright’s Ted Talk “50 Shades of Gay”

Week Nine, beginning October 15th

Read: Wilkins, Amy C. Wannabes, Goths, and Christians. 2008. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. Chapters four and five.

Watch: “Liberated: The New Sexual Revolution” on Netflix

***Quiz week

***Assignment three due

Week Ten, beginning October 22nd

Gender and Work

Reading: England, Paula. 2006. “Desegregation stalled: the changing gender composition of college majors, 1791-2002.” Gender & Society 20(5): 657-677.

Williams, Christine L. 2015. “Crossing over: interdisciplinary research on ‘men who do women’s work.’” Sex Roles 72(7): 390-395.

Babcock, Linda and Sara Laschever. 2003. Women Don’t Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Press. Intro and chapter four (scanned on Canvas).

Week Eleven, beginning October 29th

Gender and Work

Reading: Unlocking the Clubhouse Intro through chapter six

Watch: CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap on Netflix

Week Twelve, beginning November 5th

Gender and (Sex) Work

Reading: Escoffier, Jeffery. 2003. “Gay-for-pay: straight men and the making of gay pornography.” Qualitative Sociology 26(4): 531-555.

Mashkovska, Biljana, Melissa Siegal, Sarah E. Strutterheim, and Arjan E. R. Bos. 2015. “Female sex trafficking: conceptional issues, current debates, and future directions.” Journal of Sex Research: 380-395.

Jackson, Crystal A. “How U.S. sex worker rights activists perceive and respond to mainstream anti-sex trafficking advocacy.” Sociological Perspectives 59(1): 27-45.

Watch: Vice “Sex Workers in Saarland” (This documentary contains explicit language about sex acts)

***Quiz Week

***Assignment four due

Week Thirteen, beginning November 12th

Pathologizing and Policing Sex and Gender

Read: The Police and the Black Male by Elijah Anderson

Watch: “The Force” on Netflix (This documentary contains explicit language, racism, and violence)

Week Fourteen, beginning November 19th

Fall Break, no reading or assignments

Week Fifteen, beginning November 26th

Pathologizing and Policing Sex and Gender

Read Science Constructs PMS by Anne E. Figert

Read: “Consuming Women, Modernity, and HIV Risk” by Sanyu Mojola

Read “A farewell to fuckboys in the age of consent culture” by Minda Honey in Longreads (This reading contains the description of a sexual assault)

*** Quiz week

Week Sixteen, beginning December 3rd

Sex, Gender, and the Body

Read: Read, Jen’nan Ghazal and Bridget K. Gorman. 2010. “Gender and health inequity.” Annual Review of Sociology 36: 371-386.

Thomeer, Mieke Beth, Emily Allen, and Chenoia Bryant. 2017. “Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender families and health” Sociology Compass 12: 1-13.

Watch “Miss Representation” on Netflix

***Quiz week.

***Assignment five due at the time of the final

RUBRICS AND ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTIONS

Discussion Boards:

Each Wednesday, at 11:59 pm, your first discussion board is due. The second post is due on Friday at 11:59 pm. Discussion posts are designed for you to demonstrate that you have completed the reading AND that you are applying critical thinking to the topic. Posts should be 1-2 solid paragraphs. The two posts are as follows:

Wednesday Post:

· Select one quote from a reading and CITE IT. You will NOT receive credit for selecting a quote that has already been posted by another student.

· Your reaction to the quote, including why you chose it

· Commentary that shows you understand the quote in context and are analyzing the ideas

Example post from a different course:

“The world has no such universal system, no myths, rituals, and symbols that powerfully unite the people of the globe, though some allow that global civilization could give rise to a global civil religion…” (Roberts and Yamane 417-418).

The section, “Toward a Global Civil Religion?”, that the above quote is from caught my interest because the discussion of a global civil religion makes me think of world peace. A civil religion is most likely to form when there are commonalities amongst the civilians core morals, rituals, etc; however, the idea that a majority of people in the world would be able to reconcile their beliefs and practices on primary issues does not make sense to me. As the chapter discusses, because there are so many different religions present that disagree with and dam each other, there are countless conflicting beliefs and morals. Because of the conflicts between religions, even though a global civilization may be present, a global civil religion will not form. Once it is understood that a global civil religion has no chance of forming, then the idea of why world peace will never be possible becomes clear: human beliefs are inherently contradictory and unresolvable conflict will always form.

Friday post:

· You will be given a prompt and asked to respond to it

· There are no right or wrong answers, but you should demonstrate you read the materials and can apply

Example prompt from a different course:

Heroin use in the US has skyrocketed in the past decade. Nearly one million Americans use heroin in a given year and heroin related deaths have quadrupled in the past decade. As a response to the potential health concerns related to IV drug use (AIDS, Hep C, etc.), many counties (including Boulder) are now setting up needle exchange programs. These programs allow IV drug users to get needles and other injection supplies free of cost, anonymously, and without legal ramifications. What theory of deviance do you think best explains the increase in heroin use in the past decade and why? Based on what you have learned so far, are needle exchanges an effective way of dealing with the epidemic? What programs might be more effective?

Example response:

While the use of needle exchange programs may be a short term / temporary resolution to an issue that requires more attention and a long term resolution, those who have fallen into addiction of heroin will likely not be discouraged of using unclean needles when they are desperate. In this way, needle exchange programs may be temporary solutions, but until a proper way to deal with the rising heroin epidemic is put in place, I believe these programs should continue. With today's society, it is quite easy for citizens to fall between the gaps of corporate ladders or job markets, whether it be from lack of skill, unforeseeable economic changes, or simply being underprivileged and at a disadvantage. The strain theory of deviance is the theory that is most applicable to this issue, for today's social structure is filled with pressures and hardships that may discourage someone and lead them into a spiral of drug usage, like heroin. So while needle exchanges are not effective in abolishing heroin usage, they are a neutral way to at least avoid even further health concerns. More effective programs might include a serious one on one type program - but keeping users separated and with true hands on help; for as we discussed in lecture, putting users together may just give them more access or opportunity to using the drug.

Post rubric:

5- original, creative post that answers all parts of the prompt and incorporates course material correctly; student provides their own examples that broaden the scope of the course and/or personal experiences that are relevant and demonstrate understanding; student articulates a clear stance in relation to the prompt that is well-informed and well-supported

4- good application that answers all parts of the prompt and incorporates course material correctly; student provides their own examples that broaden the scope of the course and/or personal experiences that are relevant and demonstrate understanding; argument/opinion of post topic may not be 100% clear, but some support is offered for different points.

3- post addresses some parts of the prompt and attempts the use of materials to support their case; no original examples, just a restatement of class discussion.

2- post attempts some parts of the prompt; materials are clearly misunderstood or not present; no original examples, just a restatement of class discussion.

1- post does not engage with the prompt; response is a restatement of the prompt

0- No post

Assignment One (Due Week Three- Sunday at 11:59 pm)

Part I

ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS: For this assignment, you will take the following three Implicit Association Tests (AITs) relevant to the major content of our course:

1. Sexuality IAT

1. Gender-Career IAT

1. Gender-Science IAT

Please access these IATs through the following link: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/selectatest.html

Complete each of these IATs. Project Implicit estimates completion time to be about 15 minutes per IAT. Upon completing each of these three AITs, you will receive a “Debriefing” page that includes your test results. Take a screenshot or “print”/save each of these pages as a PDF and turn them in with your paper.

WRITING INSTRUCTIONS: Reflect individually on the experience of taking the IAT and your test results. Describe at least two new pieces of information you have learned about hidden bias, prejudice, stereotyping, stigma, or discrimination as a result of reviewing the tutorial and taking the test, comparing your definitions of sex, gender, and socialization to those in the course materials. What did you learn about your own gendered ideologies? What did you learn about society’s gender ideologies? Write in your own words, how this new information helped you better understand an experience you have had personally or an experience someone else has encountered with hidden bias.

Format: 3-4 double-spaced pages, Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins. You should cite at least three different course materials other than the AIT website. Include a reference page. You may use any citation style you feel comfortable with as long as you are using it consistently and correctly.

Assignment Two (Due Week Six—Sunday at 11:59pm)

OPTION ONE:

Instructions: Very often the same product is marketed to men and to women in very different ways, products that by definition aren’t necessarily “gendered.” For this essay, find two magazine ads for three different types of products (such as beverages, cars, toothpaste, soap, deodorant, etc.), one of which is intended for a female audience and one for a male audience, and analyze them. How do the ads differ in their approaches? Are they gender-neutral or not? How do they depict images of “femininity” or “masculinity” in hopes of reaching their audience? Do these depictions follow more stereotypical views of masculinity and femininity or new, “third-wave” versions? How do these ads show how definitions of masculinity and femininity have changed over time? Be sure to pay attention to as many details in the ads as possible, no matter how insignificant they might seem, and be sure to include copies of the ads with your essay.

Format: 3-4 double-spaced pages (about one page per set of ads), Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins. You should cite at least three different course materials. Include a reference page. You may use any citation style you feel comfortable with as long as you are using it consistently and correctly.

OPTION TWO:

Prompt: We have been discussing how sex and gender are socially constructed as binaries despite statistics reflecting that our current “two – and only two” system does not include a significant portion of the U.S. population whose bodies or personhoods do not fit into our rigidly constructed boxes. Apply what you have learned in class thus far to explain how contemporary society understands sex and gender, with attention to going beyond the masculinity/femininity binary and if doing so is important.

Format: 3-4 double-spaced pages. Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins. You should cite at least three different course materials. Include a reference page. You may use any citation style you feel comfortable with as long as you are using it consistently and correctly.

Assignment Three (Due Week Nine- Sunday at 11:59 pm)

OPTION ONE:

When it comes to intimacy and sex, young people today are apparently doing away with the old rules of romance and cutting straight to the chase. If recent reports are to be believed, the rise of “hookup culture” on college campuses is in the process of killing off dating and courtship, radically altering some of our most basic assumptions about heterosexual sex and gender. But for all the speculation, there’s been little beyond anecdotal evidence to back any of these claims up.

Instructions: Define hookup culture in your own words. Is there a hookup culture on CU Denver campus? Why or why not? What pressures or processes do you see at play that influence your peer’s decisions to participate in hookups or not? How does this change for people based on gender identity, sexual orientation, race, socio-economic background, etc. Has your personal definition of what constitutes “having sex” changed over time? Is penetrative sex still a dominate sexual standard? Why or why not?

Format: 3-4 double-spaced pages, Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins. You should cite at least three different course materials. Include a reference page. You may use any citation style you feel comfortable with as long as you are using it consistently and correctly.

OPTION TWO:

How is/was your socialization to sexuality similar to or different from your parent’s/parents’ experiences? Your peers? How “strong” of a norm is heterosexuality? Explaining and reflecting on what you have learned about the spectrum of sexual orientations (including the Kinsey Scale assignment) and the spectrum of sex/gender, how does this challenge or conflict with our understandings of homosexuality and heterosexuality?

Assignment Four (Due Week Twelve- Sunday at 11:59 pm)

Prompt: Please write a paper explaining, on the basis of the authors we have read thus far in the course, whether you agree or disagree with the following statement: “Over the past two decades, the situation of working women in America has improved. Today, gender is much less of a factor in explaining differences between male and female workers than it used to be.” Directions You can choose which particular issue or issues you want to discuss in your essay (for example, occupational sex segregation, wage gap, work-family balance), but be as specific as possible in explaining your answer. Please be aware that this is not an opinion essay; rather I am asking you to use the course materials we have read thus far and the evidence presented therein to develop an answer to this question. There is no “right” or “wrong” answer, but you need to develop your answer by referencing specific arguments and data from the course readings.

Assignment Five (Due at the time of the final exam)

OPTION ONE:

Open essay. Write a critical reflection on something from this class related to gender, sex, or sexuality that you are interested in or your views have shifted on over the course of the semester.

Format: 5-6 double-spaced pages, Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins. You should cite at least three different course materials. Include a reference page. You may use any citation style you feel comfortable with as long as you are using it consistently and correctly.

OPTION TWO:

Redo assignment one. Did your results change? Why or why not? Reflect individually on the experience of taking the IAT the first time and this time. Describe at least two ways your hidden bias, prejudice, stereotyping, stigma, or discrimination has changed as a result of the course, comparing your definitions of sex, gender, and socialization to those in your first essay.

Extra Credit (Due at the time of the final)

Write a critical review of one of the books below. All books are available on Amazon. Papers should be 8-10 pages and contain references to class material, as well as outside scholarly sources. These papers require you to identify arguments, evaluate evidence, extend theory, and find new contexts to apply the findings. They are graded according to the rubric on D2L. Just because you turn in a paper does not mean you get ten points. The average number of points awarded is six.

Approved Books:

Tranny by Laura Jane Grace

Redefining Realness by Janet Mock

The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan

Backlash by Susan Faludi

The Managed Heart by Arlie Hoschchild

The Ethical Slut by Janet Hardy

Excluded by Julia Serano

Angry White Men by Michael Kimmel

Dude, You’re a Fag by CJ Pascoe

American Hookup by Lisa Wade

******* YOU MAY SUGGEST OTHER BOOKS, BUT IF YOU TURN IN A PAPER ABOUT A BOOK NOT ON THIS LIST WITHOUT APPROVAL YOU WILL RECEIVE ZERO POINTS******

Background

Gives relevant information about author and intended audience, positions text in scholarly debate. 10

Gives some meaningful information about author and how text fits in scholarly debate.

Some mention of background information on text and author. 6

Some background information is offered but is incomplete or inaccurate. 4

Almost no background information if offered, text not situated in scholarly debates 2

Fails to mention background information. 0

Argument

Student clearly and succinctly identifies the argument of the book, and the implications and contexts of that argument with no quoting 10

Student can identify argument, but has trouble extending that into answering the “so what” questions the book is addressing with no quoting 8

Student can organize the book into related themes, but does not address a single, coherent argument. Some “so what” thinking, but not well developed. Some reliance on quotes to describe themes of text 6

Student can identity themes, but has trouble articulating how each theme relates to the next. No implications. Heavy quoting 4

Student identifies some themes, but does not meaningfully relate them 2

Student summarizes different points without thinking about theses 0

Evidence

Perceptively describes and evaluates the kinds of evidence used to support the claims and overall argument in the text, suggesting other potentially useful sources that would tend to confirm or refute argument. 10

Describes and evaluates evidence, how it was used, obtained, and able to tie it to different claims throughout the book. How different claims draw on different methods and forms of data. 8

General description of evidence, how it was obtained, and statement on how it was used through the book 6

Describes the evidence and how information was obtained, but does not meaningfully evaluate the evidence or methods 4

Describes some evidence, but does not say how data was collected or evaluate its usefulness or relevance 2

No description of the evidence used in the text 0

Summary

Succinctly and accurately summarizes the plot, theoretical frame, linking to argument and evidence. Supports statements without extraneous details. 15

Moves through the book, linking themes/argument/evidence, but is sometimes bogged down in details that are extraneous to supporting the main ideas 12

Moves through the book, linking themes/argument/evidence, but is bogged down in details. Hard to separate what you think is a supporting detail from the main idea 9

Describes events and topics without linking them to the arguments, evidence, and central ideas about deviance, but misses or misunderstands important concepts 6

Misses or misunderstands major parts of the text 3

Lacks basic understanding of the issues and assignment 0

Review

Thoughtful evaluation of strengths and weaknesses of text, pointing to other evidence or questions that seem to support or weaken the argument of the text. 15

Thoughtful evaluation of strengths and weaknesses of text, with some reference to other material that indicate the value of the arguments set forth in the text. 12

Shows some understanding of strengths and weaknesses of text, but gives limited or no reference to other material. 9

Mostly ignores evaluation and focuses on summary. 6

None or little support for argument, misuse of sources (misunderstanding sources, using sources that are not relevant to argument). 3

Not able to evaluate arguments 0

Core Objectives of Course (on syllabus)

Student clearly relates the book to more than one of the core objectives of the class, showing how the book challenges or extends that section of the course. Ample and diverse course materials are related to the book to demonstrate connections. 15

Student relates the book to more than one of the core questions (or sections) of the class, developing some ideas about challenges and extensions of the course. Ample and diverse course materials are related to the book in a respectable effort at connecting them 12

Student clearly relates the book to one of the core questions of the class, showing how the text challenges or extends that section. Some course material is used, but student is over reliant on lecture. 9

Student attempts relating the book to core question(s) of the class, but ideas are unclear, misunderstood, or underdeveloped. Some course material is used, but mostly relying on lecture. 6

Student mentions concepts in class, but reads more of an overall comparison of how concepts are or are not used, rather than an argument or extension of them. 3

No course materials are used. 0

Application in other contexts

Student identifies one applied context (i.e., how could these concepts be applied to someone’s job?) and one academic context (e.g., women’s studies department) that may be interested in this book. Connections are clearly articulated, outside sources are fully incorporated, and compare/contrast to sociology are made through a well-developed argument. Show how those contexts might challenge/extend theories presented. 15

Student identifies one applied and one academic context that may be interested in this work. They incorporate sources to support their argument, but connections are tenuous or not fully explained. Student has some thinking about how these contexts might challenge or extend the book 12

Student identifies one applied OR one academic context that may be interested in this work. They use some sources to support their case, but it is not a well developed argument. Outside sources might be misunderstood or misused. 9

Student identifies one applied OR one academic context that may be interested in this work, but uses anecdotal evidence to support their case. 6

Student identifies outside contexts, but doesn’t develop any ideas about how they actually connect to the book. No sources. 3

Student does not identify or understand how the book could apply in other contexts. 0

Mechanics

Student clearly controls the pace, rhythm, and variety of sentences. Sentence style is smooth and efficient. Words are well chosen and phrasing is precise. Sentences move smoothly from one to the next. No mechanical errors and only appropriate use of passive voice. Little or no quoting. 10

Student uses variation in word choices, sentence lengths, and sentence transitions, but sentences are often wordy and cluttered. Economy in writing has not yet been developed. Student refrains from making typical mechanical errors, but errors arise as complexities in writing increase. Passive voice is used, but not noticeably. 8

Style is competent, though not engaging or inventive. Shows reasonable command over phrasing and word choice. Some useful transitions and patterns of reference provide connections in the paper. Some typical mechanical errors and predictable use of passive voice. 6

Requires the reader to backtrack to make sense of the organization. Uses awkward, though not necessarily incorrect phrasing. Overly reliant on passive voice. 4

Lacks control over sentence structure, difficult to follow, does not use appropriate transitions. Many mechanical errors (spelling, punctuation, verb tense, capitalization, punctuation, etc.).