1000-1500 gender analysis (diachronic/synchronic)

 

Due on April 18 – submit on Canvas

1000-1500 words, double spaced, using one of these fonts: Times New Roman, Arial, David, Cambria, or Calibri. Please mention the word count at the end of the text but before the bibliography. The word count should include everything but the bibliography and title.

APA (or other, with my permission) 

In the middle of your title page (regardless of style), please write the title of the essay and your option choice, the date, the name of course and instructor, your name and the following sentence:

“On my honor as a member of the CU Boulder community, I pledge that I have not used, received or given any unauthorized assistance and material in this academic work” [signature] 

 

Below the pledge, paste the following table:

Rubrics	Points	Actual Points
Choice	10
Choice explanation	20
Methods	10
Findings, Description	50
Learning from material	30
Being active	20
Technical	10
Comments

 

 

The rationale:

A gendered word, a gendered object, and a gendered space are three cases for analysis that can teach us about reflected and reinforced cultural views and social values regarding gender. Some preserve traditional gender roles, some lead us to change behavior and perceptions, some express oppression or liberation, and some combine these effects or do other things. These “small” units of study embrace in themselves gendered lives and understandings.

In this essay you are asked to choose a word, a space, or an object that can teach us something about the claims and actions we have studied in our course.

1. Choose a case study: a particular word (or phrase of two-three words), space, or object.

Examples of words: Ms., super-girl, daddy, woman-in-labor, gender, to man up, tomboy, gentleman (verbs and adjectives could work as well)

Examples of spaces: restroom, bed, salon, confession room, truck, home, jail, synagogue 

Examples of objects: mirror, gun, bra, skirt, bandana, necklace, tie, engagement ring

You can choose one from these lists or use another one of your choice.

2. Interpretive analysis: diachronic or synchronic analysis. You may choose to do a diachronic analysis, which traces the word/space/object historically, or a synchronic analysis, which studies the word/space/object in current life and studies its relations to immediate context/users/other words, objects, spaces. Pick ONE, and identify your choice on your title page.

Diachronic analysis:

Please trace the origin of the word/space/object. Pay attention to changes in its structure/design, use, and values regarding gender.

Synchronic analysis:

Please study the current values and work of a word/space/object. Watch/listen how people use it, study its image in the media or in campus life, or use some other method. The possibilities are endless.

Structure of the essay:

1. Explain your choice of a case study and type of analysis (diachronic/synchronic): show why it is interesting, relevant, important, and worth an essay, whether for social or personal reasons (1 paragraph).

2. For your analysis, first explain what methods you used (searching historical texts, museums, the web, observing people, watching a TV series, having conversations with people, reading guidelines, etc.) (couple of sentences).

Second, describe your findings. Please keep this section very organized and well-written. You will also have to choose a focus – changes in designs of bras, current use of a mirror in public restrooms (who, how, for how long, for what), changes in ads for guns over the years (who holds them, what’s the promise if you’ll buy), emergence of a word and its changing definitions (use of an etymological dictionary), in which context or situation the word “super-girl” is being used, etc. (2-5 paragraphs).

3. Explain what we can learn from the analysis (not from other sources that you did not mention before) about historical/current reflected and/or reinforced cultural views and social values regarding gender. Can we learn something about gender roles, masculinity/femininity, perceptions or behavior changes? Can we understand something about oppression, or acts for liberation? (1-3 paragraphs)

4. Be active: end with a description of (optional) acts for change or awareness deriving from your case, in social or personal contexts. (a paragraph)

5. Bibliography: Use the Gendered Lives textbook and at least two additional texts from the syllabus, or one from the syllabus and one from the list of journals on Canvas. In other words, your bibliography must include at least three texts.