The course will acquaint students with diverse theoretical approaches to
understanding the origin and operation of gender as a major principle of social
organization. The focus in this course is primarily on the U.S. context. Students
will cover sociological and feminist theories of gender and will explore
methodological issues in the study of gender. The course will explore the impact of
gender relations and gender ideologies in social organizations such as families,
labor markets, schools, governments, religious institutions, and health care systems
and analyze the combined effects of gender, race/ethnicity and class in many domains
of social life. Finally, students will learn of past and contemporary movements
seeking reform around issues of gender.

Students will be asked to demonstrate their mastery of the course content in written
work that is appropriate for an academic context.

I. Theoretical perspectives on the study of gender
    Socialization/Social Learning
    Psychoanalytical
    Structural    
       Marxist Feminist
       Socialist Feminist
       Radical Feminist
       The New Men's Studies
       Multiracial Feminism and Theories of Intersectionality 

II. Methodological Issues in studying gender

III. Theories of the origin of gender difference

IV. Gender in the Context of Social Organizations
       A. The Family
       B. The Workplace
       C. The Educational System
       D. The Health Care System
       E. The Political System and the Military
       F. The Social Organization of Sexuality
       G. Religious and Spiritual Organizations
       H. The Mass Media
       I. Culture

V.  Gender and Social Change
       Early Feminism
       Recent Feminism

All students must be familiar with unversity policy on cheating.