Course Objectives:

The main objectives of this course are as follows:

(1) To acquaint students with the multidisciplinary approach to the study of women in society; women's roles and issues will be examined from a variety of perspectives including anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, sociology, biology, history, literature and others;

(2) To develop students' self-awareness in terms of their socialization as individuals via examination of the role behaviors and beliefs about women and men that we have learned as members of our society;

(3) To develop an awareness and fuller understanding of the changing roles and status of women in our culture as well as other cultures, including an awareness of the impact women have had upon society;

(4) To obtain an understanding of feminist theory regarding the basis of oppression and gender stratification through the analysis of the social, economic and political subordination of women.

Required Texts

Richardson, Laurel and Verta Taylor, and Nancy Whittier (Eds), 1997.  Feminist Frontiers IV:  Rethinking Sex, Gender, and Society.  New York:  McGraw Hill.
Rickabaugh, Cheryl, 1998.  Sex and Gender, Student Projects and Exercises.  New York: McGraw Hill.
Schaef, Anne Wilson, 1985.  Women's Reality:  An Emerging Female System in a White Male Society.  San Francisco:  Harper and Row.

Reserve Readings

These additional articles will be in your lecture notes packet.

Anderson, Margaret, 1988. "Sexism and the Social Construction of Knowledge".  In Thinking About Women: Sociological Perspectives on Sex and Gender (Ch. 2, pp 23-45).  New York:  MacMillan.
Benderly, Beryl, 1984.  "Rape-free or Rape-prone".  In Conformity and Conflict, Spradley, J. and D. McCurdy (Eds). Boston: Little, Brown and Co.
Herman, Dianne, 1989.  "The Rape Culture".  In Freeman, Jo (Ed), Women.  Mountain View, CA:  Mayfield Publishing Co.

Grading and Requirements

There will be a midterm and final exam consisting of both subjective and objective questions based upon the text and materials discussed in class.  In addition, there will be two short (a minimum of 4-5 typed pages with standard 1" margins) take-home essays: (1) a personal experience paper; and (2) analysis of an issue concerning women, or analysis of field research/interviews, or analysis of a feminist novel/non-fiction book (see attached guidelines for details).  Finally, you will be required to carry out a number of exercises from the Sex and Gender workbook as either in-class or home exercises (see attached guidelines).

Evaluation of the take-home essays and written exercises from Sex and Gender will be based on:  (a) length - adequate coverage of the topic; (b) clarity - free of misspellings and typographical errors, grammatically correct; (c) relevance to the course - this must be clearly pointed out; (d) analysis - insights into the significance of the issue/experience for you.

Classroom Discussion

Cooperative learning strategies will be used to include all students in classroom discussion of assigned readings.  Students will also be able to participate in discussion through e-mail.  Each individual will be called upon to find the basic thesis/argument of an assigned article as well as its key concepts and evidence supporting them.  Please include questions for future research in the article’s field of research (i.e. of the specific article and what its author says has been corrected in previous research, but still raises vital questions for future research in the article’s field (discipline).  Students will be asked to answer each of the discussion questions on the bulletin board assignments each week. These will be typed and evaluated as part of their participation grade.  One sheet will suffice.

Also, on occasion, students will be called upon to discuss the exercises they have carried out via the computer at home in addition to the required discussion of in-class exercises in cooperative learning groups.  Most discussion groups will consist of 4 students.  Students will be interacting weekly via the bulletin board and in class..  For this reason, it is absolutely essential for everyone to complete and turn in the student profile form, including your e-mail address the FIRST WEEK of class.

Policy on Plagiarism

We at CSUB do not accept or tolerate instances of academic fraud or plagiarism among students or faculty.  Plagiarism is an extremely serious offense.  Using published or unpublished material without citing the source is plagiarism.  You may use someone else's material if you enclose it in quotation marks and reference precisely its source.  Such material, however, should be used sparingly, if at all.  Simply paraphrasing someone else's material by minimal re-arrangement of the wording is also plagiarism.  It is an equally serious offense if you write a paper for someone else, or copy someone else's work, or allow someone to copy your work.  In all cases, this is cheating.  Plagiarism and cheating result automatically in a grade of F for the course.  College regulations also require that a letter be entered into the student's file regarding the infraction, and any second offense will lead to permanent dismissal from the university.

Assignments and Schedule of Events

April 4   Introduction to Women's Studies:  An overview of theoretical perspectives on the study of women;
Week 1: the dynamics of patriarchy and its images, pp. 1-3.
  Diversity and Difference and Feminist perspectives (partial)

Read: Richardson, Taylor, and Whittier pp. 1-63
 Anderson, M., "Sexism and the Social Construction of Reality" - (included in lectures)
 In class activity in Sex and Gender, Project 1.1

April 9   Feminist Perspectives (continued), and Language, Images, and Culture
Week 2: Explanations of sex-based inequality.

Read: Richardson, Taylor, and Whittier pp. 63-110
 Schaef, A., Women's Reality
 In class activity in Sex and Gender, Project 2.3

April 16  Language, Images, and Culture (continued)
Week 3: Socialization (partial)

Read: Richardson, Taylor, and Whittier pp. 111-170
 In class activity in Sex and Gender, Project 4.4

April 23  Socialization (continued)
Week 4: Intimacy and Sexuality

Read: Richardson, Taylor, and Whittier pp. 171-196 and pp. 307-349
 In class activity in Sex and Gender, Project 9.3

First Essay - Personal Experience Paper-Due:  April 25, 2001?Dr. Granskog’s office by 9:30 p.m.

April 30   Work
Week 5:

Read: Richardson, Taylor, and Whittier pp. 197-260
 In class activity in Sex and Gender, Project 6.2

MIDTERM EXAM:  May 7, 2001 Monday

May 14   Families
Week 6:

Read: Richardson, Taylor, and Whittier pp. 261-306
 In class activity in Sex and Gender, Project 10.2

May  21  Bodies and Medicine
Week 7:

Read: Richardson, Taylor, and Whittier pp. 351-391
 In class activity in Sex and Gender, Project 11.3

May 29   (TUESDAY - IS A MONDAY SCHEDULE) Violence Against Women
Week 8:
 

Read: Richardson, Taylor, and Whittier pp. 393-439
 Herman, "The Rape Culture"; Benderly, "Rape-free or Rape-prone" (Included in lectures on rape)
 In class activity in Sex and Gender, Project 3.3

June 4   Social Change - Global Politics and the State
Week 9:

Read: Richardson, Taylor, and Whittier pp. 441-496
 In class activity in Sex and Gender, Project 12.1

Second Essay Due:  May 30, 2001 ? Dr. Granskog’s office by 9:30 p.m.
 

June 6, 11  Social Protest and the Feminist Movement
Week 10:

Read: Richardson, Taylor, and Whittier pp. 497-561
In class activity in Sex and Gender, Project 12.2

GUIDELINES FOR EXERCISES FROM SEX AND GENDER

There are two types of activities/exercises from Sex and Gender that will be carried out to complement the readings from the text: (1) in class exercises; and (2) home exercises to be completed via e-mail.  Students will be placed into groups and required to present and discuss selected exercises in class.   A choice of other activities will be selected by the instructors of the course for students to complete at home via e-mail.  A list of selected in-class activities are included on the syllabus.  A separate handout for home activities will be handed out on the first day of
Class.

GUIDELINES FOR THE TAKE-HOME ESSAYS

Your take-home essays should be a MINIMUM of 4-5 pages long.  They MUST be typewritten and double spaced with standard margins.  Your first essay will be based on your personal experience.  For your second essay, you will have 3 overlapping options.

Essay I:  A Personal Experience Paper:

The focus of your essay will be taken from your own life.  It should be an example of something related to this course that has happened to you personally.  Look over the text for ideas.  Once you have chosen your topic or experience, describe the relevant aspects of it as clearly as you can (what happened from start to finish).  Having described the experience, comment upon its significance:  (a) How does it relate to the material in this course?  How is it relevant? (b)  How did you feel at the time and how do you feel about it today?  (c)  What did you learn, if anything, from the experience?  How do you think it has affected you?  What, if anything, have you done about it?  Has your perception of the experience changed or altered as a result of being in this class?

Sample Topics:

(a) How was I raised?  What were the rules?  What toys, games, T.V. shows, etc. influenced me?  How have my early childhood experiences affected my beliefs and behavior today?
(b) I am married, or about to be.  My attitudes and beliefs about marriage, my experiences with this role are worth talking about and analyzing.
(c) I am divorced/separated.  This is my life. What is good and what is not so good about being single?
(d) I am gay/lesbian.  How has this affected my relations with and perceptions of those around me -- friends, family, co-workers, etc.  How has this decision (choice of life style) affected my perception of myself, my sense of self-identity?
(e) I have a job/career. Can I get ahead?  What do I face?  How have women in this job/career been discriminated against?
(f) How do I define myself/view myself as an individual?  Do I fit the feminine stereotype?  Do I want to?  Do I know anyone who does?  What do I perceive to be the key traits of an ideal woman?  Do I fit the male stereotype?  Do I want to?  What do I perceive to be the key traits of an ideal man?

Essay II

As noted above, you have three overlapping options for this essay:

(1) Analysis of an Issue:  Select an issue that concerns you from the readings -- any issue concerning women is acceptable.  Do an in-depth analysis including:  (a) a definition/statement of the issue at hand; (b) the "pros and cons" of the issue (if it can be addressed as such); and (c) conclude with your own assessment and/or position on the issue.

 Sample Topics:  portrayal of women in advertising; pro-life vs. pro-choice (abortion); equal pay for equal worth/comparative worth; support for childcare facilities, licensing, etc.; changes in divorce patterns, child custody rights, and effects on women involved; and so forth.

(2) (a) Analysis of Interviews -- Field Research:  This assignment consists of two parts:  (a) a series of interviews; and (b) a written analysis of the data obtained through the interviews.  Before conducting the interviews, draw up a list of questions you wish to ask your subjects (5-6 individuals is sufficient).  It helps to begin with more general questions first and then more specific questions.  The questions should focus on a particular issue that you wish to address.  Ask the same questions of each subject.  Take notes as you carry out the interviews.  Do not rely on your memory.  (A tape recorder is helpful -- however, ask your informant's permission to use it, first.)  Your paper should include:  (a) a discussion of the questions you asked each subject; (b) a description of your interviews -- who did you interview, why did you choose each subject, what did you expect to learn, etc.; and (c) an analysis of the data you collected -- how did the subjects compare with one another in terms of their responses?  What were their similarities and differences?  Were there any surprises?  Attach the list of questions to the end of your essay.

(2) (b) Oral Interview of Mother ? Separate handout from syllabus.  To be distributed on first day of class.

(3) Book Review:  Analysis of a feminist novel/non-fiction book.  Briefly describe the major thesis of the book.  Analyze it in light of the information and insights you have gained from this class.  If possible, take into consideration the characteristics/experiences of the author.  You may also wish to look for book reviews on the novel to give you better insight into the way in which it has been viewed by others.