LFU:online

Students acquire the ability to reproduce the essential theoretical approaches of interpretative sociology and to explain their basic terminology. Moreover, they know how to describe current topic areas and research perspectives of cultural social analyses. They are able to critically discuss constructions of identity in the context of social relationships of misjudgement and recognition based on sociological identity theories and theoretical impulses from related fields. They know how to identify and authentically reproduce central theses and lines of reasoning. Moreover, they are able to apply theoretical concepts to empirical phenomena.

While biological sex is an important marker of difference, sociologists are typically interested in ‘gender’, or the socially constructed and mediated meanings attached to maleness and femaleness. Located at the intersection of interdisciplinary gender studies and international feminist theory this course begins from the assumption that gender is not a property of the individual, but the product of ongoing, multilevel processes of social construction and reconstruction. Highlighting the multi-dimensional character of gender relations, the course will show how to link personal life with large-scale organizational structures and how gender politics changes its form in changing situations. In this class students will be introduced to gender at the sociocultural, individual, institutional, interactional, and global levels. Utilizing sociological research and theory, we will consider various processes and players that shape and reshape gender within and across these levels, and what this means for men and women’s day to day lives.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

• explain key concepts and theories in the sociology of gender relations and apply them to examples in the social environment.
• describe general historical trends and significant findings in the gender research literature
• recognize and analyze gender stratification and begin to consider broader issues of diversity
• critically examine and evaluate the impact of gender in their own lives.

This course combines lectures with facilitated classroom discussion. Students will be assessed based on readings, class participation content, and one long written essay at the end of the course so you will benefit from attending all classes with assigned readings complete and a participatory attitude.

This course is focused on reading, critical thinking and writing. Everyone is expected to do all of the reading and to take part in class discussions. And students will lead some of the discussions. In order to help you consolidate your understanding of the readings, and prepare for the discussion, you will hand in a one-page reaction paper on at least one of the assigned readings for each week. This very short reaction piece will raise one of the main sociological questions being addressed by the work in question, briefly state what the author’s argument is (in addressing that question), and comment on that argument (i.e., talk about any weaknesses or flaws in the argument, or otherwise evaluate it, talk about its implications for understanding gender, or discuss an empirical question it suggests to you). The paragraph will be handed in during class each week.

The main written work will consist of a long (10-page) critical essay on the reading material for a particular week (of your choice). The essay is meant to be a critical review of the central arguments (and evidence, if relevant) presented in a week's readings. It must discuss ALL of the readings for one week. The essay should clearly summarize the main arguments in each of the readings, and then evaluate them critically. (If you wish to do something slightly different from this, please speak to me before you do so.)

Quiz  50%  June 17

One critical essay  50% (Due June 22)

Quiz: The quiz include multiple choice, true/false, short answer, and/or matching questions. Study ideas and more information regarding the content of the test will be provided in class.

Critical Essay:  The critical essay will be based on the reading material for a particular theme (of your choice). Further guidance will be provided in class.

All components of this course must be completed in order to receive a passing grade.

Raewyn W. Connell and Rebecca Pearse (2014) Gender: In World Perspective. 3rd Edition.

positive completion of the compulsory module according to § 5 Para 1 No 2.