COMM 3630 Gender, Language and Communication Dr. Janet Yedes
Fall 2006 Section 01 M & W 12:30am-1:50pm
Office: CAS 425
Office Hours: M & W 11:00-12:30
Email: jyedes@kean.edu
T 2:00-3:30, TH 4:00-5:00 & by Appt
Phone: 908-737-0469
Required Text: Wood, Julia. (2003). (5th Ed.) Gendered Lives:
Communication, Gender and Culture. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth
Required Selected Readings: On Reserve at the Library
Course Schedule (Subject to Changes)
Mon Sept 12
Authentic Self. Self-Knowledge. Mythical Norm
Wed Sept 14
Introduction to Gender Communication.
Conceptual Foundations
Read: Chapter 1
Mon Sept 19
Theoretical Approaches to Gender Communication
Read: Chapter 2
Wed Sept 21
Video: The Way Home.
Post Online: Questions and comments about video.
DUE by midnight Sept 21
Mon Sept 26
Gender in the Media. TV, Film, Magazines, Comics
Read: Chapter 10
Selected Readings: Student Presentations
Wed Sept 28
Gender in the Media
Selected Readings: Student Presentations
Mon Oct 3
Rhetorical Shaping of Gender. Historical Movements.
Read: Chapter 3
Selected Readings: Student Presentations
Wed Oct 5
Rhetorical Shaping of Gender. Historical
& Current Movements
Selected Readings: Student Presentations
Mon Oct 10
Holiday. No Class.
Wed Oct 12
Diverse Families, Gender Communication, and
Interactions in the Family
Read: Chapter 6
Selected Readings: Student Presentations
Mon Oct 17
Intimate Others
Selected readings: Student Presentations
Wed Oct 19
Friendships
Read: Chapter 7
Selected Readings: Student Presentations
Mon Oct 24
Gender and Workplace Communication
Read: Chapter 9
Selected Readings: Student Presentations
Wed Oct 26
Inequities, Challenges to Change, Solutions.
Empowerment. Where to turn. What’s working.
Sharing Resources
Media Assignment DUE
Mon Oct 31
Guest Speaker.
Power & Violence. U.S.
Read: Chapter 11
Wed Nov 2
Gender: When is it interactionally relevant?
Read: Chapter 4
Work on Paper from Actual Everyday Talk
Mon Nov 7
Guest Speaker.
Power & Violence. U.S.
Read: Chapter 11
Wed Nov 9
Education: Gendered Talk .
Everyday Talk Papers DUE
Read: Chapter 8
Selected Readings: Student Presentations
Mon Nov 14
Breaking Stereotypes, Categories, Boundaries: Panel
Wed Nov 16
Education: Envisioning Our Future
Mon Nov 21
Educational Environments, Curricular Content
Read: Selected Readings: Student Presentations
Wed Nov 23
Gender and Technology
Selected Readings: Student Presentations
Mon Nov 28
Race, Gender, and Class in America: Panel
Wed Nov 30
Comprehensive EXAM
Mon Dec 5
What counts as Equity?
Video: The Color of Fear
Wed Dec 7
Presentations. Final Projects DUE
Mon Dec 12
Presentations. Final Projects DUE
Wed Dec 14
Presentations. Final Projects DUE
Mon Dec 19
Presentations. Final Projects DUE
Wed Dec 21
Our Multicultural World. Sharing Vision.
Sustaining Community
Read: Epilogue
Course Objectives



To explore and understand concepts and relationships about gender,
communication and culture.
To explore and analyze how people develop and communicate gender
identities.
To analyze how gender works in actual interaction in public,
organizational, and mediated communication.
Course Evaluation
Student Presentations of 2 Gender articles (10 points each)
(1) Includes a class Handout, 2) Post Online)
Comprehensive Exam (November 30)
Final Project – Paper and Presentation
(DUE on Scheduled Date)
Class Participation
(Includes journal entries, online discussions,
class activities, answering questions on readings,
and may include quizzes)
20 points
30 points
30 points
20 points
________
100 points
There are no make up exams.
Final Projects are DUE on your scheduled Presentation Date
(December 7, December 12, December 14, or December 19)
Course Policies and Procedures
Attendance/Participation
 Your presence, participation in-class and online, your substantive
contributions to discussions, group activities, and your work (both
inside and outside of class) are essential for this course.
 Since participation is so important in this course, any person
unprepared to go on scheduled presentation days will receive 0 points
for that particular assignment (article presentation, final project).
 You are responsible for reading the text and other materials, and
completing work prior to the class for which they are assigned. You
are responsible for bringing questions for discussion and clarification
to class. You are responsible for getting class notes, handouts, and
any announcements in the rare event that you would have a serious
reason to miss a class.
 In this course I expect students to cooperate with and support each
other, complete assigned tasks, and work toward completion of the
work for the course.
 All written work for this course must be typed or word processed. Inclass written work needs to be legible. Be sure to keep your own extra
copies of all written work. Keep all handouts, notes, papers until you
receive your final grade.