Gender and Communication
University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center (UCDHSC)
CMMU 4265/5265
Section 001
Spring, 2007
MW 4:00-5:15
Plaza M-104
CONTENTS OF SYLLABUS
CLAS academic policies: 4
Grading: 3
Important dates: 10
Mission statement: 2
Objectives: 2
Policies: 8
Prerequisites: 2
Professor’s contact information: 1
Professor’s vita: 13
Required activities: 4
Schedule: 11
Structure and rationale: 2
Textbook: 3
Web site of Communication Department: 1
PROFESSOR
Dr. Sonja K. Foss
Office: 102-D Plaza Building
Office Hours: Unless I have a meeting or other obligation, I usually can be found in my office
between 11:00 and 12:45 and 2:30 and 3:45 on Mondays and Wednesdays; I am also
available by appointment at other times.
Telephone: 303-556-5526; Home: 303-355-5320
Fax: 303-355-6325
E-mail: Sonja.Foss@ucdenver.edu
(For more information on the professor, see the final pages of the syllabus or go to my Web site,
SonjaFoss.com)
COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT AND MISSION STATEMENT
Department Web site: www.cudenver.edu/CLAS/communication
This course is designed to contribute to the Communication Department’s mission statement: “To
create a learning environment in which students develop the skills, knowledge, and abilities
necessary to use communication to create a more civil and humane world.” By civil and humane,
the Department means a way of communicating that is rooted in an acceptance and appreciation of
others and that involves communicating in ways that express respect for and acknowledgment of
others regardless of their station in life, wealth or lack of it, politics, religion, ethnicity, race, or any
2
other quality. This course will introduce you to various perspectives on gender and encourage an
understanding of and respect for all of those perspectives.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
This course is designed to introduce you to the range of perspectives available on the relationship
between gender and communication in four areas: (1) the nature of genders; (2) the treatment of
genders in language; (3) gender differences in verbal and nonverbal communication; and (4)
communication within same-gender cultures.
COURSE PREREQUISITES
There are no prerequisites for this course.
STRUCTURE AND RATIONALE
The structure for this course is different from that of most courses that are taught on the subject of
gender and communication. Most of those courses are taught from one perspective—the
perspective of the professor, which is usually a feminist perspective. I am a feminist, and my
personal perspective on gender is a feminist one. I understand, however, that many students are not
feminists, and when I present ideas about gender from that perspective, they often can’t find a place
for themselves because they believe different things about gender than I do.
Because the core idea of feminism for me is choice—the idea that individuals should be able to
choose how they want to live and be—I do not believe that I should prescribe my perspective as the
only one or the best one. I want to give all of us choices about how to view and enact gender. This
means, then, that I want us all to explore, take seriously, and respect a wide array of possible
perspectives on gender—not just one. Although I will offer a feminist perspective on the various
topics we will explore, I do not intend that my perspective be privileged, and I will not ask you to
accept it.
This course, then, has been set up to allow us to explore together a wide variety of perspectives on
gender and multiple genders. It is designed so that you—the students in the class—discover and
outline what some of these various perspectives are from artifacts of popular culture in a process or
method called grounded theory.
We will do this in this way: The class will be divided into eight groups. For the first unit (nature of
genders), each group will be assigned a film, television program, or media presentation. The group
will analyze that artifact to explore gender on the topic of that unit and will present its analysis in
class. For the second unit (treatment of genders in language), the group will stay intact but will be
assigned a different artifact—one that another group analyzed for the first unit. For the third unit
(gender differences in verbal and nonverbal communication) and the fourth unit (communication
3
within same-gender cultures), the same groups will again be assigned different artifacts, but ones
that other groups analyzed previously. Each group, then, will have the opportunity to analyze four
of the eight artifacts being used as our texts in the class. Although we will be dealing with the same
eight artifacts in the class, then, different groups will have the opportunity to analyze them. This
will enable all of us to consider and understand the perspectives about gender and the different
genders represented in the various artifacts.
REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS
There are no traditional textbooks or reading packets for this course. I have chosen not to assign
reading on gender and communication that would present only one perspective on the topic. As you
will see shortly, the primary “texts” for the course are eight artifacts that represent different
perspectives on gender. I have purchased one copy of each artifact so that each group will start with
that one copy. Group members may find it easier to do their analyses if more than one member of
the group has a copy of the artifact. Thus, you may want to purchase a copy of the artifact your
group is going to be asked to analyze; all of the artifacts can be purchased cheaply through sources
such as Amazon.com. You also may check out most of the artifacts at libraries or DVD/video rental
sources. Groups might consider passing along the copies of the artifacts they purchased to the next
group assigned to analyze the artifact.
GRADING
Your grade in the course will depend on the number of activities you choose to complete:
To receive a grade of A, you must satisfactorily complete:
 Four class presentations based on group analyses of media artifacts (to be completed
with your group)
 Compilation of resources (may be completed individually, with some members of your
group, or with your entire group)
 Reflection exercise on gender (to be completed individually)
 Graduate students also must complete the gender-schema essay and manage two class
sessions (with other graduate students)
To receive a grade of B, you must satisfactorily complete:
 Four class presentations based on group analyses of media artifacts (to be completed
with your group)
 Compilation of resources (may be completed individually, with some members of your
group, or with your entire group)
 Graduate students also must complete the gender-schema essay and manage two class
sessions (with other graduate students)
4
To receive a grade of C, you must satisfactorily complete:
 Four class presentations based on group analyses of media artifacts (to be completed
with your group)
 Graduate students also must complete the gender-schema essay
To receive a grade of D, you must satisfactorily complete:
 Three class presentations based on group analyses of media artifacts (to be completed
with your group)
 Graduate students also must manage two class sessions (with other graduate students)
DESCRIPTION OF REQUIRED ACTIVITIES
Group Analyses of Media Artifacts
Group analyses of media artifacts are analyses of a film, television program, or media presentation
to discover and describe its construction of and perspective on gender. The artifacts have been
chosen to ensure a wide range of perspectives on gender:
 Sex and the City (first season, 2000)
 The Real World (New York, first season, 1992)
 Beef (a compilation of hip-hop performances, 2003)
 Dodgeball (2004)
 Die Another Day (James Bond, 2002)
 Transamerica (2005)
 Pocahontas (Walt Disney, 1995)
 Presentations by Dennis Rainey, Ed Silvoso, and James Ryle at Promise Keepers’
conventions (2005 and 2006)
The analyses will be used as the basis for the group presentations. Groups will have three days in
class to complete an analysis and prepare the presentation based on it. One member of the group
should bring a laptop to class so that you can watch and analyze your artifact (if you choose to do
this in our classroom). Guidelines will be provided for how to analyze the artifact on each of the
four topics to be covered—(1) the nature of genders; (2) the treatment of genders in language; (3)
gender differences in verbal and nonverbal communication; and (4) communication within samegender cultures.
Group Presentations
Group presentations summarize the group analyses of media artifacts. Your task is to provide the
best representation of the perspective on gender encoded in the artifact that you can—not to critique
it or denigrate it. In other words, regardless of your own perspective on gender and your own
preferred gender, you are asked to take seriously the perspective in the artifact and to try to
understand how it makes sense to those who hold it. We will have about 5 minutes following each
presentation for discussion.
5
To “count” as one of your group’s presentations, the presentation must meet the following criteria:
 It includes an introduction to the presentation that provides an overview helpful to the
audience
 It includes a brief overview of the artifact for those who are unfamiliar with it (the need
to do this will lessen as the semester progresses)
 It covers all of the major results of the analysis (do not focus on just one aspect of the
analysis), following the “Guidelines for Gender Analyses/Presentations”
 It includes a conclusion that briefly summarizes the presentation
 If you choose to show a clip from the artifact as part of your presentation, it should be
used to support a clear claim, it should not preclude complete coverage of the analysis,
and it should be set up prior to the presentation and work properly.
 The presentation should be no longer than 10 minutes (you will be stopped when you
reach 10 minutes)
 Presenters should demonstrate competence in oral communication that shows evidence
of preparation and practice. I am more interested, though, in a presentation that provides
an in-depth analysis of the genders in the artifact than a showy, snazzy presentation.
 Not everyone must participate in each oral presentation, although everyone in the group
should participate in at least one of the group’s presentations.
 A handout should accompany the presentation that:
o Includes names of all group members, the title of the artifact being analyzed,
and the name of the topic on gender that is the focus of the analysis
o Provides answers to the most relevant questions from the guidelines for that
topic
o Has few spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors
o Is well organized and visually appealing
o Is distributed to all members of the class (this is your responsibility—please
do not ask me to make these copies for your group)
o
If the above criteria are not met in the presentation, your group will be asked to revise and resubmit
the handout. The last day to submit a revised handout is Wednesday, May 2.
The presentations will be due on: Presentation #1: February 19 and 21; Presentation #2: March 12
and 14; Presentation #3: April 9 and 11; and Presentation #4: April 30 and May 2.
Compilation of Resources
Select two of the genders that your group or another group has identified and described in the
analyses of media artifacts. Please select non-conventional genders and not simply a standard
gender perspective (such as masculine or feminine). Please do not select as one of your
perspectives or genders a feminist one.
For each gender, locate 5 resources that explore, analyze, or enact it (10 resources total). These
resources may be of the following types:
6



Journal articles, book chapters, or books analyzing that particular gender or gender
construction. For these kinds of sources, please provide a full-text copy of the article or
book chapter and a full bibliographic citation for it. For a book, please provide a copy of
the title page, the copyright page, and the table of contents of the book.
Newspaper columns, blogs, Web sites, or articles in popular magazines that analyze,
comment on, or enact that particular gender or gender construction. For these kinds of
sources, please provide a full-text copy of the resource and a full bibliographic citation
for it.
Titles of artifacts of popular culture in which that gender is well developed in a
character, such as films, songs, short stories, novels, or television programs. If possible,
please provide a copy of the artifact. Please provide full bibliographic information for
the artifact as well as a paragraph that explains the connection you see between the
artifact and the particular representation of gender. For example, which character in the
film enacts that gender, and what evidence is there in the artifact for this enactment?
This assignment may be done individually, with some members of your group, or with your entire
group. If you choose to compile the resources cooperatively, there must be 10 resources per person,
although you may submit the compiled resources together. If you work cooperatively, all of your
group’s resources may be on two genders, or you may find resources for as many people are in your
group times 2. If there are 3 people working together, for example, you can compile resources
relevant to 6 genders.
The compilation of resources is due on Monday, April 16. If your compilation is inadequate, you
may revise and resubmit it. The last day to submit the revised compilation is Wednesday, May 2.
Reflection Exercise
Write an essay in which you answer the following questions:
1. What were the qualities of a real man in the subculture in which you grew up?
2. What were the qualities of a real woman in the subculture in which you grew up?
3. If you live in a different subculture now from the one in which you grew up, what are the
qualities that make up a real man in your current subculture? If you live in the same
subculture in which you grew up, identify the qualities of a real man in some other
subculture you’ve observed or experienced.
4. If you live in a different subculture now from the one in which you grew up, what are the
qualities that make up a real woman in your current subculture? If you live in the same
subculture in which you grew up, identify the qualities of a real woman in some other
subculture you’ve observed or experienced.
5. Would members of your current subculture consider you a real woman or a real man?
6. Drawing on your own belief system, your own experiences, and your own preferences and
desires, what do you now believe are the qualities of a real man?
7. Drawing upon your own belief system, your own experiences, and your own preferences and
desires, what do you now believe are the qualities of a real woman?
8. What gendered qualities do you regularly display or perform?
9. Are there any gendered qualities from some other culture that you would like to perform or
own?
7
10. If you had to give your gender a label, what would it be? Why?
To count as satisfactory, the essay must meet the following criteria:
 Demonstrate an understanding of concepts covered in the introductory lectures
 Be 3-5 pages in length, typed, double spaced
 Have a minimum of one paragraph devoted to answering each question.
 Have few spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors
The reflection exercise is due on Monday, April 30. It cannot be revised and resubmitted if it does
not meet the criteria for satisfactory completion of the assignment.
Gender-Schema Essay (for graduate students only)
Write an essay in which you propose a gender schema that captures the multiple perspectives on
gender or the multiple genders analyzed in class. To count as satisfactory, the essay must meet the
following criteria:
 The essay proposes a schema that includes a minimum of six perspectives on gender or
six genders from the class analyses.
 The perspectives or genders are arranged in a schema according to a factor, element,
component, or criterion that is insightful and defensible.
 The topics covered in class concerning the perspectives are somehow represented in the
schema—(1) the nature of genders; (2) the treatment of genders in language; (3) gender
differences in verbal and nonverbal communication; and (4) communication within
same-gender cultures.
 Labels are given to the elements of the schema that are parallel, at the same level of
abstraction, and capture them adequately and even creatively.
 The schema evidences sophisticated thinking about genders and perspectives on gender.
 The schema evidences understanding of and respect for the different perspectives on
gender included in the schema.
 The essay provides support for the elements of the schema from the artifacts analyzed in
class.
 The essay contains few spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Organization and
logic are good, and only minor editing is required.
 The paper is between 4 and 5 pages in length, typed, double spaced.
You may write this essay individually, in pairs, in triads, or in one group.
The essay is due on Wednesday, May 2. It cannot be resubmitted if it does not meet the criteria for
satisfactory completion of the assignment.
Management of Class Sessions (graduate students only)
Graduate students will be responsible for managing the class session on two days—Monday,
February 19, and Wednesday, March 14. Because these are both days when groups will be
presenting analyses of their artifacts, the graduate students will be responsible for videotaping the
8
presentations so I can see them later, timing the presentations so they do not go over 10 minutes,
collecting handouts for me from the groups, and managing and facilitating the discussion following
presentations.
POLICIES
1. Incomplete grades: To be eligible for an incomplete grade, you must have completed
successfully 75% of the course at whatever level you have chosen to work (A,B, C, or D) and
have special circumstances outside of your control that preclude completion of the course. The
incomplete grade that will be given if the above conditions are met is an IF, which means that if
you do not complete the work for the course within 12 months, your grade reverts to an F.
2. Attendance: Attendance is expected for all sessions except for those when groups are analyzing
their artifacts. Groups should feel free to meet elsewhere on those days if other locations are
more convenient for watching the film or television program. Failure to attend class sessions on
the days that I lecture or when groups present their analyses will make completing the
assignments at a satisfactory level very difficult.
3. Group Dynamics:
 Groups are encouraged to divide up responsibilities evenly among group members to
complete the analysis, plan the presentation, and deliver the presentation. Although I
expect all group members to participate in the analysis of the artifact, a group may
choose to divide up other responsibilities according to group members’ strengths and
interests. For example, a person who is a good writer may prepare the handout, and
students who enjoy oral presentations may deliver the presentation.
 A low-performing student may be voted out of a group by a majority vote of the other
group members. Members may choose to vote a student out of a group if she or he does
not contribute appropriately to the analysis of an artifact or the preparation of the
group’s presentation or has excessive absences. If this happens, that individual must
find another group to which to belong. If another group refuses to take the student in,
she or he will not be able to complete any more of the group assignments, and the
highest grade she or he will be able to receive is a D. A group that wants to vote out a
member should contact me, and I will work with the group to make arrangements for the
student to exit the group.
5. Academic Ethics: I expect you to follow the academic honor code of UCDHSC. Plagiarism is
the use of another person’s distinctive ideas or words without acknowledgment. Cheating
involves the possession, communication, or use of information, materials, notes, study aids, or
other devices not authorized by me in any academic exercise or communication with another
person during such an exercise. Because of the structure of this course, plagiarism and cheating
are virtually impossible to do. If you engage in plagiarism by copying the resources compiled
by someone who is not in your group or by copying the reflection exercise of another, you will
receive a 0 for that unit, which means that earning a grade of A in the course will be impossible.
For more on academic ethics, see the Academic Honor Code and Policies section under
“Student Resources” on the Communication Department’s Web site:
www.cudenver.edu/CLAS/communication.
9
6. Disability Accommodations: To be eligible for disability accommodations, you must be
registered with the UCDHSC Office of Disability Resources and Services (DRS), located at
Arts Building, Room #177, phone: 303 556-3450 or TDD: 303 556-4766. The DRS staff will
assist in determining reasonable accommodations as well as coordinating the approved
accommodations.
7. Communication Portfolio: Some of you may have the opportunity to take the Communication
Department’s Senior Seminar: Transitioning from College to Career (CMMU 4688) before you
complete your degree. In the Senior Seminar, you will be asked to put together a communication
portfolio—i.e., a compilation of the major projects completed in your communication courses.
Major projects include literature reviews, Web sites you have designed, communication journals,
and so forth. The possibility that you may one day take our Senior Seminar means that you need
to keep copies of major projects that you have completed. The handouts you prepare for your
presentations and the reflection exercise you may choose to complete should be kept for your
communication portfolio. Even if you do not intend to take the Senior Seminar, a
communication portfolio can be a valuable asset after you graduate and are looking for a job.
8. Extra-credit options: There are no extra-credit options in the class.
9. Cell phones and pagers: The classroom is a learning environment and should be free from
pager and cellular phone interruptions.
Spring 2007 CLAS Academic Policies
The following policies pertain to all students and are strictly adhered to by the College of
Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS).





Every student MUST check and verify their schedule prior to the published
drop/add deadlines. Failure to verify a schedule is not sufficient reason to justify
a late add or drop later in the semester. It is the student’s responsibility to make
sure that their schedule is correct prior to the appropriate deadlines.
CLAS students must always have an accurate mailing and email address. Email is
the official method of communication for all University of Colorado at Denver
and Health Sciences Center business. Go to http://www.cudenver.edu/registrar to
update and/or change your email address.
Students are NOT automatically added to a course off a wait list after wait lists
are dropped. If a student is told by a faculty member that they will be added off
the wait list, it is the responsibility of the student to complete the proper
paperwork to add a course. Students are NOT automatically added to a course
from the wait list after the 5th day of the semester when wait lists are dropped.
Students must complete and submit a drop/add form to make any schedule
changes. Students are not automatically dropped from a class if they never
attended, stopped attending or do not make tuition payments.
Late add’s will be approved only when circumstances surrounding the late add are
beyond the student’s control and can be documented independently. This will
require a petition and documentation from the student. Late add’s will only be
10




approved if the student has not taken any exams, quizzes, or has not completed
any other graded assignments. Independent verification of this from the professor
of record will be required. Please note that the signature of a faculty member on
an add form does not guarantee that a late add petition will be approved.
Late drops will be approved only when circumstances surrounding the late drop
are beyond the student’s control and can be documented independently. This will
require a petition and documentation from the student. Please note that the
signature of a faculty member does not guarantee that a late drop petition will be
approved.
Students wishing to graduate in spring of 2007 must meet with their academic
advisor by the end of the drop/add period to obtain a graduation application.
This application must be completed and submitted by 5 PM on January 31, 2007.
You can obtain an application ONLY after meeting with your academic advisor.
There are no exceptions to this policy or date.
Students are responsible for completing financial arrangements with financial aid,
family, scholarships, etc. to pay their tuition. Students will be responsible for all
tuition and fees for courses they do not officially drop using proper drop/add
procedures and forms.
Students who drop after the published drop/add period will not be eligible for a
refund of the COF hours or tuition.
Spring 2007 Important Dates








January 16, 2007; First day of Class
January 18, 2007; Last day to be added to a wait list
January 18 – January 31, 2007; Students are responsible for verifying an
accurate spring 2007 course schedule via the SMART registration system.
Students are NOT notified of their wait-list status by the university. All students
must check their scheduled prior to January 31, 2007 for accuracy.
January 19, 2007 at 5PM; Wait lists are dropped. Any student who was not
added to a course automatically from the wait list by this date and time MUST
complete a drop/add form to be added to the class. Students are NOT
automatically added to the class from the wait list after this date and time.
January 22, 2007; First day an instructor may approve a request to add a student
to a course using the Schedule Adjustment Form (drop/add form).
January 25, 2007; Last day to add a course using the SMART Web Registration
system. Students MUST check their registration to verify what classes they
are enrolled in.
January 31, 2007 at 5 PM; Last day to add structured courses without a written
petition for a late add. This is an absolute deadline and is treated as such. This
deadline does not apply to independent study, internships, and late-starting
modular courses.
January 31, 2007 at 5 PM; Last day to drop a spring 2007 course with a full
tuition refund and no transcript notation. Drops after this date will appear on your
11









transcript. This is an absolute deadline and is treated as such.
January 31, 2007 at 5 PM; Last day to completely withdraw from all spring
2007 courses with a full tuition refund and no transcript notation. Drops after this
date will appear on your transcript. This is an absolute deadline and is treated as
such.
January 31, 2007 at 5 PM; Last day for students to apply for Spring 2007
Graduation. Students MUST see their CLAS advisor to obtain a Graduation
Application.
January 31, 2007 at 5 PM; Last day to request pass/fail option for a course.
January 31, 2007 at 5 PM: Last day to request a no credit option for a course.
January 31, 2007 at 5 PM: Last day to register for a Candidate for Degree.
January 31, 2007 at 5 PM: Last day to petition for a reduction in thesis or
dissertation hours.
April 2, 2007 at 5 PM; Last day for Non-CLAS students to drop individual
classes or withdraw from all classes without a petition and special approval from
the student’s academic Dean. This is treated as an absolute deadline.
April 13, 2007 at 5 PM; Last day for CLAS students to drop individual classes or
withdraw from all classes without a petition and special approval from the
student’s academic Dean. This is treated as an absolute deadline.
No schedule changes will be granted once finals week has started. There are
NO exceptions to this policy.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Wed., Jan. 17
Introduction: Introduction to course and to one another
Mon., Jan. 22
Lecture: Gender multiplicity
Wed., Jan. 24
Lecture: Historical perspectives on gender
Mon., Jan. 29
Lecture: A feminist perspective on gender
Nature of Genders
Wed., Jan. 31
Exercise: Introduction to gender socialization
Form groups
Mon., Feb. 5
Lecture: Gender socialization: A feminist perspective
Wed., Feb. 7
Groups: Work in groups to analyze artifact for nature of gender roles
Mon., Feb. 12
Groups: Work in groups to analyze artifact for nature of gender roles
12
Wed., Feb. 14
Groups: Work in groups to analyze artifact for nature of gender roles
(professor will be attending Western States Communication Association
convention in Seattle)
Mon., Feb. 19
Presentations: Nature of gender roles (videotaped—graduate students
manage class session)
Wed., Feb. 21
Presentations: Nature of gender roles
Treatment of Genders in Language
Mon., Feb. 26
Lecture: Treatment of genders in language: A feminist perspective
Wed., Feb. 28
Groups: Work in groups to analyze artifact for treatment of genders in
language
Mon., Mar. 5
Groups: Work in groups to analyze artifact for treatment of genders in
language
Wed., Mar. 7
Groups: Work in groups to analyze artifact for treatment of genders in
language
Mon., Mar. 12
Presentations: Treatment of genders in language
Wed., Mar. 14
Presentations: Treatment of genders in language (videotaped—graduate
students manage class session)
Mon., Mar. 19
Spring break
Wed., Mar. 21
Spring break
Gender Differences in Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
Mon., Mar. 26
Lecture: Gender differences in verbal and nonverbal communication: A
feminist perspective
Wed., Mar. 28
Groups: Work in groups to analyze artifact for gender differences in verbal
and nonverbal communication
Mon., April 2
Groups: Work in groups to analyze artifact for gender differences in verbal
and nonverbal communication
Wed., April 4
Groups: Work in groups to analyze artifact for gender differences in verbal
and nonverbal communication
Mon., April 9
Presentations: Gender differences in verbal and nonverbal communication
Wed., April 11
Presentations: Gender differences in verbal and nonverbal communication
13
Communication in Same-Gender Cultures
Mon., April 16
Lecture: Communication in same-gender cultures: A feminist perspective
DUE: Compilation of resources
Communication Days keynote presentation, Tuesday, April 17, 2:30-3:45 (Attendance at this
event will substitute for the revision of any handout or essay that did not
meet the criteria for satisfactory completion).
Wed., April 18
Lecture: Work in groups to analyze artifact for nature of communication in
same-gender cultures (Professor lecturing at San Francisco State University)
Mon., April 23
Groups: Work in groups to analyze artifact for nature of communication in
same-gender cultures
Wed., April 25
Groups: Work in groups to analyze artifact for nature of communication in
same-gender cultures
Mon., April 30
Presentations: Communication in same-gender cultures
DUE: Reflection exercise
Wed., May 2
Presentations: Communication in same-gender cultures
DUE: Revised handouts to accompany presentations; revised compilation of
resources; gender-schema essay (graduate students only)
ABOUT YOUR PROFESSOR: SONJA K. FOSS
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Communication Studies: Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, 1976.
M.A., Speech (Rhetoric and Public Address: University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, 1973.
B.A., Romance Languages: University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, 1972.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Professor, Department of Communication, University of Colorado at Denver, Denver, Colorado, 1997-present.
Chair, Department of Communication, University of Colorado at Denver, Denver, Colorado, 1997-2004 and spring, 2005
Senior Research Associate, Department of Human Communication Studies, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, 1996-1997.
Associate Professor, Department of Communication, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, 1990-1996. Awarded tenure, June,
1992.
Visiting Associate Professor, Department of Communication, St. Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, 1989-1990.
Associate Professor/Assistant Professor, Department of Speech, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, 1986-1989. Awarded tenure
and promoted to Associate Professor, April, 1988.
Associate Professor/Assistant Professor, Department of Speech Communication, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, 19801986. Awarded tenure and promoted to Associate Professor, June, 1986.
Visiting Professor, Department of Speech Communication, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, Spring, 1985.
Instructor, Graduate Program in Communication, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, Virginia, 1978-1980.
Assistant Professor, Department of Performing Arts and Communication, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,
Blacksburg, Virginia, 1977-1978.
Customer Service Representative, Banta West (book manufacturing company), Sparks, Nevada, 1976-1977.
Teaching Assistant, Department of Communication Studies, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, 1974-1976.
14
GRANTS AND AWARDS
Named Gender Scholar of the Year (with Karen A. Foss) by the Southern States Communication Association, 2005.
Outstanding Book Award of the Organization for the Study of Communication, Language, and Gender for Feminist Rhetorical
Theories, 2000.
$1000 Coca Cola Grant for Research on Women, Department of Women's Studies, Ohio State University, 1996.
Francine Merritt Award for contributions to women in communication, Women's Caucus, Speech Communication Association, 1993.
Faculty Member of the Year, Department of Communication, Ohio State University, 1992.
$3000 Faculty Research Award to pursue research project, "Development of a Theory of Visual Imagery as Persuasion," University
of Oregon, Summer, 1988.
Earl Bradley Award for best dissertation written in the area of rhetoric and public address, Northwestern University, 1976.
Teaching fellowship, Northwestern University, 1974-1976.
Four-year Oregon State Scholarship, 1968-1972.
Member, Phi Beta Kappa.
PUBLICATIONS
Books
Foss, Sonja K., and William Waters. Destination Dissertation: A Traveler’s Guide to a Done Dissertation. Boulder, CO: Rowman
& Littlefield, in press.
Foss, Sonja K., Karen A. Foss, and Robert Trapp. Contemporary Perspectives on Rhetoric. Prospect Heights, Illinois: Waveland,
1985; second edition, 1991; third edition, 2002
Foss, Karen A., Sonja K. Foss, and Robert Trapp, eds. Readings in Contemporary Rhetoric. Prospect Heights, Illinois: Waveland,
2002.
Foss, Karen A., Sonja K. Foss, and Cindy L. Griffin, eds., Readings in Feminist Rhetorical Theory. Thousand Oaks, California:
Sage, 2004.
Foss, Sonja K., Karen A. Foss, and Cindy L. Griffin. Feminist Rhetorical Theories. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage, 1999.
Foss, Sonja K. Rhetorical Criticism: Exploration and Practice. Prospect Heights, Illinois: Waveland, 1988; second edition, 1996;
third edition, 2004.
Foss, Sonja K., and Karen A. Foss. Inviting Transformation: Presentational Speaking for a Changing World. Prospect Heights,
Illinois: Waveland, 1994; second edition, 2003.
Foss, Sonja K., and Karen A. Foss. Instructor's manual to accompany Inviting Transformation: Presentational Speaking for a
Changing World. Prospect Heights, Illinois: Waveland, 1994, 2003.
Foss, Karen A., and Sonja K. Foss. Women Speak: The Eloquence of Women's Lives. Prospect Heights, Illinois: Waveland, 1991.
Foss, Karen A., and Sonja K. Foss. Instructor's manual to accompany Women Speak: The Eloquence of Women's Lives. Prospect
Heights, Illinois: Waveland, 1993.
Articles
Foss, Sonja K. “Response” to “Intercollegiate Debate as Invitational Rhetoric: An Offering.” Contemporary Argumentation and
Debate, 21 (2000), 95-97.
Foss, Sonja K., Cindy L. Griffin, and Karen A. Foss. “Transforming Rhetoric Through Feminist Reconstruction: A Response to the
Gender Diversity Perspective.” Women’s Studies in Communication, 20 (Fall 1997), 117-35.
Foss, Sonja K., and Eileen Berlin Ray. “Introduction: Theorizing Communication from Marginalized Perspectives.”
Communication Studies, 47 (Winter 1996), 253-56.
Foss, Sonja K. “Re-Sourcement as Emancipation: A Case Study of Ritualized Sewing.” Women’s Studies in Communication, 19
(Spring 1996), 63-84.
Chryslee, Gail J., Sonja K. Foss, and Arthur L. Ranney. “The Construction of Claims in Visual Argumentation: An Exploration.”
Visual Communication Quarterly, 3 (Spring 1996), 9-13.
Foss, Sonja K., and Cindy L. Griffin. “Beyond Persuasion: A Proposal for an Invitational Rhetoric.” Communication Monographs,
62 (March 1995), 2-18.
Foss, Sonja K. “A Rhetorical Schema for the Evaluation of Visual Imagery.” Communication Studies, 45 (Fall-Winter 1994), 21324.
Foss, Sonja K., and Karen A. Foss. “The Construction of Feminine Spectatorship in Garrison Keillor’s Radio Monologues.”
Quarterly Journal of Speech, 80 (November 1994), 410-26.
Foss, Karen A., and Sonja K. Foss. “Personal Experience as Evidence in Feminist Scholarship.” Western Journal of
Communication, 58 (Winter 1994), 39-43.
Foss, Sonja K. “Pauli Murray.” In The Rhetoric of American Women: Critical Studies and Sources. Ed. Karlyn Kohrs Campbell.
Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood, 1994, pp. 319-30.
Foss, Sonja K. “Revisioning the Public Speaking Course.” Women’s Studies in Communication, 15 (Fall 1992), 53-65.
Foss, Sonja K. “The Construction of Appeal in Visual Images: A Hypothesis.” In Rhetorical Movement: Studies in Honor of
Leland M. Griffin. Ed. David Zarefsky. Evanston, Illinois: Northwestern University Press, 1993, pp. 211-25.
15
Foss, Sonja K., and Cindy L. Griffin. “A Feminist Perspective on Rhetorical Theory: Toward a Clarification of Boundaries.”
Western Journal of Communication, 56 (Fall 1992), 330-49.
Foss, Sonja K., and Marla R. Kanengieter. “Visual Communication in the Basic Course.” Communication Education, 41 (July
1992), 312-23..
Foss, Sonja K “Rhetorical Criticism as the Asking of Questions.” Communication Education, 38 (July 1989), 191-96.
Foss, Sonja K. “Constituted by Agency: The Discourse and Practice of Rhetorical Criticism.” In Essays to Commemorate the 75th
Anniversary of The Speech Communication Association. Ed. Gerald M. Phillips and Julia T. Wood. Carbondale: Southern
Illinois University Press, 1990, pp. 33-51.
Foss, Karen A., and Sonja K. Foss. “Incorporating the Feminist Perspective in Communication Scholarship: A Research
Commentary.” In Doing Research on Women’s Communication: Alternative Perspectives in Theory and Method. Ed.
Carole Spitzack and Kathryn Carter. Norwood, New Jersey: Ablex, 1989, pp. 65-91.
Foss, Sonja K. “Judy Chicago’s The Dinner Party: Empowerment of Women’s Voice in Visual Art.” In Women Communicating:
Studies of Women’s Talk. Ed. Barbara Bate and Anita Taylor. Norwood, New Jersey: Ablex, 1988, pp. 9-26.
Foss, Sonja K., and Karen A. Foss. “What Distinguishes Feminist Scholarship in Communication Studies?” Women’s Studies in
Communication, 11 (Spring 1988), 9-11.
Foss, Sonja K., and Ann M. Gill. “Michel Foucault’s Theory of Rhetoric as Epistemic.” Western Journal of Speech Communication,
51 (Fall 1987), 384-401.
Foss, Sonja K. “Body Art: Insanity as Communication.” Central States Speech Journal, 38 (Summer 1987), 122-31.
Radich, Anthony J., and Sonja K. Foss. “Economic Impact Studies of the Arts as Effective Advocacy.” In The Economic Impact of
the Arts: A Sourcebook. Ed. Anthony J. Radich. Denver, Colorado: National Conference of State Legislatures, 1987, pp.
77-103.
Foss, Sonja K. “Ambiguity as Persuasion: The Vietnam Veterans Memorial.” Communication Quarterly, 34 (Summer 1986), 32640.
Foss, Sonja K. “Women Priests in the Episcopal Church: A Cluster Analysis of Opposition Rhetoric.” Religious Communication
Today, 7 (September 1984), 1-11.
Foss, Sonja K. “A Female Perspective on the Research Process.” Women’s Studies in Communication, 7 (Fall 1984), 73-76.
Foss, Sonja K. “Retooling an Image: Chrysler Corporation’s Rhetoric of Redemption.” Western Journal of Speech Communication,
48 (Winter 1984), 75-91.
Foss, Sonja K., and Anthony J. Radich. “Metaphors in ‘Treasures of Tutankhamen’: Implications for Aesthetic Education.” Art
Education, 37 (January 1984), 6-11.
Foss, Karen A., and Sonja K. Foss. “The Status of Research on Women and Communication.” Communication Quarterly, 31
(Summer 1983), 195-204.
Foss, Sonja K. “Criteria for Adequacy in Rhetorical Criticism.” Southern Speech Communication Journal, 33 (Spring 1983), 28395.
Foss, Sonja K. “Abandonment of Genus: The Evolution of Political Rhetoric.” Central States Speech Journal, 33 (Summer 1982),
367-78.
Foss, Sonja K. “Rhetoric and the Visual Image: A Resource Unit.” Communication Education, 31 (January 1982), 55-66.
Foss, Sonja K., and Anthony J. Radich. “The Aesthetic Response to Nonrepresentational Art: A Suggested Model.” Review of
Research in Visual Arts Education, 12 (Fall 1980), 40-49.
Foss, Sonja K. “The Equal Rights Amendment Controversy: Rhetorical Worlds in Conflict.” Quarterly Journal of Speech, 65
(October 1979), 275-88.
Foss, Sonja K. “Teaching Contemporary Feminist Rhetoric: An Illustrative Syllabus.” Communication Education, 27 (November
1978), 328-35.
Foss, Sonja K. “Feminism Confronts Catholicism: A Study of the Use of Perspective by Incongruity.” Women’s Studies in
Communication, 3 (Summer 1979), 7-15.
Foss, Sonja K. “The Feminists: A Rhetorical Analysis of the Radical Feminist Movement.” University of Michigan Papers in
Women’s Studies, 2 (1976), 79-95.