Harper College
Sociology of Sex & Gender: SOC 230
Fall 2012
Dr. Monica Edwards
Class Information: 9:30-10:45am Monday & Wednesday, Building Z, Room 117
Office Location: J-149
Office Phone: 847-925-6814
Office Hours:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
11:00am-2:00pm
11:00am-2:00pm & 3:30-5:30pm
By appointment
10:45am-12:30pm
By appointment
Contacting Dr. Edwards: Office hours are the best way to reach me for questions and concerns, as inperson communication is the most effective. I’m very available to schedule appointments, so please
utilize this opportunity when you have questions! Also, during office hours, the telephone is a good
alternative to stopping by my office. To reach me during non-office hours, email is the best way to
communicate with me. That said, I have 150-200 students every semester, and I do take time off of work,
so expect that an email will take up to 48 hours to return, though I will do my best to respond ASAP. If
you do not get a response from me within 48 hours, the best option is to come to office hours or call. It is
also possible your email went to my spam folder, so you might try emailing again, from your Harper email
address. When you email me, please be clear about including the following in your email: your full name,
the class and section you are enrolled in, and the specific issue/question that you are having, utilizing
clear, professional language (an email is not a text). Please note, that per the syllabus, there are some
emails that I won’t respond to (explained below), but will only discuss in person.
Equal Opportunity Statement: William Rainey Harper College provides equal opportunity in
education and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age,
marital status, sexual orientation, or disability.
CLASS OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this class is to develop critical tools for the analysis of how society
is organized around sex and gender, with a specific focus on how gender intersects with race, class and
sexuality. We will develop a sociological framework in this task. We will see how sociology moves
beyond biology in understanding how and why sex and gender are what they are, in addition to exploring
various social institutions (media, education, workplace, family, etc….) and how they operate to maintain
and challenge gendered norms. We will see how gender is not just a quality of individuals; rather it is
something that operates at the individual, the interactional and the institutional levels (Risman, 2007).
TEXTBOOK/READING REQUIREMENTS:
DUDE YOU’RE A FAG: SEXUALITY AND MASCULINITY IN HIGH SCHOOL. 2ND EDITION.
2011. C.J. PASCOE.
FEMALE CHAUVINIST PIGS: THE RISE OF RAUNCH CULTURE. 2005. ARIEL LEVY.
PDF BLACKBOARD COURSE READER
BLACKBOARD/COMPLETING COURSE WORK ON-LINE: All students will be required to use Blackboard
for this course. Much coursework will be turned in via blackboard. Quizzes will be taken on-line.
Readings will be posted online, as well as paper rubrics, and any other materials provided by instructor.
Course reminders and announcements will be posted, as well. I’m posting this here as well as during the
late work section of the syllabus: expect that technological issues are going to happen, so plan your
completion of your on-line work accordingly. I will not accept late work because of technological
glitches. If you wait until the last minute to complete your work, then you have to accept that
technological issues might interrupt your ability to turn work in on time. If you want to ensure that your
work is turned in on time, then you must make sure that you plan accordingly. So long it is amply before
the due date, I will help assist you with any technological issues that you are having. Some issues I can
fix; some issues the blackboard help desk can fix. I might recommend that you ensure that your personal
computer has a web browser that works with the current version of blackboard. Also, if your personal
computer isn’t working with blackboard, that is not an excuse for not turning in your work, as the campus
of Harper College offers significant computer access, and in addition, I’m more than pleased for you to
come to my office to complete your work if need be. If you need assistance with logging on to
Blackboard, please ask me and I would be happy to provide you with necessary resources. Refer to the
following website for assistance with blackboard: https://harper.blackboard.com/
ACCESSIBILITY: Your success in this class is important to me. If you have a disability (learning,
physical, psychological or other) and may require some accommodation or modification in procedures,
class activity, instruction, requirements, etc. please contact me early in the semester so we can refer you
to ADS who will discuss and arrange for reasonable accommodations. The Access and Disability Services
department is in the Building D, D119, 847.925.6266 or TTY (847) 397-7600
POLICY ON ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: There will be a zero tolerance policy on cheating and plagiarism or
any other violation of the guidelines established in Harper Colleges Policies and Procedures manual.
Anyone who plagiarizes, cheats or copies another’s work on any exam or assignment will be given a 0 for
that exam or assignment. I reserve the discretion regarding reporting the student to the Dean of Business
and Social Science. There is the possibility the student could receive an F for the course; Dr. Edwards and
the Dean will decide what the appropriate follow-up action is, and will inform the student accordingly. If
you have questions regarding what is dishonest work you may come and talk to me or refer to this
website:
HTTPS://MYHARPER.HARPERCOLLEGE.EDU/PLS/PORTAL/DOCS/PAGE/MY_HARPER/STUDENT_AFFAI
RS_HOME_PAGE/POLICIES_AND_PROCEDURES/ACADEMICHONESTY.HTM
CONDUCT IN MY CLASSROOM AND PARTICIPATION: In my classroom, I expect each of us to play a role
in creating a safe learning environment. This course is based upon active student participation and on the
sharing of ideas and experiences. If the class is not participating, I will pull out my roster, and start
randomly calling on people, so always be prepared to participate, whether you raise your hand or
not. Importantly, I will uphold my expectation that each person is respected, and that we create an
atmosphere free of judgment. In addition, I will not allow cheating of any kind, and each student is
expected to follow all of the rules outlined in the Student Handbook. In order to learn, and to do well in
this course, you must be prepared to participate in class, via discussions, asking questions, and completing
the formal, graded work. You must do the readings in order to participate fully. You must attend class in
order to be an active participator. I expect each of you to take the front seat in your learning process, and
thus expect that you will engage fully in the course.
CELL PHONES & COMPUTERS: You are free to use cell phones and computers for course assistance,
such as note-taking and reading, so long as you don’t disrupt any other students. As soon as your
technology utilization impacts me or another student, I will attend to the issue so that the class can remain
a focused learning environment.
ATTENDANCE AND LATE WORK:
1 Attendance is required in order to receive a good grade in this class. Let me assure you that you
will not be able to pass the graded work, and thus the class, without coming to class. Lecture
material can only be accessed by coming to class, and much graded work cannot be accomplished
successfully by reading only. That said, you don’t receive points just for attendance. As a result,
if you do not attend class, you do not need to inform me. If you email me that you won’t be in
attendance, which is a statement and not a question, I will read but not respond to that email. If
you ask me what you missed, I also will read but will not respond to that email. The schedule
makes clear what the topic of the day is, and I do not share my notes with students who miss
class. Thus, if you miss class, it’s best to ask a fellow classmate for their notes. If you have a
specific question about the readings that were covered during your absence, or if there is content
in your peers’ notes that you don’t understand, then I’ll be happy to answer those specific, content
related questions.
2 I DO NOT ACCEPT LATE WORK, NOR DO I GIVE MAKE UP EXAMS. If life happens,
as it usually does, be sure you include your school work in your coordinating plans. I’m happy to
accept work EARLY if you are aware of a specific due date that you can’t meet for personal
reasons.
3 I DO NOT ACCEPT WORK VIA EMAIL. You must submit the work as stated on the
syllabus, which would be either on blackboard or as a hard copy. Emailed work will not make it
into my “stack” of “to be graded” work, and thus, will not be counted as work that is turned in on
time. This means, if you are absent from class, then you also accept that you cannot submit any
work that is due on that day, either—a consequence of your absence. Let me reiterate—if work is
due in class, then the work must be submitted IN CLASS; if you miss class, emailing me the
homework will not be accepted.
LECTURE NOTES AND READING: I do not, as a rule, share my class notes with students. If you are
absent and you miss the material for that day, it is your responsibility to get a copy of the class notes from
a fellow student. Blackboard will be the best resource for discussing class lecture material with each
other. Furthermore, my lectures will assume that you have completed the reading assignment for that
day. If the lectures are difficult to follow AND you are keeping up with the reading as assigned, please
let me know so that we can discuss your study patterns and my lecture style.
Graded Work:
Reading Presentation: each student will select ONE reading from the schedule, and on that day will
be responsible for helping Dr. Edwards lead the discussion. The presentations will be “loosely”
structured, so that: standing up and fancy clothes are NOT required. Good, sociological discussion
questions ARE required. I would like each presentation to include some insight shared by each
presenter (connection points to previous class material, critiques of the author, connection to current
events, etc…), and I would like each presenter to have a few discussion questions prepared to ask the
class. Each student will submit in-class a hard copy of their prepared “insight” and their discussion
questions. 25 points.
Gender Journal: Each student will keep a “journal” throughout the semester. I call it a journal,
because you will be writing 2x per week (one for each class period), however, it is not an informal
assignment; it is not a diary or a place to solely express your personal opinions. Each “journal entry”
should include attention to the reading due that day, and a discussion about how you can connect the
sociological theories and arguments in the reading to your every day life. The purpose is less to
ruminate on your life experiences, and more to use your life experiences as a way to strengthen your
understanding of the readings and the sociological perspective. Thus, your entries should read like
they were written by a sociologist! There is no length expectation per entry. Some might be short,
some might be long. Short, to me, means about one paragraph. Long, to me, means about 2 pages.
You will keep all entries in the same place. One time I will collect the journal in an announced
fashion, and this is on the syllabus schedule. All other times will be unannounced. Every time you
turn in your “journal” you should include all entries to date, including one’s I’ve already read. The
journal is pass/fail. If you complete the assignment and you follow the above stated guidelines, you
will pass, and earn 10 points every time the “journal” is collected. If you don’t complete the
assignment and/or don’t follow the above stated guidelines, you will receive 0 points. I will read
everyone’s journal, but I will not write feedback in the journals. As a result, if you have questions or
concerns about the readings or the sociological perspective, or your progress in class, you must
discuss this with me directly, during my office hours! 50 points.
Female Chauvinist Pigs Media Analysis: Ariel Levy wrote this book in 2005. I have yet to find a
better book on the subject, even though 2005 was 7 years ago! So, it is our work as a class to assess
how her argument from 2005 holds up in 2012. This assignment is an open assignment, in that each
student can choose the form of their work: paper, blog, video, scrapbook, etc… That said, each
assignment should include some good—and formal—sociological writing. You will find examples
from the world of pop culture since 2005 (check dates to be sure all your examples are post-2005!),
and make an argument about how each “piece” of culture you are analyzing “fits” within the world
that Levy describes, dealing with the question, is her work still relevant now? At some point you
must also deal with the question: why, as sociologists, do we care about this pop cultural pattern; that
is, what is the real-world social impact? 75 points.
Gender Journal Part Two: Dude You’re a Fag Paper: Each student, after having had the
experience of writing the gender journal, will be fully prepared to write a sociological analysis paper,
modeled after Pascoe’s work in the book Dude You’re a Fag. Each student’s paper will be a
sociological analysis of their own experiences in High School and College, focusing, as Pascoe did,
on the social construction of gender and sexuality. Each student will reference not just Pascoe, and
not just their personal experiences and observations, but also at minimum two previous course
readings. Depending on what issues/themes you choose to focus on in your paper, your gender
journal should be a good resource in helping you determine which course readings will best support
your sociological analysis. 100 points.
IMPORTANT POINTS ABOUT POINTS, GRADES AND THE GRADING SCALE:
A grading rubric will be posted on blackboard for each assignment. I will not include detailed
feedback on returned work, as the rubric will explain the amount of points received and why. If you have
further questions that the rubric doesn’t address, please schedule an office hours appointment so that we
can further discuss the progress of your work. It is your responsibility, as well as mine, to keep track
of your grades, and your point accumulation. I do not update blackboard regularly, as during the
semester, I keep an old-school paper grade book. The only time that blackboard points will be fully
updated is at the end of the semester. Thus, if you want to know your grade throughout the semester, then
you either 1) keep track of your own points and grade or 2) schedule an office hours appointment. I will
not discuss your grade over email. If you want to discuss your grade, the points you have earned, or
feedback about how to improve your grade, you must schedule an office hours appointment. If you email
me a question about your grades, I will respond by informing you that I will only discuss grades in
person. I do not round grades at the end of the semester. The points are clearly marked for
each assignment, and the distribution is clear. At the end of the semester the points you have
earned is your final grade. I will not make personal considerations for any individual who
desires a higher grade. “Giving” points is not what I do, rather, you earn points by doing
sociological work. Once all that work is submitted, no changes will be made. This both
maintains a fair grading system, and a meaningful grading system. If you are concerned about
your grade, I am happy to discuss what is within the range of possibility via points, and via my
ability to help any student who takes the time to receive help. Any comment that I make about
what is possible, is not a statement about what will most certainly happen. For example, I could
tell you that it is still possible for you to get a C in the course, but it is up to you to do the
necessary work to make that happen, the statement of possibility is not a promise. Again, grades
are earned.
For important dates, such as withdraw dates: http://173.203.14.169/academics/academcal.php.
Staying enrolled in this course means signing this contract—this syllabus—and agreeing to the
terms of the class as presented in this syllabus. Your registration in the class serves as your
contract “signature.”
GRADING SCALE:
90-100% A (225-250 POINTS)
80-89.9% B (200-224)
70-79.9% C (175-199)
60-69.9% D (150-174)
0-59.9% F (149 AND BELOW)
SCHEDULE:
Date
Topic
Required Reading
August 20
August 22
Syllabus
Sociological Theories of
Gender
Sociological Theories of
Gender
Sociological Theories of
Gender
Syllabus
Doing Gender—West and Zimmerman
Doing Transgender—Catherine Connell
Gender as Social Structure—Barbara Risman
Biology as Ideology—Judith Lorber
Intersectionality in a Transnational World—
Bandana Purkayastha
Patriarchy the System—Allan Johnson
LABOR DAY
August 27
August 29
September
3
September
5
LABOR DAY
September
10
Gender & Embodiment
September
12
Gender & Embodiment
September
17
Catch Up Day
September
19
Gender & Sexuality
September
24
September
26
Gender & Sexuality
October 1
Gender & Sexuality
October 3
Gender & Violence
October 8
Catch Up Day
October 10
Gender & Religion
October 15
Gender & Religion
October 17
Gender & Work
Gender & Embodiment
Gender & Sexuality
Beards, Breasts & Bodies—Raine Dozier
Heteronormative Patrolling in Women’s Body
Hair—Breanne Fahs
Most Girls Want to Be Skinny: Body
(Dis)Satisfaction Among Ethnically Diverse
Women—Ann Cheney
Stylish Hard Bodies: Branded Masculinity in
“Men’s Health” Magazine—Alexander
Testosterone Rules— Robert Saplonsky
TBD
Compulsory Heterosexuality and the Lesbian
Experience—Adrienne Rich
The Invention of Heterosexuality—Jonathan
Ned Katz
We Want Them To Be As Heterosexual as
Possible—Nicholas Solebello & Sinikka Elliott
New Slants on the Slippery Slope: The Politics
of Polygamy and Gay Rights in South Africa
and the United States—Judith Stacey
I’m Straight But I Kissed a Girl
Bringing the U-Haul
Domestic Violence at the Intersections of Race,
Class and Gender—Natalie Sokoloff & Ida
Dupont
TBD
Patriarchal Bargains and Latent Avenues of
Social Mobility: Nuns in the Roman Catholic
Church—Helen Rose Ebaugh
Masculinity Dilemmas: Sexuality and Intimacy
Talk Among Christians and Goths—Amy
Wilkins
Young Muslim Women on the Face Veil –
Faegheh Shirazi & Smeeta Mishra
Capitalism, Patriarchy, and Job Segregation by
Graded work Due
(note: gender journal, with
one exception, will be
collected unannounced,
thus isn’t noted here)
Start Gender Journal
LABOR DAY
TBD
Gender Journal Collected
(6 entries should be
completed at this point)
October 22
Gender & Work
October 24
Gender & Family
October 29
Gender & Family
October 31
November
5
November
7
November
12
November
14
November
19
November
21
November
26
November
28
December 3
December 5
December
TBD
Book Review
Sex—Heidi Hartmann
Gendered Organizations in the New
Economy—Christine Williams
(How) Does the Sexual Orientation of Parents
Matter?—Judith Stacey
The Dilemmas of Involved Fatherhood—
Kathleen Gerson
Catch Up Day
Female Chauvinist Pigs, Chapters 1-2
Book Review
Female Chauvinist Pigs, Chapters 3-4
VETERANS DAY
VETERANS DAY
Book Review
Female Chauvinist Pigs
Book Review
Female Chauvinist Pigs
Book Review
Dude You’re a Fag
Book Review
Dude You’re a Fag
Book Review
Dude You’re a Fag
Book Review
Review Day
FINAL EXAM
Dude You’re a Fag
Review Day
FINAL EXAM
VETERANS DAY
Female Chauvinist Pigs
Media Analysis Due
Review Day
Dude You’re a Fag Paper
Due