SOC-230 Sex and Gender
SOC 230 examines the social forces that shape our lives by gender, beginning by distinguishing between the concepts of gender and sex. The course emphasizes awareness of the many forms of gender diversity, and explores the intersections of gender with race, class, and sexuality. The course will cover areas such as "gender and the body" (including beauty, sexuality, and interpersonal violence),"gender and social institutions" (including family, economy, politics, education, and religion), and "gender and social change" (including feminist, anti-feminist, LGBTQ, and other gender-related movements).
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Course Outline
Course Description
SOC 230 examines the social forces that shape our lives by gender, beginning by distinguishing between the concepts of gender and sex. The course emphasizes awareness of the many forms of gender diversity, and explores the intersections of gender with race, class, and sexuality. The course will cover areas such as "gender and the body" (including beauty, sexuality, and interpersonal violence),"gender and social institutions" (including family, economy, politics, education, and religion), and "gender and social change" (including feminist, anti-feminist, LGBTQ, and other gender-related movements).
Credit Hours
3Course Learning Outcomes
- Explain how sex and gender are co-constructed through social processes.
- Describe the macro and micro dimensions of gender inequality in the contemporary U.S.
- Apply current concepts in the sociology of sex and gender to a range of topics.
- Compare different approaches to the politics of gender and feminism.
Topic Outline
- 1. The social construction of sex and gender
- a. Distinguishing among sex, gender, and sexuality
- b. Binary and multiple constructions of gender
- c. Gender and sexual identity
- 2. Intersections of privilege and inequality
- a. Patriarchy, androcentrism, and male dominance
- b. Intersections of racial and gender systems of inequality
- c. Intersections of class and gender systems of inequality
- 3. Learning and performing sex and gender
- a. Gender socialization
- b. Gender performance
- c. Gender in interaction
- d. Gender and sexual violence
- 4. Gender in contemporary social institutions
- a. Family, religion, education, economy, and the state
- 5. Gender and social change
- a. Movements for gender justice
- b. Feminism and anti-feminism