Sex,
Gender, and Society
SOCY/WMST 1016
Fall 2006
Instructor: Rachel Bandy
Office: Ketchum 35
Office Hours: Tuesdays,
12:45-2:45 PM or by appointment
Phone: 303.492.6637
Mailbox: Ketchum 219
Email: Rachel.Bandy@Colorado.edu (this is
the best way to contact me outside of class)
Please note: this syllabus is subject to change, as is
necessary.
This course is an introduction to the sociological
study of sex and gender. In other words,
students will engage in the scholarly exploration of one of the most powerful,
dynamic and important—yet
taken-for-granted—social identities.
In this course we will examine from both a historical and contemporary
perspective the status and power differences between the sexes on individual
and societal levels, gender roles, gender socialization, and major theories of
gender stratification. This course will
examine sex and gender primarily from the theoretical standpoint of social
constructionism.
WARNING: This class can really touch a
nerve for some people! I posit that this
is because we are SO accustomed to thinking in only one particular way about
our sex, our gender, and our sexuality that to consider these issues critically
is to run the risk of turning our world view on its head. This is
OK! To paraphrase Aristotle, it is
the mark of educated mind to be able to consider an idea without accepting
it. Critical thinking will be a REQUIRED
skill for this course.
Because this course fulfills an Arts & Sciences
core curriculum requirement for cultural and gender diversity, this course is
BY DESIGN meant to:
“…expand the range of each student’s understanding
of the origin, definition, and experience of the categories of gender…apply new
approaches to knowledge and scholarly inquiry and explore the ways in which
nonsexist…language expand[s] understanding of social groups. [This class is] concerned with the recovery
of knowledge about individuals and groups excluded from traditional studies of
societies and share the fundamental goal of identifying the way these social
categories define and therefore shape human thought and experiences.”
-CU Catalog 2006-2007, pg. 68
REQUIRED
Participation (in its many
forms) is critical to your class experience.
You will be expected to attend class prepared to discuss readings and
other course material. I expect all
students to participate in discussions. If
you are uncomfortable speaking in large groups, consider regularly attending my
office hours or sending me e-mails with your thoughts and ideas about the
assigned readings. This will help you
earn participation points while also helping with your comprehension of the
material. You will LOSE participation
points if your contribution to the classroom includes carrying on side
conversations, passing notes, or otherwise disruptive behavior.
Regular class attendance is imperative to your learning
experience. I do not make my lecture
notes available to students outside of class, so regularly attending class will
ensure that you have the material you need to be successful in this
course. You will be expected to attend
every class period and will receive points accordingly. Each student will receive two “free” absences
during which no points will be deducted from their grade. After that, the 3rd absence will
result in 2 lost points, the 4th in 4 lost points, the 5th
in 6 lost points, the 6th in 8 lost points, etc. 10 or more absences
will result in the forfeiture of all attendance points. Any absences (medical, religious, etc) will
first be deducted from these “freebies.”
There is no need to notify me of your absence unless it coincides with
an exam or an assignment. In this
circumstance you should contact me as soon as possible and expect to provide me
with documentation for such an absence.
For information regarding absences due to religious observances, please
see: www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html
·
With few exceptions, No late assignments will
be accepted.
·
No make-up exams will be made available without
written confirmation of a medical emergency or similar emergency situation.
·
Please
adhere to university policies regarding academic honesty. Any student caught cheating, plagiarizing,
or engaging in academically dishonest behavior will automatically receive an F
in this class. For further guidance
on the
A student will earn points
in this class through the following opportunities:
·
4
Exams = 400 points
·
5
In-class assignments = 50 points
·
5
Take home assignments = 100 points
·
Class
participation and citizenship = 25 points
·
Attendance
= 25 points
TOTAL= 600 points
Final
Grades will be determined as follows:
94-100%=A 90-93%=A- 87-89=B+ 84-86=B 80-83%=B- 77-79%=C+
74-76%+C 70-73%=C- 67-69%=D+ 64-66%=D 60-63%=D- 59%>=F
Your Score Sheet:
Exam
#1_____/100 pts In-class #1_____/10 pts Take home #1_____/10 pts
Exam
#2_____/100 pts In-class #2_____/10 pts
Take home #2_____/10 pts
Exam
#3_____/100 pts In-class #3_____/10 pts
Take home #3_____/30 pts
Exam
#4_____/100 pts In-class #4_____/10 pts
Take home #4_____/20 pts
In-class #5_____/10 pts Take home #5_____/30 pts
Attendance__________days missed/25 Participation______ (est)/25
ASSIGNMENTS
In-Class Assignments: These
short and varied assignments are aimed at gauging your reading comprehension
and ability to think through the issues presented in class and/or in your
textbook. Sometimes you’ll be asked to
work alone, other times in a group. These assignments will be explained in detail
in class. You may not make-up a missed in-class assignment. In-class assignments are noted on the
syllabus calendar as IC.
Take Home Assignments: These
assignments are also aimed at gauging your reading comprehension but will focus
more on the application of course material.
You must work independently on these assignments. Specific instructions will be provided in
class. At my discretion, you may be
allowed to make-up missed take home assignments, but for each day the
assignment is late, 5 points will be deducted from your assignment grade. Assignments are due at the beginning
of class. Failing to turn in an
assignment at the beginning of class will warrant receiving a late grade. Take home assignments are noted on the
syllabus calendar as TH.
EXTRA CREDIT
No extra credit points will be awarded in this
class. If you are concerned about your
class performance at any time, please see me during my office hours or schedule
an appointment. I am always willing to work with students outside of class to
answer questions, help them improve their work, or to talk through any class
concerns.
If you have
specific physical, psychiatric, or learning disabilities and require
accommodations, please let me know by the end of the first week of the semester
so that your learning needs may be appropriately met. You will need to provide documentation of
your disability to the Disability Services Office in Willard 322 at
303.492.8671.