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My Vita Course Syllabi Race, Class, Gender |
Sociology 212: Race, Class, Gender Fall 2006 Dr. Jessica Greenebaum Office: DiLoreto 208-009 Office Hours: MWF 10:00-10:50, T: 10-12
Required Text Rosenblum and Travis, The Meaning of Difference Moore, Brothers and Sisters
Course Description Race, class, gender (and sexuality) are social categories that are embedded in institutions and are given meaning through interaction. This course looks at how race, class, gender and sexuality are constructed in American society to create identity, difference and inequality. We will explore how these categories are constructed, the meanings assigned to difference, and how groups experience these categories of difference. We will also look at how race, class, gender, and sexuality intersect and shape specific experiences of identity for all groups and individuals.
Grading Policy This course syllabus is a contract. As a student your job is fulfill the requirements. Failure to do so will affect your grade. Exam #1 = 25% Exam #2 = 25% Exam #3 = 25% Paper = 15% Participation = 10% ------------------------- =100%
Grade Breakdown 90-92 A- 93-100 A 80-82 B- 83-87 B 88-89 B+ 70-72 C- 73-77 C 78-79 C+ 60-62 D- 63-67 D 68-69 D+ 50-59 F Course Requirement and Rules Exams: You will have two (3) exams. Before each exam, I will give you a study guide to help prepare for the exam. The exam will consists of short answer and/or essay questions. You may bring in one sheet of paper (both sides) with your hand written notes Anyone who brings in photocopied or computer generated ‘cheat sheets’ will automatically fail. You must hand in your cheat sheet with your exam. If you do not you will automatically fail. Each person must find the answers to the questions on the study guide themselves. NO GROUP WORK!!!!! In addition, the study guide is just a guide. Do not be totally reliant on them. Also, do not be tempted to just quote from the book. You must use your own words or I will take off points. You must come to the exams on time. Anyone who is over ten minutes late will not be allowed to take the exam. There will only be a makeup exam for someone who gives me advanced (24 hrs) notice. Anyone who is caught cheating will fail the exam and possibly the class. If you have any questions about this, please consult your student handbook or ask me. Papers: will have one (1) paper on Moore's Brothers and Sisters. You will analylze this book using the concept of intersectionality. The topic will be handed out at a later date. Plagiarism: Academic responsibility and integrity is crucial. If you plagiarize, copy, etc., you will fail the paper and possibly the class. Plagiarism is failure to provide proper citations and attribute ideas and quotes to the original source. If you are unclear about what constitutes plagiarism, read A Guide to Writing Sociological Papers or ask me. Attendance: I do not take attendance. I believe you are old enough to decide if you want to attend class or not. However, you should know that classroom interaction is a learning experience in itself. You cannot possibly learn the material fully by text alone. The materials you will be tested on are a combination of class notes and reading. Do not depend on other people to take notes for you. And do not feel that you need to give notes to people who do not attend class. Participation: Participation is crucial for the development of this class. When individuals are active participants, the class is more exciting. This requires that you complete the assigned readings before class and are prepared to discuss the readings in class. Do not come to class if you are not prepared. I realize that many of you are shy and feel uncomfortable talking in class. There are other ways of participation: discussion in small groups, asking relevant questions, emailing me, coming to my office hours, etc. Let me know that you are engaged in the materials. You cannot receive participation points if you do not participate (and if you don’t attend class). You cannot receive participation points if you do not participate (and if you don’t attend class). Let me be clear: you will be graded on participation. You will not receive anymore than a 75 if you don’t participate. If you don’t come to class, you cannot receive these points. In addition, participation is the determining factor to earn the higher grade if you are in between grades. Be an active participant and come to class! No Pagers or Cell Phones: All pagers and phones must be turned off for the duration of the class. While cell phone use in public may have become an American ritual, I find it to be rude and inappropriate as they are a huge distraction to the class. Special Needs: If you require any special needs (academic, physical, or personal) please contact me during my office hours or after class. If an emergency or personal situation occurs let me know ASAP. I am supportive and understanding of most situations (I respect the right to privacy, so details are not a requirement). However, I am not sympathetic to laziness. If I am unaware of your situation, I will attribute it to laziness. Thus, do not wait till the last minute to inform me of a problem. I will only consider ‘working something out’ if you take responsibility for your studies. If you think this will invade a good portion of your schoolwork--I suggest you withdraw from the class or take an incomplete. DO NOT abuse this. Class Conduct: I try to create classroom environment that is open, yet structured. What do I mean by this? Each of us needs to respect the others in the class. People should be able to speak their minds without ridicule, blame, or attack. But be warned, each individual should take responsibility for what they say. People who are not respectful will be asked to leave the classroom and their grade will be affected by their conduct. If you cannot follow these guidelines, I suggest you find another course to take. Pet Peeves: Some of my pet peeves are when students arrive to class late or begin to pack up before class is over. So, show up on time and do not pack up before I dismiss you. Also, please do not smack your gum. It’s gross and irritating. Classroom Visitors I do allow students to bring in classroom visitors. However, please ask for permission to do so. While I understand that students who have children often have some difficulties with childcare, I find this extremely disruptive. Therefore I ask you not to bring children to class. Anything else? What kind of a classroom environment do you want? Speak up and let us know. *As always, I reserve the right to alter the content of this syllabus.
Course OutlineM 9/4 Introduction D Constructing Categories W 9/6 Framework Read: Framework Essay: Constructing Categories of Difference
F 9/8 R21: Frye, Oppression
What is Race? What is Ethnicity? M 9/11 Race and Ethnicity
W 9/12 African American R1: Davis, Who is Black? One Nation’s Definition R56: Glassner, Black Men: How to Perpetuate Prejudice without Really Trying
F 9/15 Native American R59: Churchill, Let’s Spread the “fun” around: the issue of Sports Team Names and Mascots R4: Garroutte, Real Indians: Identity and Survival of Native Americans
M 9/18 Latino American R30: Madrid, Diversity and its Discontents R5: Rodriguez, Latinos in the US Race Structure
(optional) R24: Cruz-Janzen: Ethnic Identity and Racial Formations: Race and Racism American-Style and lo Latino
W 9/20 30 Days: Muslims and America
F 9/22 Asian American R7: Espiritu, Asian American Panethnicity R49: Wu, The Model Minority: Asian American ‘Success’ as a Race Relations Failure
M 9/25 Whiteness R8: Frankenberg, Whiteness as an “Unmarked” Cultural Category R25: Thandeka, The Cost of Whiteness
(Optional) R45: Lipsitz, “The Possessive Investment in Whiteness: How White People Profit from Identity Politics
W 9/27 Multiracial Identities R6: Dalmage, Tripping on the Color Line: Black-White Multiracial Families in a Racially Divided World R53: La Ferla, Generation EA: Ethnically Ambiguous
F 9/29 Multiracial Identities R23: McLeod, Everybody’s Ethnic Enigma R55: Roediger, Is Race Over?
M 10/2 Exam #1
What is Social Class?
W 10/4 Film: People Like Us
F 10/6 Film: People Like Us
M 10/9 Social Class and Mobility R13: Zweig, What’s Class Got to do with it? R17: Horwitt, This hard-Earned Money Comes Stuffed in their Genes
W 10/11 Poverty R16: Eherenreich, Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America R36: MacDonald, All Souls R37: Black, Stupid Rich Bastards
What is Sex? What is Gender?
F 10/13 Essentialist v. Social Constructionism R11: Kimmel, The Gendered Society *** R9: Fausto-Sterling, The Five Sexes: Why Male and Female are Enough (skim)
M 10/16 Essentialist v. Social Constructionism R10: Williams, The Berdache Tradition
W 10/18 Social Significance of Gender R 32: Stolenberg, How do we know what manhood really is? R31: White, Fast Girls: Teenage Tribes and the Myth of the Slut
F 10/20 Social Significance of Gender R33: Sayeed, Chappals and Gym Shorts: An Indian-Muslim Woman in the Land of Oz R12: Wilchins, It’s Your Gender Stupid
What is Sexual Orientation?
M 10/23 30 Days: Straight in a Gay World
W 10/25 Sexual Orientation R20: Archer, The End of Gay (and the Death of Heterosexuality)
(optional) R18: Kauth, The Hazards of Naming Sexual Attraction R19: Abramson and Pinkerton: Is Homosexual a noun?
F 10/27 Sexual Orientation
M 10/30 Homophobia and heterosexism R34: Stepp, Anti-gay slurs Common at School: A Lesson in Cruelty R35: For Children of Gays, Marriage Brings Joy
W 11/1 Exam #2
Experiencing Difference
F 11/3 Intersectionality
W 11/8 Workplace Inequality R47: Cleveland, et al, Gender Discrimination in the Workplace
F 11/10 (Self) Segregation and Desegregation R43: Clotfelter, After Brown: The Rise and Retreat of School Desegregation R26: Tatum, ‘Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?”
M 11/13 (Self) Segregation and Desegregation R28: Steinhorn and Diggs-Brown, “A Day in the Life of Two Americas” R29: LeDuff, At a Slaughterhouse, Some Things Never Die
W 11/15 Affirmative Action/Education R38: Larew: Why are Droves of Unqualified, Unprepared Kids Getting into Our Top Coleges? Because Their Dads are Alumni
F 11/17 Affirmative Action/Education
M 11/20 Language R57: Moore, Racism in the English Language R58: Richardson, Gender Stereotyping in the English Language R60: Frye, To Be and Be Seen: The Politics of Reality
W 11/22-F11/24 Thanksgiving Break Start Reading Moore, Brothers and Sisters
M 11/27 Immigration
W 11/29 Discuss Moore, Brothers and Sisters
F 12/1 Global Inequalities
M 12/4 Global Inequalities **paper due**
W 12/6 30 Days: Outsourcing
F 12/8 Disability R50: Mundy, A World of Their Own R39: Hockenberry, PublicTransit R40: French, “Can You see the Rainbow?” The Roots of Denial
M 12/11 Social Movements R42, Kerchis and Young, Social Movements and the Politics of Difference
W 12/13 Bridging Differences R62: Johnson, What Can We Do? Becoming Part of the Solution R63: Wimsat, In Defense of Rich Kids R64: Kivel, Uprooting Racism: How White People Can Work for Racial Justice
(optional) R61: Cogan, Influencing Public Policy
F 12/15 TBA
Final Exams: TBA
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