Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Students successfully completing this course will be able to apply the sociological perspective to the causes and consequences of gender roles in our lives and in the world around us and be able to identify and assess how interactions between gender, class, and race/ethnicity contribute to the stratification of society.

The SAC assumes that instructors will assess student learning through the term by using various formative assessment tools, like worksheets, quizzes, and exams. In addition, the SAC encourages instructors to integrate the following kinds of tasks into the course to assess student achievement of course outcomes in a more comprehensive and holistic manner:

1. Short analytical or application papers on specific concepts, themes, issues, and critical thinking questions.
2. Term or research papers, using a variety of research strategies on a topic from class.
3. Participation in class discussions, small groups, and class exercises on specific gender topics.
4. Response paper or journals reflecting on life experiences, events, and social phenomena.
5. Service learning projects, involving volunteer work and application of the sociological perspective in written papers.
6. Student-Instructor conferences
7. Oral presentations

1. Sociological Imagination: personal and public issues
2. Sociological Theories and Theorists: Structural Functionalism-institutions, functions, division of labor; Conflict- inequality, power elite; Symbolic Interactionism- labels, social construction of meaning, interactions at micro level; and Feminist Theory.
3. Sociological Research and findings: influence of Feminist Sociology and Theory on research.
4. History of Feminism: waves of women’s movement and men’s movement
5. Nature vs. Nurture debate: Sex vs. Gender
6. Physical, chromosomal, and hormonal variations between sexes. Effects on behavior?
7. Socialization theories: Psychoanalytic (Freud, Horney, Chodorow);Social Learning Theory (Bandura); Cognitive Development (Piaget, Kohlberg, Gilligan); Bem’s Enculturated Lens Theory
8. Socialization agents: role models, labels, stereotypes, differential treatment, and peer pressure etc. from family, peers, education, toys, and media.
9. Structural and cultural influences on gender roles (Stratification, laws, attitudes, and values): intersection between race, class, and gender, role constraints and enforcement.
10. Social problems and solutions addressing sexism, discrimination, sexual harassment, domestic violence, etc.
11. Gendered language and communication: verbals and nonverbals
12. Family diversity: changing data trends, divorce, double shift
13. Sexual Orientation: heterosexism, homophobia, variations in gender roles
14. Reproduction: rights, teen pregnancy, attitudes, consequences
15. Social stratification: intersection of sex and gender with race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, ability/disability.
16. Gender and Work: division of labor, historical trends, occupational sex segregation, wage gap, glass ceiling, feminization of poverty, legislative strategies.
17. Gender, Crime, and Justice: statistics, causes and consequences, criminal justice system- variations in laws and treatment
18. Gender and Politics: gender gap, differences in representation and voting patterns
19. Men and Women in the Military
20. Gender and Religion: traditional religious teachings, goddesses vs patriarchy, leadership patterns, changing spirituality
21. Gender and Health: Varying indicators of health, changes and inequality in health care systems, mental health, eating disorders.
22. Cultural/global diversity: ethnocentrism towards varying gender roles and cultural practices  

 Competencies and Skills

1. Apply sociological approach and perspectives to a variety of social patterns and processes related to gender roles.
2. Develop and practice college-level reading, writing, research, analysis, and study skills.
3. Be able to define, compare, understand, and interpret theories, concepts, and data patterns.
4. Apply theories, concepts, data, and research to concrete examples in text, class, and daily life.
5. Develop critical thinking skills and be able to distinguish between underlying assumptions, stereotypes, and research findings related to social issues.
6. Develop group process skills, including listening, communicating, cooperating, and empathizing with diverse perspectives.
7. Be able to distinguish between public and private problems and determine the causes and consequences of cultural and structural gender-related issues.
8. Be able to analyze and integrate coursework with current events and trends in the social world.
9. Learn how to help solve problems by being active citizens, participating in the community and society, and being able to identify services available in the community.

Approved Texts/Materials:

• Renzetti, C.M. and D.J. Curran. 1999. Women, Men, and Society, Allyn and Bacon.

Supplemental Texts and Materials:

• Instructor Discretion

Faculty Information
Faculty utilizing new modalities should be aware that the Sociology Subject Area Committee (SAC) is responsible for determining the efficacy of different methods and evaluating their impact on both instruction and student outreach. Faculty should talk with their Department and Division Chairs before including nonstandardized instruction or changing the approved texts and possibly meet with the Sociology SAC before initiating these modalities in their courses.