College of the Canyons   Spring 

2010  

SOCIOLOGY 200 ONLINE PROFESSOR DOMINIC LITTLE

INTRODUCTION TO WOMEN’S STUDIES EMAIL: dominic.little@csun.edu
SECTION NUMBER: 73583 OFFICE PHONE: 818-677-2052
SPRING 2010 OFFICE HOURS: BY APPOINTMENT
OFFICE LOCATION: SIERRA HALL 180, CSUN

INTRODUCTION

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The sociology of sex and gender emerged as a theoretical subfield, with flourishing cross-disciplinary ties,
during the early 1970’s. The body of knowledge developed out of two major analytic strategies (1) paying full
attention to the lives and experiences of women, which were largely ignored and distorted in traditional
sociological knowledge; and (2) using gender, or gender relations, as a central category of analysis, a perspective
that illuminates the lives of men as well as women.

In recent decades, feminist scholars have shown that gender is not simply a matter of biology, (the dual terms,
"sex and gender," point to complicated relationships among biological sex, cultural gender, and sexuality) but
rather, gender is a social construct, and its organization and meanings vary enormously across cultures, over
historical periods, and from one institution to another in contemporary U.S. society. Furthermore, gender also
helps to both create and sustain inequality between social-class, race, ethnicity, sexuality, age, and national
origin.

In this course, we will take off from these key insights and explore sociological research on sex and gender,
mostly with an emphasis on contemporary U.S. society. We will open with a range of conceptual and
theoretical issues and become acquainted with many of the critical questions and concepts feminist scholars
have developed as tools for thinking about gendered experience. In addition, we will study the interconnections
among systems of oppression (such as sexism, racism, classism, ethnocentrism, homophobia/heterosexism,
transphobia, ableism and others). We will then examine the organization and meanings of gender in varied
dimensions of social and institutional life.

In this course you will learn to "read" and analyze gender, exploring how it impacts our understanding of the
world. Course materials will include "classic" and contemporary women's studies scholarship from a variety of
disciplines, as well as personal narratives of gendered lives. Topics covered include women and work, issues of
women's health and reproduction, sexuality, families, motherhood, globalization, activism and women's
political movements, body image and representation, and socialization. Many of the issues we will discuss are
controversial, and it is important to note that there is no such thing as "the" feminist understanding of these
topics. Your task is to make use of the analytical tools we are studying to develop a more critically informed
perspective on the issues.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

The student will also be able to:

™ Differentiate between the terms sex and gender and discuss their differences within the larger social
context of gendered relations.
™ Contrast the various theoretical perspectives used to interpret gender relations.
™ Critique the various forms of feminism and evaluate their various political, social, and cultural
positions within the larger "feminist" framework.
™ Explain the inter-connectedness of race, sex, and class.
™ Summarize the historical development of the women's movement in the United States.
™ Contrast the "First," "Second," and "Third" Waves of feminism.
™ Compare and contrast women's rights from human rights.

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COURSE OBJECTIVES

™ To learn about the diverse social conditions affecting women around the globe.
™ To acknowledge that we live in a "gendered" world in which the lives of men and women are largely
shaped by the social construction of gender.
™ To learn about the many ways in which gender, race, class, and, sexuality are socially constructed in
diverse cultures.
™ To stimulate critical thinking in regards to issues affecting women.
™ To create opportunities, to challenge stereotypes and gender representations.
™ To promote gender equality.

COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS CLASS SCHEDULE DESCRIPTION

Course Title: Sociology 200 – Introduction to Women’s Studies (3)

Prerequisite: None.
Preparatory None.
Description: Overview of the academic field of women’s studies. Social and cultural consequences of
living in a "gendered world" are examined, including the topics of socialization,
communication, politics, crime, sexuality, and religion. Gender relationships are also
explored within their historical and cross-cultural contexts. (CSU and UC transferable.)

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. Participation: Class participation is mandatory. In an online course, student participation is the key to
success. Students failing to participate may risk being dropped from the class (if before the drop
deadline). Visiting the class within the first 24-48 hours of the course is mandatory. Students who do
not log in/post will be dropped as a "no show".

2. Discussion Boards: Participation is mandatory. Each week you will be given a series of discussion
questions to complete. You will also be required to provide substantive feedback on at least two
postings submitted by different students. More thorough instructions on completing these exercises
are available online under the ‘Discussion Board’ menu.

a. The discussion board is the arena for student participation and interaction. I count with the
statistical tools necessary to measure your participation. I will open a forum each week and
direct the discussion with questions or a statement related to the class readings. Each student
is expected to post an answer before the end of the week (responses like "Thanks" or "I
agree" will not receive credit).
b. Postings should address the weekly discussion question and should be related to at least one
assigned reading/topic for that week. Comments should be mostly academic. Friendly
interactions are acceptable within reason. Discussion boards are "your space". I will not reply
to every posting but I will be monitoring, intervening when I see fit, or responding to
questions.

READING MATERIALS

Required Textbook
™ Linda L. Lindsey, Gender Roles: A Sociological Perspective. 4th. Edition, Pearson, 2005.
™ Verta Taylor & Nancy Whittier, Feminist Frontiers. 7th. Edition, McGraw Hill, 2007.

Supplemental Texts1
™ Claire M. Renzetti & Daniel J. Curran, Women, Men, and Society, 5th. Edition, Allyn and Bacon, 2003.
™ Estelle Disch, Reconstructing Gender: A Multicultural Anthology, 3rd. Edition, McGraw Hill, 2003.

1
Not required reading. Additional lecture materials will be generated using the supplemental texts.

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™ Scott Coltrane, Gender and Families, Pine Forge Press, 1998.
™ Barbara Laslett & Barrie Thorne, Feminist Sociology: Life Histories of a Movement, Rutgers University Press,
2002.
™ Hewitt, John. 2002. ed. Self & Society, 9thed. New York, NY: Allyn & Bacon.
™ Mills, Charles W. 1959. The sociological imagination. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

COURSEWORK & EXAMS

WEEKLY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS/STUDENT FEEDBACK

Students will be required to complete one discussion question and post two threads containing feedback
per week. The discussion questions are located under the ‘Discussion Board’ menu. More thorough
instructions (i.e., minimum length requirements, due dates, citation guidelines, etc.) on completing the
discussion questions are available online. This assignment is worth a total of 75 points (50 points for
completion of the discussion question and 25 points for the completion of both postings containing
feedback.) Responses will be evaluated according to a number of criteria. These include:

¾ Appropriate use of sociological concepts and theoretical perspectives (25 points).

¾ Logical consistency and integration of arguments and examples (25 points).
¾ Ability to incorporate succinctly the main points of the relevant readings (25 points).
¾ Composition (e.g., organization, clarity, spelling, and grammar) (25 points).
¾ Thus, responses will be evaluated based on the degree to which you effectively communicate your
comprehension of class materials in writing.

SOCIOLOGICAL EXERCISE (INTER-GENERATIONAL INTERVIEW/GENDERED TOYS)

Students will be required to complete one sociological exercise. More thorough instructions are available
for download under the ‘Assignment’ menu. The assignment will be worth 250 points.

EXAMINATIONS

Throughout the course of the semester, five exams will be administered through the internet. The exams
will be worth a total of 2250 points (450 points per exam) and consist of 45 multiple choice/ true-false
questions. Fifteen questions will be drawn from each chapter with all questions being weighted equally.
The exams will be made available throughout the entire examination day. Students will be able to access
the test from 12:01am – 11:59pm on the scheduled day of the exam. Exams can be taken only once. If you
encounter an error while taking the exam, please email me immediately. Makeup exams will only be
allowed with verifiable evidence of an emergency. The dates of the exams are as follows:

1. Examination 1 – February 28, 2010 (Exam will cover chapters 1-3 & supplemental reading materials.)
2. Examination 2 – March 21, 2010 (Exam will cover chapters 4-6. & supplemental reading materials.)
3. Examination 3 –April 18. 2010 (Exam will cover chapters 7-9 & supplemental reading materials.)
4. Examination 4 –May 9, 2010 (Exam will cover chapters 10-12 & supplemental reading materials.)
5. Examination 5 –June 3, 2010 (Exam will cover chapters 13-14 & supplemental reading materials.)

GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESS

The following are guidelines for success in this class.

THINK CONTINGENCY. Locate a backup system in case your computer goes down. Breakdowns
will occur: it's more a question of "when" than "if."

LOGON FREQUENTLY. Log on as often as you can, preferably twice a day, once in the morning and
once in the evening, seven days a week. If this is not possible, then log on once a day during the week
and once over the weekend. Create a workable logon schedule, a comfortable routine, and you'll find the

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work (in the form of email messages and web announcements) manageable. If you let days go by before
logging on, email and announcements will pile up and you'll find it difficult to catch up. Also, you'll find
yourself outside the communication loop and out of synch with classmates, unable to understand what's
going on.

RESPOND. Respond to email you receive. If you don't, the sender will assume you didn't get it or you
don't want to respond. Remember that you're invisible to the writer. You're saying "I'm here" when you
respond. If possible, reply immediately after receiving a message. If time doesn't allow for a
comprehensive response, send a quick one-liner: "I received your message and will reply this evening."
Reply within 12 to 24 hours of receiving a message.

USE A STABLE EMAIL ADDRESS. Send messages from a stable address that will remain constant for
the duration of the course. Any change in email address will result in confusion and delays that may
affect your mail for weeks.

IDENTIFY YOURSELF. Include your full name somewhere in your message, in the header, the body,
or the signature of your message. Don't assume that your instructor and classmates will remember who
"Local Boy@yahoo.com" or "fuzzybrain@hotmail.com" is.

USE MEANINGFUL SUBJECT-LINES. Compose meaningful descriptions in the "Subject:" line in the
header. Do not use a subject line like "help needed", specify what you need help on otherwise people
will not read it.

DON'T FLAME. Be respectful and be an adult. Do NOT send messages with the sole purpose to
inflame or anger other readers and posters. This is not productive and may result in administrative action
up to expulsion from the University.

ASK QUESTIONS OR COMMENT. If you don't understand the requirements for an activity or
assignment, be sure to ask questions. In a traditional classroom, the instructor is able to "read" nonverbal
cues such as frowns, nods, wrinkled brows, head tilts, squirming, etc., and he uses these to adjust his
presentation. In a virtual classroom, these cues are absent. Your questions and comments will help him
to clarify key points.

READ EVERYTHING. Read all messages sent to the class or group that you belong to, especially
messages from the instructor. Read quickly using scanning strategies. Be on the lookout for questions
from students and the instructor's responses. By doing this, you can avoid asking questions that have
already been answered and you can be better informed about class activities.

CREATE BONDS. Respond to classmates' questions and concerns. In this way, you create bonds with
them and begin to feel a part of the community. Get to know everyone in class via public and private
email. Your enjoyment of the online experience will be dependent on the extent to which you feel
connected to and comfortable with your virtual classmates.

COMMENT MEANINGFULLY. You'll be asked throughout the semester to respond to classmates'

ideas for papers or drafts. Although any comment is better than none at all, a meaningful, helpful
comment is invaluable. It shows that you've read and thought about the student's ideas and you sincerely
want to help him/her. As a rule, avoid general comments such as "Good ideas." Instead, list the specific
points that you feel are good. Even if the student's performance is outstanding, suggest ways to further
strengthen it.

BE PROFESSIONAL. As your written e-mail communications are the only face you have to your fellow
students and your instructor, it is imperative that you have good grammar, spelling, and compose your
thoughts and questions in a professional manner.

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FOLLOW NETIQUETTE. Follow the guidelines of netiquette listed under the ‘Course Documents’
heading.

GRADING

Students are expected to complete all assignments by the due date and take exams at the scheduled times/date.
Students with legitimate excuses should obtain appropriate documentation and contact the instructor as soon
as possible regarding their emergency.

Lecture Grade
Examinations 2250 (450 points per exam)
Weekly Discussion Questions 1125 (75 points per discussion question)
Sociological Exercise 250
Total Points 3625

Final Grade
Final Grades will be determined using the following scale:
A 3262 - or more
B 2900 - 3261
C 2537 - 2899
D 2175 - 2536
F 2174 - and below

Academic Dishonesty
As stated in the COC catalogue, “Academic dishonesty is an especially serious offense and diminishes the
quality of scholarship and defrauds those who depend upon the integrity of the campus program. Academic
dishonesty includes: cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, and plagiarism (Section 4130, Title
5, California Code of Regulations).” Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Students caught cheating will
receive a final grade of Fail and reported to the Dean of Students.

COURSE READING AND ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE

Lecture Topic (Chapter) Date2

_________________ _____

Week 1
Readings: Chapter 1 and supplemental readings 02-08-2010 – 02-14-2010
Due:
1. Post under the forum titled, “Course Introduction – Read and Respond”
2. Week 1 Discussion Question

Week 2
Readings: Chapter 2 and supplemental readings 02-15-2010 – 02-21-2010
Due: Week 2 Discussion Question

Week 3
Readings: Chapter 3 and supplemental readings 02-22-2010 – 02-28-2010
Due: Week 3 Discussion Question
Examination 1, Chapters 1-3

2
Readings should be completed on or before the date listed.

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Week 4
Readings: Chapter 4 and supplemental readings 03-01-2010 – 03-08-2010
Due: Week 4 Discussion Question

Week 5

Readings: Chapter 5 and supplemental readings 03-08-2010 – 03-14-2010

Due: Week 5 Discussion Question

Week 6
Readings: Chapter 6 and supplemental readings 03-15-2010 – 03-21-2010
Due: Week 6 Discussion Question
Examination 2, Chapters 4-6

Week 7

Readings: Chapter 7 and supplemental readings 03-22-2010 – 03-28-2010

Due: Week 7 Discussion Question

Week 8
Readings: Chapter 8 and supplemental readings 03-29-2010 – 04-04-2010
Due: Week 8 Discussion Questions

Week 9
SPRING BREAK 04-05-2010 – 04-11-2010

Week 10
Readings: Chapter 9 and supplemental readings 04-12-2010 – 04-18-2010
Due: Week 10 Discussion Question
Examination 3, Chapters 7-9

Week 11
Readings: Chapter 10 and supplemental readings 04-19-2010 – 04-25-2010
Due: Week 11 Discussion Question

Week 12
Readings: Chapter 11 and supplemental readings 04-26-2010 – 05-02-2010
Due: Week 12 Discussion Question

Week 13

Readings: Chapter 12 and supplemental readings 05-03-2010 – 05-09-2010

Due: Week 13 Discussion Question
Examination 4, Chapters 10-12

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Week 14
Readings: Chapter 13 and supplemental readings 05-10-2010 – 05-16-2010
Due: Week 14 Discussion Question

Week 15

Readings: Chapter 14 and supplemental readings 05-17-2010 – 05-23-2010

Due: Week 15 Discussion Question

Week 16

Readings: Supplemental reading materials 05-24-2010 – 06-03-2010

Due: Week 16 Discussion Question
Examination 5, Chapters 13-14 & supplemental reading materials

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