Course Description:
This course provides upper-level students with the opportunity to reflect on the personal meaning of gender and to consider frameworks ranging from the biological influences on gender and sexuality, to gender as a social institution that affects our behaviors and beliefs. The course addresses (and distinguishes) sexuality and gender as experienced on the personal level, particularly gender as applied to the physical self; relationships of a self with intimates, friends and family; and relationships with environments such as school and work (using the Bronfenbrenner ecological model of psychological development). The wide variation of gender perspectives through history are reviewed, as well as variations in gender concepts across current cultures. Keeping those broader perspectives in mind, psychosexual variations are identified and discussed. Gender biases in the study of gender are presented, and each student has the opportunity to set up a simple gender study.
Recommended prerequisites include: Introduction to Human Development or Introduction to Psychology or Exploring Society or equivalent.
This course fully meets the General Education requirement in Social Sciences.
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