Course syllabus

 

GENDER 101: Gender: Global and Local

SEMESTER 2, 2018

15 points

  

Monday, 2-3pm, OGH room G36; Thursday, 3-4pm, OGGB room 5

 

 Course convenor and principal lecturer                                                    

Associate Professor Kathy Smits                                           

Phone: 373 7599, ext. 87576 

E-mail:         k.smits@auckland.ac.nz

Office:  HSB (201E) room 506

Office hours: Mondays and Thursdays, 11am-12 noon and by appointment

 

Tutor

Emma Blackett

Email: ebla035@aucklanduni.ac.nz

Office hour: 11am-12pm Tuesdays and 2-3pm Thursdays, HSB room 528

 

Tuakana Mentor

Danya Yang (dyan145@aucklanduni.ac.nz)

Course delivery format

2 hours of lectures and 1 hour of tutorial (Timetable and room details can be viewed on Student Services Online)

 

Course Description

How do gender identity, difference and politics shape our sense of who we are, and our social and political worlds?  In this course we will explore the fundamental issues that gender studies reveals for us:  the difference between sex and gender; the meaning and significance of identity and difference; how we think about sexualities; the influence of concepts like ‘masculinity’ and ‘femininity’ and how these are embodied and represented in social and political life, in person and online.  We’ll examine gender as it’s mobilized in social and political movements, both national and global, and as it’s expressed in the media and in popular culture.  We’ll also look at the ways in which gender shapes our understanding of history and our reading of literary texts, and at social issues like the division of labour and sexual violence.  Finally, we’ll explore the ways in which thinking about gender has changed over the past half a century, and continues to change today.  Guest lecturers expert on these topics will help us navigate them and understand what is at stake.

This interdisciplinary course is suitable for all students with an interest in exploring the meaning and significance of gender.  It will equip you for more advanced courses in gender studies, but also for further study in the social sciences, humanities and law.

 

 Course Objectives

 This course has 5 principal objectives.  By the end of the course, you should:

1.  Be familiar with the fundamental concepts of gender analysis: the sex/gender distinction, the identity/difference binary, the social construction of masculinity and femininity, and the relationship between gender and sexuality.

2.  Understand the significance of these core concepts in the social, political and cultural worlds.

3.  Understand how the study of gender contributes to other academic fields, particularly in the social sciences and humanities.

4.  Be able to critically analyse written and media text that deal with gender, and be able to present your analysis in writing.

5.  Be able to reflect critically upon your own views and experiences of gender, to present your views to others, and to engage in constructive discussion about them.

 

 Assessment Summary:

Essay (1800 words) due Friday, September 14:  25% of total grade

Report (1200 words) due Friday, October 5:  25% of total grade

Final exam (2 hours):  50% of total grade

 

Prescribed Texts:

None (readings all on Canvas)

 

 Workload and deadlines for submission of coursework:           

The University of Auckland's expectation is that students spend 10 hours per week on a 15-point course, including time in class and personal study. Students should manage their academic workload and other commitments accordingly. Deadlines for coursework are set by course convenors and will be advertised in course material. You should submit your work on time. In extreme circumstances, such as illness, you may seek an extension but you may be required to provide supporting information before the assignment is due. Late assignments without a pre-approved extension may be penalised by loss of marks – see below.

Course late submission policy - in cases where you have NOT been granted an extension in advance:

1. Work submitted up until two days after the deadline will still be graded, but will lose 5 percentage points available for this assignment (NB:  if the 2 days end on a Sunday, the work must be submitted to Turnitin on the Sunday by 4pm, but can be submitted in hard copy on the following Monday, no later than 10am.)
   
2. Work submitted between two days and one week late will still be graded, but will lose 10 percentage points available for this assignment
3. Work submitted between one week and two weeks late will still be graded, but will lose 25 percentage points available for this assignment
4. Essays submitted more than two weeks past the due submission date will not be graded and will result in a mark of 0.