New Course “Sociology of Gender”
Assistant Professor Molly M. King: New Course “Sociology of Gender”
This upcoming quarter, Assistant Professor Molly M. King will offer a brand new course in the department, the Sociology of Gender. Gender is a central organizing principle in social relations, giving rise to institutional and social practices that distinguish between men and women on the basis of apparent difference and inequality. This course will discuss gender using a sociological lens, introducing gender systems in contemporary American society. Students will critically examine the multiple ways that gender - together with connections between gender, race, and sexuality - structures the social world in which we live. We will highlight social practices at multiple levels of analysis. The class will start off exploring biological and socialization processes at the individual level, then discuss how gender shapes the interactions between and among women and men. We will then look at the workings of gender in the American workplace and in how individuals balance work and family obligations. The central goal throughout the course is to understand how gender roles and attitudes shape social structure, how these interact with race and sexuality, and how gender inequalities are maintained in everyday social situations. Professor and students alike look forward to a great winter quarter learning together about the systemic nature of gender in our social world.