Gender, Work and Society

GEND 220 (CRN: 31242), Fall 2010

MTWRF 1:00-1:50 p.m., ACK 103

Professor: Tonia St.Germain, J.D.

E-mail:  tstgerma@eou.edu.

Phone: 541-962-3003

Office: ACK 113

Office Hours: Mon, Tues, 11 - noon, Thurs 3-4, and by appt.

Mailbox: Room 202 Ackerman (Social Science Office)

General Education: GEND 220 meets requirements for General Education under the category of SSC for critical thinking (able to demonstrate the ability to identify and explain issues, recognize contexts and assumptions, acknowledge multiple perspectives, evaluate evidence to reach conclusions).

Public Administration Elective: This course is listed as an elective in the Public Administration concentration in PPE. 

Difference, Power, and Discrimination (DPD) institutional requirement: It is expected that the course will be approved next year for the new DPD institutional requirement (for students matriculating at EOU in fall 2010) but it is not clear if the course will count retroactively.  You should check on this next year if you find yourself in need of a course to meet the new requirement.

University Writing Requirement (UWR):

GEND 220 meets requirements for the UWR. Outcomes for lower-division UWR writing-intensive courses:

• Students will produce at least 3,000 words (including drafts, in-class writing, informal papers, and polished papers); 1,000 words of this total should be in polished papers which students have revised after receiving feedback and criticism. 
• Students will be introduced to the discourse forms appropriate to the discipline the course represents. 
• Students will write at least one paper integrating information from at least one source, employing the appropriate documentation style for the discipline represented by the course. 
• Students will draft, revise, and edit their formal written work. 
• Students will seek assistance from a Writing Tutor in the Writing Lab when needed and when referred by the instructor.

UWR writing-intensive courses must allocate at least 30% of the overall grade to formal writing assignments, with at least 25% of the overall grade based on evaluation of individually written papers that have been revised after feedback.

Description:

This course probes the continuing challenges women and men face as they enter and participate in the world of work. It explores the factors that influence people’s preparation for work and the occupations they choose. Work experiences of diverse groups are highlighted especially in areas that cross-cut racial and ethnic identity. It examines the policies that have developed as a response to the changing labor force participation in the past three decades.

Required Texts

• Bell, Ella L.J. Edmondson and Nkomo, Stella, M. (2001). Our Separate Ways: Black and White Women and the Struggle for Professional Identity. Harvard Business School Press: Boston.
• Reskin, Barbara and Padavic, Irene (2002). Women and Men at Work. 2nd Edition. Pine Forge Press:  California
• Dubeck, Paula J. and Dunnn Dana (2006) Workplace/Women's Place: An Anthology, 3nd Edition. Roxbury Publishing Co.: Los Angeles, CA

Course Outcomes / Goals / Objectives:

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Employ basic terminology and concepts of feminist theory which define gender as a process, structure, and relationship rather than an individual attribute of women or men and apply this to the working world;
• Identify the ways in which gender intersects with other social categories such as race/ethnicity, social class, and sexuality in the business environment;
• Analyze and interpret data provided in assigned readings through the use of the weekly writing assignments;
• Argue effectively through scholarly debate during classroom discussion;
• Evaluate sources through research and writing the academic essay.

General Rules, Guidelines, and Special Needs:

• Course Calendar:  I reserve the right to make adjustments in the course schedule. In no case will you be expected to complete assignments or readings earlier than described.
• Keep copies of all work until you receive official notice of your course grade.

• According to the EOU Catalog, "Minimum elements of appropriate classroom decorum include: punctuality, courtesy, civility, purposefulness, and integrity." If you must arrive late or leave early, try to be as quiet as possible.  Regarding courtesy and civility, while I encourage strong expressions of disagreement, I expect your conversations with me and with one another to be respectful at all times.
• Written assignments must be double-spaced and submitted in a word-processed format using a 12-point font and 1" margins. Because errors in formal writing influence readers’ opinions of you as a writer, make sure to check grammar and spelling before printing a final copy.

• Regarding academic misconduct:  Eastern Oregon University places a high value upon the integrity of its student scholars.  Any student found guilty of an act of academic misconduct (including but not limited to cheating, plagiarism, or theft of an examination or supplies) may be subject to having his or her grade reduced in the course in question, being placed on probation, or suspended from the university, or being expelled from the university—or a combination of these (Please see Section II of the 2002-2003 Student Handbook and Planning Calendar:  Campus Citizenship (Academic), p. 32ff.  Campus Citizenship (Behavior), p. 41ff). 
• Plagiarism, representing someone else's ideas or words as your own, is a serious academic offense. Use APA citation format to cite all ideas or words belonging to others that you include in your own writing. Your work should significantly exceed the quantity of citations and build new ideas upon them. As a general rule, provide quotation marks (and appropriate citation) when you use more than three consecutive words from someone else’s work. For directions on how to make proper citations go to the EOU ‘s Writing Lab page at http://www2.eou.edu/writelab/ click on “Resources for Writers, ”click on “Research and Documentation,” select “Hacker, Research and Documentation,” and finally select “Social Sciences” from the menu.  Read this information over carefully and bookmark it for future use.  For other plagiarism resources, see the plagiarism section of the English/Writing links page at http://www2.eou.edu/engwrite/links.html#plagiarism
• No work from another course may be used for credit in this course without prior permission from the instructor.
• If you have a documented disability or think that you may have a learning problem and need accommodations, please contact the Disability Services Program in Loso Hall 234. Telephone: 962-3081. 
• Please take advantage of my posted office hours or make an appointment to speak with me about your work.  I want you to succeed in this course, and have set aside those times especially to assist you.

• Commitment to Scholarship:
• In keeping with the Carnegie rule for academic expectations, students should devote a minimum of three hours per course credit.  You should plan for a minimum of 15 hours per week for this course (including class time).
•  

Class behavior/Discussions:

I expect students to interact with each other in a mature and respectful manner. Many of the issues discussed in class may be controversial and challenging. I encourage you to approach discussions with a spirit of openness and tolerance.

Political Correctness:

You are under NO obligation to agree with the authors or the professor. Rather, your obligation is to demonstrate comprehension and thoughtful consideration. At the end of the course you should be able to articulate and effectively argue your own position. Although we will not agree about our interpretations of the various materials, we can agree that the only "political correctness" appropriate in this course is the commitment to encounter and engage course readings, course goals, and each other with openness, careful listening, honesty, and mutual respect.

Deadlines:

There will be no “make-ups” for quizzes unless a student can provide written documentation of an extreme emergency. Students unable to take a quiz because of serious, unavoidable circumstances should let me know before the quiz so that a make-up may be scheduled. Quizzes also cannot be made up if you come very late to class. Those who walk in late will not get any extra time and will have to turn in their quizzes at the same time as the rest of the class. The same rules apply to late papers and group projects. Students who show a disregard for deadlines could be penalized one letter-grade for each day following the due date.

E-mail:

I check my e-mail regularly throughout the week, however, I cannot guarantee that I will check e-mail over the weekend so do not expect immediate responses to messages you send me late Friday nights, Saturdays or Sundays.

I expect students to check e-mail regularly. I will be sending e-mail messages to the whole class to provide information regarding minor changes in the syllabus or share information about current issues for classroom discussion. When you respond to the e-mail messages I send to the whole class make sure you are responding to me and not the entire class. Use e-mail appropriately and judiciously.

Please DO NOT use e-mail to:

1. Ask me routine information that may already be on my syllabus.

2. Ask me what you missed in class when you were absent.

3. Discuss in-depth a major problem with an assignment or with a team member's work. If you have a major problem, please e-mail me to set up an appointment and briefly describe the problem, but the bulk of our discussion should happen at a one-on-one meeting in my office.

• Means of Assessment and Grading:
• Grading: A plus (+) and minus (-) grading system with the following breakdown will be used:
• A 94-100, A- 93-90, B+ 89-87, B 86-84, B- 83-80, C+ 79-77, C 76-74, C- 73-70, D+ 69-67, D 66-64, D- 63-0, 59 and below F.

Attendance (15%):  You are expected to attend every class meeting, as half of your participation grade will be based on class attendance.  During the quarter, we will be meeting outside of scheduled class time for group work or to watch Hollywood films.  Your attendance at these meetings is mandatory, and represents one credit of class time.  Exceptions must be negotiated with the professor before the meeting dates.

Class Discussions (20%): You should come to class prepared to explore the authors' arguments and your reaction to their perspectives.  You will be expected to be able to give brief summaries of articles and respond to specific questions on a daily basis and to help facilitate class discussions. I expect students to interact with each other in a mature and respectful manner. Many of the issues discussed in class may be controversial and challenging. I encourage you to approach discussions with a spirit of openness and tolerance. According to the EOU Catalog, "Minimum elements of appropriate classroom decorum include: punctuality, courtesy, civility, purposefulness, and integrity." If you must arrive late or leave early, try to be as quiet as possible.  Regarding courtesy and civility, while I encourage strong expressions of disagreement, I expect your conversations with me and with one another to be respectful at all times.

Homework 8 Assignments (40%):  You will be required to write one homework assignment each week for the first 8 weeks of the course.  Each will count for 5% of your course grade. These homework assignments offer you important tools for reading and writing with an emphasis on critical thinking.   They are not lengthy, but they call for focused attention and practice.  To do well, you will need to follow the course texts carefully and take good notes as you read. Identifying arguments and evidence in academic and journalistic writing is often more difficult than it at first appears. You should also pay special attention to the detailed background explanation, directions and examples provided in the assignment directions themselves.  You will be evaluated on how well you have incorporated these guidelines in your writing.

Homework assignments will be available on a weekly basis under the Assignments link on Blackboard, and your finished work should be submitted there by the due date (see calendar).  They will include the following:

Week two:        Abstract Assignment (5%). Due: Monday, October 4.

Week three:     Evaluating Evidence Assignment (5%). Due: Monday, October 11.

Week four:       Argument/Thesis Assignment (5%) Due: Monday, October 18

Week five:        Introductory paragraph (5%) Due: Monday October 25

Week six:          Development paragraph (5%) Due: Monday, November 1.

Week seven:     Conclusion/ APA citation format (5%) November 8

Week eight:      Your thesis statement (5%). Due: Monday, November 15

Week nine:       Exchange your draft with your peer partner by Tuesday, November 23

Week ten:         Peer review form (5%). Due Monday November 27

Final Position Paper (25%): During weeks 9 and 10 you will revise the final paper using the comments of the peer reviewer to improve your work.  This paper will be due on Final Exam, Wednesday, December 8, 10-12.

About the readings:

• A standard expectation for a week’s reading in undergraduate social science courses is 100-150 pages and 150-300 for graduate courses.
• Bell/Nkomo: The final paper is based upon the Bell/Nkomo text.  This book is an "easy" read and should be approached as enjoyable—like a novel.  Plan on being prepared to discuss this book by week six.

COURSE CALENDAR

Week One: Sept. 27 – Oct. 1

Monday: Course Orientation

Tuesday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Reskin, pp. vii-16

Wednesday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Reskin, pp. 17-36.   

Thursday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Reskin, pp. 37-56 

Friday   go to learning center and work with you peer partner on completing the Abstract Assignment (5%). Due: Monday, October 4.

Week Two:  Oct. 4 -8

Monday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Reskin pp. 57-96.

Due: Abstract Assignment (5%).

Tuesday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Reskin pp. 97-120

Wednesday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Reskin pp. 121-146

Thursday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Reskin: pp. 147-176

Friday   go to learning center and work with your peer partner on completing the Evaluating Evidence Assignment (5%).Due: Monday, October 11.

Week Three:  Oct. 11 - 15

Monday  come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

 Dubeck/Dunn, Unit I: Introduction, pp. viii-14 and Parental Influence and Women's Careers by Sue Joan Mendelson Freeman pp.15-27.

Due: Evaluating Evidence Assignment (5%).

Tuesday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following: Dubeck/Dunn, Shortchanging Girls: Gender Socialization in Schools by Peggy Orenstein, pp. 28-36

Wednesday View Film: Working Girl (113 min).

Thursday Finish Viewing Working Girl and  come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following: Dubeck/Dunn. Gender and the Career Choice Process: The Role of Baised Based Assessment, Shelly Correll, pp.37-52.

Friday go to learning center and work with your peer partner on completing the

Argument/Thesis Assignment (5%). Due: Monday, October 18.

Week Four:  Oct. 18- 22

Monday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following: Dubeck/Dunn,

Unit II: Introduction pp. 53-59 and Women’s Employment Among…by England, Garcia-

Beaulieu, Ross pp. 59-68.

Due: Argument/Thesis Assignment (5%).

Tuesday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following: Dubeck/Dunn, Gendered Jobs and Gendered Workers, byWilliams pp. 69-72 and  Sex Segregation in the Workplace byBarbara F. Reskin, pp. 73-76.

Wednesday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the

 following: Dubeck/Dunn, The Penny Pinch  by Christine Larson, pp. 77-82 and  Women,

Men and Management styles by Marie-Therese Claes, pp.83-87 and The Glass Ceiling by

The Federal GlassCeiling Commission pp. 88-94.

Thursday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Dubeck/Dunn, Gender Gap in the Executive Suite by Ragins, Towsend, and Mattis pp.

95-109 and  The Impact of Male Work Environment and Organizational Policies on

 Women's Experiences of Sexual Harassment by James Gruber, pp. 110-118

Friday go to learning center and work with your peer partner on completing the

Introductory paragraph (5%). Due: Monday October 25

Week Five: Oct. 25 – 29

Monday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Bell/Nkomo, Prologue pp.1-10 and Introduction, pp. 11-24

Due: Introductory paragraph (5%)

Tuesday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Bell/Nkomo, Part I. Flashbacks, pp. 25-26, Lost Childhoods, pp. 27-50, Their

Father’s Daughters, pp. 51-66

Wednesday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

 Bell/Nkomo, Comfortable Families, Uncomfortable Times, pp.67-86 and

Executives in Training, pp. 87-97

Thursday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Bell/Nkomo, Part II, Flashpoints, pp. 99-100, Breaking In, pp. 101- 120, Fitting In, pp. 121-136

Friday go to learning center and work with your peer partner on completing the Development Paragraph (5%). Due: Monday, November 1.

Week Six: Nov. 1 - 5

Monday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Bell Nkomo, Barriers to Advancement, pp. 137-158, Climbing Over Barriers, pp. 159-

174, and Making Change, pp. 175-188, Work Isn’t Everything, pp. 189-212.

Due: Development Paragraph (5%).

Tuesday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

 Bell Nkomo, Part III, The Self and the Other, pp. 213-214, The Racialized Self, pp.215-

234 and Thursday Bell/Nkomo, Images of the Other, pp. 235-252 and Epilogue, pp. 253-

262.

Wednesday View film The Associate (114 min)

Thursday finish viewing The Associate

Friday go to learning center and work with your peer partner on completing the

Conclusion/ APA citation format (5%). Due: Monday, November 8.

Week Seven: Nov. 8-12

Monday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Dubeck/Dunn, Unit III: Introduction pp. 119-122, The Second Shift by Arlie

Hochschild with Anne Machung, pp. 123-133 and The Time Bind by Arlie Russell

Hochschild, pp. 134-141

Due: Conclusion/APA Citation assignment

Tuesday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Dubeck/Dunn, Fast-Track Women and the Choice to Stay Home by Stone and

Lovejoy, pp. 142-156 and Dubeck/Dunn, Family and Career Trajectories Among African American

Female Attorneys by Blair-Loy and Dehart, pp. 157-167

Wednesday  come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Dubeck/Dunn The Work-Home Crunch by Gerson and Jacobs, pp. 168- 176

Thursday view Double Burden: Three Generations of Working Mothers (1992) (56 mins.)

Friday go to learning center and work with your peer partner on completing your thesis statement for your final paper (5%). Due:  Monday November 15.

Week Eight: Nov. 15-19

Monday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Dubeck/Dunn, Unit IV: Introduction pp. 177-183, RaceClass, Gender and Women’s Work by Amott and Mathaei, pp. 184-193 and Negotiating Identity in Raced and Gendered Workplaces by Parker, pp. 194-206

Due: Thesis for final paper assignment.

Tuesday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Dubeck/Dunn, Selling Women Short by Roth, pp. 207-215 and Voices Forging Paths by Gomez

et al, pp. 216-232

Wednesday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Dubeck/Dunn, Gender and the Formation of a Women's Profession: The Case of Public School Teaching by JoAnne Preston, pp. 233-250 and 'Outsider Within' the Firehouse: Subordination and Difference in the Social Interactions of African American Women Firefighters by Yoder and Aniakudo, pp. 251-261.

Thursday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Dubeck/Dunn, Police Force or Police Service by Martin, pp. 264-271 and 'Hey, Why Don't You

Wear a Shorter Skirt? By Krasas Rogers and Hensons, pp. 272-283

Friday   go to learning center and work with your peer partner on completing your final paper draft.

Week Nine: Nov. 22-26

Monday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Dubeck/Dunn, The Managed Hand by Kang, pp. 284-297

Tuesday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following: Chicanas Modernize Domestic

 Service by Mary Romero, pp. 298- 308 and view Maid in America documentary.

Due: Exchange papers with you peer partner.

Wednesday       Thanksgiving Holiday-- No Class

Thursday         Thanksgiving Holiday-- No class

Friday                 Thanksgiving Holiday-- No class

Week Ten: Nov. 29 –Dec. 3

Monday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Dubeck/Dunn, Unit V: Introduction pp. 309-311, Are We There Yet? by Dubeck, pp. 312-323

Due: Peer Partner Review Form

Tuesday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Dubeck/Dunn, Kaleidoscope Careers by Mainiero and Sullivan, p. 324-33                                                                     

Wednesday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Job Leaves… by Gerstel and McGonagle, pp. 340- 350 and Blessing or curse? by Glass, pp. 351-364

Thursday come to class having read and prepared to discuss the following:

Read Reskin, pp.165-181

Friday What we learned: Wrapping-up our course.

Finals Week: Dec. 6 - 12

Final Exam:  Wed. 12/8 10-12 Final Papers are due.