Course Director:                Erin C. Hewitt, Ph.D.
Office:                                  231 Atkinson
Office Hours:                       5:00 - 6:00 each Wednesday or by appointment
Phone Number:                    736-2100 ext. 33287
E-mail:                                  echewitt@yorku.ca
Department Office:              226 Atkinson College - 736-5202
Required Text:                    (1) Nelson, E.D., & Robinson, B.W. (1995). Gender in the 1990's. Toronto; Nelson.
                                              (2) selected readings on reserve in the Scott Library

The Purpose of the Course

This course addresses how psychology as a discipline has approached issues related to gender, including theories of gender, gender identity development, gender stereotypes and roles and the role of gender in adult life. Various perspectives are explored, including historical, cross-cultural, social psychological, genetic, and sociological. The focus is on the ways in which gender is experienced and how, as a sub-discipline, social psychology captures the diversity of these experiences.

Course Expectations

First, I expect you to come to class and to come prepared. This means doing the assigned reading each class and thinking about the material. If you are not interested in thinking and thinking hard, then this probably isn't going to be an enjoyable course for you. Second, I expect you to be courteous and respectful of every person in the classroom. This includes other students as well as the course instructor. Each individual has her or his own opinions and beliefs and ridicule of the views of others will not be tolerated in this course. This does not mean that a healthy exchange of ideas cannot occur. Third, find the libraries at York, if you haven't already done so. You will be writing a paper in this course that requires some library research. If you are not familiar with the library system, learn it now. You should also be familiar with the web-based resources on Yorkline, including PsycInfo and the Sociological Abstracts. Finally, I hope that you will come to this course with personal and intellectual curiosity. This is the place to ask WHY and to begin to find answers to this simple, yet complex, question.

This course is a seminar course and, as such, presents certain difficulties. First, some students find contribution to class discussion difficult. You are strongly encouraged to overcome this difficulty in order to be an active participant in the class. I will do my utmost to make sure that what you say will not be subject to ridicule by anyone in the classroom, including me. Second, there are times when students fall behind on their readings. It is vitally important that you come to class prepared. If, for some reason, you are unable to do your readings, please inform me of this at the beginning of class. Finally, don't accept everything that I say uncritically. Everyone has biases and you should not be afraid to question my assumptions. I will try as much as possible to make them explicit, but I encourage you to think about what I say in a critical fashion.

Evaluation

Evaluation consists of one major essay worth 35%, one exam worth 35%, a seminar write-up worth 20% and class questions worth 10%. To pass the course, you must receive a total course grade of 50% or better. The dates on which significant events occur in this course are listed on the attached schedule of events.

Academic Honesty

I am reminding you that the Senate Policy on Academic Honesty will be strictly enforced in this course (Policy available at http://www.yorku.ca/secretariat/legislation/senate/acadhone.htm). The regulations are spelled out in the Atkinson Faculty Calendar (available electronically at http://calendars.registrar.yorku.ca/calendars/2001-2002/atkinson.htm) in a file called University Policies and Regulations, in a section entitled Senate Policy on Academic Honesty and in the handout you have received in this class. Read these carefully. I take all breaches of academic honesty very seriously and strongly support the Senate policy on such matters. Don't jeopardize your academic career by engaging in academic dishonesty.If you have any doubt about what is meant by any of these academic offences, ASK!!!!! I will not accept a plea of ignorance as an excuse as you will all have received adequate information on this topic.

The Essay

For this course, you will be required to submit an essay. You will have the choice of writing on a set of readings structured for you, or defining your own topic and submitting a reading list for approval. The essay will involve both some research review as well as an analytical critique. I expect the essay to be 12-15 typed, double spaced pages in length, following A.P.A. style. PLEASE NOTE THAT ADHERENCE TO A.P.A. STYLE AND PROPER USE OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARE PART OF THE CRITERIA USED IN MARKING PAPERS.

Seminar Write-up and Class Questions

· Each class, starting January 16, you will hand in a set of questions/comments from the readings assigned that class. These do not have to be typed but must be legibly written. The purpose of these questions/comments is to give me some indication that you are doing the reading and where difficulties lie in the readings for that class. These will be worth a total of 10% of your mark, and you will have to hand in a total of 9 of these sets (you get 1 class ‘off’ at your choice). If you don’t submit these questions/comments at the beginning of class, they will be considered to be not submitted.

· Starting on January 30, (excluding Feb. 6), three or four students will serve as ‘principal readers’ for the readings assigned that class. You will decide among yourselves how to divide up the 5-7 readings for that class. For the seminar write-up, you will submit a brief critique (4-6 typed pages) and construct a set of questions (1 page), based on your subset of the readings (2-3 of them) for which you serve as ‘principal reader’. You will hand in this written work, and will be responsible for being the primary discussants for that class. You will be marked individually for this work, which is worth 20% of your mark. These are due on the date for which you sign up as ‘principal reader’ at 7 p.m..

Policy on Late Submission of Work

Please note the due date for the paper and the seminar write-up, as late work will be penalized. For your essay, I must be in possession of your work by 7 p.m. on March 27, 2002. Do NOT submit your paper under my office door; submit it to me in person or to the office staff in the Psychology Department. The late penalties are as follows: 20% of the mark for the paper or seminar write-up for the first 24 hour period or part thereof; 10% of the mark for each remaining 24 hour period or part thereof. Note that penalties cumulate and will be applied after 7 p.m. on the due dates. If you encounter some dire circumstance that will prevent you from submitting on time, you MUST contact me AS SOON AS POSSIBLE to make arrangements. If you cannot reach me in person, leave me a message on my voice-mail.

Cellular Phones

Cellular phones are to be turned off during class unless you need one for emergency purposes. If this is the case, you must notify me of this before class.

Missing an Exam

If you have a legitimate excuse (e.g., death in the family, severe illness, etc.) for being excused from an exam, you may take a make-up exam in lieu of the exam missed. You must contact me at least one day in advance of the exam and provide documentation in order to be permitted to take a make-up exam. In the case of an emergency, contact me as soon as possible. If you cannot reach me, a message can be left on my voice-mail, which records the date and time of your call. If you miss an exam with no legitimate excuse, you will receive a grade of zero. In order to write a deferred examination, you MUST make personal arrangements with me. Note that deferred exams are held on a single common date determined by the Department of Psychology. No individualized testing is available, unless arranged formally through one of the offices at the University (e.g., Counselling and Development Centre, Faculty of Arts; Counselling Centre, Atkinson Faculty). If you do not write the exam on the Department's deferred date, you must file a formal petition with the Atkinson Faculty.
 

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
 
 
 

Date	Topic	Readings
Jan. 9	Introductory Comments	Ch. 1 The social construction of sex, gender and sexuality
Jan. 16	Thinking about gender	Ch. 1 The social construction of sex, gender and sexuality
Jan. 23	Thinking about gender	Selected Readings
Jan. 30	How gender is acquired	Ch. 2 Socialization influences
Feb. 6	How gender is acquired	Selected Readings
Feb. 13	no class - Reading Week
Feb. 20	Gender at work	Ch. 3 Gender and the workplace
Feb. 27	Gender in pairs	Ch. 4 Gender and intimate relationships
Mar. 6	Gender in the home	Ch. 4 Gender and intimate relationships
Mar. 13	Mothering	Ch. 5 Gender, families and parenting
Mar. 20	Parenting	Ch. 5 Gender, families and parenting
Mar. 27	Gender in Canadian society PAPERS DUE	Ch. 6 Private troubles or public issues
Apr. 3	Wrap-up	Ch. 7 Where do we go from here?
Apr. 8 - 25	Final Examination