This course examines gender as a socially constructed system of power that shapes identities, institutions, and everyday interactions. Drawing on classical and contemporary sociological theory, the course analyzes how gender intersects with race, class, sexuality, nationality, religion, and ability to produce patterned inequalities and lived experiences. Rather than treating gender as a biological or purely individual trait, the course approaches it as an institutionalized structure embedded in families, education, work, media, religion, law, science, and the state.
Students will engage with foundational debates in feminist theory, masculinity studies, queer and trans studies, and intersectionality, while also analyzing empirical research on topics such as gender socialization, the wage gap, reproductive politics, care work, violence, embodiment, representation, and resistance. Throughout the course, attention is paid to how gender norms are produced, enforced, contested, and transformed across historical and global contexts. Emphasis is placed on developing a critical sociological imagination that connects personal experiences to broader systems of power and inequality.
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
- Explain gender sociologically: Distinguish between biological sex, gender identity, gender expression, and sexuality, and explain gender as a social structure rather than a natural or individual attribute.
- Apply sociological theories of gender: Use major theoretical frameworks—such as feminist theory, intersectionality, masculinity studies, and queer theory—to analyze gendered patterns of inequality and power.
- Analyze institutions through a gender lens: Critically examine how key social institutions (family, education, work, religion, media, politics, science, and law) reproduce or challenge gender norms and hierarchies.
- Connect personal experience to social structure: Use sociological imagination to link individual biographies and everyday interactions to larger gendered systems and historical contexts.
- Critically assess media and cultural representations: Analyze how gender is represented, stereotyped, erased, or contested in media, popular culture, and cultural texts.
The Gendered Society Reader, 6th Edition by Michael Kimmel, Amy Aronson. This book is available at the GT Barnes & Noble Bookstore and online. Other required readings can be found on Canvas.
Pre-Class Discussions (20%): Select four readings from the syllabus (if there are double or triple readings on a particular day, pick only one of them unless stated otherwise). Your assignment requires a combination of personal reflection and critical analysis of the readings. Here’s how you might approach each paper:
- Identify Key Concepts: For each reading, identify the most important concepts or ideas. This could be a central theme, a theoretical perspective, or a critical argument made by the author. Think about what makes these ideas significant and how they contribute to the broader discussions in your course.
- Critical Analysis: Engage with these concepts by raising questions, critiquing the arguments, or drawing connections to other readings, current events, or personal experiences. Your analysis should go beyond summarizing the text and should reflect your own insights and perspectives.
- Personal Perspective: Include your personal reactions to the readings. How do these ideas challenge your thinking? Do they align/conflict with your beliefs/experiences? This is your opportunity to bring your unique voice.
- Conclusion and Implications: Consider the broader implications of the concepts you’ve discussed. How do they contribute to the understanding of the subject matter in your course? What questions do they raise for further discussion?
Each paper should be a minimum of one page, 1.5 spaced.
Assignments (40%): You will be given two written assignments during the semester.
Assignment #1: TBD –
Assignment #2: TBD –
Midterm (15%): The midterm exam will consist of multiple-choice, short answer, true/false, and short essay questions based on the weekly readings and class material.
Final Exam (25%): The final exam will primarily focus on the content covered in the second half of the course and will include short answer questions, short essays, and one or two long essays.
This is an online and asynchronous class.
Academic Conduct: Students are expected to adhere to the Georgia Tech Honor Code. Violations of the Honor Code will be addressed appropriately and may result in an “F” on the assignment or in the course. If you require special accommodation due to a disability, please inform me as soon as possible. You should also contact the Office of Disability Services.
Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools: You may use generative AI programs, e.g. ChatGPT, to help generate ideas and brainstorm. You should be aware that the material generated by these programs may be inaccurate, incomplete, biased or otherwise problematic. Also, use of these tools may stifle your own independent thinking and creativity. Per GaTech's Honor Code, you may not submit any work generated by an AI program as your own. If you include material generated by an AI program, it should be cited like any other reference material (with due consideration for the quality of the reference, which may be poor). When/if you use AI platforms in your assignments, please write a note to clarify where in your process you used AI, include the prompt used to generate the material, and which platform(s) you used. See this article for how to cite AI properly: How to cite ChatGPT: https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/how-to-cite-chatgpt. That said, using any AI tools during a proctored exam or quiz is never permitted.
This course is a Core IMPACTS course within the Social Sciences area, designed to provide students with essential knowledge in foundational academic disciplines. It aims to help students master course content while supporting their broader academic and career goals. The course is centered around the following guiding question:
- How do I understand human experiences and connections?
By completing this course, students should achieve the following learning outcome:
- Students will effectively analyze the complexity of human behavior and understand how historical, economic, political, social, or geographic relationships develop, persist, or change.
The course content, activities, and exercises are designed to help students develop the following career-ready competencies:
- Intercultural Competence
- Perspective-Taking
- Persuasion