Topics in Sociological Analysis (476-0-21)
Topic
Sociology of Gender
Instructors
Katherine Rose Weisshaar
Kate Weisshaar is an Associate Professor of Sociology and a Faculty Fellow at the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University. Her research focuses on inequality in the United States, with a particular emphasis on inequality related to gender and family in the labor market and in organizations.
Meeting Info
Parkes Hall 222: Mon 9:00AM - 11:50AM
Overview of class
"Sociology of Gender"
This is a graduate seminar course that takes a broad theoretical approach to understanding gender as a social phenomenon. Sociologists who study gender primarily conceptualize gender not as only an identity or role, but as a system of practices, relations, and structures that organize people into different categories, and create, produce, and maintain inequality on the basis of perceived difference. The course begins by considering sociological theories of gender across processes that occur at the micro, meso, and macro levels. We will conceptualize how gender as a system interacts with other social structures and identities, including intersections of social class, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation. We will then evaluate theoretical approaches in their application to particular empirical contexts, such as the family and workplace inequality, primarily focusing on gender difference and inequality in the United States. Students will propose an independent research project that applies the conceptual, theoretical, and analytical tools gained in the course to an empirical domain.
Learning Objectives
• Understand, evaluate, and critique the major theories and methods used in the sociology of gender
• Apply conceptual, theoretical, and analytical tools to conduct independent research on gender
• Effectively communicate ideas about and critiques of research on gender in the field of sociology in oral and written form.
Teaching Method
Seminar
Evaluation Method
Weekly discussion questions/responses; participation; written paper(s).
Class Materials (Required)
All materials for this course will be made available on Canvas - no purchase necessary.
Class Notes
Sociology/MORS PhD Students or by instructor consent.
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: Sociology/MORS PhD Students