Masculinities and Society (223-0-20)
Instructors
Rebecca Rose Ewert
Dr. Rebecca Ewert is an Instructional Professor in the Sociology department. Her teaching and research interests include gender — especially masculinity — inequality, culture, mental health, environmental disasters, and qualitative methods. She received her BA from the University of California, Davis and her MA and PhD from the University of Chicago.
Meeting Info
Fisk Hall 217: Mon, Wed 12:30PM - 1:50PM
Overview of class
Gender studies have traditionally focused on women. Yet critical work on men and masculinities show us how people of all genders are impacted by gender expectations and assumptions. Furthermore, studies of masculinities shed light on practical questions like, why do men die earlier than women? And, why are men more likely to commit mass shootings? In recent years, the public spotlight has cast light on savory and unsavory aspects of masculinity; think about the rise of the term "toxic masculinity," the #MeToo movement, advertisements aimed at men, and blogs commenting on the behavior of men on the reality show The Bachelorette. In this course, we will go beyond banal statements like "men are trash" to critically ask, What role does masculinity play in social life? How is masculinity produced, and are there different ways to be masculine? This course provides students with an intensive introduction to the foundational theory and research in the field of masculinities studies. We will use an intersectional lens to study the ways in which the concept and lived experience of masculinity are shaped by economic, social, cultural, and political forces. As we study the institutions that socialize people into gender, we will examine how the gendered social order influences the way people of all genders perform masculinity as well as the ways men perceive themselves, people of other genders, and social situations. Verbally and in writing, students will develop an argument about the way contemporary masculinity is constructed and performed.
This course is cross-listed with GNDR_ST 232-0-20
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
Course-Specific Goals:
• Describe and analyze the connections between individuals, institutions, and social structure, which is fundamental to the sociological enterprise.
• Analyze gender as a process, stratification system, and structure.
• Identify ways in which masculinity is constructed through interactions with institutions, individuals, and social structure.
• Examine power relations (primarily but not exclusively in the United States) by engaging with scholarship describing the historical and contemporary structures, processes, and practices that shape masculinity expectations, as well as resistance.
• Compare and critique theories on masculinity in the form of a persuasive argument in which student furthers an original claim.
• Conduct a research project consisting of collecting and analyzing a unique data source and writing a research paper.
Academic Development Goals:
• Effectively communicate with classmates and instructors in a respectful manner conducive of learning and collaboration.
• Engage in critical, analytical thinking and writing. This means that you will develop the ability to make an argumentative claim, support the claim with reasonable evidence, and provide a strong conclusion while acknowledging the argument's limitations - all in your own authorial voice.
• Identify components of academic argument.
Teaching Method
Lecture and class discussion
Evaluation Method
participation, group discussion presentation, writing assignments, in-class midterm exam, final paper
Class Materials (Required)
All materials for this course will be made available on Canvas - no purchase necessary.
All readings will be uploaded as PDFs to Canvas.
Class Attributes
Social and Behavioral Science Foundational Discipl
U.S. Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity
Social & Behavioral Sciences Distro Area
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment Requirements: Pre-registration is reserved for Sociology Majors and Minors.