Topics in Sociological Analysis (376-0-22)

Topic

Sex, Gender, Sexuality

Instructors

Mark Griffith
Mark Griffith is a Postdoctoral Fellow in Sexuality Studies, jointly appointed in the Sociology Department and Gender & Sexuality Studies Program at Northwestern University. His research interests are primarily in sexualities, with the goal of broadening our understanding of sexualities beyond sexual orientation. Much of his work to date has focused on consensual non-monogamy, or relationship structures in which multiple sexual and/or romantic partners are allowed under the terms of one’s relationship agreement. He identifies as Black, queer, and a second-generation immigrant.

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 2-410: Mon, Wed 2:00PM - 3:20PM

Overview of class

The following are claims that tend to go undisputed, and that you have probably heard before: sex is a biological fact, there are only two genders, and sexual orientation is a result of someone being "born this way." In this course, none of these claims will go unchallenged. In this upper division undergraduate seminar, we will explore the interconnected nexus of sex, gender, and sexuality. The course will explore where consequential gender and sexuality binaries come from, how they generate inequality, how they are reproduced, why they are increasingly politicized, and how we can change them. Students will be exposed to a range of theoretical approaches to sex, gender, and sexuality from sociology and other disciplines. The course will also provide students with practice applying these theories to a number real-life topics, such as dating & relationships, sexual intercourse, marriage, the workplace, and sports. Additionally, students will develop the skills to perform content analysis, a key method for qualitative sociologists, in NVivo—a free and powerful program for analyzing qualitative data. By the end of the course, students will have written a research paper that explored a research question of their choice related to sex, gender, and/or sexuality.

Class Materials (Required)

All materials for this course will be made available on Canvas - no purchase necessary.

Class Attributes

Social and Behavioral Science Foundational Discipl
Social & Behavioral Sciences Distro Area