Seminars (392-0-20)

Topic

Measuring Queer Lives

Instructors

Aven Nicolai Peters
Aven Peters is a PhD candidate in the sociology department at Northwestern. Their research and teaching interests include gender, sexuality, quantitative methods, health inequalities, disability, and sociological theory.

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 2-440: Tues, Thurs 11:00AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

Why are younger people more likely to identify as transgender than older people? What are the challenges, opportunities, and dangers of asking about gender and sexuality on the U.S. Census? Can survey researchers account for gender and sexual fluidity? This seminar examines the emerging field of "queer demography," which aims to measure the size and characteristics of the LGBTQ population. We will read and discuss research about queer and transgender families, aging, health disparities, and more. Along the way, we will learn to critically analyze survey questions and statistical methods for assumptions about gender, sex, and sexuality. We will also think deeply about social categories and the politics of measurement more generally.

This course is interdisciplinary and draws from sociology, science and technology studies, statistics, gender and sexuality studies, critical quantitative methods, and public health. Students of all backgrounds are welcome—we will work together to break down and contextualize the readings.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the course, students will be able to...
1. Critically analyze survey questions and measurement practices in the social sciences.
2. Explain how demographic and quantitative research can enrich our understanding of gender and sexuality.
3. Explain how theories of gender and sexuality can contribute to the study of populations.
4. Contextualize public debates about gender, sexuality, and data within social science research.

Teaching Method

This is a seminar based on readings, group discussions, and student presentations.

Evaluation Method

Students will choose from a menu of written assignments with flexible deadlines. Students who are interested in writing a senior thesis in sociology or a related field may choose to develop a research proposal throughout the course.

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

Enrollment Requirements

Enrollment Requirements: Pre-registration is reserved for Sociology Majors and Minors.