Course Syllabus

Course Information
Course Number/Section GOVT/SOC 3354, GST 3303
Course Title Gender, Society, and Politics
Term Spring 2008
Days & Times TR 10:00-11:15am

Professor Contact Information

Professor Melinda D. Kane, Ph.D.
Office Phone 972-883-4766
Email Address melinda.kane@utdallas.edu
Office Location GR 2.204
Office Hours T 12:00-1:00pm, R 1:00-2:30pm & by appointment

Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions

There are no pre-requisites for this course

Course Description
Gender is often defined as a trait of individuals (i.e., the characteristics associated with women and men).
However, gender is also embedded in the structures of society. No social arena is gender-neutral; therefore,
a complete, well-rounded understanding of social institutions requires the inclusion of gender in the analysis.
This course examines a variety of social institutions and how they shape opportunities and identities for both
men and women. Topics include: the devaluation of family labor; social and economic policy (welfare
reform, sexual harassment, and affirmative action); the politics of reproduction (reproductive choice, state
regulation of consensual sex, and rape); and political participation, both in formal politics and through
institutional protest.

Learning Objectives
By the end of the semester, students in SOC/GOVT 3354; GST 3303 should be able to:
* distinguish between individual and institutional conceptions of gender.
* explain the ways in gender interacts with class and race to shape social institutions.
* evaluate the implications of gendered institutions for men’s and women’s societal opportunities.
* use evidence from a variety of academic disciplines to explore the role of gender in society
including sociology, political science, history, and law.

Required Textbooks and Materials

Required Texts
There are four sets of required readings for this course: three books and a series of articles available on
Electronic Reserve. The required books are available for purchase at both the university bookstore and at
Off Campus Books (561 West. Campbell, #201).

Carroll, Susan J., and Richard L. Fox. 2006. Gender and Elections: Shaping the Future of
American Politics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Crittenden, Ann. 2001. The Price of Motherhood: Why the Most Important Job in the World is Still
the Least Valued. New York, New York: Owl Books.

Katzenstein, Mary Fainsod. 1998. Faithful and Fearless: Moving Feminist Protest Inside the
Church and the Military. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Readings on Electronic Reserve

Course Syllabus Page 1

Assignments & Academic Calendar

Assignments
QUIZZES: Class attendance and participation are extremely important. Absences not only cause you to miss
the material presented and discussed in class, but also cause the entire class to miss out on your contribution.
Students also do better in my courses if they attend regularly. To encourage regular attendance and class
participation, small "pop" quizzes will be given at the beginning of one class period every week. The exact
day of the quiz will not be announced ahead of time, but will instead be a "surprise" every week. A total of
twelve quizzes will be given and each student's two lowest scores will be dropped for a total of ten quiz
grades. [There are actually fifteen weeks during the semester. We end up with a total of 12 quizzes because
there will not be a quiz the first week of class and we will skip two other weeks sometime during the
semester.] Since two quizzes will be dropped, quizzes will not be distributed to students who arrive after
the quiz has been collected and no make-ups will be given, no matter why the quiz was missed. In
addition, quizzes will not be counted for students who leave anytime after taking the quiz. The quizzes
will be simple questions based on the readings due that day. (See the course schedule below for the daily
reading assignments.) If a student has carefully read and thought about the assignments for that day, s/he
will have no difficulty answering the questions.

ATTENDANCE & PARTICIPATION: To further encourage regular attendance and participation,

attendance will be tracked randomly on non-quiz days. Some days, I will just send around an attendance
sheet, giving credit to those that are physically in class. Other days, you will produce something in class,
such as an individual in-class writing assignment or a small group project, which is turned in as your
attendance and participation for that day. Days in which you hand in something to me will count double.
Again, like quizzes, you can not “make-up” attendance and participation points. Therefore, I will drop one
in-class assignment and one general attendance day per student. If you do not sign the attendance sheet or
hand in the participation activity, you will not receive credit for your attendance, even if you were
there.

EXAMS: Two examinations will be given during the semester (see dates below). Both exams will cover
class material and assigned readings (including reading material that is not explicitly discussed in class). The
first exam will cover the course material from January 10th through February 14th . The final exam is
cumulative and will include the material after February 14th and anything else covered in the course. Both
exams will be a combination short answer and essay questions. To help you prepare for the exam, I will
distribute a list of potential questions about a week ahead of time. The in-class exam will be a sub-set of
questions drawn directly from that list. Please bring two blue books to class by January 31st.

Calendar
[“Carroll,” “Crittenden” and “Katzenstein” refer to the authors of the required books.
“ER” refers to readings available on electronic reserve.]

Date Topic Reading

Jan 8 Introduction to the None
Course
Handout:
Jan 10 Gendered Institutions Acker, Gendered Institutions: From Sex Roles to Gendered
Institutions, pp 565-569 in Contemporary Sociology.
Total Pages: 5

Course Syllabus Page 2

 The Economy & Motherhood
Crittenden:
Jan 15 Devaluation of Caring Introduction and chapters 1-2, omit pages 35-44
Work
Video: Fatherhood
Total Pages: 34
Devaluation of Caring Crittenden:
Jan 17 Work Chapters 3-4
Total Pages: 42
Consequences for Crittenden:
Jan 22 Women & Children I Chapters 5-7
Total Pages: 62
Consequences for Crittenden:
Jan 24 Women & Children II Chapters 8& 9
Total Pages: 37
Jan 29 Consequences for No New Reading
Women and Children III
Crittenden:
Jan 31 Alternatives and Chapter 13 & Conclusion
Solutions Total Pages: 42
Economic and Social Policy
ER:
Feb 5 Welfare Reform I Johnson, et al., Unfolding Gender Paradigms, pp 69-106 in Creating
Gender: The Sexual Politics of Welfare Policy.
Total Pages: 38
Crittenden:
Feb 7 Welfare Reform II Chapter 10
Total Pages: 16
Feb 12 Sexual Harassment I Video: North Country
No New Reading
Feb 14 Sexual Harassment II Video: North Country
No New Reading
Feb 19 *******Mid-term Exam********
ER:
Feb 21 Sexual Harassment III Zippel, Practices of Implementation of Sexual Harassment Policies:
Individual versus Collective Strategies, The Review of Policy
Research, pp. 175-197
Total Pages: 23
ER:
Feb 26 Affirmative Action Executive Order 11246: Equal Employment Opportunity, pp 219-
229 in Crosby and VanDeVeer.
Reskin, Effects of Affirmative Action on Other Stakeholders, pp 71-
84 in The Realities of Affirmative Action in Employment.
Total Pages: 25

Course Syllabus Page 3

 Regulation of Reproduction,
Sexuality & Violence
ER:
Feb 28 Reproductive Choice: Schoen, Between Choice and Coercion: Women and the Politics of
The Case of Sterilization Sterilization in North Carolina, Journal of Women’s History, pp
132-156.
Total Pages: 25
ER:
Mar 4 Reproductive Choice: Markens, “Choice” and the “Best Interests of Children,” pp. 50-76
Surrogacy in Surrogate Motherhood and the Politics of Reproduction.
Total Pages: 27
Criminalizing ER:
Mar 6 Consensual Sex: Cocca, Prosecuting Mrs. Robinson: Gender-Neutral Statutory Rape
Statutory Rape Laws, pp. 63-92 in Jailbait.
Total Pages: 30
Mar 11 No Class ******Spring Break*******
Mar 13
Criminalizing ER:
Mar 18 Consensual Sex: Cain, pp 134-142 & pp 169-182 in Rainbow Rights.
Sodomy Laws Other reading TBA
Total Pages: 23+
Mar 20 Rape No New Reading
(possible video)
Mar 25 ER:
Rape Martin and Powell, Accounting for the Second Assault, Law and
Social Inquiry, pp 853-890.
Total Pages: 38
Political Participation
Carroll:
Mar 27 Gender Gap in Voting Chp 3, Voting Choices: Meet You at the Gender Gap
Total Pages: 23
Carroll:
April 1 Female Legislators: Chp 4, Congressional Elections: Where Are We on the Road to
Getting Elected Gender Parity?
Chp 6, Political Parties and Women’s Organizations: Bringing
Women into the Electoral Arena
Total Pages: 46
State Variations in Carroll:
April 3 Female Representation Chp 8, Where Do Women Run? Where Do Women Win?
Total Pages: 26
Apr 8 Female Legislators: No New Reading
Agendas
Katzenstein (tentative):
April 10 Protest In Institutions Chp 1, pp 3-22
Chp 2, 32-40
Total Pages: 29

Course Syllabus Page 4

 Katzenstein (tentative):
April 15 Protest In Institutions: Chp 3, pp 45-54; 62-78
The Military Chp 4, 79-103
Total Pages: 51
Katzenstein (tentative):
April 17 Protest In Institutions: Chp 5, pp 107-131
The Catholic Church Chp 6, pp 132-158
Total Pages: 52
Apr 22 Protest In Institutions: No New Reading (tentative)
Overflow
April 24 Review & Conclusion No New Reading
Thursday
May 1st ***CUMULATIVE FINAL EXAM***
8:00 am-
10:30 am

Grading Policy
Student Evaluation
Semester grades will be based on the student's performance on:

1. Weekly quizzes (2% each) 20%

2. Attendance & participation 10%
3. Mid-term exam 35%
4. Final exam 35%
100%

Calculating Semester Grades

To calculate your semester grade, just multiply each grade you earned during the semester by the weight
given to that particular assignment and add those weighted scores together. For example, if a student has an
attendance and participation average of 95, a quiz average of 92, earns an 85 on the first exam, and a 75 on
the cumulative final, her course grade would be calculated like this:

Attendance & participation 95 * .10 = 9.50

Quiz average 92 * .20 = 18.40
Exam one 85 * .35 = 29.75
Final 75 * .35 = 26.25
Course Grade = 83.90, B
Grading Scale:

The grading scale for the course is as follows:

A= 93-100% = 4.0 B- = 80-82% = 2.67 D+ = 67-69% = 1.33

A- = 90-92% = 3.67 C+ = 77-79% = 2.33 D= 63-66% = 1.0
B+ = 87-89% = 3.33 C= 73-76% = 2.0 D- = 60-62% = 0.67
B= 83-86% = 3.0 C- = 70-72% = 1.67 F= 59% or less = 0.0

Important Dates:
Midterm Tuesday, February 19th
Final Thursday, May 1st, 8:00-10:30am

Course Syllabus Page 5

Course Policies
Course Organization
As an upper division course, I plan to organize the class more like a seminar so that each class session is a
combination of both lecture and discussion. My ability to incorporate discussion, as well as my ability to
make the class period interesting and relevant to your lives, is largely based upon your level of preparation
and the degree to which you are willing to participate in class. Therefore, I expect students to come to each
class having carefully read and thought about the material assigned for that day and ready to participate.

I have found over the years that students can be hesitant to ask questions or to request that I repeat material.
My goal, however, is to be as clear as possible so each of you has the opportunity to learn thecourse material.
Therefore, one of your responsibilities as a student in this class is to ask questions and to let me know if we
are going too fast.

Make-up exams
My policy is not to give make-up exams; however, on rare occasions circumstances can arise that prevent
students from taking the exam at the assigned time. If you believe you have a valid reason to reschedule the
exam, you must contact me in person or by phone as soon as you know about the conflict and at least 24
hours in advance of the scheduled exam. In the extreme cases warranting a make-up, the rescheduled exam
time and conditions will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Requests for make-ups after the exam has been given will almost certainly be refused. However, if you
believe you have a valid reason to contact me after the exam, you must contact me as soon as physically
possible (for example, immediately after you have called the tow truck or immediately after waking from the
coma). Requests after the exam has been given will only be granted with written documentation and will
receive a late penalty, regardless of the excuse.

“Snow Day” Policy

If a university closure due to inclement weather causes us to miss one of our class meetings, we will cover
the material originally scheduled for that missed class period the very next time we meet. For example, if
campus was closed on January 22nd , you should come to class on January 24th (the next scheduled class)
prepared to discuss (and maybe be quizzed on) the material scheduled for that missed day, Jan 22nd . This
also holds true for examinations. If campus is closed on a day we are scheduled to take an exam, the exam
will be given the very next time we meet. Any further adjustments required due to the closure will be made
in class.

Extra Credit
There will be no extra credit work available.

Classroom Citizenship
Tardiness and leaving early are very disruptive to the class. Class will start on time, so please make sure you
are present at 10:00 am. Also, let me know at the beginning of class if you absolutely must leave early and
make sure your exit distracts others as little as possible. Also, please remember to turn off your pagers and
cell phones when you enter class.

Finally, this course covers sensitive topics; therefore, we must always make sure to respect one another.
Disagreements are allowed and expected, but should focus on ideas rather than the individuals that express
them. Signs of disrespect that will not be tolerated include, but are not limited to, making derogatory
comments about others and/or their ideas, having background conversations when others are talking, packing
up early when others are still talking or asking questions.

Course Syllabus Page 6

Student Conduct & Discipline

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have rules and regulations for the
orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It is the responsibility of each student and each student
organization to be knowledgeable about the rules and regulations which govern student conduct and activities.
General information on student conduct and discipline is contained in the UTD publication, A to Z Guide,
which is provided to all registered students each academic year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the procedures of recognized and
established due process. Procedures are defined and described in the Rules and Regulations, Board of Regents,
The University of Texas System, Part 1, Chapter VI, Section 3, and in Title V, Rules on Student Services and
Activities of the university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are
available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist students
in interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-6391).

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship. He or she is
expected to obey federal, state, and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and
administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such
conduct takes place on or off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.

Academic Integrity

The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and academic honesty. Because the value of
an academic degree depends upon the absolute integrity of the work done by the student for that degree, it is
imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in his or her scholastic work.

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to applications for
enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own work or material that is not one’s
own. As a general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism,
collusion and/or falsifying academic records. Students suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to
disciplinary proceedings.

Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes, and from any other source is
unacceptable and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on plagiarism (see general catalog for details).
This course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible plagiarism and is over
90% effective.

Email Use

The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of communication between faculty/staff
and students through electronic mail. At the same time, email raises some issues concerning security and the
identity of each individual in an email exchange. The university encourages all official student email
correspondence be sent only to a student’s U.T. Dallas email address and that faculty and staff consider email
from students official only if it originates from a UTD student account. This allows the university to maintain a
high degree of confidence in the identity of all individual corresponding and the security of the transmitted
information. UTD furnishes each student with a free email account that is to be used in all communication
with university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T. Dallas provides a method for
students to have their U.T. Dallas mail forwarded to other accounts.

Withdrawal from Class

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any college-level courses. These dates
and times are published in that semester's course catalog. Administration procedures must be followed. It is the
student's responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from any class. In other words, I cannot drop or
withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork to ensure that you will not receive a final grade of
"F" in a course if you choose not to attend the class once you are enrolled.

Course Syllabus Page 7

Student Grievance Procedures

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities, of the
university’s Handbook of Operating Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments of academic
responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a serious effort to resolve the matter with the
instructor, supervisor, administrator, or committee with whom the grievance originates (hereafter called “the
respondent”). Individual faculty members retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations.
If the matter cannot be resolved at that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the respondent with
a copy of the respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is not resolved by the written response provided by the
respondent, the student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not resolved by the
School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to the Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate
Education, and the deal will appoint and convene an Academic Appeals Panel. The decision of the Academic
Appeals Panel is final. The results of the academic appeals process will be distributed to all involved parties.

Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff
members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations.

Incomplete Grade Policy

As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at the semester’s
end and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete grade must be resolved within
eight (8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the required work to complete the course
and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed
automatically to a grade of F.

Disability Services

The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities equal to those
of their non-disabled peers. Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office hours
are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and
Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:

The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)

Essentially, the law requires that colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments necessary to
eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, it may be necessary to remove classroom
prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case of dog guides) for students who are blind.
Occasionally an assignment requirement may be substituted (for example, a research paper versus an oral
presentation for a student who is hearing impaired). Classes enrolled students with mobility impairments may
have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities. The college or university may need to provide special services
such as registration, note-taking, or mobility assistance.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for such an accommodation.
Disability Services provides students with letters to present to faculty members to verify that the student has a
disability and needs accommodations. Individuals requiring special accommodation should contact the
professor after class or during office hours.

Course Syllabus Page 8

Religious Holy Days

The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other required activities for the travel to
and observance of a religious holy day for a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property tax
under Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated.

The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon as possible regarding the absence,
preferably in advance of the assignment. The student, so excused, will be allowed to take the exam or
complete the assignment within a reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the length of the absence,
up to a maximum of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any missed exam or
assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A student who fails to complete the exam or assignment
within the prescribed period may receive a failing grade for that exam or assignment.

If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for the purpose of observing a
religious holy day] or if there is similar disagreement about whether the student has been given a reasonable
time to complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the instructor may request a
ruling from the chief executive officer of the institution, or his or her designee. The chief executive officer or
designee must take into account the legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student and instructor will
abide by the decision of the chief executive officer or designee.

Off-Campus Instruction and Course Activities

Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and activities are subject to state law and University policies
and procedures regarding travel and risk-related activities. Information regarding these rules and regulations
may be found at the website address given below. Additional information is available from the office of the
school dean. (http://www.utdallas.edu/Business Affairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm)

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.

Course Syllabus Page 9