Course Description

It is through practices of communication that we create and maintain political, economic, sexual, and social relationships between women and men. Crucially, we also create and maintain our own gendered identities. In this course we will examine these practices from a variety of theoretical and methodological perspectives, and discuss the implications of these findings for both our discipline(s) and our everyday lives. This is a discussion course, and although I will spend some time explaining things, student participation — asking questions, sharing experiences, challenging ideas — is a fundamental component of this class.

Learning Objectives

• Understand and evaluate diverse research perspectives on gender in communication.
• Identify social structures and individual practices that make cross-gender communication problematic in both private and public spheres.
• Gain an understanding of the role of communication in maintaining (or reducing) systematic gender inequality.
• Become more aware of gender hierarchies in relation to other social divisions (such as race, class, sexual orientation, and age).

Academic Information

This course may be used to satisfy one or more of the following requirements (confirm with your academic advisor):

• Communication Studies Elective for Communication Studies Major;
• Communication Studies Elective for Communication Studies Minor;
• Women’s Studies Elective for Women’s and Gender Studies Major;
• Women’s Studies Elective for Women’s Studies Minor or Gender Studies Certificate;
• Cultural and Gender Diversity Graduation Requirement for all students.

Required Reading

There is one textbook required for this class, and several articles. The articles will be posted/linked on the Schedule page of class web site on the dates they are due.<

• Wood, Julia (2009). Gendered Lives: Communication, Gender, and Culture, Ninth Edition. Boston: Wadsworth [Wood in syllabus] ISBN 0495794163

All reading assignments should be completed by the date assigned; even if not explicitly discussed, lecture and discussion may assume your knowledge of the reading material.

Please note: In class on Monday, January 9, I specified the 10th edition; I have since learned that the 9th edition was ordered by the university bookstore. You may use either the 9th or 10th edition.