Gender and Power University at Albany State University of New York Fall 1992 Crosslisted: Sociology 645 Women's Studies 645 Professor Gwen Moore Office: Social Sciences 391 Office Hours: Tu. 1:20-3:15 & Th. 1:20-2:15, and by appointment Phone: 442-4995 Current Topics in Gender Research Topic: Gender and Power This special-topics seminar will examine the interrelations of gender and power in society, with an emphasis on the contemporary U.S. and comparison to other societies. Theoretical issues on the topic will be addressed, but the primary focus will be on empirical analyses of gender and power at each of several levels of analysis: from micro-social processes of interaction and language, to gender in organizations, to societal issues, including political power, public policy, and socio-political change. The course will be primarily macro-sociological in orientation, with particular attention paid to gender and power in social institutions, especially the state and economic organizations. As a seminar, the class is based on active involvement of all participants in discussing topics in gender and power. Each student is expected to complete assigned readings before class and to prepare a list of issues/questions from the readings to be handed in no later than noon on the day of the seminar. These will be used by the week's discussion leaders as partial bases for class discussion. The major requirements for the course are active participation in class, preparation of discussion questions and issues, leading class discussion with one or two partners at least once during the semester, preparation of a term paper (based on a literature review or empirical research), and oral presentation of the term paper to the class. The paper and other requirements will be discussed in class. Final grades are calculated: - class participation and discussion questions (30%) - discussion leader (20%) - term paper (50%). Organizing class discussion involves presenting in class a critical review (not a summary) of all of the required readings and at least one of the recommended readings for the week, raising specific questions and issues for discussion, and relating the week's readings to previous class readings and discussion. Discussion organizers should meet well before their class to divide up the work and plan the class. They are responsible for leading class discussion, based in part on student questions available on the day of the seminar but also on their own reading, and for ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to participate. Discussion leaders may, if they wish, alter the format of the class, for example, using small discussion groups. Most readings are articles in journals or edited books. Required readings, other than those in the books below, and most recommended readings will be on reserve in the uptown library and in the Sociology Department lounge. The bookstore also has these four books for the course: 1. Cynthia Fuchs Epstein, Deceptive Distinctions: Sex, Gender and the Social Order (Yale, paper) 2. Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Men and Women of the Corporation (Basic, paper) 3. Vicky Randall, Women and Politics: An International Perspective (Macmillan, paper) 4. Joni Seager and Ann Olson, Women in the World: An International Atlas (Pluto, paper) Also available in the bookstore is this optional book: Paula Ries and Anne J. Stone, The American Woman 1992-93 Topics, Dates, and Assignments* * readings marked by stars are required, others are recommended 9/10 Sex, Gender, and Power: Theoretical approaches *Cynthia F. Epstein, Deceptive Distinctions, ch. 1,5 (recommended: ch. 2-4) *Beth Hess and Myra M. Ferree, Analyzing Gender, pp. 9-17 Christine Ward Gailey, "Evolutionary perspectives on gender hierarchy." in Hess and Ferree (above) *Catherine MacKinnon, Toward a Feminist Theory of the State, ch. 8, 12, 13 Joan Huber, "Macro-micro links in gender stratification." American Sociological Review 55 (1990): 1-10. Cynthia Fuchs Epstein, "Women and elites: A cross-national perspective," in Epstein and Coser, eds., Access to Power: Cross-National Studies of Women and Elites *Vicky Randall, Women and Politics: An International Perspective, intro., ch. 1 9/17, 9/24 The micro-social bases of power *Robin T. Lakoff, Talking Power, ch. 11 (also recommended: ch. 8) *Deborah Tannen, You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation, ch. 5,8 (also recommended: ch. 3,7) Don Zimmerman and Candace West, "Sex roles, interruptions and silences in conversations." in B. Thorne and N. Henley, eds., Language and Sex: Difference and Dominance. Lynn Smith-Lovin and Charles Brody, "Interruptions in group discussions: The effects of gender and group composition." American Sociological Review 54 (1989):424-435. *Epstein, ch. 10 9/24, 10/1 Gender and power in workplace organizations for discussion 9/24 *Epstein, ch. 7 *Joan Acker, "Hierarchies, jobs, bodies: A theory of gendered organization." Gender and Society 4 (1990): 139-58. *Barbara F. Reskin, "Bringing the men back in: Sex differentiation and the devaluation of women's work.: Gender and Society (1988):58-81. *Joni Seager and Ann Olson, Women in the World Atlas, maps 1, 13, 15, 18-20, 32, 33 (and country table and notes in back of book) Heidi Hartmann, "Capitalism, patriarchy, and job segregation by sex" for discussion 10/1 *Rosabeth M. Kanter, Men and Women of the Corporation, entire book, especially ch. 3, 6, 7, 8 Arlie Hochschild, The Managed Heart 10/8 Sexual coercion, social control *MacKinnon (above), "Rape: On coercion and consent" *Carole Sheffield, "Sexual terrorism: The social control of women," in Hess and Ferree *Epstein, ch. 6 Robin Warshaw, I Never Called It Rape. Susan Brownmiller, Against Our Wills: Men, Women, and Rape. Seager and Olson, maps 3, 4, 36, 37 and other readings to be added 10/15 Politics and policy: General data and issues ***paper topic due today *Joni Seager and Ann Olson, maps 29, 30 and Country Table and notes, beginning p. 92 *United Nations, The World's Women 1970-1990, pp. 31-43 *Epstein, ch. 8 Martha Ackelsberg and Irene Diamond, "Gender and political life: new directions in political science." in Hess and Ferree *Paula Ries and Anne Stone, eds., The American Woman 1992-93, pp. 408-18 10/22 Women in politics and government Ries and Stone, especially ch. 2-4 *Sidney Verba, "Women in American politics," in Louise A. Tilly and Patricia Gurin, eds., Women, Politics, and Change. *Gwen Moore, "Gender and authority: Women's representation in senior political and economic positions in Western societies" (mimeo) *Hege Skjeie, "The uneven advance of Norwegian women," New Left Review 44 (1991):673-91. Pippa Norris, Politics and Sexual Equality: The Comparative Position of Women in Western Democracies, esp. ch. 6 *Vicky Randall, Women and Politics, ch. 3 10/29, 11/5 Changing power relationships: Social movements ***11/5: Conference "Rediscovering the Americas: Women in the Building of the New World," in the Campus Center Assembly Hall, 9-4 PM. Students are invited. for 10/29 Judith Hole and Ellen Levine, "The First Feminists," in Jo Freeman, ed., Women: A Feminist Perspective *Jo Freeman, "The Women's Liberation Movement: Its origins, structure, activities, and ideas," in Freeman (above) *Pauline Terrelonge, "Feminist consciousness and Black women," in Freeman Jane Mansbridge, "Organizing for the ERA: Cracks in the facade of unity," in Tilly and Gurin (above) bell hooks, Ain't I a Woman? ch. 5 *Rebecca Klatch, "The two worlds of women of the new right," in Tilly and Gurin or Klatch, Women of the New Right. Doug McAdam, "Gender as mediator of the activist experience: The case of Freedom Summer." American Journal of Sociology 97:1211-40 (1991). Myra Marx Ferree and Beth B. Hess, Controversy and Coalition: The New Feminist Movement (part) Epstein, ch. 11 for 11/5 *Norma Stoltz Chinchilla, "Marxism, feminism, and the struggle for democracy in Latin America." Gender and Society 5 (1991): 291-310. *Seager and Olson, maps 38, 39 *Joni Lovenduski, Women and European Politics, ch. 2,3 *Edna Acosta-Belen and Christine Bose, "From structural subordination to empowerment: Women and development in the Third World context." Gender and Society 4 (1990): 299-320. *Helen Icken Safa, "Women's social movements in Latin America." Gender and Society 5 (1991): 354-69. Guida West and Rae Lesser Blumberg, Women and Social Protest, part. 11/12 Public policy: Abortion/reproduction ***optional: If you would like my preliminary comments on your research paper, a draft is due this week. *Kristin Luker, Abortion and the Politics of Motherhood (especially ch. 6-8) Rosalind Petchesky, Abortion and Women's Right to Choose * or article in Signs 5 (1980): 661-85. Joyce Gelb and Howard Palley, Women and Public Policies Barbara Katz Rothman, Recreating Motherhood: Ideology and Technology in a Patriarchal Society * or Rothman, "Reproduction." in Hess and Ferree * Seager and Olson, maps 6-11 11/19 Public policy: The welfare state, poverty, and other issues *** All students should prepare a 2 page abstract or summary of their research paper and make enough copies to give one to each member of the class. *Ruth Sidel, Women and Children Last, ch. 9, 10 *Diana M. Pearce, "Farewell to alms: Women's fare under welfare," in Freeman (above) *Frances Fox Piven, "Women and the state: ideology, power, and the welfare state." in Alice S. Rossi, Gender and the Life Course. *Seager and Olson, maps 20, 21, 28 Cynthia Enloe, "Feminists thinking about war, militarism, and peace." in Hess and Ferree Helga Hernes, "Patriarchy in a welfare society" *Randall, ch. 4, 6 12/3, 12/10 student presentations *** Papers due on 12/10