FAMILY AND SEX ROLES

FALL 2005

PROF. NANCY S. HARRIS, DAMMANN, G-6, X. 5184

 

This course provides introduction, overview and critical analysis to the sociology of the family and the sexual division of labor.  We examine these social relationships while taking into consideration historical, cultural, racial and economic variation.  In addition, we will treat the family as a dynamic of both micro and macro interaction.  Throughout the course we will explore the question of whether the family is dying or whether it is changing to meet new social demands.

 

REQUIRED READING

Ferguson, S., Shifting the Center, 2nd (or most recent)

Skolnick and Skolnick, Family in Transition, 13th ed.

Wallis, Two Old Women, recommended, but not required

Other selections will be posted on ERES

 

In addition to the required reading and a mid term and final exam, there are 3 projects which are required but not graded and one project which is graded.  The ungraded projects include:  family autobiography, family tree, Thanksgiving journal.  The graded project is the interviews with dual income families.  All assignments are due, WITHOUT EXCEPTION, on the day assigned.

 

I.Introduction

Overview:  S + S, Part I, #1

                   S + S, Part 2, #6

                   Ferguson, Part I, # 1 and #3

                   Project:  family autobiography

                   Recommended, but not required, Wallis, Two Old Women

Historical perspective:

                   Ferguson, Part I, #5, #6, #7

  1. Competing explanations:

 ERES, Nielsen, Biological determinism, pp. 147-167

 ERES, Kimmel (2nd ed), Social construction of gender, pp. 93-113

 ERES, Gerson, Socialization critique, pp. 29-37

 Video:  “Dreamworlds”

 Project:  Family trees

  1. Images of the family in popular American culture:  ideological reinforcement

 Video:  “American Beauty”

 Video:  “The Marriage Banquet”

     4:  Contemporary Issues:

                         The struggle between work and family

                         Ferguson, Part VIII, #32, Part IX, #35, all Part X

                         S + S, Part 8, #26, all Part 9, #28, #29, #30, #31

                         Project:  dual family interviews

                         Divorce and remarriage

                         S + S, all Part 6

                         Recommended, but not required, Ferguson, all Part VII

                         Violence in the family

                         Ferguson, Part VIII, #29, #30, #31

                         S + S, Part 11, #38

                         Project:  Thanksgiving journals

                         Cohabitation

                         Ferguson, Part IV, #12

                         S + S, Part 11, #38

                         Artificial Reproduction and sex trafficking

                         Video:  “The Day My God Died”

 

 

                         

                         

 

 

                         Back to Prof. Harris's Homepage