COMM 3070 Communication and Gender - humis.utah.edu ...

COMM 3070, Fall 2012 ONLINE
COMM 3070
Communication and Gender
University of Utah
Communication Department
Course Information
Instructor: Elinor Christopher Light Email: Elinor.Christopher@utah.edu
Phone: (970) 443-3429 Online Office Hours: By Appointment
Course Description: In this class, we will explore a variety of issues surrounding gender,
communication, and culture. We move beyond simple constructions and reductionist bi-polar models
to approach gender as something individuals do and communicate in everyday life, rather than
something that individuals are. The differences between gender, sex, and sexuality, the ways that
gender is culturally shaped, and the theories of how we become gendered beings are key tools for
critically understanding gender as communication. We will examine how gender is communicated and
defined in various cultural contexts such as the home, the organization, the media, and in interpersonal
relationships. We will also consider the implications on race, sexuality, class, and power in how gender
is defined and expressed in these contexts.
Course Objectives: [1) To acquire knowledge about how gender has been constructed historically (2)
to critically assess how gender is communicated in various cultural settings as well as how
communication shapes gender; [3] to apply our growing knowledge of communication and gender to
understand the intersections between gender and particular interactions, identities, institutions, texts,
events, and power structures.
Class Meetings: Online via Canvas (accessible through CIS). We will move through 14 modules over
the course of the semester. Modules can be viewed by clicking the modules tab to your left. Each
module will be completed in one week.
Textbook/Materials: Julia Wood, Gendered Lives: Communication, Gender, and Culture. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Wadsworth, 2008. 9 th
or 10 th
edition and WEBCT additional readings
Course Policies
Class Climate: During the course of the semester, we may view materials, entertain topics, or discuss
issues that students may strongly disagree with. While vigorous discussion is encouraged AND
expected throughout the course (failure to do so will harm your grade), it is expected that all students
will be respectful and accountable for how their contributions may affect other people in the
classroom. Further, egregious disrespect including, but not limited to, racism, sexism, ageism,
homophobia, classism, etc. will not be tolerated. Students choosing to engage in such behavior,
depending on the severity of their violation, will be subject to repercussions ranging from dismissal
from discussion boards to removal from class. In addition, all students will be expected to follow proper
netiquette behavior. These guidelines will be provided in module one.
Participation: Gender and Communication is difficult, complicated and sometimes heavily theoretical
and philosophical. No one can master this course on his or her own no matter how smart that person
is! Therefore, regular participation on discussion boards and group activities is expected, and graded
carefully.
Late Work: Late work will not be accepted without a university approved and verified excuse. I do not
accept work via email. All assignments must be turned in through the Canvas system.
Grade Appeals: If you feel you received an inaccurate grade on an assignment, you may submit a
written grade appeal via Canvas within one week of the date that the assignment was handed back.
Grade appeals must supply a claim for the grade change, with warrants drawn from course concepts,
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COMM 3070, Fall 2012 ONLINE
and evidence in the student’s assignments. I will determine whether your argument is persuasive and
necessitates the point correction. See http://www.regulations.utah.edu/academics/6-400.html for
more information on University of Utah grade dispute policies.
University of Utah Policies
American Disabilities Act: The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs,
services, and activities for people with disabilities. If you need accommodations in the class, reasonable
prior notice should be given to the Center for Disability Services, 162 Olpin Union Building, 801-581-
5020 (V/TDD), http://disability.utah.edu/. CDS will work with you and the instructor to make
arrangements for accommodations. All written information in this course can be made available in
alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disability Services
Academic Honesty: Academic honesty is required of all students. Students found guilty of academic
dishonesty can receive an “E” for the assignment or the course, and other disciplinary action may be
taken. I take a strong stance on plagiarism. Plagiarism includes (but is not limited to) intentional
submission of someone else’s work without credit, in part or as a whole; misuse of citations to conceal
a source; use of other course work in this class; and other similar behaviors. Please meet with me
immediately if you are unclear as to what constitutes plagiarism. See the following link for more
information: http://www.regulations.utah.edu/academics/6-400.html.
Content Accommodations: I am able to make schedule accommodations for those who have a conflict
that involves religious/spiritual observances, University sanctioned activities, and personal or medical
exigencies, provided that documentation is furnished. If you anticipate or when you experience any
scheduling conflict with this course, please speak with me as soon as possible. In every case, it is the
student’s responsibility to make these arrangements. As we study communication in its various forms
and contexts, we will apply the concepts we engage to a variety of examples, including those that occur
in the venue of popular culture. Some students may find some of the reading materials, presentations,
lectures, or audio/visual materials controversial or in conflict with their values or beliefs. Please be
assured that all the material that I present, assign, or require you to encounter and address has been
selected for its pedagogical value and utility in relation to the concepts we are engaging. I will not make
content accommodations for this material. It is your responsibility to review the syllabus, readings,
assignments, and materials to be sure that this is a course you wish to take. Should you have
questions or concerns, please see me immediately. Details on the university’s accommodation policy
are available at this link: http://www.admin.utah.edu/facdev/pdf/accommodations-policy.pdf
Drop/Withdrawal Policy: Please check the Fall 2012 academic calendar for information pertaining to
dropping and withdrawing from a course. See the following link for more information:
http://registrar.utah.edu/academic-calendars/fall2012.php or
http://registrar.utah.edu/handbook/withdrawal.php
FERPA: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) states that a student’s educational
records must be kept private unless the student authorizes their release. Instructors may not disclose
grades to others, for example by posting grades outside an office door, revealing them in class, or
discussing them with a parent. See http://registrar.utah.edu/handbook/ferpa.php.
Grading
A grade of “A” represents excellent work in which evidence of exceptional quality and in-depth, complex
comprehension of the subject is clearly demonstrated. “B” work indicates competent work that shows
a strong grasp of the course goals without being distinguished. “C” s indicates work of adequate
quality, which may be incomplete or inaccurate in one respect. “D” grades indicate that the
requirements have been minimally satisfied and are incomplete or inadequate in more than one
respect. “F” grades are given when the requirements have not been met.
Final Grade Breakdown out of 500 possible points:
A =100-94% (468 and up)* A- = 93-90% (448-467) B+ = 89-87% (433-447)
B = 86-84% (418- 432) B- = 83-80% (398-417) C+ = 79-77% (368-383)
C = 76-74% (382-368) C- = 73-70% (367-348) D+= 69-67% (347-333]
D = 66-64% (332- 318 D- = 63-60% (317-298) E = 59% ↓
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COMM 3070, Fall 2012 ONLINE
Drop/withdrawal Policies: http://www.regulations.utah.edu/academics/6-400.html
Course Assignments
Discussion Board and Activities (75 points): 15% of your final grade is based on (1) Discussion
board response to prompt for each module and at least 2 responses to other student’s posts (3
points/module). Student responses must be competed by the last day of the module. There are NO
makeups for these points unless sanctioned by University policy. (2) Demonstration of reading
comprehension in responses (determined at the end of the semester out of 20 points) and 3)
Completion of a peer review of another student’s final analysis paper worth 10 points.
Think Pieces (3 @ 25 points each=75): 15% of your final grade is based on three 2-3 page, doublespaced,
analytical reaction papers to a specific discussion prompt that I will provide. These papers will
be graded either “Excellent” (plus, 25pts.), “satisfactory” (check, 20 pts.) or “unsatisfactory” (minus,
15pts). I will be looking for depth of thought, clarity of ideas, application and/or integration of readings
and lecture material, and overall readability.
Analysis Paper (100): 20% of your grade is based on this assignment. You will select a cultural
artifact that you would like to analyze—something which interests or intrigues you. An artifact could be
a written document, but also (and not limited to) an advertisement, a film or TV show, a space, a song,
an object (such as a painting), or a website. You will write a 6-8 page paper with at least 6 outside
(academic) sources, not including the text under analysis. You will situate your chosen text within its
social or historical context, discuss what the text communicates about gender, and discuss what the
implications of such communication are in our cultural understandings of gender.
Gender Portfolio (125): 25% of your final grade is based on this assignment. Rather than a final
exam, you will collect material and artifacts over the course of the semester that illustrate ideas
relevant to gender and communication. By the end of the semester, you will compile these resources
into a PDF file or PowerPoint presentation. Each page of your document will include a photograph,
copy, or description of the artifact and a complete paragraph (at least a paragraph, but no more than
a page] addressing what the artifact tells us about gender and communication. Each artifact should be
directly connected to course content and you should cite sources appropriately and include a Works
Cited page. You will write a conclusion to your portfolio that reflects on the process of this assignment.
You must have 25 artifacts and they can include (but are not limited to):
• Movie clip, or a scene from a movie or TV show (include link and still shot of movie/scene)
• Song clip or song lyrics
• Copy of article, excerpt, or ad from a magazine or newspaper
• Website
• Photograph or painting*
• Cartoon
• Description of personal experience
*If you find something that is not in electronic format, take a photo of it and paste it into your
document
Quizzes (125 pts.): 25% of your final grade is based on 14 short quizzes, which draw from both
lecture and reading material throughout the course. You must take the quiz before the end of each
module.
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COMM 3070, Fall 2012 ONLINE
Module Topics and Schedule
Module Dates Topics Readings To Do
Module August 20- Gender,
-Wood, Intro and Chapter -Introduce yourself on the
1
26
communication and 1
Introductions board
Contemporary Culture -Syllabus
-Discussion Board 1
-Netiquette
-West & Zimmerman
-Module 1 Quiz
Module 2 August 27- Theories of Gender -Wood, Chapter 2 -Discussion Board 2
September 2
-Warnke
-Think Piece 1
Assignment
-Gender Portfolio
Assignment
-Module 2 Quiz
Module 3 September Women’s Movements -Wood, Chapter 3 -Discussion Board 3
3-9
-Fudge
-Curry-Johnson
-Module 3 Quiz
Module 4 September
10-16
Module 5 September
17-23
Module 6 September
24-30
Men’s Movements -Wood, Chapter 4
-Kimmel
-Kimmel & Messner
Gendering -Wood, Chapter 7
-Gould
Gender and
Verbal/Nonverbal
Communication
Module 7 October 1-7 Gender, Family, and
Relationships
4
-Wood, Chapter 5 and 6
-Spender
-Think Piece 2
Assignment
-Wood, Chapter 9
-Syfers
-Greenberg
-Wood, Chapter 8 and
10
Module 8 October 15- Gender, Education, and
21
the Organization
Module 9 October 22- Gender and the Media -Wood, Chapter 11
28
-Kilbourne
-Shugart
-Analysis Paper
Assignment
Module 10 October 29- Gender and the Body -Bordo
November 4
-Dworkin & Wachs
-Think Piece 3
Assignment
Module 11 November 5- Gender and Sexuality -Cooper
11
-Ott and Aoki
-Rich
Module 12 November Gender and
-hooks
12-18 Race/Ethnicity -Guzman & Valdivia
-Joseph
-Orbe
Module 13 November Gender, Power, and -Wood, Chapter 12
19-25 Violence
-Berger
Module 14 November
26-
December 2
Course
Conclusions
December 3-
7
Moving Toward a More
Equitable Society
-Discussion Board 4
-Module 4 Quiz
-Think Piece 1 Due
-Discussion Board 5
-Module 5 Quiz
-Discussion Board 6
-Module 6
Quiz
-Discussion Board 9
-Module 9 Quiz
-Discussion Board 8
-Module 8 Quiz
-Discussion Board 9
-Module 9 Quiz
-Think Piece 2 Due
-Discussion Board 10
-Module 10 Quiz
-Discussion Board 11
-Module 11 Quiz
-Discussion Board 12
-Module 12 Quiz
-Think Piece 3 Due
-Discussion Board 13
Module 13 Quiz
- Peer Review Due
-West -Discussion Board 14
-Module 14 Quiz
-Analysis Paper Due
-None -None -Review Grades
- Gender Portfolio Due

COMM 3070, Fall 2012 ONLINE
Additional Reading List
Bordo, Susan. “Reading the Slender Body.” Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture, and the
Body. Berkeley, CA: University of California, 1993. 185-212.
Cooper, Brenda. “Boys Don't Cry and Female Masculinity: Reclaiming A Life And Dismantling The
Politics of Normative Heterosexuality.” Critical Studies in Media Communication 19 (2002):
44-63.
Dworkin, Shari L. and Wachs, Faye L. “Size Matters.” Body Panic: Gender, Health, and the Selling of
Fitness. Ed. S. L Dworkin & F.L. Wachs. New York: New York University Press. (2009). 65-
105.
Fudge, Rachel. “Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Feminism But Were Afraid To Ask.”
Bitch 31 (2006): 58-67.
Gould, Lois. “X: A Fabulous Child’s Story.” Gender Images: Readings for Composition. Ed. M. Schaum &
C. Flanagan. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1992. 6-19.
Guzmán, Isabel M. and Valdivia, Angharad N. “Brain, Brow, and Booty: Latina Iconicity in U.S. Popular.”
Communication Review 7 (2) (2004): 205-221.
hooks, bell. “Reflections on Race and Sex.” Yearning: Race, Gender, and Cultural Politics. Boston: South
End., 1990. 57-64.
Joseph, Ralina L. “'Tyra Banks Is Fat': Reading (Post-)racism and (Post-)feminism in the New
Millennium.” Critical Studies in Media Communication 26 (3) (2009): 237-254.
Kilbourne, Jean. “Beauty and the Beast of Advertising.” Gender, Race, and Class in Media. Eds. G.
Dines and J. M. Humez. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1995. 121-125.
Kimmel, Michael and Messner, Michael. “Men as Gendered Beings.” Issues in Feminism. Ed. S. Ruth
Mountain View, CA: Mayfield, 1990. 56-58.
Ott, Brian and Aoki, Eric. “The Politics of Negotiating Public Tragedy: Media Framing of the Mathew
Shepard Murder.” Rhetoric & Public Affairs 5(3) (2002): 483-505.
Orbe, Mark P. “Constructions of Reality on MTV’s ‘The Real World’: An Analysis of the Restrictive
Coding of Black Masculinity.” Southern Communication Journal 64 (1998): 32-47.
Shugart, Helena .A., & Waggoner, Catherine E. “Gwen Stefani: Camp Vamp.” In Making Camp:
Rhetorics of Transgression in U.S. Popular Culture. Birmingham, AL: University of Alabama
Press, 2008: 119-141.
Spender, Daniel. “Language and Reality: Who Made the World?” In Man made language. London:
Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1985. 139-162.
Syfers, Judy. “I Want a Wife.” The gender reader. Eds. Ashton-Jones, Olsen, & Perry (Eds.), (2nd ed).
Boston: Allyn and Bacon Publishers, 2000.390-393.
Warnke, Georgia. “The Tragedy of David Reimer.” After Identity: Rethinking Race, Sex, and Gender (pp.
15-48). Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press, 2007.
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COMM 3070, Fall 2012 ONLINE
West, Candace and Zimmerman, Don. “Doing gender.” Gender & Society 1(1987): 125-151.
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