Professor: Marina Adler, Ph.D.
Office: 232
Public Policy Bldg
Phone: 410-455-3155 (I can best be
reached via e-mail)
Office Hours: Tue, We 3-4 and by appointment
Email: adler@umbc.edu
Home
Page:
COURSE CONTENT
AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES
This
course has an international focus and is organized around issues and areas of
the world. We will cover the material
in several parts. First, we will
examine the theoretical and empirical issues relevant to the sociological study
of gender-work-family intersections, such as gender inequality, paid and care
work, childcare, dual-earner couples, the feminization of poverty, and relevant
work/family policies. Attention will be
given to historical and cultural context, empirical research findings and
theoretical developments in studying issues relevant to understanding women’s
experiences. We will initially focus on
current research on gender, work and family in the U.S. and quickly move on to
nations in Western and Eastern Europe as well as selected developing countries.
During the course students should learn to:
ü understand key concepts related to gender, work and family
in historical and comparative perspective.
ü understand current empirical patterns related to variations
in work and family related issues for women and men.
ü analyze, compare, synthesize, and critique scholarly work in
this research area.
ü ask and answer important questions related to American
policy based on international comparisons.
According
to the dictionary, a seminar is "a group of advanced students studying
with a professor, each doing some original research and all exchanging results
by informal presentations, reports and discussion." This course is intended to be a
participatory experience. It includes
short lectures, lengthy discussions, films, and analytic exercises. These
activities, including student participation, are aimed at sharpening critical
thinking and debating skills. Another
agenda is that students will apply social science methodology to examine and
understand how societal structures affect their lives in a "gendered"
fashion. The international nature of
the course exposes students to a variety of cultural patterns in the links
among household, economy and society. Students are encouraged to examine and
question structures of dominance inherent in work and family systems, which are
maintained through economic and cultural forces. Intellectual curiosity, initiative, eagerness to learn, and
willingness to work hard will be rewarded.
I am hoping we can establish a comfortable learning environment based on
cooperation and collaboration rather than competition. One goal for this course is to create a
sense of community. In order to
accomplish this you need to take a productive role in your educational experience
and actively engage in this
class.
1.
Drew, E., R. Emerek, E. Mahon. 1998. Women, Work, and Family in Europe. Routledge: New York. [denoted as Drew et
al.]
2.
Ehrenreich, Barbara and Arlie
Hochschild (eds.). 2004. Global
Woman: Nannies, Maids, and Sex Workers in the New Economy. Owl Books: New York. [denoted as E&H]
3.
Heymann, Jody.
2000. The Widening Gap. Basic
Books: New York. [denoted as Heymann]
4.
Readings some of which are only available in
two binders on library reserve, others are under Course Documents
on Blackboard (BB)
Reading, Class
Participation, and Attendance
The
readings are assigned for each class meeting and students are expected to be
familiar with the material when it is assigned. Because this course is taught as a seminar, students should
attend class regularly, inform the instructor of scheduling problems, and be
prepared to summarize and critique the assigned readings. The instructor reserves the right to ask
students specific questions about the assigned materials. Students are required to use Blackboard
(BB). It is the students’
responsibility to become informed on how to use BB. Make sure your UMBC email account is working
and you check your e-mail and BB periodically for posted messages and
announcements regarding assignments and schedule changes. Throughout the semester I will e-mail you
additional articles relevant to the class (or post them on BB).
For
each assigned reading or webpage students should prepare reactions to
the information (best and worst) by answering the following 2 questions
(TYPED):
(1)
WHAT was the most important or interesting
sentence/statement/argument in the reading and WHY do you think this is the
case? Include author and page number.
(2)
WHICH sentence/statement/argument in the reading do like
least or disagree with and WHY? Include
author and page number.
These
reactions will form the basis for in-class discussion and will be collected
several times in the semester. They
vary in points for a cumulative semester maximum of 100 possible points.
Take Home
Essay Exams
Replacing
in-class exams are 2 take home essay exams.
At two times indicated on the schedule, all students will prepare essays
consisting of answers to questions about materials covered in class and
especially the readings. You may turn them in in class as a typed
hard copy or, in exceptional circumstances, via e-mail. Handwritten work will NOT be accepted (no
exceptions). Graduate students
are expected to discuss more readings in a more thorough manner than
undergraduates.
Research Paper
All
students enrolled in this class have to complete a research paper. Students will select a country of interest not covered in class,
and for which sufficient data are available.
The issues to be examined may include historical patterns,
policies, and statistics on gender, work and family characteristics. The
webpage browsing assignments for the first few weeks are designed to aid
students in their choice of country and issue.
This research paper can take any of the following forms:
a. You examine a specific research
question involving a gender, work and family issue historically (changes
over time) for a country not covered in
class.
b. You examine existing contemporary
data to answer a research question about an aspect of gender, work and
family for a country not covered in
class.
c. You compare two countries, at
least one of which is not covered in
class, with respect to a research question related to gender, work and
family, either historically or in the present.
Students have to submit a paper topic outline
for approval by the date specified on the syllabus. This outline should cover (1) the main country/ies you wish to
examine (choose one that is not covered by course readings and for which lots
of data are available), (2) your research questions and focus and how this is
related to gender, work and family intersections, (3) the specific types of
data and variables you will examine to answer your questions, and (4) a
tentative reference list of data, webpages, and recent literature sources. After getting your research idea approved,
you will turn in parts of the project on the due dates to get my suggestions
for revision. The parts are Introduction (states the issues studied,
research question, and explains in context why it is important), Literature Review (reviews previous
studies dealing with the topic and relates them to this paper), Data tables and Results (shows the
relevant data from various sources that were used to answer the research
question and explains how the data are relevant), and Conclusion (pulls the paper together and states how the research
question was answered). The final paper with all parts is due at the end of the
semester. It should employ non-sexist
language, and address the issues clearly and succinctly.
Students
enrolled in SOCY/WMST 433 (undergraduates)
may choose to work in pairs. You have
to review at least 10 recent research articles related to your research
idea. Your paper will have at least 15
pages, including data tables and reference list.
Students
enrolled in SOCY/WMST 633 (graduate students) are expected to
work independently, should review at least 20 sources, and turn in a graduate
quality research paper (usually about 25 pages including tables and
references). You are also required to present
the paper in class for another grade at the end of the semester. I expect all work to be of professional
quality, i.e. to be original with sole authorship of the course
participants.
Extra Credit
You
may receive a maximum of 20 extra credit points by (1) bringing in
newspaper/magazine clippings dealing with a work-family issue, including your
brief comments on how they are relevant to the course (2 points for each); (2)
writing a reading reaction on any articles I send you via email that are not
part of the regular assignments – some are on BB under food for thought (5
points for each); (3) attending a relevant event and writing about the
experience (needs to be approved by the professor and points will be discussed
then); or (4) by keeping a "course journal", which contains
your personal reactions to readings, films, discussions and other related
materials related to your "learning" about the issues (up to 20
points).
EVALUATION
Final
grades are determined by the total number of points earned in the semester
based on one (1) research paper, two (2) take home exams, and (10) reactions to
webpages and readings. Graduate
students also have to present their paper and write one (1) book review. Participation in class meetings (regular
attendance, timely completion of assignments and exercises) will decide borderline
grades. Excessive absences or tardiness will affect your
final grade negatively. If, at any
time during the semester you encounter difficulties or special circumstances,
contact the instructor immediately in order to work out solutions as soon as
possible.
The points for the final grade are
calculated as follows:
UG/433 Grad/633
1 Research
Paper @ 100 points= 100(15
pgs) 100(25 pgs)
2 Take home exams @ 50 points= 100 100
Reactions/partic. @ variable
pts = 100 100
1 Paper
presentation @ 25 points= ---- 25
____ ____
Total 300 325
Assessment of
course work
In
general you can expect a B grade if you attend class regularly, participate,
complete good assignments on time, and produce a solid research paper or
exam. Especially insightful in-class
participation, extra effort, and excellent written work will increase the
grade. Sloppy and/or late work,
infrequent class attendance and participation will reduce the grade. Specifically, an A means excellent work,
which demonstrates comprehensive command of course content, exceptional ability
to apply concepts, superior ability to organize and express ideas, and critical
thinking, good attendance and participation.
A B means good work, which demonstrates solid
command of course content, good ability to apply concepts, good organization
and expression of ideas, regular attendance and participation. A C
means fair work, implying acceptable
command of course content, basic ability to apply concepts, and moderate
organization and expression of ideas, moderate attendance and
participation. A D means marginal work,
with little command of course content, some ability to apply concepts, and
limited ability to organize and express ideas, irregular attendance and
participation. An F means unacceptable work
and implies lack of command of course content, inability to apply concepts, to
organize and express ideas, lack of attendance and participation.
POLICIES
You are responsible for being
informed about any scheduling changes or announcements about assignments made
in class, on Blackboard, or via e-mail.
Plan ahead in completing the assignments. For your own protection, photocopy all
assignments before turning them in.
Always make sure you have a duplicate file of your work on disk.
Make-up exams are only given with a valid
reason and evidence thereof (such as a doctor's note, dated accident
report, obituary notice, etc.) for missing the scheduled exam. It is the responsibility of the student to
prepare assigned materials on time and to discuss problems with deadlines with
the instructor. Deadlines for
assignments missed without promptly (contact the instructor as
soon as possible) presenting a valid excuse and conference with the instructor
will be counted as "0" points for the assignment (no
exceptions).
By enrolling in this course, each student assumes the responsibilities of an active participant in UMBC’s scholarly community in which everyone’s academic work and behavior are held to the highest standards of honesty. Cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and helping others to commit these acts are all forms of academic dishonesty, and they are wrong. Academic misconduct can result in disciplinary action that may include, but is not limited to, suspension or dismissal. To read the full Student Academic Conduct Policy, consult the UMBC Student Handbook, the Faculty Handbook or the UMBC Policies section of the UMBC Directory.
Academic
misconduct may include but is not limited to the following (adapted from UMBC’s
policy):
COURSE
SCHEDULE OF TOPICS, ACTIVITIES AND ASSIGNMENTS
Readings are due on the date they are mentioned on the schedule, i.e., read Ollenburger, etc. and browse webpages by September 8.
Week 1: 9/1 Introduction
to the course
Goals of the
course
Ø Start
reading and browsing the web and write a reaction for next time!
Week 2: 9/8 Studying
gender, work and family intersections – feminist and sociological theory
Definitions of
concepts - gender, work, the family
Browse the
following webpages on less developed nations for possible paper ideas and turn
in reaction (10 pts):
http://hrw.org (go to
“women’s rights”)
http://www.un.org/womenwatch/ (go to “women of the world”, “statistics and indicators” and “thematic
issues”
http://www.fao.org/Gender/gender.htm (gender and food security)
http://www.library.northwestern.edu/govpub/resource/internat/women.html (resources on int’l women’s issues)
** if interested in Africa or Middle East go to: http://gender.pogar.org/links.asp (Programme on the governance in the Arab regions)
Ø
Ollenburger, Jane and Helen Moore. 1998. “Sociological
Approaches to the Study of Women” and “Feminist Approaches to the Study of
Women” pp.1-34 in A Sociology of Women. The
Intersection of Patriarchy, Capitalism, and Colonialization. Prentice Hall.
Ø
Mosse, Julia Cleves.
1993. “What is Gender?” Pp. 1-8
in Half the World, Half a Chance. Oxfam Publ: London.
Ø Coltrane,
Scott. 1998. “The Social Construction of Gender and Families.” Pp. 1-25 in Gender and Families. Pine Forge Press.
Week 3: 9/15 Studying
gender, work and family in historical perspective
Browse
the following webpages on developed nations for paper ideas and turn in
reaction (10 pts):
http://www.reform-monitor.org/index.html
(browse reforms, country info, and news for possible
paper topics)
http://www.unece.org/stats/trend/trend_h.htm
(browse country profiles)
http://lsir.la.psu.edu/workfam/links.html
(browse work and family links)
http://www.worldbank.org/eapsocial/asemsocial/europe.htm
(European social policy experiences)
Ø England,
Paula, M. Budig, and Nancy Folbre.
2002. “Wages of Virtue: The
relative pay of care work.” Social
Forces 49:455-473. [pdf file on BB]
Ø Cancian,
Fancesca and Stacey Oliker. 2000. “Historical Glimpses” pp.13-36 in Caring and Gender. Pine Forge Press.
Ø
Heymann, Chapters 1 and 2.
Week 4: 9/22 Effects
of the "gendered" economy and family
Paper Topic
Outline due
Peer review of
topics
Ø Coltrane,
Scott. 1998. “Paid Work and Family Life.”
Pp. 53-74 in Gender and Families.
Pine Forge Press.
Ø
Heymann, Chapters 3 and 6.
Week 5: 9/29 Effects of the
"gendered" economy and family
Dual earner
families and their children
Turn in
reaction to http://www.workliferesearch.org/fw.asp
(click on any of the countries on top to see the data; browse the UNECE page;
click on the EUROSTAT Website,
select EN for English, then go to news,
just published, and “How is the time of Europeans distributed?”) (10 pts)
Ø Bailyn, Lotte, R. Drago and T. Kochan.
2001. Integrating work and
family life. A holistic approach. Report
of the Sloan Work-Family Policy Network.
Executive Summary. [pdf file on
BB].
Ø
Heymann, Chapters 4,5,7.
Ø
E&H, p.142-153
Week 6: 10/6 International
perspectives on work and family
Ø Lewis,
Susan. 1999. “An international perspective on work-family issues.” Pp.91-103 in Saroj Parasuraman and Jeffrey
Greenhaus. (eds.). Integrating Work and Family.
Praeger: Westport, CT.
Ø European
Commission. 1998. “ Men within family
and work.” European Network of Family and Work. New Ways 2/98.
Ø
Drew et al., p. 1-35 and p.191-207.
Ø
Brown, Brett et al.
2001. “Fathers’ activities with
their kids.” Child Trends Research Brief.
[pdf file on BB].
|
Week 7: 10/13 Western Europe:
The example of Germany
Work and family pre- and post-unification
Read the following two
articles and write a reaction to them: (10 pts)
Karen Christopher
“Family-friendly Europe” http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Europe/Family_Friendly.html
Carol Hyman “U.S. has higher
birth, marriage rates than Western Europe, despite lack of family-friendly
policies”
http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/10/13_paradox.shtml
Ø
Adler, Marina A. 2002. "German Unification as a Turning Point in East German Women’s Life.”
Course:
Biographical Changes in Work and Family Roles." Sex Roles 47:83-98.
Ø
Heymann, Chapter 8.
Film clips
shown in class: My Second Life
Week 8: 10/20 Comparative
family policy
Examples from
Scandinavia
Turn in reading reactions
to all readings (10 pts):
Ø
Drew, Emerek and Mahon, p.36-46, p.140-149, p. 159-169
Ø
E&H, p. 1-14.
Week 9: 10/27 Examples
from Eastern Europe
Developments
after socialism
Paper draft “Introduction” and “Literature Review” due
Peer review of drafts (5 pts)
Ø
E&H, p.15-38.
Ø
Beneria, Lourdes.
1997. "Capitalism and
socialism: Some feminist
questions." pp.326-333 in Visanathan, Nalini et al. (eds). The Women, Gender, and Development Reader. ZED Books: Atlantic Highlands, NJ.
Week
10: 11/3 Introduction to the post-colonial world
Issues and
trends related to colonialism, imperialism, and globalization
Browse at
least 3 articles on this website and turn in reaction (10 pts):
http://www.globalpolicy.org/socecon/inequal/indexgen.htm
Ø Mosse, Julia
Cleves. 1993. “Why Development is a Gender Issue” pp. 9-28 in Half the World, Half a Chance. Oxfam.
Ø Lindsey,
Linda. 1997. "Global Perspectives on Gender." Pp. 126-159 in Gender Roles. Prentice
Hall: Upper Saddle River.
Ø E&H,
p.39-114
Week
11: 11/10 Developing countries: Examples from Asia
Turn
in reading reactions to all readings (10 pts):
Ø Komarraju,
Meera. 1999. “The Work-Family Interface in India.” Pp.104-114 in Saroj Parasuraman and Jeffrey . Greenhaus. (eds.). Integrating
Work and Family. Praeger: Westport,
CT.
Ø E&H,
p.115-141; p.154-229
Ø
Sen, Amartya. 2001.
“Many faces of gender inequality.” [pdf file on BB].
Film clips
shown in class: Sex Tourism
Week 12:11/17 Developing
countries: Examples from the Middle East
Turn
in reading reactions to all readings (10 pts):
Ø
Human Rights Watch. 2002. “Taking Cover: Women in
Post-Taliban Afghanistan” [on BB].
Ø
Human Rights Watch. 2004. “Honoring the killers: Justice
denied for “honor” crimes in Jordan” [on BB]
Ø
Paine, Tom. 2004. “Betraying Iraqi women” at: http://www.globalpolicy.org/socecon/inequal/gender/2004/0716iraqiwomen.htm
Ø
Kerr, Joanna. 2001. “International trends in gender equality
work.” [pdf file on BB]
Ø
E&H, p.230-285
Week 14: 12/1 Developing countries: Examples from
South America and Africa
Control over
women in Mexico, and Sub-Saharan Africa
Paper
draft “Data tables, Results, Conclusion” due
Peer
review of drafts (5pts)
Turn
in reading reactions to all readings (10 pts):
Ø
Arriaga, Estiballiz. “Women in Mexico.” [on BB].
Ø
Fernandez-Kelly, Maria Patricia. ` 1997. "Maquiladoras: The view from the
inside." Pp.203-215 in Visanathan, Nalini et al. (eds.) The Women, Gender, and Development Reader. ZED Books: Atlantic Highlands, NJ.
Ø
The Millennium Project.
Interim report on gender inequality. Page 37-70. [pfd file on BB]
Ø
Graduate students only: skim through (focus on
statistics and concepts) Women, Gender and Work by the International Labor
Organization. 2001. [pdf file on BB]
Film clips shown in
class: Stossel – Why we are number 1
Week 15: 12/8 International comparisons: Theory
and policy
Take Home
Essay 2 due
Ø Friedman, Dana
E. and Arlene A. Johnson. 1999. “Moving from Programs to Culture Change:
TheNext Stage for the Corporate Work-Family Agenda.” Pp.192-208 in Saroj Parasuraman and
Jeffrey Greenhaus. (eds.). Integrating
Work and Family. Praeger: Westport,
CT.
Ø Bailyn,
Lotte. 1999. “The Impact of Corporate Culture on Work-Family
Integration.” Pp.209-219
in Saroj Parasuraman and Jeffrey
Greenhaus. (eds.). Integrating Work and Family.
Praeger:
Westport, CT.
Student
presentations - bring some goodies to share!
Research Paper
due 12/15, 12 noon my mailbox.