GNDR 1061 - Introduction to Gender Studies

Credits: 3
Hours/Week: Lecture 3
Course Description: Introduction to Gender Studies is an interdisciplinary course focused on the ways that sex and gender influence social, cultural, and political systems. This course addresses interconnections among systems of oppression (such as sexism, racism, classism, ethnocentrism, homophobia/heterosexism, transphobia, ableism, and others) in order to read and analyze gender, exploring how it impacts one’s understanding of civic engagement with society. This course is required for the Gender Studies Certificate.
MnTC Goals
5 & 9

Prerequisite(s): Course placement into college-level English and Reading OR completion of ENGL 0950 with a grade of C or higher OR completion of RDNG 0940 with a grade of C or higher and qualifying English Placement Exam OR completion of RDNG 0950 with a grade of C or higher and ENGL 0090 with a grade of C or higher OR completion of ESOL 0051 with a grade of C or higher and ESOL 0052 with a grade of C or higher.
Corequisite(s): None
Recommendation: None

Major Content

Feminism and Language
1^st and 2^nd Wave Contexts
Bodies, Biologies, and Beauty
Gendered Performances
Intersectionality
Masculinities
Femininities
Institutions- Bathrooms, Sports, & Title IX
Marriage
Sex, Hook-Ups, and Rape Culture
Families and Domestic Labor
Work- Equal Pay and Gendered Jobs
Reproductive Justice
Gender Politics Now

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course students will be able to:

identify key issues, questions, and debates in the interdisciplinary field of Gender Studies.
evaluate how feminist scholarship has developed tools for thinking about gendered experience.
apply tools for thinking about gendered experience to individual and societal problems.
analyze social and cultural assumptions about gender.
articulate how to use intersectional theory, which demonstrates how systems of oppression interact to influence people’s lives.
evaluate key ethical questions in the field, particularly as they relate to students’ understanding of and relationship with citizenship.

Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC): Goals and Competencies 5 History/Social/Behavioral Science, 9 Ethical/Civic Responsibility
Competency Goals (MnTC Goals 1-6)

05. 02. Examine social institutions and processes across a range of historical periods and cultures.

05. 03. Use and critique alternative explanatory systems or theories.

05. 04. Develop and communicate alternative explanations or solutions for contemporary social issues.

Theme Goals (MnTC Goals 7-10)

09. 02. Understand and apply core concepts (e.g. politics, rights and obligations, justice, liberty) to specific issues.

09. 03. Analyze and reflect on the ethical dimensions of legal, social, and scientific issues.

09. 04. Recognize the diversity of political motivations and interests of others.

Practicum hours per week: 0

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