Reading the Assignments
This course will examine the range of anthropological views about male/female gender roles and sexuality from various cultural traditions. The focus of the course is on the link between biology (through primate evolution) and culture in defining and gendering male and female. Among the issues to be discussed are the evolution of male and female sexuality, the incest taboo, the cultural construction of gender roles, marriage and divorce in cross-cultural perspective, gendering of "natives," sexual orientation, and fieldwork gender issues in anthropology. Comparison will be made to attitudes about gender and sexual behavior in contemporary American society. The course will be a mix of lecture, film, and class discussion. Given the sensitive nature of much of the material to be covered in this course, the professor requests that the discussions be conducted in an open-minded and mutually responsible manner.
• Herdt, Gilbert (1998) Same Sex, Different Cultures: Exploring Gay and Lesbian Lives. Boulder: Westview Press.
• Small, Meredith F. (1995) What's Love Got to Do With It?: The Evolution of Human Mating. N.Y.: Anchor.
• Ward, Martha C. (2003) A World Full of Women. Second Edition. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Third Edition.
• A145 Reader [This is available only at Sir Speedy (794-1234) at 2039 Hempstead Turnpike, across from Home Depot, east of campus.]
10/31 Sexism and Language
1. READING
THE ASSIGNMENTS by the date noted in the course schedule or as
directed by the professor. Read the assigned material before class so
that you can participate fully in class discussion and bring up
questions or explore issues you are not clear about. Bring the
assigned text with you to class on the relevant
day.
2. CLASS
ATTENDANCE. Attendance will be taken each day at the start of
class. If you are unable to attend class due to any reason (e.g.,
medical, traffic accident, sports travel, job interview, alarm didn't
go off) you must provide a written note informing me of the reason
you were absent. You are allowed up to 4 excused absences. For each
absence over the limit, you will lose 3 points from your final grade
points. It is my decision, as professor, whether an absence is to be
excused or not. Note that an excessive number of absences may cause
you to fail this course.
3.
EXAMS: There will be two exams, each with 10 short answers and
two essays. The exam essays will be graded according to the following
criteria:
Exams cannot be made up without advance notice for a legitimate reason.
4. CLASS
ASSIGNMENT JOURNAL (CAJ)
Each student is required to write class assignment essays related to assigned readings, film viewings, and discussions in class. The student must hand in the journal assignment on the day due. These assignments must be typed and at least 2-3 pages (500-750 words) in length. The idea of the assignment is to show how you interact with the material you are reading or seeing. You must relate your ideas and opinions to the assigned reading or topic.
The grading for this journal is "outcome based," which means that a particular assignment can be revised or expanded as necessary to meet the established criteria for full credit of 3 points per assignment, assuming the first is handed in on time. No revisions will be accepted after the last official day (Dec. 10) of class. The criteria for grading the CAJ are:
The following are the specific class assignments for the CAJ:
• CAJ # 1 (due 9/26): DEFINING SEXUAL ATTRACTION. Discuss the characteristics that are generally used in your/our society to define a male and a female as "sexy" or sexually attractive. Use examples of pictures or ads from newspapers, magazines, internet, etc. to support these. Then explain what is said to be attractive in these examples? Describe in brief what you think the sexiest male and female are and why you think that way? Based on your reaction to the Small reading, what do you think has shaped your view of sexual attractiveness? Do you think your views conform with our cultural norms?
• CAJ # 2: (due 10/24): LEARNING FROM VANATINAI Lepowsky asks: "What can people in other parts of the world learn from the principles of sexual equality in Vanatinai custom and philosophy?" Based on the points raised in her case study, discuss three important points relating to gender equality and explain how they are relevant for gender relations in our own society.
• CAJ # 3 (due 10/31): ARE SEXIST/FEMINIST JOKES FUNNY? Read over the jokes on the handout and explain what the jokes are saying about male and female relations. You are encouraged to add jokes that you have heard. To what extent are the jokes culturally specific to our own society? Would these jokes be funny to someone from Vanatinai, for example, or any other ethnographic context studied in the course?
5. CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF READING (CAR)
Each student is required to complete a critical analysis of reading (CAR) for two of the assigned readings, as noted. The purpose of this assignment is to improve the student's ability to understand the the style and rhetoric of the text.
The grading for each CAR is "outcome based," which means that a particular assignment can be revised or expanded as necessary to meet the established criteria for full credit of 3 points per assignment, assuming the first is handed in on time. No revisions will be accepted after the last official day (Dec. 10) of class. The criteria for grading the CAR are:
• CAR # 1 (DUE 9/17): Symons vs. Hrdy
[Read the articles by Symons and Hrdy through and mark what you think are the important points. With the book open, go back through the reading and answer the following questions or directions. Focus on the reading, but try to add other supporting information learned in the course. Number each response but do not repeat the question. Do not simply paraphrase what the text says, but put it in your own words.]
1. Symons (pp. 86-95) asks "Is female orgasm an adaptation?" What is his answer and what evidence does he provide for this?
2. Hrdy (p.22) mentions the view of Symons. Explain why she disagrees with Symons and prefers the thesis of Mary Jane Sherfey?
3. Based on what you read and your own views, what do you think? Explain why.
• CAR # 2 (DUE 12/3): Third Sex or Third Gender?
[Read the Ward assignment through and mark what you think are the important points. With the book open, go back through the reading and answer the following questions or directions. Focus on the reading, but try to add other supporting information learned in the course. Number each response but do not repeat the question. Do not simply paraphrase what the text says, but put it in your own words]
1. How does Ward define "third sex"? What do you think she means by a "fourth sex" (p. 173)?
2. What was the Zuni attitude to "natural" male and female roles? How did the status of Zuni two-spirit people get communicated within Zuni culture?
3. Based on your reading of the chapter and earlier readings, should we be speaking of a third sex or a third gender? Explain why.
• Purpose: The aim of this project is to examine an issue raised in the course relevant to the intersection of sexuality and gender. Each student will choose a specific issue, reflecting on its anthropological significance in a cross-cultural (perhaps even cross-species) sense. A key aspect of the assignment is exploring what it means to refer to male and female behavior or interaction as "natural" or "unnatural." One part will be a 15-20 minute class presentation based on one of the important findings of the project and the other will be a reflective essay due at the end of the course. You must meet at least once with the professor before your presentation.
• Issue or Topic: Select one of the following options:
a. Nudity vs. wearing clothing (includes issue of fashion and sexual enticement)
b. Dating and flirtation behavior (includes issue of mate selection)
c. Male violence and domination
d. Promiscuity and human behavior
e. Homosexual or transsexual orientation
f. Your option (if approved by professor)
• Presentation: Prepare a 15-20 minute class presentation to discuss an important finding or methodological issue in your project. I encourage you to be creative rather than simply reading a prepared statement. The idea is not to sum up your project but explore (with the class) an interesting aspect of your project. Here are some suggested options to keep us all from being bored...
a. Act out a scenario (feel free to write and hold a script) relevant to the project. You are welcome to involve friends or classmates in this.
b. Use a game-show format to get your point across (e.g., Jeopardy) and involve the audience.
c. Shoot a video that makes your point (e.g., interviews or scenario).
d. Show video clips or illustrations or use a power-point presentation.
e. Create a short simulation scenario or game for volunteers from the class.
f. Your option (if approved by professor).
• Reflective Essay: The essay should consist of three parts:
1. Explain the purpose and major findings of your project. You must relate this to the class readings and other course material. You are encouraged to use outside material to explore an issue in more depth. NOTE: You may not use extensive quotes (more than 3 lines) in this essay!
2. Explore, as creatively as you wish, what it means to refer to male and female behavior or interaction as "natural" or "unnatural." Part of your essay should include an explanation of the distinction between sex and gender (both its advantages and disadvantages as a binary model).
3. As a way of summing up, respond to the following statement showing why you agree or disagree with it. [For your information, I made up this quote just to see how you will respond.]
"Humans, because they think and have culture, are so radically different from all other animals that it makes little sense to compare them to what other animals (including other primates) do. If we are to understand the evolution of human attitudes towards sex and the resulting gender models, we need to focus on ethnographic data and human literature and art. We can only understand the role our bodies play in our behavioir when we accept that we have the ability to control biological functions and past evolutionary tendencies because of the way our minds have evolved."
NOTE: Place any supporting material, including references, illustrations, data sheets, as an appendix to your essay (this part does NOT count in the page total for the essay.)
• Grading:
The class presentation is worth 5 points:
a. Focus on a specific finding or methodological issue.
b. Effective communication of major points.
c. Relating to class readings and/or other class material
d. Involvement of audience (fellow students and professor)
e. Creativity
The essay is worth 20 points. The major criteria I will use to grade the essay are listed below. Each criterion is worth 2 points: 1 if your work is adequate and 2 if it is impressive.
a. demonstration that the information presented is understood
b. use of relevant and appropriate examples from the course
c. covers an adequate range of issues
d. ability to synthesize rather than merely repeat or describe
e. clarity and coherent explanation of points made
f. effective presentation of main issues regarding gender
g. draws attention to relevance of anthropological views
h. relates the biological to the cultural in probing the sense of "natural"
i. level of effort (including length and presence of abstract)
j. originality and creativity
• Length: 7-9 pages or 1750-2250 words (typed, double-spaced)
• Due Date:
(1) A detailed outline or draft of your essay can be handed in anytime before NOV. 26 for comments without a grade.
(2) The final copy of your essay is due no later than DEC. 13 between 1:30-3:30 pm in 205E Davison. Remember to attach the essay cover sheet handed out by the professor. This must be handed to me by hand. Do not simply leave it in my office box. You are encouraged to hand in your essay on the last day of class. Late papers will have 3 points automatically taken off.
Each student will conduct a web search according to the guidelines given at the class website(http://people.hofstra.edu/faculty/daniel_m_varisco/145web.html). If you need help using the web, please see the professor for assistance. This may be handed in at any time for comments without grade up until 11/26.
Each student in the class has an opportunity to earn 6 extra-credit points. You will receive 3 points for each option done. Attend the event or do the option and write up a 2-3 page discussion of what you got out of it and how it relates to the course material. I am not interested in descriptive information, but rather your reflections on what were the important points and how these relate to the class material and themes. All extra-credit assignments are due NO LATER THAN THE DAY OF THE FINAL EXAM.
- OPTIONS:
- • Film from our library's collection of ethnographic films (not shown in class) listed at the class website) or announced by the professor
- • Relevant lecture or film on anthropology (professor will announce and post at website)
- • Option you suggest and I approve in advance.
Grading in this course is based on a 100 point scale (although the student has the opportunity to earn 103 points in the course). In general, the "A" range will extend from 90-100, the "B" range from 80-89, the "C" range from 70-79, the "D" range starting at 64. The point accumulation breaks down as follows:
ITEM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . TOTAL POINTSExam #1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Exam #2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Class Assignment Journal (CAJ) . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Critical Analysis of Reading (CAR) . . . . . . . . . 6
Project and Essay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Web Critique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Extra Credit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
TOTAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
