THE SOCIOLOGY OF GENDER A Brief Introduction Second Edition

Laura Kramer, Monclair State University preface by Judith Lorber, Brooklyn College and Graduate School at the City University of New York, Emerita foreword by Beth B. Hess, County College of Morris

ISBN: 1-931719-13-6 softbound, 227 pages, ©2005

Instructor Manual/Testing Program Available Lisa Frehill, New Mexico State University Barbara L. Burrell, New Mexico State University ISBN: 1-931719-75-6 softbound, 131 pages, ©2005 To obtain access to this material, click here. If you have proper access, click here for the PDF or click here for the Word DOC.

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"Kramer has composed a concise, accurate, 'core' text on the sociology of gender. The information is reflective of the current state of the field, including scholarship at the forefront of the sociology of gender in the last five years (and earlier, as appropriate). The book is as close to perfectly organized as I believe we'll find." --Meg Wilkes Karraker, University of St. Thomas The Second Edition of Laura Kramer's "essentials" gender text provides an overview of basic sociological concepts and perspectives on gender--presented in a concise, accessibly written format. Focused chiefly on gender in the contemporary United States, the book integrates historical background to help communicate the magnitude of changes in the gender system and the macro-, middle-, and micro-level forces at play. The text emphasizes both the influences of and the interaction of social structure and culture in women's and men's lives.   Throughout, the text integrates variations in the meanings of gender related to race-ethnicity and social class. Current research informs all discussions, and historical background helps students understand the dynamic nature of gender systems and the importance of social action. THE SOCIOLOGY OF GENDER's explicitly sociological approach provides an alternative to--and critiques of--biological and psychological approaches to gender and sexual orientation. The popularity of these approaches is itself analyzed to encourage students' critical thinking. The chapter on culture presents traditionally dominant and changing versions of femininities and masculinities, examining how these are communicated through language, mass media, and religion. The coverage on religion is expanded in the new edition, as is the discussion of knowledge professionals. A focus on cultural change concludes this chapter, with an examination of the importance of both social structural and cultural forces in maintaining or changing cultural content. The topic of individual agency and resistance, introduced in the first chapter, is carried throughout discussions of culture and socialization. The section on social interaction is expanded, and discussions of learning and doing gender through the life course are reorganized and updated. Separate sections on sexuality, the body, and health are new. A new chapter on education complements revised chapters on the family, work and the economy, and the legal and political systems. In addition to the integration of more recent research and government statistics, the Second Edition offers expanded discussions of the work-family interface, same-sex relationships, and feminist activism. Kramer's style is highly readable, and the content is rich and varied. Each chapter features illustrations from everyday life. The book does not presume prior sociology coursework or a high level of statistical sophistication. Students will relate to the numerous real-world examples, brief definitions, and the avoidance of unnecessarily specialized language. More current examples have replaced those from the First Edition where appropriate. A glossary, indices, and discussion questions at the end of each chapter add to the volume's accessibility--inviting the student to move from passive reading to active application. An Instructor's Manual/Testing Program is available. TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface (by Judith Lorber) Foreword (by Beth Hess) 1. Introduction What Is the Sociology of Gender? Social Institutions and Social Change The Development of Feminist Scholarship Leading Perspectives Feminist Methods of Inquiry Technology and Social Change Looking Ahead Discussion Questions 2. Culture and Ideology Ideologies of Gender Situating Gender-Based Ideology Within Culture Contemporary Ideologies of Gender What About Race and Ethnicity? Language and the Transmission of Culture Mass Media and the Transmission of Culture The Impact of the Mass Media Religion and Gender Knowledge Professionals Biological and Medical Science Culture, Social Structure, and Cultural Change Summary Discussion Questions 3. Learning and Doing Gender Socialization Socialization as Social Control The Schema Model, Significant Others, and Individual Development Gender in Childhood Adolescence Adulthood: Gender and Sexuality Family and Occupational Roles Social Change and Resocialization Doing Gender Social Interaction and the Everyday Negotiation of Gender Gender and the Body Summary Discussion Questions 4. The Family and Intimate Relationships A Social Group and a Social Institution Patterns of Family Structure The Importance of the Household and Family for Society Emotional and Sexual Intimacy Providing for the Household Housework Reproduction Child Rearing Caring for Kin Technology and the Family Violence in Intimate Relationships Summary Discussion Questions 5. Education Schools: The Middle Level of Social Life Formal Curricula and Instructional Materials The Informal Curriculum Academic Achievement Higher Education Fields of Study Sexual Harassment in Education Affirmative Action in Educational Institutions Employment in Schools, Colleges, and Universities Gender and Athletics Summary Discussion Questions 6. The Economy and Work The New Political Economy Ideology and the Economy Economic Opportunities and Gender Segregation at Work Explaining the Segregation of Occupations and Jobs Changing the Gendering of Work Gender on the Job Alternatives to Employment Homelessness and Gender Explaining Gendered Economics Summary Discussion Questions 7. The Political and Legal System Political Life Is Dynamic Feminist Activism: The Right to Vote The Second Wave The Third Wave Men's Activism Affirmative Action: Legal Change and Social Resistance Activism Around Sexualities and Sex Identification Thinking About Political Action Economics and Politics Gender Ideology and Social Control Justice and Gender Sex, Race, and Inequity Technology and Public Policy Summary Discussion Questions 8. The Changing Gender System A Changing Economy and a Changing Culture An Ongoing Endeavor: Studying the Sociology of Gender Discussion Questions