Instructor: Michelle Hughes Miller, PhD

Class Information: T, TH: 3:35-4:50 p.m. in Faner 1222
Office Hours: T, TH: 8:30-11:30 a.m. in Faner 3436

Contact Information: 453-7633, mhmiller@siu.edu

Required texts:

Chase, Susan E. and Mary F. Rogers. 2001. Mothers and Children: Feminist Analyses and Personal Narratives. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.

Connell, R.W. 2002. Gender. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.

Garey, Anita Ilta. 1999. Weaving Work and Motherhood. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.

Hanigsberg, Julia E. and Sara Ruddick. 1999. Mother Troubles: Rethinking Contemporary Maternal Dilemmas. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.

Additional readings as assigned. They will be available electronically and in the Department of Sociology main office.

Course description:

In sociological scholarship, we have seen over the past thirty years a remarkable increase in our understanding of social practices of domination and oppression, particularly as these practices relate to race, class, gender, and sexuality. Within this scholarship, a highly diverse group of writers have sought explanations for gender differences in experience, interaction, and power. A principle goal this semester will be to examine some of these explanations. We will begin by discussing the traditional theories of gender which emphasize sex roles and biological determinism. These theories rely upon a core argument that there are “natural” differences between men and women that account for our varied life experiences. We will then discuss more contemporary approaches to gender that emphasize the nexus between institutional constraints and social practice. These theories assign agency to individual actors and, by doing so, point out the contested nature of contemporary gender relations.

To explore these contemporary theories we will use the specific example of Motherhood, which is arguably the most widely presumed biological difference between men and women. Using these theories, we will examine motherhood as a contested social category influenced by women’s socially-defined and constrained position. We will also examine motherhood as a set of practices that women use to create their own lives. We will seek an understanding of motherhood within three gender regimes: culture, employment, and the law. Within each of these institutions we will examine the social meanings and expectations of motherhood and look at the contradictions imbedded in the social practices of mothers.

Finally, because sociological understanding has something to say to policy makers, we will interpret these theoretical approaches within the context of social policy. Given a perspective that individuals are both constrained by social forces and actors in the construction of these forces, how can social policy improve the conditions of mothers with specific life experiences?

Course requirements:

This class will be treated as an advanced undergraduate/introductory graduate level course. As such, students are expected to come to each class prepared, to avail themselves of additional information on the topic, and to complete all assignments in a timely manner. There are no additional requirements for graduate students, although higher evaluation standards will be used in grading their materials.

Exams: There will be a take-home final exam in the class. The exam will consist of short answer and long answer essay questions. It is worth 100 points.

Reading journal: Students will be expected to keep a reading journal during the semester. This journal should contain your summary and critique of each reading, along with your response to various questions posed in the class or by the professor. The journal is due at midterm and at the end of the semester. The journal is worth 100 points.

Presentations: Students will be working in small groups to present a set of readings on an identified topic to the class. Each group will be required to develop strategies to teach their fellow students about the assigned materials, and will distribute discussion questions to the class PRIOR to the day of the presentation. A key component of each presentation will be the discussion of the policy implications of your topic. Your presentation is worth 75 points.

The topics for the presentations are:
Group 1: When our Grandmothers were Mothers Group 9: The Mommy Track
Group 2: Rediscovering Fatherhood Group 10: Incarcerated Mothers
Group 3: Experts and Pregnancy Group 11: Single Motherhood
Group 4: Reproductive Technologies Group 12: “Welfare” and Mothers
Group 5: Othermothering Group 13: Surrogate Motherhood
Group 6: Society & Childcare Group 14: Lesbian Motherhood
Group 7: “Pink Collar” mothers Group 15: Bio-Legal Motherhood
Group 8: Shared Parenting Group 16: Religion & Motherhood

Electronic chat board: Students will be expected to respond on-line to class discussion, readings, or lectures every week (15 weeks total) by posting their comments to the on-line class chat board. Your postings are each worth 5 points. The Chat Board can be accessed at: http://wb.lib.siu.edu:80/~soc423-442. You need to access this website and sign in as a new user and follow the directions from there. See the instructor if you have questions. You can also use this board to ask for clarification of assignments, to meet with the professor during her on-line office hours, or to talk privately with a fellow classmate about a group activity.

Final paper: Students will be expected to develop a 10-15 page paper on a topic related to the class. Each paper should have a minimum of 15 citations from academic sources. Your final paper is worth 100 points. More information will be distributed about the paper assignment later.

Attendance is not required nor rewarded. Regular, cogent participation in class activities, however, is worth 50 points. Participation will be evaluated in terms of frequency and quality.

Course policies:

1. Grades: Final grades are determined by combining all points earned and referring to the following scale: A = 447-500 points
B = 397-446 points
C = 347-396 points
D = 297-346 points
F = fewer than 297 points

2. Make-ups: In-class activities, including presentations, can not be made up. Late papers and journals lose 10% of their worth each day they are late.

3. Cheating/Academic Dishonesty: College and university regulations regarding plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty will be upheld in this course. If you are not familiar with the definitions and consequences of cheating or with your rights, refer to your Student Handbook or see an academic advisor.

ANTICIPATED COURSE SCHEDULE:

Date Topic Assigned Reading
8/20 SOCIOLOGY OF GENDER
8/22 Conceptualizing Gender Connell, Ch 1-2, 7

8/27 Biology and difference Connell, Ch 3
8/29 Gender Regimes Connell, Ch 4

9/3 Socializing Gender Connell, Ch 5
9/5 Gender Orders Connell, Ch 6, 8

9/10 CULTURE AND MOTHERHOOD Chase & Rogers: Ch 1
9/12 Social Constructions of Motherhood (Group 1) Chase & Rogers: Ch 2-3

9/17 Cont. (Group 2) Chase & Rogers: Ch 4
9/19 Mother’s Bodies (Group 3) Chase & Rogers: Ch 5-6

9/24 Cont. (Group 4) Chase & Rogers: Ch 7
9/26 The Realities of Mothering (Group 5) Chase & Rogers: Ch 8-9

10/1 Cont. (Journal DUE) Chase & Rogers: Ch 10
10/3 WORK AND MOTHERHOOD Geary, Ch 1-2

10/8 Part-time work (Group 6) Geary, Ch 3-4
10/10 Shift work (Group 7) Geary, Ch 5

10/15 Full-time work (Group 8) Geary, Ch 6
10/17 Sequencing work and motherhood (Group 9) Geary, Ch 7

10/22 Conclusion Geary, Ch 8
10/24 LAW AND MOTHERHOOD H/R: Intro, Kittay

10/29 Mothers Who Harm (Group 10) H/R: Roberts, Minow, Paltrow
10/31 Harm, cont. (Group 11) H/R: Sanger, Nelson

11/5 Valuing Fathers over Mothers (Group 12) H/R: Fineman, Ikemoto
11/7 Two Mothers (Group 13) H/R: Cornell

11/12 Cont. (Group 14) H/R: Shanley
11/14 No Class– library research

11/19 Defining “Mother” (Group 15) H/R: Cooey, Davis
11/21 Cont. (Group 16) H/R: Miller-McLemore

Week of 11/25 Thanksgiving break– No classes!

12/3 Two legal morality tales; (Research paper DUE) H/R: Perales, Nedelsky
12/5 Class wrap-up; (Journal DUE)

Thursday, 12/12, 12:50-2:50 p.m. FINAL EXAM DUE