The following questions are ways in which you can relate the materials you are reading to the issues and concepts covered in the course. They will also serve as possible questions for the first exam. Remember to bring a blue book and scantron sheet to the exam

1) In Part I ch. 2 in Renzetti and Curran discusses the differing theoretical explanations for gender difference and presents a discussion of the biological verses cultural explanations for human behavior. Compare these different approaches to understanding human behavior. Discuss the area of concern, major focus and concepts used to account for different behavior of men and women.

2)  Socialization, the way in which we teach children adult gender roles, is an important process in the maturation of an individual.  Several researchers discuss the function of the family in teaching gender roles (Renzetti and Curran Ch.4).  What points do these authors make in common and what areas do they differ in explaining how boys become men and girls become women

3) Discuss the impact of the acceptance of male behavior and experience as the norm on the lives of women.  Give examples.

4)  What is the main theme of Eileen Leonard's book, Women, Technology and the Myth of Progress?   Give specific examples of the impact of technological change on the lives of women in different areas discussed in the parts of the book assigned so far.

5) The film "He Said, She Said’ by Deborah Tannen, the articles on Online reserve and the web page for the course, and the material discussed in class indicate that gendered language and the use of language by men and women are significantly different.  How are they different?  Give examples (from the articles in the Issues Reader, film and your own) to illustrate your points.(See Ch. 6 in Renzetti and Curran)    Discuss the underlying assumptions about gender that these patterns reflect.

6) The article  "Speech Patterns" on the class webpage and observations made by Deborah Tannen in the film "He Said, She Said" indicate that men interrupt women while women are less likely to interrupt men or other women, that women tend to use more tentative phrases, tag questions, and make their statements questions and that what men and women do will be perceived differently when the behavior is the same. Give examples (from the articles and your own) of the above situations. Discuss the differences expected of men and women that these patterns reflect.

7) In Alice Kessler-Harris's article, "Women Work and the Social Order (online reserve),"  she is exploring the relationship between ideas about women, their labor force participation and their compensation. See also Renzetti and Curran Ch. 8. 

a) What ideas about women and their role in the economy does she refer to?

b) Which women were socialized to staying at home, and which to work, and why?

c) How have the differing needs of the economy and the family affected women's labor force participation?

d) What role does gender stereotyping play in compensating women for their work?

8) The formal process of education in the public and private school systems in the United States plays an important role in perpetuating gender relationships (see Renzetti and Curran Ch. 5). Schools are criticized in the areas of curriculum, access and practice. The authors make several criticisms of our education system.

a)What are the authors' main points?

b) Young women seem to be doing well in learning when measured by standardized tests and enrollment in college, how are these criticisms answered by the authors?

9)  What is meant by gender equity in education?  What impact has Title IX had on college and professional women?

10) Discuss the relationship between economic changes and changes in family structure and purpose and the role of education.  

11) What is the hidden curriculum and what role does it play in perpetuating gender difference?

* If the question has multiple parts, be sure you have answered each one.

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