California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
English Department
Dr. Johanna Rubba
LAST UPDATED 9/19/11

• Week 1  9/19-21
• Unit 1: Foundations
  
  
  • Gender as a social category
    • Social constructionism vs. essentialism
    • Gender vs. sex vs. sexual behavior
      • Readings: Talbot Ch. 1, Bing and Bergvall
        
        
  • Language in thought and culture
    • The role of language in social construction
    • Language about gender vs. gendered language behavior
      • Readings: Sheldon, Gastil, Leap, Eisikovits
        
        
• Week  2  9/26-28
• Unit 1 Continued
• Unit 2: Theories and methods of language and gender research
  • Methods:
    • Critical Discourse Analysis vs. empirical studies
  • Theory:
    • Deficit, Dominance, and Difference models
      • Readings: Talbot Chs. 7 & 8, Morrish
        
        
• Weeks 3 - 5   10/3-5, 10/10-12, 10/17-19
• Project Proposal due 10/6
• Unit 2 Continue as needed
• Unit 3: How gender is constructed
  • Discourses and power
    • Readings: Pollack, Mehren, Talbot Chs. 9 & 10
      
      
• Weeks 6 - 8   10/24-26, 10/31-11/2, 11/7
• >>MIDTERM EXAM Mon., 10/24<<
• Unit 4: Sexist language
  • How the words and sentences of language express the organization of gender in a culture
  • How changes in language (and conflict about such changes) both reflect and help create a new organization of gender
  • Political Correctness & Backlash
    • Readings: Graddol & Swann; August; Talbot Ch. 11; Miller, Swift, & Maggio; Mills
      
      
• Weeks 8-9: 11/9, 11/14-16
• Unit 5: Gendered language; the role of language in gender performance
  • Gender-typical language
    • Readings: Meyers, Talbot Ch. 3 "Sex, gender, and voice quality" only
  • The Difference Model
    • Reading: Maltz & Borker
  • Situational vs. gendered determinants of language
    • Reading: O'Barr & Atkins
      
      
• Weeks 10-11: 11/21, 11/28-30
• No class 11/23 - Travel Day
  • Wiggle room: Continue previous unit if needed
  • Presentation and discussion of your research projects
  • Papers due 11/30
  • Final exam review session last hour of class 11/30
    
    
• Exam week  12/5-9
  • Final exam: Weds., 12/7, 1:10 pm