Course Description:
This course is designed to introduce students to the study of gender and U.S. politics including the central questions, concepts, and debates in the field. Students will be expected to develop a theoretical framework and analytic tools for studying the relationship between gender and politics. The course is also intended to teach students about the research process and to strengthen students’ analytic, critical thinking, written, and oral communication skills.
We will analyze the participation of women in American political life; examine women’s public roles and the effects of feminism in altering women’s public roles in both historical and contemporary contexts; delve into women’s participation in electoral politics; study women’s behavior and influence as public officials; analyze the intersection of gender with other categories such as race/ethnicity and political party; and examine the relationship between gender and policymaking. We will discuss current events.