Department of Psychology, Unit Catalogue 2006/07

PS50098 Understanding gender relations

Credits: 6

Level: Masters

Semester: 2

Assessment: ES60RT40

Requisites:

In taking this unit you cannot take PS30084

Aims:
* To encourage a critical understanding of the key theoretical and empirical research within mainstream social psychological approaches to the study of gender relations;
* To develop students' knowledge of the main feminist perspectives on gender relations and their relevance for social psychology;
* To promote a critical understanding of the main areas of theoretical and empirical research within critical social psychology which draw on feminist approaches;
* To encourage students to apply a range of mainstream, feminist and critical social psychological approaches to specific issues of relevance to gender relations.
* To develop students' critical understanding of the relationship between social relations around gender and class, ethnicity and sexuality.
Learning Outcomes:
After successful completion of this course students should be able to:
* Describe and discuss the value of mainstream social psychological approaches to the study of gender relations, including research on the psychology of sex differences, theories of gender-role socialisation and Social Identity Theory.
* Critically evaluate various feminist perspectives with reference to their relevance for social psychological research, including liberal, Marxist, radical, psychoanalytic and Black feminist approaches.
* Compare and contrast the value of mainstream, feminist and critical social psychological approaches to the study of gender relations.
* Evaluate the application of mainstream, feminist and critical social psychological approaches to specific issues of relevance for gender relations.
Skills:
* Cross-cultural and interpersonal sensitivity (T/F A)
* Comprehensive and scholarly written communication (T/F A)
* Effective oral communication (T/F)
* Ability to select, summarise and synthesise written information from multiple sources (T/F A)
* Ability to develop rigorous arguments through precise use of concepts and models (T/F A)
* Ability to synthesise multidisciplinary perspectives on the same problem (T/F A)
* Ability to select and use appropriate ideas to produce a coherent response to a pre-set question (T/F A)
* Ability to produce work to agreed specifications and deadlines (T/F A)
* Ability to work independently, without close supervision or guidance (T/F A)
* Ability to work effectively as part of a group or team (T/F)
Content:
The course will cover: (1) Mainstream social psychology approaches to gender, including psychology of sex differences research, gender stereotyping and sex-role socialisation theory, social identity theory and evolutionary approaches; (2) Feminist approaches, including Liberal, Marxist and Radical feminist approaches, psychoanalytic theory and Black feminism; and (3) Critical social psychology approaches, including research on identity and subjectivity, embodiment, language and discourse, and representations. In the seminar section of the classes, students will facilitate discussion on the following topics: gender and mental health; family life; waged and unwaged work; men and masculinities; gender and language; rape and sexual violence; body image and eating disorders; romance and sexuality.

University | Catalogues for 2006/07