Sociology Unit- Third Year

SEMESTER-1

Course Duration: 45 Hours

SOC 3101 Sociology of Gender

Introduction:

Can female subordination only be fully understood within the context of male domination or
patriarchy? Discussion among feminists regarding the nature, extent and causes of patriarchy has
generated an important debate and not little disagreement. We outline the main divisions within
recent feminist thinking with regard to the nature, causes and significance of patriarchy relations
for women living mainly in modern or modernizing societies.

Course Objective:

This course is intended to raise the awareness of students about socially constructed differences
between roles of men and women.

Learning Outcome

The students are expected to be able to understand the differences between roles of men and
women in the society and at the same time avoid the violence against women in the family life
and working place and discrimination in the social life.

Course Contents

1. Scope and origin of gender studies

2. Conceptual distinction between sex and gender

3. Feminist social theories

4. Gender in the Family

5. Gender in the work place

6. Patriarchy

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7. Violence against women

8. Politics of gender

9. Gender and development

10. Globalization and gender

Lecture Schedule:

Week 1:
Scope and origin of gender studies (3 Hours)

Week 2:
Conceptual distinction between sex and gender (3 Hours)

Week 3:
The role of women- genes and biology (3 Hours)

Week 4:
The role of women- culture and society (3 Hours)

Week 5: (3 Hours)
Socialist Feminism
Radical Feminism

Week 6: (3 Hours)
Liberal Feminism
Marxist Feminism

Week 7: (3 Hours)
Gender in the Family

Week 8: (3 Hours)
Modifications and Alternatives to the family

Week 9 (3 Hours):
Gender in the work place

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Week 10: (2 Hours)
Patriarchy

Week 11: (3 Hours)

Violence against women

Week 12: (3 Hours)

Politics of gender

Week 13: (3 Hours)

Women participation in politics in Sri Lanka

Week 14: (3 Hours)

Gender and development

Week 15: (4 Hours)

Globalization and gender

Assessment Method

Final Examination : 70 Marks

Tutorials/Attendance/Mid Exam/ Presentation : 30 Marks

Total : 100 Marks

(a) Final Examination:

Duration of final question paper for the Semester programme will be three hours. It
will cover all the topics in this syllabus. Students will be required to answer five
questions out of eight.

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 (b) Tutorials/ Presentation/ Attendance:

30 Marks will be allocated based on following criteria.

 10 Marks for Tutorials and Attendance.
 10 Marks for Mid Semester exam.
 10 Marks for Group and individual presentation.

Prescribed Readings:
01. Pamela Abbot & Claire Wallace, 2000 An Introduction to Sociology – Feminist
Perspective, Routledge, Tylor & Francis group, London and New york.

Recommended Readings:

01. Julia T. Wood, Gendered Lives, Thomson Pub, USA, 5th Edition 2003

02. Haralambos,M., Holborn, 2000, Sociology Themes and Perspectives, Collings

Publication.

03. Vickey Randall, 2001Women & Politics, Mcmillan Pub, UK.

04. Allan G. Johnson, 1996 Human Arrangements an Introduction to Sociology,

Bevan and Callaghan.

05. Kamala Bashin, , 1994, What is Partiachy, Social Scientists Association,Colombo.

Web Sites:

www.gender.com
www.genderstudies.com