Courses Offered

SOC488D. Fundamentals of Gender Discrimination 

Summary: This course is not about women. This course is not about men. This is a course about the discriminatory practices that women and men experience in various settings – public and private. Discrimination can take many forms: Racial, Economic, Political, Religious and Gendered. Arguably, we have all experienced some form of discrimination in our lifetime, and we have also been agents of perpetuating discrimination (whether we have done this consciously or not).

With a focus on the MENA region, this course introduces the fundamentals of Gender Discrimination: What does it look like? What factors perpetuate it? What is its impact on men and women? What can I do to avoid being complicit in discriminatory practices?

The course engages students in active learning using Game Theory, Problem-Based Learning, and Case studies of real scenarios. Students are challenged to question their own practices and perspectives, and they will be expected to contribute to the active formulation of positive and forward-looking solutions.

Course Learning Outcomes:

Upon completing this course, all students will be able to demonstrate:

• A critical understanding of the ways in which Gender Discrimination manifests itself in a range of visual and textual sources;
• An advanced understanding of the contexts that give rise to gendered discriminatory practices;
• A well-developed understanding of the impact that Gender Discrimination has on male and female members of society;
• A stronger sense of awareness and analysis of gender definitions, roles and the goals of gender equality.
• An engagement with the practice of policymaking in relation to gender equity;
• An ability to link the textual learning to practical action, and to disseminate their findings;
• An ability to write critically about their roles as citizens and activists;

Gender Equality in the Workplace

Summary: This course examines the nature of contemporary workplaces and the extent to which equal opportunities are afforded to individuals regardless of their gendered identification or their sexual orientation.  With a focus on the MENA region, we study the politics of the corporate world, the dynamics of scientific careers, the changing nature of leadership in society and politics. Our aim is to understand the ways in which the absence of gender equality impacts on a country’s economic prosperity, on its ability to formulate sustainable and scientifically sound strategies that cope with fragile environments, and on its potential to participate in democratic transitions.

The course engages students in active learning using Game Theory, Problem-Based Learning, and Case studies of real scenarios. Students are challenged to question their own practices and perspectives, and they will be expected to contribute to the active formulation of positive and forward-looking solutions.

Course Learning Outcomes:

Upon completing this course, all students will be able to demonstrate:

• A critical understanding of the ways in which Gender Discrimination manifests itself in a professional setting 
• An advanced understanding of the contexts that give rise to gendered discriminatory practices in the workplace
• A well-developed understanding of the impact that Gender Discrimination has on males and females in work environments
• An engagement with the practice of policymaking in relation to gender equity
• An ability to link the textual learning to practical action, and to disseminate their findings
• An ability to write critically about their role as citizens and activists

Media and Gender

Summary:  This course helps identify, observe, understand, and analyze issues of gender present in traditional as well as social media. It introduces students to the study of gender differences and gender role stereotypes as they affect communication in various contexts (interpersonal relationships among friends, family, and romantic partners, within organizations, and media/advertising) and the implications and consequences of each. Topics covered include the Representation of masculinity and femininity in the media. Gender bias and stereotypes in the portrayal of gender in film, television, internet, and print media. Gendered audiences and gender differences in media reception. Issues of pornography and censorship, in the use of women’s images in advertising and marketing. The role of media transforming as well as perpetuating gender inequality.

Teaching/Learning Methods

• Active learning methods/applied methods: Students will use course concepts in expressing critical thinking and as tools for activism;
• Critical inquiry methods: Students will conduct critical analysis of various media texts and multimedia works using  various theories and approaches;
• Research methods: Students will engage in research and analysis;
• Experiential methods: The instructional method and teaching philosophy for this course is lecture-discussion-creation. Students are encouraged to ask questions, add to/lead the discussion, and will collaborate together in group work as a key component of learning;
• Writing methods: This course includes a term paper that students will draft and revise based on feedback from the Writing Center and the instructor. Students will apply APA guidelines in all writing assignments and improve the quality of their academic writing during the course;
• Activist knowledge: This course will draw on activist knowledge through the assigned materials and by inviting local media activists to lead sessions and facilitate learning.

Course Learning Outcomes

At the completion of this course, students will:

• Identify major concepts related to feminist studies and the study of women and men in the media and culture at large;
• Observe how gender intersects with structural inequalities of race and class and how this is reflected in media and communication practices and the lived experience of individuals;
• Apply feminist and gender concepts and relevant methodologies to the critical study of the representation of women and men in the media and of stereotypical gender roles in society;
• Demonstrate a general knowledge of the changing representations of women across media;
• Demonstrate how different forms of media can raise awareness of social issues related to gender rights and social justice.

Negotiation, Mediation, Conflict Resolution

Summary: “Negotiation”, “Mediation” and “Conflict Resolution” are three key skills that any professional must develop. But these skills are not limited to the workplace. Indeed, the ability to undertake effective cross-cultural, cross-gender discussions is an essential component of academic and social development. Numerous frameworks have been developed to train professionals to lead negotiations and navigate the complexities of conflict situations. Yet, few academic interventions have been developed to introduce undergraduate students to the principles and praxis of successful cross-cultural and cross-gender discussions. To this end, the course covers issues of global and regional import, with a focus on the gendered challenges faced in the MENA region.

The course engages students in active learning using Problem-Based Learning and Case studies of real scenarios. Students are challenged to question their own practices and perspectives, and they will be expected to contribute to the active formulation of positive and forward-looking solutions

This course is predicated on three assumptions that:

• The ability to conduct productive conversations in a volatile, high-stakes situation is an essential component of the emotional and intellectual growth of all undergraduate students
• The understanding of the power politics that are embedded in any conversation is a crucial determinant of our predisposition towards the stakeholders
• Gender power politics must be understood, acknowledged, and carefully managed in order to ensure that negotiations, mediations, and conflict-prone situations are addressed in an equitable manner and with long-lasting outcomes.

Course Learning Outcomes

Upon completing this course, all students will be able to demonstrate:

• A practical understanding of the different models of Negotiation, Mediation, Conflict Prevention and Conflict Resolution presented on the course
• A critical understanding of the ways in which a gender lens can be mainstreamed into negotiation, mediation and decision-making
• An ability to interpret and critique scenarios on negotiation, mediation and decision-making where gender-based considerations are in focus 
• An advanced understanding of the contexts that give rise to gendered discriminatory practices in the negotiation, mediation and decision-making
• A well-developed understanding of the impact that Gender Discrimination has on males and females in negotiation, mediation and conflict resolution
• An ability to link the textual learning to practical action, and to disseminate their findings
• An ability to write critically about their role as citizens and activists