WMNST 136 Race Gender and Employment

January 13, 2021

Tu/Th: 12:05pm-1:20pm (Remote Synchronous)
Course Objectives:
This course will examine how race and gender affect work in the contemporary United States and how access to opportunities in the labor market is informed by racial and gender stratification in the larger society. We will discuss various dimensions of racial and gender labor market stratification (wages, mobility, benefits, poverty, unemployment, underemployment) as a way to assess groups’ economic position in the labor market. The goal of the course is to interrogate common notions of how people succeed in the labor market and to explore how systemic patterns of exclusion limit opportunities for women and minorities. The course will focus on structural explanations for racial and gender inequality in the labor market rather than purely individualistic ones.
Student Objectives:
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:
• Critically think, discuss and write about the topics of this course.
• Understand why social norms and laws regarding gender, race, and work exist and how they developed.
• Understand how social institutions such as the economy, schools, corporations, and the government influence individuals, workers, and families.
• Use library sources for secondary research.
• Organize and write two effective papers considering how gender and race may influence their intended profession.
WMNST 136 Race Gender and Employment
Required readings for the course are listed in the course outline below, and will be posted on canvas.psu.edu. Students are expected to read each article/chapter before the start of class, and to be prepared to participate in class discussions that relate the readings to the lecture. Students should be prepared to work in breakout sessions to hold active discussions. This is a major expectation of the course, and will be monitored closely for each student’s input.
Course Requirements:
Essays (2) will be worth 30% of your final grade. There will be 2 essay papers in which you will respond to a short essay question regarding topics presented in the class materials.
(due week 6 and week 10)
Quizzes (3) will be 40% of your final grade. There will be 3 short quizzes throughout the semester to assess your understanding of the material presented in class.
(weeks 4, 8, and 12)
Presentations will be worth 10% of the final grade. You will research and lead a discussion on a current issue on race and work or gender and work for the class.
(presentations held during weeks 14 and 15)
Classroom Participation will be worth 20% of your final grade. Classroom participation is an essential part of this class and a great opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the class readings and your ability to connect these readings to concepts from the lectures. A substantial component of the participation grade is CLASS ATTENDANCE as well as class exercises.
Class Attendance Policy
There is a strong link between attendance and performance. While there are no guarantees, students who come to class and pay attention during lectures and discussions, tend both to learn more and receive higher grades. Missing class will influence your class participation grade and your understanding of the material. If you miss class, obtain a copy of the lecture notes from another student in class (I do not provide them nor do I post notes on Canvas) or request access to the video.
Exam/Paper Policy: All students are expected to take the exams at the dates and times assigned. Only serious illness or personal emergency will be accepted as excuses for not taking exams. These should be reported to the instructor, prior to the exam and documentation is required. Unreported absences from an exam will be recorded as a zero for that exam. Make-up exams will consist only of essay questions.
Late assignments will be penalized and will not receive feedback that those turned in on time do. The penalty for late assignments is a 1/3 of a grade per day (for example, a B would become a B-, etc.). If there are circumstances (illness, family emergency, etc.) that are interfering with your ability to complete assignments in a timely manner, it is your responsibility to inform me before the assignment is due (NOT after assignment due dates).
Papers cannot be accepted via e-mail.
Academic Dishonesty: Any instance of academic dishonesty (as defined in the student handbook, including cheating on exams, plagiarism, or collaboration on written assignments) will result in failure of the course. Violations will also be reported to the appropriate University authorities for further action.
Grades:
All students, including those taking the course on a Pass/Fail basis, must submit ALL required work to receive a passing grade.
Grading Scale:
C+ 77-79
A 91.5-100 C 74-76
A- 90-91.4 C- 70-73
B+ 87-89 D+ 67-69
B 84-86 D 64-66
B- 80-83 D- 60-63
F 59 and below