Family, Work & Gender
SYG 4390 Section 053A 3 Credit Hours
Tuesdays Period: 4 & Thursdays Period 4-5
Turlington 2342
Instructor: Heidi Steinour
Office Location: Turlington 3331
Email:
Office Hours: Tuesdays and Wednesday 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. or by appointment. If you need to reach me outside of these hours I will be available by email until 8:00 p.m. I will do my best to respond to your inquiry within 24 hours.
Course website: Sakai/E-Learning
Prerequisite : SYG 2000.
Required text:
1)Stone, Pamela. 2007. Opting Out?:Why Women Really Quit Careers and Head Home.University of California Press.
2)Kaufman, Gayle. (2013). Superdads: How Fathers Balance Work and Family in the 21st Century. New York University Press.
3)Gerson, Kathleen. (2011). The Unfinished Revolution. Cary, NC: Oxford University Press.
4)All other materials will be accessible on the course website under the resources page
Purpose of Course
This course is designed to explore the intersections between family, gender and work. More specifically we will discuss what constitutes a family, how gender is constructed and look at how the institution of family, gender roles, work culture are integrated into work practices, policies, and programs.
Course Objectives: By the end of this course, students will:
* Examine how the intersections of family and gender construct work environments, meaning of work and gender roles from a sociological perspective
* Connect how work place cultures are created and how family and gender can hinder or promote a health work experience.
* Identify and interpret the different social approaches and models of gender focusing on how society defines gender, males and females and families.
* Be able to articulate the complex nature of motherhood and fatherhood and how the evolution of family is changing
*Develop ways in which companies, corporations and academic institutions can enhance work experience by examining pros and cons to family friendly work policies
Course Policies
1) Attendance Policy: You must come to class regularly because part of your grade will be made up of attendance and class participation. We will be covering lots of information every class period and some of the materials on the tests will only be discussed during a class period. Therefore, it is in your best interest to attend class as much as possible. If you are absent from class it is your responsibility to make up any work that was missed as well as find someone to update you on the notes you may have missed by not attending. If you would like to be considered for an excused absence please email me before the class period has begun, if possible, otherwise within 24 hours of the missed period.
For an absence to be excused it must meet the requirements of the University of Florida undergraduate catalog. You can find more information on this at In order to be excused from a class period I will need any required documentation shown to me before the beginning of the next class you attend.
2) CheckEmail: You will need to check your email regularly as I will be sending out information about the class, changes in the syllabus, class cancellations, make up times or a change in meeting rooms via email.
3) Respect in The Class Room: This applies to all class material, the teacher and to opinions or questions from your fellow students. Being respectful in class includes but is not limited to: being late to class, exiting class early, and being disruptive (which means no cell phones, no texting and no use of laptops for purposes outside of class materials or notes). You also must maintain a high level respect for the opinion of others while discussing social issues in the classroom. Some of the topics we are going to be discussing will be considered controversial and many of you may have differing opinions which is excellent. However, everyone must foster a safe environment for anyone who wants to speak their opinions about a subject matter. I have always found that learning from the opinions of others, even if we do not agree, is an excellent way to broaden your mind and develop the ability to understand other's points of views. You may not bring food into the classroom except for light snacks and drinks with a lid.
University Policies
Accommodating Students with Disabilities: Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities. Students requesting accommodation must first register themselves with the Dean of Students Office at The Dean of Students Office will provide you with documentation that you must give to the instructor before any assignments, quizzes or tests are administered. Accommodations are not retroactive.
Academic Dishonesty: In order to abide by the university standard for academic honesty please familiarize yourself with the UF Academic Honor Code. This can be found online at Academic Dishonesty includes (but is not limited to) plagiarism in any form (internet, book, student etc.) as well as sharing answers on any take home assignments, tests, exercises or any other class work. You are not allowed to use cellphones or computers during tests, quizzes or assignments.
Getting Help
If you are having technical issues with E-learning or your email please contact the UF Helpdesk or visit them next to the Starbucks in the Hub.
*
- 352-392-Help, option 2
**Any requests for make-up due to technical issues must be submitted to me within 24 hours of experiencing difficulty. This request must be accompanied by an ISS ticket number so that timing of when the problem was reported can be verified.
Other Resources:
- Counseling and Wellness
- Disability Resources
- Resources for student concerns (distance.ufl.edu/student-complaints)
- Library Support Helpdesk
Course Requirements
Article Reviews (25% of your grade)
Each Tuesday you will be required to submit a 2-page, double-spacedreview ofthat week’s readings. Be sure to include the author’s main points, how these articles enhance your understanding of the relationship between family, work, and gender, and any critiques you may want to present. Additionally, please include at least two discussions questions that you want to raise in class in reference to the articles. Questions you may want to take up: What intrigued you? What did you agree or disagree with? How does this article help you better understand the topic at hand? How does this information tie in with other topics we have covered so far in this course? Response papers are intended to get students thinking outside the box about current issues regarding family, gender, and work. A good response paper will demonstrate the ability to evaluate theories, concepts, and ideas presented in class for the purpose of applying this knowledge to resolutions.
Thought papers will be due at the beginning of class the following Tuesday (therefore you will have the weekend to work on them). Each paper should be typed and double-spaced. Please note that you have to be present in class to get credit for this assignment. Emailed papers will not be accepted. There will be no make-up for thought papers without an excused absence. To be considered for make-ups you must email me within 24 hours of the class period.
Participation and Attendance (25% of your grade)
25% of your overall grade will be based on your attendance and participation in class. It is very important that you attend class regularly as learning occurs from interactions and discussion with your classmates and me. Aside from attendance you must participate in class. If you come to class and do not speak you will not receive all of these points.
Literature Review (60% of your grade)
Over the course of the semester we will be discussing broad bodies of scholarship on family, work, and gender. The purpose of the literature review is to give you the opportunity to dive deeper into a topic of your interest. You may draw on the readings and discussion from class but you must incorporate an additional 5 peer reviewed journal articles to support your review. Your goal in this paper is to identify and summarize major findings of previous research conducted on your topic. You must also include a discussion of how previous literature fits into broader understandings and themes related to work on family, work, and gender. You will also need to provide an analysis of what this body of literature is missing and how future researchers could build on it to understand your topic more thoroughly. This paper is to be 8-10 pages in length, typed, and double-spaced. The paper will be dueby 5:00 p.m. on May 1st. More information will be given in class.
As part of the requirements for this assignment students must construct a preliminary review that introduces the topic of their choice, identifies relevant academic literature, and outlines their intentions for the content of the paper. This review will be shared with a classmate who will provide initial feedback for your consideration. Once you receive feedback from your partner you will have the opportunity to make any necessary changes and then submit the preliminary review and a copy of your peer’s review to me in class on February 27th.
Course Schedule:
January 6th: Introduction to the Course & Syllabus Review
Beauregard, T., Ozbilgin, Mustafa, & Bell, Myrtle. (2007). Revisiting the social construction of family in the context of work. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 24 (1), 46-65.
January 8th: Conceptualizing Family & Work
Namaguchi, K.M. (2009). Change in work-family conflict. Journal of Marriage and family, 71, 15-32.
Abbott, Andrew. 1993. “The Sociology of Work and Occupations.” Annual Review of Sociology 19: 187-209.
January 13th: Family & the Time Bind
Hochschild, Arlie Russell. (1997). The Time Bind: Working USA
Jacobs, Jerry, & Gerson, Kathleen. (2001). Overworked Individuals or Overworked Families? Work & Occupations, 28 (1), 40-63.
January 15th: Family & the Time Bind
Lyn Craig & Killian Mullan. (2010). Parenthood, Gender and Work-Family Time in the United States, Australia, Italy, France, and Denmark. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72 (5), 1344-1361.
Maume, David, & Bellas, Marcia. The Overworked American or The Time Bind? American Behavioral Scientist, 44 (7), 1127-1156.
January 20th: Gender & Division of Household Labor
Brines, Julie. (1994). Economic Dependency, Gender, and the Division of Labor at Home. American Journal of Sociology 100, 652-688.
Thompson, Linda. 1991. "Family Work: Women's Sense of Fairness." Journal of
Family Issues, 12, 181-196.
January 22nd: Division of Household Labor: What constitutes Labor?
Hook, Jennifer L. (2004). Reconsidering the Division of Household Labor: Incorporating Volunteer Work and Informal Support. Journal of Marriage and Family 66,101-117.
Coltrane, Scott. (2000). Research on Household Labor: Modeling and Measuring the Social Embeddedness of Routine Family Work. Journal of Marriage and the Family 62: 1208-1233.
January 27th: Family & Work
Bianchi, Suzanne M. and Melissa A. Milkie. 2010. “Work and Family Research in the First Decade of the 21st Century” Journal of Marriage and the Family 72: 705-25.
Maume, David J. 2006. “Gender Differences in Restricting Work Effort Because of Family Responsibilities.” Journal of Marriage and Family 68: 859-869.
January 29th: Gender & Work
Schilt, Kristen. 2006. “Just One of the Guys? How Transmen Make Gender Visible at Work.” Gender & Society 20:465-90.
Correll, Shelley, Stephen Benard, and In Paik. 2007. “Getting a Job: Is There a Motherhood Penalty?” American Journal of Sociology 112:1297–1338.
February 3rd: Mothering, Work, and Family
Stone, Pamela. 2007. Opting Out?:Why Women Really Quit Careers and Head Home.University of California Press. Selection: Chapters 1-4
Anita Garey, “Constructing Motherhood on the Night Shift: ‘Working Mothers’ as ‘Stay-at- Home Moms’”, Qualitative Sociology, Vol. 18, No. 4. (1995), pp. 415-37. (Suggested)
February 5th: Mothering, Work, and Family Cont.
Stone, Pamela. 2007. Opting Out?:Why Women Really Quit Careers and Head Home.University of California Press. Selection: Chapters 5-9
Johnston, Dierdre & Swanson, Debra. (2006). Constructing the “Good Mother”: The Experience of Mothering Ideologies by Work Status. Sex Roles, 54 (7-8), 509-519.
February 10th: Fathering, Work, and Family
Kaufman, Gayle. (2013). Superdads: How Fathers Balance Work and Family in the 21st Century. New York University Press. Selection: Chapters 1-4
February 12th: Fathering, Work, and Family Cont.
Kaufman, Gayle. (2013). Superdads: How Fathers Balance Work and Family in the 21st Century. New York University Press. Selection: Chapters 5-8
United Nations. (2011). Men in Families and Family Policy in a Changing World. Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Duckworth, John & Buzzanell, Patrice. (2009). Constructing Work-Life Balance and Fatherhood: Men’s Framing of the Meaning of Both Work and Family. Communication Studies, 60 (5), 558-573. (Suggested).
February 17th: Stay At Home Fathers
Rochlen, Aaron, Suizzo, Marie-Anne, McKelley, Ryan, & Scaringi, Vanessa. (2008). “I’m just providing for my family:” A qualitative study of stay-at-home fathers. Psyschology of Men & Masculinity, 9 (4), 193-206.
Medved, Caryn, & Rawlins, William. (2011). At home fathers and breadwinning mothers: variations in constructing work and family lives. Women & Language,34 (2), 9-39.
*Chesley, Noelle. (2011). Stay-At-Home Fathers and Breadwinning Mothers: Gender, Couple Dynamics and Social Change (Suggested)
February 19th: Stay At Home Mothers
Chaker, Anne MarieStout, Hilary. (2004). Stay-at-Home Moms Struggle to Revive Their Careers. Retrieved from
Dillaway, Wayne & Pare, Elizabeth. (2008). Locating Mothers: How Cultural Debates About Stay-at-Home Versus Working Mothers Define Women and Home. Journal of Family Issues, 29 (4): 437-464.
February 24th: Parenting, Work, & Children
Melissa A. Milkie, Sarah M. Kendig, Kei M. Nomaguchi, &Kathleen E. Denn. (2010). Time With Children, Children's Well-Being, and Work-Family Balance Among Employed Parents. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72 (5), 1329-1343.
Goldberg, W.A., Prause, J.A., Lucas-Thompson, R., & Himsel, A. (2008). Maternal employment and children’s achievement in context: A meta- analysis of four decades of research. Psychological Bulletin, 134, 77-108.
February 26th: Parenting, Work, & Children
Bianchi, Suzanne M. 2000. “Maternal Employment and Time with Children: Dramatic Change or Surprising Continuity?” Demography. 37, 4: 401-14.
Strober, Myra,Gerlach-Downie, Suzanne Yeager, Kenneth. (1995). Child Care Centers as Workplaces. Feminist Economics, pp. 93-119. (Suggested)
*Preliminary Reviews Due
March 2nd-8th: No Class – Spring Break
March 10th: Work-Life Balance
Perrons Diane (2003) The New Economy and the Work-Life Balance: Conceptual Explorations and a Case Study of New Media. Gender, Work and Organization 10 (1): 65-93.
Smithson Janet and Stokoe Elizabeth (2005) Discourses of Work-Life Balance: Negotiating ‚Genderblind’ Terms in Organisation. Gender, Work and Organization 12(2): 147-168.
Liff Sonia and Cameron Ivy (2002) Changing Equality Cultures to Move Beyond Women’s Problems. Gender, Work, & Organization 4(1): 35-46.
March 12th: Work Life Balance
I don’t know how she does it? (2011) Film Premiere
March 17th: Work Life Content
In Class Activity- Analysis of Media Content
March 19th: No Class – Working Day
March 24th:Generational Changes in Work, Gender, & Family
Gerson, Kathleen. (2011). The Unfinished Revolution. Cary, NC: Oxford University Press. (First Half of Book)
March 26th: Change is Work, Gender, & Family
Gerson, Kathleen. (2011). The Unfinished Revolution. Cary, NC: Oxford University Press. (Second Half of Book)
March 31st: Occupational Discrimination & Wage Gap
Waldfogel, Jane. (1998). “Understanding the “Family Gap” in Pay for Women with Children.Journal of Economic Perspectives, pp. 137-156.
Bernhardt, Annette, Martina Morris, and Handcock, Mark. (1995). Women’s Gains of Men’s Losses? A Closer Look at the Shrinking Gender Gap in Earnings.American Journal of Sociology 101(2):302-328.
April 2nd: Occupational Discrimination & Wage Gap
Elliott, James Smith, Ryan. (2004). Race, Gender, & Workplace Power.American Sociological Review 69(3):365-386.
Hodges, Melissa J. and Michelle J. Budig. 2010. “Who Gets the Daddy Bonus?: Organizational Hegemonic Masculinity and the Impact of Fatherhood on Earnings.” Gender & Society 24: 717- 745.
April 7th: Global Perspectives- Europe
Gregory, Abigail, & Milner, Susan. (2011). Fathers and Work-Life Balance in France and the UK: Practice and Policy.
Morgan, Kimberly, & Zippel, Kathrin. (2003). Paid to Care: The Origins and Effects of Care Leave Work
April 9th: Global Perspectives
Wadefogel, Jane, Higuchi, Yoshio, & Abe, Masahiro. (1999). Family leave policies and women's retention after childbirth: Evidence from the United States, Britain, and Japan.
Pocock, Barbara. (2005). Work-life ‘balance’ in Australia: Limited progress, dim prospects.
Aycan, Zeynep, & Eskin, Mehmet. (2005). Relative Contributions of Childcare, Spousal Support, and Organizational Support in Reducing Work–Family Conflict for Men and Women: The Case of Turkey
.
April 14th: Policy and Solutions
Cook, Alison. (2009). Connecting Work-Family Policies to Supportive Work Environments. Group and Organization Management, 34, 206.
Hartmann, Heidi. (2004). Policy Alternatives for Solving Family-Work Conflicts. Annals of American Academy of Political and Social Science, 596, 226-231.
April 16th: Policy and Solutions
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Greenhaus, J.H. (2006). When work and families are allies: A theory of work-family enrichment. Academy of management review, 31, 72-92
Voydanoff, Patricia. (2005). Towards a Conceptualization of Perceived Work-Family Fit and balance: a demands and rewards approach. Journal of Marriage and Family, 67 (4), 822-836.
April 21st: Conclusions and Future Questions
Readings TBD
*This syllabus is tentative and is subject to change based on university closing, inclement weather, sickness or other factors.