LIBS 118: Gender & Relationships

Course Description

This course will focus on gender and close relationships. We will examine how pop culture (including popular movies and self-help psychology books) tend to construct gender as a naturally occurring dichotomy, emphasizing the "vast" differences between women and men. For example, John Gray's relationship self-help book titled "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" has sold millions of copies and has helped to perpetuate the idea that women and men are so different as to be considered different species. The course will introduce students to perspectives from various disciplines including psychology, sociology, communications and gender studies. Using theory and scientific research from these various disciplines, students will learn to critically examine the ways that gender and close relationships are portrayed in our society.