GENDER AND POLICY

SOC 6344
University of Texas at Dallas
Fall 2010

Professor: Sheryl Skaggs, Ph.D. Seminar: Monday 7:00 – 9:45 PM

Office: GR 2.531 Room: GR 3.606
Phone: 972-883-4460 Office Hours: M 6:15–6:45 PM;
E-Mail: slskaggs@utdallas.edu W 3:00–3:30 PM
(or by appointment)

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES:

Despite the gains made by women in the workplace, educational institutions, politics, healthcare and
the law during the past century, inequalities based on sex and gender still remain within these arenas.
This course explores the issues of sex and gender in public policy, particularly in the areas of
employment, families, health, welfare, and politics. The key objectives of this course are to: 1)
critically assess public policy documents 2) analyze the gender and racial bias in public policy 3)
determine what policies contribute to closing the gender gaps in various public and private spheres 4)
develop skills for organizing and writing policy documents.

REQUIRED TEXTS AND READINGS:

Women and Public Policy: A Revolution in Progress. M. Margaret Conway, David W. Ahern, and
Gertrude A. Steuernagel. CQ Press 2005.

Beyond Reproduction. Karen Baird. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press 2009.

Balancing Work and Family: The Role of the Workplace. Jacqueline Wallen. Allyn and Bacon 2002.

Reserved readings from McDermott Library.

*You will be responsible for the material covered in all of these sources.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

Students are expected to complete the weekly readings prior to class, to attend all classes and to
participate in discussion. Course grades are based on the following requirements:

• Weekly seminar attendance (5% of your course grade)

• Students, working together in small assigned groups, will prepare two to three discussion
questions that highlight key points from a particular week’s readings. Assignment to a small
group and a topic will be made by the professor no later than the second week of class. This
will comprise your course participation grade and will be worth 10% of your total grade.
 • One take-home examination based on course readings and seminar discussions. The exam
will comprise 30% of your course grade and consist of essay questions that require a thorough
use of course materials. Absolutely no late exams will be accepted!

• Two 3 page case responses that specifically address issues of gender in public policy. The
cases will be assigned in class and require critical assessment of the key issues and
examination of the role gender plays in the policy development (15% of your course grade).

• A 10-12 page research/policy paper that examines a policy, set of policies, or piece of
legislation (pending or already passed) related to gender in the sphere of work, health,
welfare, education or politics. For further detail regarding this paper, see section in the
syllabus titled “Research/Policy Paper.” The paper will comprise 30% of your course grade.

• Oral presentation of research/policy paper using PowerPoint (10% of your course grade).

COURSE EVALUATION/GRADING:

Evaluation of the student will be based upon performance on examinations, class participation,
attendance and a term paper. The grade will be determined on a percentage of the total points
earned. If the student earns 93% of total points or more, the grade will be an A; 90% - 92% will be an
A-; 87% - 89% = B+; 83% - 86% = B; 80% - 82 % = B-; 77% - 79% = C+; 73% - 76% = C; 70% - 72%
= C-; 69% or below = F.

RESEARCH/POLICY PAPER

The paper should be 10 to 12 typed pages with 1” margins and 12 point font. You are to:

1) Select a policy issue or piece of legislation (pending or passed) and fully describe the key
components.

2) If selecting a policy, the paper should include a critical review of the relevant research in the
topic area and assessment of the strengths and limitations. In other words, what potential gaps
exist between what we know about the topic through various research studies and what
remains unclear? You can choose to cover a policy specific to the U.S., one from another
country, or one that cuts across cultures or geographic spaces. You should analyze your topic
from a gender perspective and will want to consider the element of time (e.g., a recent policy
issue related to gender or one that has been around for decades). Lastly, based on the facts
presented, address what you believe to be the most powerful strategy (or strategies) for
improving the lives of women and men in this area (back up your position with the literature).
Consider whether the government should provide a universal policy or set of policies that
would create a more equal playing field and what role organizations, individuals and/or groups
of individuals should play.

Examples: workplace policies/benefits, work/family policies, health policies related to specific

conditions, etc.

3) If selecting a piece of legislation, the paper should analyze the law from a gender perspective.
Describe the forces in favor and opposed to it, articulate their positions, and provide insight
regarding how their ideologies inform their stance on the legislation. Does the legislation go far
 enough? Does it go too far? Explain your perspective. And lastly, provide an analysis
regarding the implications of this legislation.

Examples: welfare legislation, parental leave (FMLA), child care (CCDBG), etc.

GENERAL POLICIES

For information regarding UT Dallas policy on the following topics go to:

http://go.utdallas.edu/syllabus-policies

• Off-campus Instruction and Course Activities

• Student Conduct & Discipline
• Academic Integrity
• Email Use
• Withdrawal from Class
• Student Grievance Procedures
• Incomplete Grade Policy
• Disability Services
• Religious Holy Days
 TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS

Aug. 23: General Introduction

Aug. 30: Public Policy and Gender Conway, Ahern and Steuernagel – Ch. 1
Htun & Weldon: “When Do Governments
Promote Women's Rights? A Framework for
the Comparative Analysis of Sex Equality
Policy” (McDermott course reserves)

Sept. 6: Labor Day Holiday - No Class

Sept. 13: Employment Inequality: Does Gender Still Matter? Blau and Grusky: “The Declining Significance
of Gender” (ch.1);
Blau and Grusky: “The Gender Pay Gap:
Going, Going…But Not Gone” (ch. 2)
(McDermott course reserves)

Sept. 20: Employment Policy: What Does it Mean and Conway, Ahern and Steuernagel – Ch. 5
Is It an Effective Equalizer? Sutton: Equal Employment Opportunity
(McDermott course reserves)

Sept. 27: Consequences of Workplace Inequality: Mink: “Women’s Work, Mother’s Poverty;”
Low Wage Work, Poverty and Public Policy Prenovost and Youngblood: “Traps, Pitfalls, &
Case Response 1 Due Unexpected Cliffs on the Path Out of Poverty”
(McDermott course reserves)

Oct. 4: Professional Women and the Issue of “Opting Out”
Of Paid Work: Reality or Misconception?
Boushey: “Opting Out?” The Effect of Children
on Women’s Employment in the United States;
Percheski: “Opting Out? Cohort Differences in
Professional Women’s Employment Rates from
1960 to 2005” (McDermott course reserves)

Oct. 11: Work-Family Conflict Cha: “Reinforcing Separate Spheres: The

Effect of Spousal Overwork on Men’s and
Women’s Employment in Dual-Earner
Households (McDermott course reserves);
Wallen: “Social-Scientific Perspectives” (ch. 3)

Oct. 18: Work-Family Conflict and the Life Cycle Wallen: Chapters 4 – 8;
Stephenson: “Fathers, Families and Work:
Putting Working Fathers in the Picture”
(eLearning)

Oct. 25: Work-Life Programs: What Are They and Conway, Ahern and Steuernagel – Ch. 8;
Who Be Benefits? Wallen: Chapters 10 and 12;
Drago et al. “The Willingness-To-Pay for
Work/Family Policies: A Study of Teachers
(eLearning)

Nov. 1: Work-Life Programs: continued Handout: “Making a Difference for Hourly

Case Response 2 Due Employees”
Schultz: “Feminism and Workplace Flexibility
(eLearning)
Nov. 8: Gender and Health Policy Payne and Doyal: “Gender Equity or Gender
Equality in Health? (eLearning)
Conway, Ahern and Steuernagel – Ch. 3;

Nov. 15: Gender and Reproductive Health Policy Baird – Ch. 1

Research/Policy Paper Due Conway, Ahern and Steuernagel – Ch. 4

Nov. 22: Gender, Policy and Health Issues Baird – Chapters 3 - 5

Nov. 29: Women and Politics: The Impact on Policy Paxton and Hughes: “Do Women Make a
Difference” (McDermott course reserves)
Atchison and Down: “Women Cabinet Ministers
and Female-Friendly Social Policy” (McDermott
course reserves)

Dec. 6: Research/Policy In-Class Presentations

Dec 13: Take-Home Exam Due

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.