The Sociological View on Gender

1. The Sociological View on Gender • To challenge everyday, taken-for-granted views of being female and male in society • To move beyond the “fundamental attribution error” which explains behavior by invoking the personal and ignoring social structure and cultural context • To engage in collective discussion to produce knowledge rather than just rely on individual viewpoints. • To understand how social change affects being male or female

2. Gender Studies Origins • The social movement to move from studying sociology as the study of (elite men’s viewpoint) in society (taken-for-granted) to studying women—from “second wave” feminism late 1960s women’s studies • First “add women and stir” focus on women, and differences between women and men • Then differences among women (1980s)—multiple femininities and feminisms • Then differences among men in men’s studies—multiple masculinities and feminisms • Then studying women and men as relational gender

3. Gender Definitions • Concept developed to show social construction of being female and male as being different from the biology of sex • Many meanings include “a central organizing principle of social life;” “psychological, social, cultural aspects of maleness/femaleness;” “traits, behaviors;” “systems of social practice;” “organized relations of inequality;” “a process” or a system.

4. Frameworks • Individualist—personality, traits, personal socialization • Contextual—interactional relations between individuals • Contextual—structures and practices of organizations and institutions

5. Why Study Gender • To develop an understanding of how our individual identities and self-concepts structure our interactions • To understand how gender shapes how we view others (gender stereotypes) • How structures form the basis of power and resource allocation • How structures create gender standards and organizational rules and expectations