Course Description:
“Oh there ain’t no other way / Baby I was born this way / Baby I was born this way”
– Lady Gaga
With my sincere apologies to any Lady Gaga fans, the material in this course will take issue with the viewpoint on identity expressed in Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.” Instead of viewing identities as natural, “true,” or inherent in individuals, we will examine the ways that identities are socially produced. Equally important, we will consider how the social construction of identities results in power and privilege for some groups at the expense of others.
The first half of the course will focus on classical and contemporary sociological theorizing about identities. In the second half of the course we will cover gender, race, class, and sexuality with a focus on the ways that these identity categories intersect. This section of the course will also examine the role that social institutions (families, schools, religion, media, workplaces, etc.) play in shaping individual identities. We will conclude this section by looking at the negotiation of, challenges to, and organizing around identities that occurs in subcultures and social movements.
Required Texts:
Lawler, Steph. 2008. Identity: Sociological Perspectives. Polity Press.
Grading Policy:
The following grading scale will be used for this course:
A+ 97-100 B+ 87-89 C+ 77-79 D+ 67-69 F <60
A 93-97 B 83-86 C 73-76 D 63-66
A- 90-92 B- 80-82 C- 70-72 D- 60-62
Exam 1: 20%
Exam 2: 20%
Exam 3: 20%
Short paper assignment: 20%
Attendance and participation: 20%
