As a culture we often we take gender for granted. Yet, we live in a culture where men and women are molded and shaped by communicative practices and mass-mediated representations that generate our ideals of masculinity and femininity. This class examines this process—providing a platform for students to reflect upon gender formation and develop a theoretical vocabulary for describing this process. Students will be afforded an opportunity to study gender communication at both the interpersonal and mass-mediated levels. By the end of the semester class participants will develop a more sophisticated understanding of the manner in which gendered messages and practices have shaped perceptions of their symbolic universe.
