Journal

Assignment One  Gender Journal  Weeks 1-6

You can think of this journal as what used to be called a Commonplace Book -- a journal that collects in one place knowledge and insights a person learns through reading. Commonplace Books have been used for thousands of years by readers across the globe to record, remember, and reflect on their reading experiences.

You develop yourself as a good critical reader by practicing; the journal is the place for you to do that practicing. You should think of the journaling as open-ended, exploratory writing -- you're not trying to come up with the right answer so much as raise interesting questions about what you're reading, and speculate about what some answers to those questions might be.

Most often, you'll do this by using the double-entry journal technique we'll learn and practice in class. But you can also use some of the other invention techniques we'll learn (such as clustering and cubing), draw pictures as a reaction to a particular text if you like (make sure to label the pics so we know what we're seeing), write poems, etc., etc.

And remember that by "text" I mean not just written texts -- you can (and I think should) also respond to TV sitcoms, or conversations you have with a group of friends, or ads, or whatever -- just make sure to keep the focus on the gender issues that we'll be discussing throughout the course.

On July 17, at the end of Week 3 of the class, I'll evaluate your journaling for a first assessment (10% of your final grade). I'll expect you to complete at least ten journal entries at this point. I'll evaluate your journal again at the end of the semester, at which point you'll be expected to have twenty journal entries.

If you need some readings to start out with, I've pasted some links, with brief descriptions, below. These can also be used as background reading for your gender pamphlet, or as actual sources for it (depending on what research question you're exploring, of course).

Gender Roles -- a basic introduction.

Impossibly Beautiful -- The standards of appearance that women are judged by are often achieved through Photoshop. Follow the links to see more. Part of the Feminism 101 series.

Animal House -- Fraternity and sports team hazing and sexual assault: a vicious cycle. Part of the Feminism 101 series.

Our Real First Gay President -- "There can be no doubt that James Buchanan was gay, before, during and after his four years in the White House. Moreover, the nation knew it, too — he was not far into the closet."

The culture of masculinity costs all too much to ignore

The world's deadliest woman? Meet the 'Kim Kardashian' of Mexican organised crime

Why Don't Men Finish College As Often As Women

Top 20 Unfortunate Lessons Girls Learn From Twilight

Ten Responses to the Phrase "Man Up" -- slam poetry by Guante

Male Psychology Basics

On Anger -- "Progress is dependent on people who get angry, because anger --productive anger, motivating anger, directed anger, rational anger—is the root of all progress." Part of the Feminism 101 series.

Representations of Gender in Advertising -- What happens when you switch the gender of figures in advertising.

How to Talk to Little Girls

"My 11-Grape Diet": A Model Confesses -- Anorexia among high fashion models

Six Fairy Tales for the Modern Woman

Women Prefer Men With Stubble, or on the "Threshold of Masculinity"

Sheryl Sandberg and Marissa Mayer: Class and the New Anti-Feminism

Why Some Evangelicals Are Trying to Stop Obsessing Over Pre-Marital Sex

This is Your Brain on Fatherhood: Dads Experience Hormonal Changes Too, Research Shows

Why do the Supreme Court's Decisions on Gay Marriage Matter to You?

If You Know Someone Who Doesn't Believe Sexism Exists, Show Them This

Are Men Evolutionarily Wired to Stay Away from Their Friends' Wives?

Ashley Judd Slaps Media in the Face for Speculation Over Her ‘Puffy’ Appearance

It Starts With a Nosebleed and Ends With a Dead Guy -- Novelist John Weir describes how his life was shaped by the loss of an enormous number of friends to the AIDS epidemic.

Girls' and Boys' Brains Respond Differently to Funny Videos

Five Uncomfortable Truths Behind the Men's Rights Movement -- from Cracked.

Documents Reactions to Her Varying Amounts of Makeup

Smile, Baby! A New Study Shows How Often Women and Gay Men Are Sexually Harassed on the Street

Slut-shaming has little to do with sex, study finds: Sociologists say affluent university women use slut-shaming to show poorer women they are ‘trashy’ and don’t belong

Assault rifle company issues “man cards”: The maker of the assault weapon that killed 27 people in Connecticut quizzes its customers on their manhood

Can Men Be Funny? Lizzy Caplan and Scott Aukerman Discuss.

	Developmental Reading English 088
	Summer 2014 Syllabus
	Assignment One  Gender Journal  Weeks 1-6 You can think of this journal as what used to be called a Commonplace Book -- a journal that collects in one place knowledge and insights a person learns through reading. Commonplace Books have been used for thousands of years by readers across the globe to record, remember, and reflect on their reading experiences. You develop yourself as a good critical reader by practicing; the journal is the place for you to do that practicing. You should think of the journaling as open-ended, exploratory writing -- you're not trying to come up with the right answer so much as raise interesting questions about what you're reading, and speculate about what some answers to those questions might be. Most often, you'll do this by using the double-entry journal technique we'll learn and practice in class. But you can also use some of the other invention techniques we'll learn (such as clustering and cubing), draw pictures as a reaction to a particular text if you like (make sure to label the pics so we know what we're seeing), write poems, etc., etc. And remember that by "text" I mean not just written texts -- you can (and I think should) also respond to TV sitcoms, or conversations you have with a group of friends, or ads, or whatever -- just make sure to keep the focus on the gender issues that we'll be discussing throughout the course. On July 17, at the end of Week 3 of the class, I'll evaluate your journaling for a first assessment (10% of your final grade). I'll expect you to complete at least ten journal entries at this point. I'll evaluate your journal again at the end of the semester, at which point you'll be expected to have twenty journal entries. If you need some readings to start out with, I've pasted some links, with brief descriptions, below. These can also be used as background reading for your gender pamphlet, or as actual sources for it (depending on what research question you're exploring, of course). Gender Roles -- a basic introduction. Impossibly Beautiful -- The standards of appearance that women are judged by are often achieved through Photoshop. Follow the links to see more. Part of the Feminism 101 series. Animal House -- Fraternity and sports team hazing and sexual assault: a vicious cycle. Part of the Feminism 101 series. Our Real First Gay President -- "There can be no doubt that James Buchanan was gay, before, during and after his four years in the White House. Moreover, the nation knew it, too — he was not far into the closet." The culture of masculinity costs all too much to ignore The world's deadliest woman? Meet the 'Kim Kardashian' of Mexican organised crime Why Don't Men Finish College As Often As Women Top 20 Unfortunate Lessons Girls Learn From Twilight Ten Responses to the Phrase "Man Up" -- slam poetry by Guante Male Psychology Basics On Anger -- "Progress is dependent on people who get angry, because anger --productive anger, motivating anger, directed anger, rational anger—is the root of all progress." Part of the Feminism 101 series. Representations of Gender in Advertising -- What happens when you switch the gender of figures in advertising. How to Talk to Little Girls "My 11-Grape Diet": A Model Confesses -- Anorexia among high fashion models Six Fairy Tales for the Modern Woman Women Prefer Men With Stubble, or on the "Threshold of Masculinity" Sheryl Sandberg and Marissa Mayer: Class and the New Anti-Feminism Why Some Evangelicals Are Trying to Stop Obsessing Over Pre-Marital Sex This is Your Brain on Fatherhood: Dads Experience Hormonal Changes Too, Research Shows Why do the Supreme Court's Decisions on Gay Marriage Matter to You? If You Know Someone Who Doesn't Believe Sexism Exists, Show Them This Are Men Evolutionarily Wired to Stay Away from Their Friends' Wives? Ashley Judd Slaps Media in the Face for Speculation Over Her ‘Puffy’ Appearance It Starts With a Nosebleed and Ends With a Dead Guy -- Novelist John Weir describes how his life was shaped by the loss of an enormous number of friends to the AIDS epidemic. Girls' and Boys' Brains Respond Differently to Funny Videos Five Uncomfortable Truths Behind the Men's Rights Movement -- from Cracked. Documents Reactions to Her Varying Amounts of Makeup Smile, Baby! A New Study Shows How Often Women and Gay Men Are Sexually Harassed on the Street Slut-shaming has little to do with sex, study finds: Sociologists say affluent university women use slut-shaming to show poorer women they are ‘trashy’ and don’t belong Assault rifle company issues “man cards”: The maker of the assault weapon that killed 27 people in Connecticut quizzes its customers on their manhood Can Men Be Funny? Lizzy Caplan and Scott Aukerman Discuss.