SW 678 - Social and Cultural Issues of Gender: Clinical Implications

3 Credit(s)

This course engages students in a dialogue about the questions, dichotomies, uncertainties, and challenges that gender presents on a daily basis. Theories, assumptions, and stories that are relevant to the development of gender in North American society are examined. Issues of oppression, discrimination, social change, and implications for social work practice are addressed. Themes for the course include the historical underpinnings of the women’s movement, the challenges of inclusion and diversity, the formation of gender identity, the challenges of aging in North American, the significance of relationships and sexual identity, the political impact of personal decisions and vice versa, the impact of economic status, and family and motherhood. Life cycle dilemmas with an emphasis on the effects on women are also addressed. Throughout the course, students examine how the female struggle and “women’s place” in society have been constructed and defined through the interaction of social, political, economic, and psychological forces. The challenges of defining gender as they relate to race, sexuality, disability, and class are explored.