T & TH 12:30-1:45
Combs 409

Professor: Dr. Kendra Stewart Phone: 622-4390
Office: 215 McCreary Hall E-mail: kendra.stewart@eku.edu
Office Hours: T & TH 2:00-5:00 Fax: 622-8019
Or by appointment

Texts:

Supreme Court Decisions and Women's Rights. Clare Cushman, Ed. Congressional Quarterly Press:2001.

Women and Public Policy: A Revolution in Progress Third Edition. M. Margaret Conway, David W. Ahern, and Gertrude A. Steuernagel. Congressional Quarterly Press: 2005.

Women in Politics: Outsiders or Insiders? Lois Duke Whitaker. Prentice Hall: 1999.

Requirements:

Midterm Exam 100
Final Exam 100
Research paper 100
Class Participation 100
Points Possible 400

Grading Scale:

A=360-400; B=320-359; C=280-319; D=240-279; F=239 and below

Course Content and Policies:

This course is designed to introduce the student to selected political issues and public policies affecting women and men in the United States. We will examine the impact of sex on the distribution of power in society and how it has changed over time. Various public policy issues dealing with topics such as health, economics, and crime will be discussed. Political participation and representation will also be explored throughout this course. Classes that deal with the politics of sex in our society require that all participants treat each other with dignity and respect. Keeping up with the readings, learning from films and guest speakers, and listening to the contributions of your fellow classmates are essential to understanding course content.

This course will use the Blackboard program to supplement class discourse. You will be able to participate in discussions, check announcements, locate websites, and check your grades through this site. If you are unfamiliar with this program, contact academic computing for scheduled training sessions - 622-8400.

Examinations:
There will be two examinations throughout the semester consisting of short identification and essay questions. If you must miss an exam for any reason, you must contact me within 24 hours of the scheduled exam and provide a written explanation with a doctor's excuse. Make-up exams will not be given without a documented university approved excuse.

Issue Paper:
Each student will conduct original research and produce a 10-15 page research paper due at the end of the semester. Specific requirements for this assignment will be distributed in class.

Class Participation:
This course is designed as a seminar and requires the active participation of well-prepared students. Therefore, regular attendance is vital to the success of the class. Legitimate excuses for absences will be accepted, but should be cleared with the instructor at the first possible opportunity. Each student gets 3 free unexcused absences - after that attendance points will be deducted. More than 8 unexcused absences (approximately 25%) will result in automatic failure of the course. For the purpose of this course, excused absences include verifiable medical or family emergencies, university approved activities (accompanied by a university excuse), documented illness (yours or your child's), and other unforeseen circumstances that the instructor deems to be a reasonable excuse for an absence.

Students will be responsible for preparing discussion questions and facilitating class discussions. Groups of students will post discussion questions on Blackboard prior to each class beginning a new topic (usually a Tuesday, but see dates on attached schedule). Students will be periodically selected to facilitate course discussions. The participation grade will break down as follows: discussion questions - 50 points; and contribution to course discussions - 50 points.

Academic Honesty:
Plagiarism, or presenting another's works or ideas as one's own, is a form of stealing. The instructor reserves the right to examine any source used by the student before giving a grade on a paper, and to give an "incomplete" in the course if necessary, to allow time to obtain sources. Students should be prepared to show source material to the instructor for the purpose of verifying information. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Academic dishonesty includes the following offenses:
1) Claiming as your own work a paper written by another student.
2) Turning in a paper that contains paraphrases of someone else's ideas but does not give proper credit to that person for those ideas.
3) Turning in a paper that is largely a restatement in your own words of a paper written by someone else, even if you give credit to that person for those ideas. The thesis and organizing principles of a paper must be your own.
4) Turning in a paper that uses the exact words of another author without using quotation marks, even if proper credit is given in a citation, or that changes the words only slightly and claims them to be paraphrases.
5) Turning in the same paper, even in a different version, for two different courses without the permission of both professors involved.
6) Using any external source (notes, books, other students, etc.) for assistance during an in-class exam, unless given permission to do so by the professor.

If a student is found to have committed one of the above offenses, he/she will receive a failing grade on the assignment or exam. The case may also be sent to the Academic Practices Committee of the Department of Government, or ultimately to the University's Student Disciplinary Board (see Student Handbook).

Disability Statement:
If you are registered with the Office of Services for Individuals with Disabilities, please make an appointment with me to discuss any academic accommodations you need. If you need academic accommodations and are not registered with the Office of Services for Individuals with Disabilities, please contact the office on the third floor of the Student Services Building, by email at disabilities@eku.edu or by telephone at (859) 622-2933 V/TDD. Upon individual request, this syllabus can be made available in alternative forms.

Weekly Assignments:
Please come to class prepared by completing the following text readings by the assigned date. The professor reserves the right to amend the course schedule only when necessary. If any revisions are made, the professor will notify the students and post an updated syllabus on Blackboard.

January

11 Course Introduction

13 Historical Accuracy: Overcoming Romantic Paternalism
Conway Chp. 1
Cushman pp. 1-16 and Chp. 3
Whitaker pp. 99-119

18 Diversity
Whitaker pp. 17-30
Handout ("The Color and Culture of Gender in Organizations", "Ain't I a Woman")

25 Education
Conway Chp. 2
Cushman Chp. 5
Handout

February
1-8 Workforce Issues
Conway Chp. 5
Cushman pp. 98-108, Cps 7&8
Whitaker pp. 56-67 & 334-353
Handout

10 Economic Policies
Conway Chp. 5

17 Midterm Exam

22 Women Portrayed in the Media/Pop Culture
Whitaker pp. 87-99
Handouts

March
1 Political Participation Group 1
Cushman Chp. 2
Whitaker pp. 68-85 & 33-45

7-11 Spring Break!!

15 Representation Group 2
Cushman Chp. 11
Whitaker pp. 146-169, 171-190, 190-203, 203-219,221-238, 248-260
Handout

22 Health Policy Group 3
Conway Chp. 3
Whitaker pp. 306-326-326-334

29 Family Policy Group 4
Conway Chps. 7&8
Cushman Chps. 4 and pp. 108-117

April
5 Reproductive Policy Group 5
Conway Chp. 4
Cushman Chp. 9
Whitaker pp.294-306
Handout

12 Women and Crime Group 6
Conway Chp. 9
Whitaker pp. 260-291

19 Revolution in Progress
Conway Chp. 10
Handout

Final Exam - Tuesday, May 3, 2005 10:30-12:30