SOC 320 - Feminisms: Theory and Practice

This course examines how sociologists understand feminism as a form of empowerment and how feminist thought has fundamentally reshaped sociological theory and practice. As a thriving subfield of sociology, the study of feminisms engages a wide range of activist expressions and social movements that collectively challenge institutionalized authority in the United States and across the globe. Alongside feminist theory and practice, the readings explore how feminist sociology is applied in real-world research and activism, moving from foundational literature to the practical implementation of feminist methods. They also examine the impact of feminist theories and models on sociological research, including case study methods, oral history, and qualitative interviewing developed to understand marginalized standpoints. The course further traces the impact and institutionalization of feminist ideas within state governments and nonprofits. In addition, the course explores feminist epistemology within the sociology of knowledge and the emergence of women’s and gender studies. Specifically, we examine the dynamic process of knowledge production in relation to academic positioning, standpoint diversification, and curriculum transformation. Ultimately, students will evaluate the evolving interplay between sociology and feminism and consider how this relationship continues to shape the defining characteristics and central issues of the field today.

Unit(s): 1
Group Distribution Requirement(s): Distribution Group II
Prerequisite(s): SOC 211
Instructional Method: Conference
Grading Mode: Letter grading (A-F)
Group Distribution Learning Outcome(s):

Evaluate data and/or sources.
Analyze institutions, formations, languages, structures, or processes, whether social, political, religious, economic, cultural, intellectual or other.
Think in sophisticated ways about causation, social and/or historical change, human cognition, or the relationship between individuals and society, or engage with social, political, religious or economic theory in other areas.