Women, Men, and Society / Edition 6

by Claire M. Renzetti, Daniel J. Curran, Shana L. Maier

Overview

Overview of gender and gender inequality

The authors assist students in connecting a central element of their own lives – their personal gender experiences – with the social and political world in which they live.

This popular book looks at the ways in which gender is socially constructed, how sexism and gender inequality affect men and women, and how other variables compound the problem of gender inequality.

Learning Goals

Upon completing this book, readers should be able to:

• Connect a central element of their personal lives – their gendered experiences – with the social and political world in which they live
• Look beyond the boundaries of their own lives so they can understand the complexity and diversity of gendered experiences in terms of race and ethnicity, cultural context, social class, sexual orientation, age, and physical ability/disability
• Understand how the constraints imposed on women and men by specific social constructions of gender may be tightened when combined with a devalued racial/ethnic status, sexual orientation, age, economic status, or physical trait or challenge
• Understand the diversity that makes up contemporary feminism, turning the analytic lens so that they see an issue from various feminist perspectives

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780205459599
Publisher:	Pearson
Publication date:	01/12/2012
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	576
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Claire M. Renzetti is the Judi Conway Patton Endowed Chair in the Center for Research on Violence Against Women, and Professor of Sociology at the University of Kentucky. She is editor of the international, interdisciplinary journal, Violence Against Women; co-editor with Jeffrey Edleson of the Interpersonal Violence book series for Oxford University Press; and editor of the Gender, Crime and Law book series for Northeastern University Press. She has authored or edited 16 books as well as numerous book chapters and articles in professional journals. Much of her research has focused on the violent victimization experiences of socially and economically marginalized women. Her current research includes an ethnography of a faith-based organization involved in anti-trafficking work; a pilot study of NGOs that provide services to sex trafficking victims; a national web-based survey examining the effects of religiosity on intimate relationship quality and conflict; and an empowerment education project with the Women’s Justice Program, in the Cook County (Chicago), IL Sheriff’s Office. Dr. Renzetti has held elected and appointed positions on the governing bodies of several national professional organizations, including the Society for the Study of Social Problems, the Eastern Sociological Society, and Alpha Kappa Delta, the sociological honors society. In 2009, the Women and Crime Division of the American Society of Criminology honored her with the Saltzman Award for Contributions to Practice, an award that recognizes a criminologist whose professional accomplishments have increased the quality of justice and the level of safety for women.

Shana L. Maier,Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Criminal Justice Department at Widener University. She received her B.S. and M.S. degrees from Saint Joseph’s University, and her Ph.D. from the University of Delaware. Her research interests include intimate partner violence, the treatment of rape victims by the criminal justice, medical and legal systems, the transformation of rape crisis centers, and the experiences and struggles of rape victim advocates and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners. Her research on rape victim advocates has been published in Violence Against Women, Feminist Criminology, Journal of Ethnicity in Criminal Justice, and Women & Criminal. Manuscripts on the experiences of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners have been accepted for publication by the Journal of Interpersonal Violence and the Journal of Forensic Nursing. She also co-authored of articles appearing in Deviant Behavior, Journal of Women, Politics & Policy, International Review of Victimology and Women’s Health and Urban Life. Her current research focuses on police officers’ experiences responding to rape victims and investigating rape allegations.

Table of Contents

IN THIS SECTION:
1.) BRIEF
2.) COMPREHENSIVE

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BRIEF TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Part I: Women and Men: What’s the Difference?
Chapter 1: Studying Gender: An Overview Chapter 2: Biology, Sex, and Gender: The Interaction of Nature and Environment Chapter 3: Ancestors and Neighbors: Social Constructions of Gender at Other Times, in Other Places

Part II: Teaching Us to Know Our Respective Places
Chapter 4: Gender Socialization in Childhood and Adolescence Chapter 5: Schools and Gender Chapter 6: The Great Communicators: Language and the Media

Part III: Keeping Us in Our Respective Places

Chapter 7: Gender and Intimate Relationships Chapter 8: Gender, Employment, and the Economy Chapter 9: Gender, Crime, and Justice Chapter 10: Gender, Politics, Government, and the Military Chapter 11: Gender and Spirituality Chapter 12: Gender and Health

COMPREHENSIVE TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Part I: Women and Men: What’s the Difference?

Chapter 1: Studying Gender: An Overview
Sociological Perspectives on Gender Feminism in Historical Perspective Contemporary Feminisms The Perspective of This Text Key Terms Suggested Readings Notes

Chapter 2: Biology, Sex, and Gender: The Interaction of Nature and Environment

The Sex Chromosomes and Sexual Differentiation The Case for His and Hers Brains
“My Hormones Made Me Do It”
The Interaction of Biology and Culture Key Terms Suggested Readings Notes

Chapter 3: Ancestors and Neighbors: Social Constructions of Gender at Other Times, in Other Places
Bones and Stones: The Archeological Record Our Primate Relatives Women and Men Elsewhere: Are Western Constructions of Gender Universal?
Gender, Evolution, and Culture Key Terms Suggested Readings Notes

Part II: Teaching Us to Know Our Respective Places

Chapter 4: Gender Socialization in Childhood and Adolescence
Learning Gender Growing Up Feminine or Masculine Early Peer Group Socialization By the Time a Child is Five Key Terms Suggested Readings Notes

Chapter 5: Schools and Gender

An Historical Overview of Women and Men in Education Educating Girls and Boys: The Elementary Schools Educating Teenage Girls and Boys: The Secondary Schools Educating Women and Men: Colleges and Graduate Schools Structuring More Positive Learning Environments Gender, Education, and Empowerment Key Terms Suggested Readings Notes

Chapter 6: The Great Communicators: Language and the Media
Sexism and Language: What’s in a Word?
Gender and the Media Images of Gender in the Media: What Are Their Effects?
Language and the Media as Shapers of Gender Key Terms Suggested Readings Notes

Part III: Keeping Us in Our Respective Places

Chapter 7: Gender and Intimate Relationships
Sociology Constructs the Family Evaluating the Functionalist Perspective of the Family Sexuality, Sexual Orientation, and Reproductive Freedom Varieties of Intimate Relationships Violence in Families and Intimate Relationships Families and Other Intimates: The Idea and the Real Revisited Key Terms Suggested Readings Notes

Chapter 8: Gender, Employment, and the Economy

U.S. Working Women and Men in Historical Perspective Sex Segregation in the Workplace Consequences of Occupational Sex Segregation The Male/Female Earnings Gap The Work World: Ideology and the Role of Law The Intersection of Home and the Work World Key Terms Suggested Readings Notes

Chapter 9: Gender, Crime, and Justice
Women and Men as Offenders With Justice for All?
Criminal Victimization: Gender Power, and Violence Power, Crime, and Justice Key Terms Suggested Readings Notes

Chapter 10: Gender, Politics, Government, and the Military
The Gender Gap: Political Attitudes and Activities Gender and Public Office Women and Men in the Military The Politics of Gender Key Terms Suggested Readings Notes

Chapter 11: Gender and Spirituality
Gender and Religiosity Goddesses and Witches Traditional Religious Teachings on Gender Religion, Politics, and Social Change Challenges to Religious Patriarchy: Feminist Spirituality Key Terms Suggested Readings Notes

Chapter 12: Gender and Health
Gender and Mortality Sexism in Health Care Gender, Sport, and Fitness The Politics of Mental Health and Mental Illness Toward a Healthy Future Key Terms Suggested Readings Notes

Glossary References Name Index Subject Index

Editorial Reviews

In this iteration (last, 1995; first, 1989), Renzetti and Curran (both of St. Joseph's U.) touch the major bases in gender studies from a feminist perspective: nature/nurture interaction; and social factors keeping women and men in their respective places in relationships, employment, the criminal justice and healthcare systems, and religion. Includes a glossary defining terms from "acquaintance rape" to "Women-Church movement," and a 38-page bibliography. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknew.com)

Booknews