MCCCD Program Description

Women Across Cultures

Course: ASB211

First Term: 2024 Fall

Lecture 3.0 Credit(s) 3.0 Period(s) 3.0 Load
Subject Type: Academic
Load Formula: S - Standard Load

Description: Cross-cultural analysis of the economic, social, political, and religious factors that affect women`s status in traditional and modern societies.

MCCCD Official Course Competencies
1. Explain core concepts and principles in the field of anthropology. (I) 2. Trace the historical development of cross-cultural studies of women’s roles. (I) 3. Analyze the theoretical approaches within feminist anthropology. (I) 4. Analyze theories of gender stratification. (I) 5. Define the concepts of sex, gender, and sexuality and describe how they vary cross-culturally. (II) 6. Describe the cross-cultural variations in women’s roles in subsistence and economic activities. (III) 7. Analyze the relationship between kinship, marriage, and residence patterns and gender. (IV) 8. Analyze key issues in women’s sexual and reproductive rights cross-culturally. (V) 9. Describe key health disparities that affect women cross-culturally. (V) 10. Describe cross-cultural variations in women’s roles in religious movements. (VI) 11. Analyze women’s political participation in various societies. (VII) 12. Analyze how colonialism, capitalism, and globalization have contributed to gender inequalities. (VIII)
MCCCD Official Course Competencies must be coordinated with the content outline so that each major point in the outline serves one or more competencies. MCCCD faculty retains authority in determining the pedagogical approach, methodology, content sequencing, and assessment metrics for student work. Please see individual course syllabi for additional information, including specific course requirements.

MCCCD Official Course Outline
I. Introduction to anthropology and cross-cultural studies of women`s roles A. Core concepts of anthropology 1. Culture 2. Holism 3. Ethnocentrism 4. Cultural relativism 5. Fieldwork B. Development of anthropological interest in women and gender 1. Early women anthropologists 1920`s-1960`s 2. Feminist anthropology 1970-1990`s 3. Feminist anthropology in the 21st century: intersectionality, global feminisms C. Theories of gender stratification II. Gender, sex and sexuality A. Definitions 1. Gender a. Gender role b. Gender ideology c. Gender expression and performance d. Gender ideology e. Rite of passage 2. Sex a. Genetic b. Hormonal c. Anatomical 3. Sexuality B. Examples of gender diversity, nonbinary, sexual identities III. Women’s subsistence and economic activities A. Gendered division of labor B. Subsistence systems and women’s economic roles 1. Foraging 2. Horticulture 3. Pastoralism 4. Intensive agriculture 5. Industrialism C. Domestic vs. Public 1. Early theories 2. Critiques IV. Kinship, marriage, and residence patterns A. Descent systems and kinship structures B. Marriage practices C. Residence patterns V. Women’s Health and Reproductive Rights A. Sexual rights B. Reproductive rights C. Health disparities VI. Women as religious specialists A. Shamans B. Midwives C. Healers VII. Political participation A. Women’s political movements B. Women as political leaders VIII. Women’s experiences of globalization A. Impact of capitalism, colonialism, and globalization 1. Feminization of agriculture and industry 2. Women as migrant laborers 3. Women as refugees B. Women’s agency in a globalizing world

MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: June 27, 2023

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.