Virtual education discussion

Please comment to the following questions by Friday. No need to comment on others’ responses this time. You can reference p. 241 of the text. What effect will the differential between men and women have on them and CNU’s future? Will a surplus of educated women allow more women to attain jobs that were once awarded to men? How might the disparity alter social relationships? Will men experience difficulty establishing lasting relationships with women who are better educated than they are?

Friendship Virtual Meeting

For this week’s virtual meeting, you will briefly analyze the gendered conversational dynamics (patterns, quirks, similarities and differences) among different friendships on television. I suggest viewing an episode of a television show with a focus on female friendships then viewing an episode of a TV show focused on male friendships. You can choose from whatever is on the television dial (first-run or syndication/reruns) or in your DVD player. The obvious suggestions that come to mind include Sex and the City, Entourage, Gilmore Girls, and Two and a Half Men, but there are many others from which to choose. After viewing both styles of friendship, compare and contrast the kinds of conversations males have with males and the kinds of conversations females have with females.

Please consider the following questions when writing your comment:

What topics do the males discuss? Females? What functions do the conversations of males serve? Females? How much personal self-disclosing, if any, do males engage in? Females? Which cast’s relationship, in your opinion, is of higher quality? Why? What do your answers suggest about media portrayals of friendship? About your own preferences?
Be sure to visit the blog again before Monday’s class to read through others’ observations so you may comment accordingly. I hope you enjoy this one.

Family Virtual Meeting

This week’s virtual discussion is fairly simple to complete (no activity this time). Please complete by Friday, March 6. If you were in class today, then you would have received a handout of a New York Times article on same-sex unions from Dr. Manning. If not, you can access it at this link. Read through, then post your thoughts on the findings the writer reports regarding same-sex v. heterosexual relationships. Please pay special attention to the findings on egalitarianism and fighting styles. Based on your understanding of the family communication chapter, ch. 8, and class discussion thus far, what do you think is going on here? What gender dynamics are or are not at play in the different types of family relationships? Finally, religious/personal preferences aside, what influences do you think these different styles of relationships might have on the couples’ children and overall family dynamics? Please respond thoughtfully and thoroughly and be sure to comment on others’ responses. Have a good break!

Nonverbal Communication Activity

Sorry I’m posting a bit late…it’s been a rough couple of days. You have until Sunday to complete the nonverbal discussion. I suggest completing the activity portion during the week so that you can all comment on each other’s posts by Sunday. Complete the activity described below, post your observations, then read others’ comments and discuss accordingly as usual.

Activity: As inconspicuously as possible, go to a location (such as a coffeeshop, library, etc.) where you can observe men and women (mixed-sex pairs or groups) interacting. Observe for about 20 minutes and take notes, but make it look like you are doing homework or writing, rather than obtrusively watching people. You should note the nonverbal components discussed in the text and class (body language, vocal cues, space/distance, touch, artifacts, etc.) to answer the following questions:

Who do you believe is more independent and why? Competitive? Emotional? Rational? Trustworthy? Submissive? Powerful? Credible? Friendly? Likeable?

To what extent, if any, do gender stereotypes persisit in influencing your response?

I hope you have fun with this activity and I look forward to your findings.

Artifact Paper Topics

Please use this space to discuss artifact paper topics. You can comment on each other’s, while I will do my best to guide you to appropriate topics if you’re struggling. Good luck brainstorming!

Update

I look forward to reading your comments on the verbal communication activity. I love what I’ve seen so far as I’ve skimmed through your responses and links. Check back Wednesday evening for the nonverbal activity. Good luck on the quiz Monday.

Verbal/nonverbal gendered communication

Here’s a link to an interesting feministing.com blogpost that relates to our discussion this week (and next most likely).

Schedule changes

Please check our Blackboard site for an important announcement I made in class today.

Verbal communication virtual meeting

Per our discussion this week of language and verbal communication, I’d like you to complete an activity and discuss your findings in the comments section here. As usual, please read others’ comments and respond to those which interest you most. You have until the end of the weekend to complete the blog discussion.

Please refer to p. 72 of the Gamble textbook to complete the activity, which involves assessing a newspaper’s or newsmagazine’s handling of gender in reporting. While the directions guide you to only compare marital status of female-centered with male-centered stories, please expand your investigation to family references and other gender differences in the two types of stories. After you’ve compared the two styles, please comment on your findings and explain why you did or did not find gendered language differences.

I hope you have fun with this activity and look forward to reading your responses.

Film reflection

Reflect on your understanding of and representation of feminism in the film, Iron Jawed Angels. How did the creative directors (writers, producers, actors, etc.) portray the feminist movement? What similarities and/or differences did you see to the current feminist movements? What can feminists and other political activists today learn from earlier activists? Reply as a comment and feel free to respond to others’ comments.