Course Information

Historically, women and men have been expected to behave in gender appropriate ways. Yet, what is considered appropriately feminine or masculine is not fixed; instead, these ideals are socially constructed and depend on time and place and are influenced by other categories of identity like status or class, and race and ethnicity. In this course, we will examine the construction of gender ideals and consider the impact of these ideals on aspects of life ranging from the most private (sex, sexual identity, sexual regulation, family formation) to the most public (work, citizenship and political power, war, conquest). Covering the classical period to the modern period and including societies in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Europe, this course will take a comparative approach and will analyze the impact of cultural contact on gender ideals. Whether accepted, adapted or rejected, gender expectations have affected every aspect of men’s and women’s lives in world history.