22 Feb Assignment: Each student will write about the portrayal of gender from a chosen book. A current book related to gender will be chosen by the student. All selections must approved by the

Book Review-Portrayal of Gender in Literature

Gender & Communication

Assignment: Each student will write an essay about the portrayal of gender from a chosen book. A current book related to gender will be chosen by the student. All selections must approved by the instructor. Please avoid textbooks!!

Your review of the work must identify the portrayal of gender. In your essay identify those aspects of the book that illuminate specific constructions of gender. Feel free to structure your evaluations from gender variables discussed in your text (sexism in language, language differences, media influences, initiating relationships, friendships, romantic relationships, socialization, social learning theories, etc.,.) If you are choosing a research book that discusses gender communication you may still use the same structure to evaluate this material.

Each essay should include the following:

1) A brief description of the book. (¼ of the paper)

2) An evaluation of gender portrayed in the book as it relates to concepts from your class readings. (½ of the paper)

3) An evaluation from you about the impact this work may have on contributing to or reducing stereotypes for woman and men. (¼ of the paper)

You may organize the above information in any format that you would like. You can separate the description from the evaluation or you can use a combination as you write your review. The approximate length of each essay is 2000-2500 words typed pages. Each paper must be checked for errors in grammar, spelling and typing.

All papers must include an evaluation from one classmate. These peer evaluations must be completed three days prior to the due date, so students have enough time make necessary changes in their essays. Please include a signed review with your paper submission.

Sample of book titles are listed on next page.

Sample Book Titles

Alvarez, Julie How the Garcia Girls lost their accents

Anzaluda, Gloria Borderlands

Beam, Joseph In the life: a black gay anthology

Berry, Faith Before and beyond Harlem: Langston Hughes a biography

Bornstein, Kate Gender Outlaw

Cameron, Anne Daughters of copper women

Canada, Geoffrey Reaching up for manhood: transforming the lives of boys in America

Carey, Lorene Black Ice

Checkoway, J Little Sister: Searching for the shadow of Chinese women

Clarke, Jennie Weaving New Patterns: women’s’ struggle for change in Asia and The Pacific

Collins, Patricia Hill Black Feminist Thought

Collins, Patricia Hill Black Sexual Politics

Deferrari, G. Gringa Latina: women of two worlds

Dujon, Diane For Crying Out Loud: women’s poverty in the U.S.

Ensler, Eve The Vagina Monologues

Gates , Shteir Natural Eloquence: Women Reinscribe Science

Hall, Christine Daughters of the Dragon: Women's Lives in Contemporary China

Hernandez, Daidy COLONIZE THIS!:Young Women of Color on Today's Feminism

Hesse-Biber, Sharlene Am I Thin Enough Yet? : The Cult of Thinness and the Commercialization of Identity Hooks, bell Sisters of the Yam: Black Women and Self-Discovery

Huckle, Patricia Tish Sommers, activist and the founding of the older women’s league

James, Joy Shadowboxing: Representations of Black Feminist Politics

Kanter, Rosabeth Men and Women of the Corporation

Karp, Marcelle The Bust Guide to the New Girl Order

Katz, Jane Messengers of the Wind: Native American women tell their life stories

Kintanar Emergent Voices: Southeast Asian women.

Koh, Hesang This kind of women: Ten stories by Japanese women

Leblanc, Lauraine Pretty in punk: girls' gender resistance in a boys' subculture

Liff, Sharon No Place Else to go: homeless mothers of their children

Lorde, Audre Sister Outsider

Macdonald, Barbara Look me in the eye: old women, aging and ageism

Milligan, Bryce Daughters of the Fifth Sun: a collection of Latina fiction

Mirza, Heidi Young, Female and Black

Morgan, Joan When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost: My Life as A Hip Hop Feminist

Neitherhammer, C Daughters of the earth: the lives and legends of American Indian women

Politt, Katha Reasonable Creatures

Poulton, Terry No Fat Chicks: How Big Business Profits Making Women Hate Their Bodies-How to Fight Back

Smith, Barbara Home Girls: a black feminist anthology

Sneeringer, Julia Winning Women's Votes: Propaganda and Politics in Weimar Germany

Sparke, Penny As Long As It's Pink: The Sexual Politics of Taste

Spender, Dale Invisible Women: The Schooling Scandal

Spender, Dale Nattering on the Net: Women, Power and Cyberspace

Spender, Dale Women of Ideas

Thompson, Patricia Bringing Feminism Home: home economics and the hestian connection.

Authors to look for:

Gloria Anzaldua Alice Walker belle hooks Dale Spender

Katha Pollit Trinh T. Minh-ha Sally Miller Gearhart

Susan Faludi Toni Morrison Paula Gunn Allen