SUNY Cortland SPRING 2011 General Education (GE)11 Racial and Gender Role Stereotypes Psychology 210 Co-listed AAS 210 CIN 210 Professor Information Linda Olshina Lavine, PhD. Office Location: Old Main 131 Phone: 753-2040

Office Hours: Mon 1-3 Tues 9:30-11:30 Wed 1:30-3:30 Other times by appointment. If I’m not at my desk when you arrive, I'm nearby. Check with Psych office staff (Teri, Claire). Books: Black Like Me (Griffin) When the Emperor Was Divine (Otsuka) To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee) Self Made Man (Vincent) OR She's Not There (Boylan)

Course Description: Focus on racial and gender role stereotypes and attitudes in individuals. Prejudice and discrimination against ethnic minorities and women are examined, from both historical and contemporary perspectives. Social psychology is emphasized as a tool for understanding some of the causes of prejudice and stereotyping. Historical examples are emphasized as case studies for analysis.

Goals/Objectives of the Course: The goals of this course stem from the following assumptions of the G11 category: A liberal education should enable students to examine critically the ways they think about themselves and others. Knowledge about the nature of prejudice and discrimination, and awareness of one’s own potential for such behavior, is an important step in eliminating bias.

Evaluation Tests (65%) 45% -- total of 3 in class tests (each 15%) 20% -- Final Exam * (*Excellent performance on tests and Journal will permit selected individuals to substitute a take home-final)

Writing 35% (or more by arrangement) On line Journal Due each week Sunday midnight.

Class Participation will be valued and positive contributions to class discussions will add to the final grade .

Attendance: College policy on attendance will be enforced.

Since the class meets only once a week, it follows that: a- You need to avoid missing classes and you must make up the ones you've missed (see below). b- Missing part of a class is better than complete absence for that week. c- Weekly assignments are based on class events, and are due, even if you miss class. d- If you must miss a class, contact me to find out what you missed, and make it up. You are responsible for the class contents. Usually there is a movie that forms part of the class and that you can arrange to see. While movies are best seen in class, accompanied by discussion, many are easily available (e.g. Netflix) if necessary. It is essential to watch them ASAP. Some documentaries will only be available thru me. Contact me ASAP if you have missed class and I will supply information about the class and possibilities for catch-up. I may have a copy of the video to loan you. e- Make ups for tests require valid official excuses from the Dean, in writing. Make ups will be given either at a time during finals week, or at the discretion of the instructor.

WRITING ASSIGNMENTS 35% of the grade will be based on weekly journal entries.

-These will be approximately one page single spaced each week. Shorter entries are almost certain to be lacking in information.

- They are due by Sunday midnight each week, but one would do well to write them sooner after the class meeting each week.

- They will be composed of responses to questions posted on the website and discussed in class on the day of the film showing. You are encouraged to create your own questions, in addition.

-Each week you should check the website for ideas and questions generated during the Wednesday meeting.

-It must be kept up in a timely manner. Late responses will be accepted but penalized (unless a proper excuse is available). Over the first 3 weeks following the due date, the grade will decline to 90 % ,80%, and 70% as a maximum grade.

-It is essential that you write all your impressions of the movies ASAP, in order to remember the details and the discussion accompanying the movie during class. The quality of your writing will depend on the detailed examples you can provide from your own notes. If you don't write it down while it's still in your short-term memory, you won't have the information to work from and your grade will suffer. Feel free to search the web and draw on quality reviews. Site the reference: don't plagiarize.

Movies and novels form the core of the raw material for this course. I have chosen them for their utility in implementing the course goal of thinking critically about historical events that dramatically illustrate the consequences of prejudice. Writing about the movies and novels, and class-informed class discussions about them, is our major vehicle for practicing and sharpening those critical thinking skills.

That is why the journal counts for at least a third of the grade. Absence from class does not justify late writing responses, without further excuse/permission. (See note on absence). Contact me ASAP for advice on missed classes.

Check each week for new comments and questions about that week's movie. They will be posted on e-learning and will help you answer the writing assignment.

You will also need to choose 3 movies to see outside of class. They should be chosen from the following: these are probably available thru netflix, etc.

You will also need to choose 3 movies to see outside of class. They should be chosen from the following: these are probably available thru netflix, etc.

Invictus School Ties Remember the Titans Judgment at Nuremberg Avatar Great White Hope In the Heat of the Night The Crucible Gran Torino Hotel Rwanda Ghosts of Mississippi Long Walk Home Some Like it Hot The Kids are Alright

Weekly Outline of Viewings and Assignments

CLASS #1 Jan 26

Video: Crash and John Stewart on Media

Before Next Class

Read When The Emperor Was Divine (first 50 pages)

Write in Journal 1- Movie Review Write a response to the posted review of Crash.

2- Web search and Opinion on Tucson Assassination Attempt and the Media

Scan the articles that I have referred you to. Feel free to look for others on the topic as needed.

Choose 2 articles that you think have merit about Tucson.

They should address the question: is the current uncivil state of our national news media relevant to fringe people attacking government leaders?

(We will have discussed this in class, including the John Stewart video).

Write: a- Specify two articles that you like. (Title and Website) b- Choose a position on this question. Write it here and be prepared to state it in class.

Include:

How does the position fit with your selected articles? What do you like about the articles?

Why is this question relevant to the idea of stereotypes and prejudice?

What sources do you usually have for national and international news?

How do you evaluate the news sources? (e.g. on TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, etc? Are they reliable? What kind of "tilt" do you think your sources have (if any)? CLASS #2 Feb 2

Video: American History X

Before Next Class

Read

Emperor- finish Articles on Skinheads Ezekiel, and Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)

Write

1a- Personal Writing High School cliques

Describe your experience of cliques in high school. How “stratified” was it?

How easy was it to be in more than one group?

How hard was it to get into various groups? What were the criteria for inclusion?

“Name” the groups. Then describe each group as you and your friends perceived them.

How widespread was this perception of each group?

Did your family and adults generally share your peers’ perceptions?

Did teachers see the same groupings and hierarchy?

What variation in ethnicity and social class existed in your school?

What talents were valued? What characteristics were valued?

Can you describe examples of people who didn’t fit nicely in any category?

How do you see your high school cliques now that you look back on it? How is college different?

1b- Personal Writing: Family History: Stereotypes

Write about your personal experience of stereotyping:

(a) Your direct experience (peers, school, family, etc.)

(b) Your family’s ethnic history in relation to stereotyping.

(c) Also consider SES, immigrant status, physical characteristics (including disability, height, weight, other appearance, etc)

2. Movie Analysis Answer the questions on Skinheads and American History X

CLASS #3 Feb 9

Video

Mississippi Burning (127min) Japanese internment documentary

Discuss Emperor

Before Next Class

Read

Black Like Me half

Write

Answer Questions on Emperor and in-class Documentaries and Cedars. Include role of media.

Answer posted questions on Mississippi Burning.

CLASS #4 Feb 16

Video Earth (110 min)

Before Next Class

Read Black Like Me finish Posted article on Partition of India /Pakistan.

Write

Movie Review Mississippi Burning and BLM: see posted questions. See posted questions on Earth

SEND IN YOUR CUMULATIVE JOURNAL WRITINGS by Sunday midnight and ...... bring Print out to class on Wednesday. Print should be single space, size10 font Times New Roman, default margins. NOT Bold. Be sure to have your name on the electronic file you post and at the start of the hard copy. No cover page.

CLASS #5 Feb 23

Video:

Schindler’s List (195 minutes) (note: arrange to stay 15 min late if you can)

Before Next Class

Read

Facing History Readings To Kill a Mockingbird 1/3

Movie Review

Write on Schindler’s List

CLASS #6 Mar 2 Videos The Boy in Striped Pajamas. Inheritance (documentary on Helen and Amon's daughter)

Before Next Class

Read: To Kill a Mockingbird 2/3

Movie Review The Boy in Striped Pajamas and Inheritance and related material from Facing History Readings

CLASS #7 March 9 TEST most of period Review and Discussion preceding test.

Test will include all movies, Emperor and Black Like Me. (Not TKM)

SPRING BREAK Finish Reading MOCKINGBIRD Class #8 Mar 23

Video TRIALS

12 Angry Men scenes What Jennifer Saw Cedars scenes Time to Kill scenes TO Kill a Mockingbird Scenes

Read

Diallo article from Blink Innocence Project reading Review TKM for writing assignment

Write

Trials and Juries: What does it take to be fair?

Answer Questions on To Kill a Mockingbird and relate to Trials

Class 9 March 30

Video: Sometimes in April /Judgment at Nuremberg

Before Next Class,

Read

Do web search on movie facts

Gender 1/3

Write

Movie Review: How moral is Homo Sapiens? Relate Rwanda to Holocaust and Civil Rights movies

SEND IN YOUR CUMULATIVE JOURNAL WRITINGS by Sunday midnight and ...... bring Print out to class on Wednesday. Print should be single space, size10 font Times New Roman, default margins. NOT Bold. Be sure to have your name on the electronic file you post and at the start of the hard copy. No cover page.

CLASS #10 April 6

Video:

Iron Jawed Angels (120 min) clips from School Prayer

Before Next Class

Read

Gender Book 2/3

Women's Suffrage readings posted

Write

Movie Review Answer questions on movie. Emphasis on the difficulty of changing cultural/social norms. Compare changing norms re suffrage with later changes in racial segregation and on-going changes in gay rights (e.g. DADT)

CLASS #11 April 13

Video:

Tootsie

Discuss book

Read: See posted article on gender Gender book finish

Write Tootsie and relate to article

CLASS #12 April 20

Video

Media, Advertising, and Stereotypes of Gender --Merchants of Cool --Jean Kilbourne: Killing Us Softly

Discuss Book

Before Next Class,

Read

Transcript of Merchants and opinion pieces http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/cool/

Kilbourne chapter posted

Movie Review Gender Documentaries

Class 13 April 27 TEST most of period

Review and Discussion preceding test.

Test will include all movies since previous test , To Kill a Mockingbird, and Gender Book.

CLASS #14

DEBRIEFING AND REVIEW FOR THE FINAL

Final Journal Due electronically only.