Anthropology 310-02                                                                                                                                  Cal State LA
Dr. Leanna Wolfe: LAWolfe@aol.com                                                                                                     Spring 2007
TA:

Evolutionary Perspectives on Sex & Gender

Class Meets:

 March 27, 2007 – June 5, 2007
 Tuesdays 6:10 pm - 10 pm
 Room: KH LH-2

How to Reach Me:

 Home: (323) 223-1507   
  Website: http://drleannawolfe.com/
 Office: KH - 4068  Office Hours: T: 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm

Textbooks:

     Sex on the Brain: The Biological Differences Between Men and Women
    By Deborah Blum.  Penguin Books 1997

    Our Inner Ape: A Leading Primatologist Explains Why We Are Who We Are
    By Frans De Waal. Riverhead Books 2005

    The Myth of Monogamy: Fidelity and Infidelity in Animals and People
    By David Barash and Judith Eve Lipton. W. H. Freeman and Co. 2001


Overview:
This course offers a worldwide comparison of gender roles and sexuality as viewed from various perspectives including biological/evolutionary, cultural, psychological, historic, and prehistoric, especially as they relate to the lives of women and men in modern Western society.  Special attention will be focussed on the biology of the brain, primatology, multiple-partner sexuality, romantic love and the negotiation on jealousy. The class includes lectures, discussions, videos, and readings.  

Exams and Grading:  Grade points can be earned as follows:

Midterm  ........100 pts.                      Field Observation………50 pts.                Essay.....…....50 pts.
Sex History…....50 pts.                     Sex & Marriage Project..50 pts.               Final Exam.100 pts.


0ption A
Your grade will be based on two exams and three 50 pt. written assignments.  A maximum of 350 points is possible.  Grades will be assigned as follows:

A: 300+ pts     B: 270 - 299 pts      C: 230 - 269 pts     D: 170-229 pts

Option B
Complete all requirements under Option A, but do only two 50 pt. written projects. Maximum possible points is 300. Grades will be assigned as follows:

A: 260+ pts     B: 235 - 259 pts      C: 195 - 234 pts     D: 150-194 pts

Option C
Complete all requirements under Option A, but do just one 50 pt. written project.  Maximum possible points is 250.  Grades will be assigned as follows:

A: 230+ pts     B: 205 - 229 pts      C: 165 - 204 pts     D: 125-164 pts

Exams:  Exams will include objective questions (true/false, multiple choice, matching) as well as in-class essay questions.  Bring an #882 scantron and several sheets of paper for the midterm and final exams.  A Take-Home Essay option will be offered for the final exam.

Timeliness: You are expected to turn in all assignments and take all exams on time.  Late assignments will usually be docked 5 (five) points per class meeting day.

Extra Credit: You will be awarded up to 5 extra credit points for doing an oral report on field research projects (sex and marriage project / field observation).  You can also earn up to 5 extra credit points for participating in the men’s panel, the women’s panel, the orgasm panel, the gay/bisexuality panel, or the marriage panel.  

Plagiarism: Cheating on exams, improperly citing sources and turning in written work that you did not personally research and write are all examples of plagiarism.  They are not allowed in this class and can result in being suspended from CSLA.  Ask for help before resorting to these unsavory activities!

Cell Phones and Beepers:  Please do not activate these in the classroom.  Any beep, buzz, or ring will result in an immediate loss of 5 points!!!  Please also refrain from text messaging during class lecture-discussions (and do not even consider text messaging during exams!)

Course Outline:
Please complete readings before the class they are assigned.
SB for chapters in Sex on the Brain; MM for chapters in The Myth of Monogamy and OIA for chapters in Our Inner Ape
Click for  links to articles, study questions and power point presentations

Week           Day                     Reading                                                           Topic                       
1                   3/27                                                                                               Introductions
WOMEN’S PANEL
MEN’S PANEL
Study Questions
PPT: Sex and Culture Project

2                   4/3                                                                                                Transgender/Intersex
                                               “The Five Sexes Revisited”
                                                Study  Questions
                                                Video: Middlesexes
                                                Guest Speaker


3                 4/10                       SB: ch. 1-3                                                       Male vs. Female Brains/Romantic Love
                                                “The Drive to Love: The Neural Mechanism for Mate Choice”
                                                “The Nature of Romantic Love”
                                                 Study Questions
                                                 ORGASM PANEL
                                                Video: Gender, Sex and Desire
   

4                4/17                         OIA ch. 1-3                                                     Chimps, Bonobos, Sexuality
                                                 Video: What Do Women Really Want?
                                                “Women Who May Never Marry”
                                                “Three Rules That Don’t Apply”
                                                 Study  Questions
                                                “Does Hooking Up Hurt Young Women?”
                                                 Hooking Up, Hanging Out, And Hoping for Mr. Right”
                                                 SINGLES PANEL
                                                 SEX HISTORIES DUE!
                                                 MIDTERM REVIEW

5               4/24                          MIDTERM EXAM

6               5/1                           SB ch. 5                                                           Gay/Bisexuality
OIA pp. 98-106                  
                                               “(How) Does the Sexual Orientation of Parents Matter?”
                                               Study Questions
                                               GAY/BI PANEL
                                               FIELD OBSERVATIONS DUE! (oral reports)

7               5/8                          MM ch. 1-3                                                  Biology, Non-Monogamy
Adding A Co-Wife                                       Polyamory
Study Questions
  
8                5/15                       Gender, Sexuality and Power-Student Research Conference 9am-4pm
                                               SB ch. 4 & 8; MM ch. 4-5                              Monogamy, Polygamy,
MARRIAGE PANEL                                     Marriage, Families
                                              Videos: Men Who Share Women/Women Who Share Men
PPT: How the Bough Bends: Users of Donated Gametes
ESSAYS DUE!

9                5/22                       SB ch. 6-7                                                       Testosterone, Estrogen
                                               OIA ch. 4-5                                                     Violence, Kindness
                                               “Arranging a Marriage In India”
                                               Study Questions
                                               EXTRA CREDIT: See “Namesake” and write a 1-2 page review
                                               Slide Show: India Today                                  Changes in India
                                              SEX AND MARRIAGE PROJECTS DUE! (oral reports)

10
          5/29                        MM ch. 6                                                         Who We Are
SB ch. 9                                                            Power, Gender
OIA ch. 6; MM ch. 7                                        Conclusions
FINAL EXAM REVIEW

11             6/5                          FINAL EXAM