The Sociology of Gender: A Brief Introduction

By Laura Kramer

Book Overview

An ideal "essentials" text for introductory courses, The Sociology of Gender, Third Edition, provides a concise--yet also in-depth--overview of basic sociological concepts and perspectives on gender. Focusing primarily on the contemporary United States, author Laura Kramer integrates history, theory, and research in order to examine the current gender system and the ways in which macro-, middle-, and micro-level societal forces have changed that system over time. In addition, Kramer's explicitly sociological approach provides an alternative to--and critiques of--prevailing biological and psychological approaches to gender and sexual orientation.

Featuring an exceptionally accessible and engaging writing style, The Sociology of Gender explores how race, ethnicity, and social class affect the meaning of gender. A chapter on culture provides a close look at traditionally dominant versions of femininities and masculinities and how they are communicated through language, mass media, and religion. The concepts of individual agency and resistance, introduced in the first chapter, resurface throughout in discussions of culture and socialization. The third edition provides increased coverage of such cutting-edge topics as men and masculinity, intersectionality, and the body and sexuality (including homosexuality). An updated Instructor's Manual and Test Bank is available to adopters.

Enhanced by numerous real-world examples, a glossary, and evocative discussion questions, The Sociology of Gender, Third Edition, is an accessible and lively overview that is ideal for introductory sociology courses.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 019538928X
• ISBN13: 9780195389289
• Release Date: January 2010
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 7.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Student Purchase

Purchased Textbook as part of required books for college. Great deal.

Powerful, passionate, and compelling

In this book aimed mainly at undergraduates, Laura Kramer writes with compassion & understanding about the sociology of gender. Although she favors a multiracial feminist perspective, she sympathetically reviews other leading perspectives on gender, including radical, socialist, postmodernist, and liberal feminism. For each issue she addresses, she shows how other perspectives shed light on a different piece of the puzzle.A great strength of the book is Kramer's historical perspective on gender issues. She notes that we are now in the "third wave" of feminist activism, and she shows how definitions of "problems" and "solutions" have changed over the past 100 years. "Femininity" and "masculinity" are not fixed categories but rather have evolved as American culture and social structure have changed. Underlying much of her analysis is the assumption that economic forces, especially changing employment opportunities, account for a great deal of the change in gender ideology and politics.Students will find the 5 page glossary of key terms and the 16 page references section invaluable for further research. Each chapter ends with 3 discussion questions. Non-students will learn much from Kramer's lucid explanations and detailed examples. She cares deeply about the issues in this book, and it shows.