WMST 275 - Introduction to Marriage and Family

1. Explain historical and contemporary family patterns ranging from courtship and marriage to divorce from theoretical perspectives in sociology and in feminist and gender studies.
2. Identify the ideological factions in contemporary “culture wars” and the issues on which they are divided, including but not limited to marriage equality, divorce, gender equality, and reproductive rights.
3. Explain the effects of race, class, gender, sexual identity and other forms of difference on family experience.
4. Critique and defend both traditional and emergent forms of marriage and family structure, drawing upon theory and research findings in sociology, feminist and gender studies, and related disciplines.
5. Evaluate data and research on the effects of change in family structure and culture on outcomes for men, women and children, and formulate policy recommendations based on this analysis.