CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY

MAXINE GOODMAN LEVIN COLLEGE OF URBAN AFFAIRS

SUMMER SESSION 2000

Gender and Leadership: UST 455 / UST 693

Faculty: Dr. Jennifer. Alexander

Associate Professor

Room 110

phone: 687-5011

jalex@urban.csuohio.edu

Office/Hours: Tues/Thurs. 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Course Description:

This course is an exploration of theory as well as practice. From a theoretical perspective it presents an analysis of the concept of leadership using the lens of gender. At a practical level, it provides the opportunity to combine theory with the experience of women who are leaders. The question posed by the course is: What impact does gender have on the theory and practice of leadership? We will seek to answer this question by first reviewing the mainstream ideas of leadership and then considering the meaning of gender. We will then look at several different gender-sensitive perspectives of leadership.

• An essentialist perspective which suggests that women bring

  a distinctive set of characteristics to the practice of leadership.
  
  

• A perspective that encourages women to manage their

  gender and/or take on an androcentric leadership style;
  
  

• An examination of the class and ethnic constructions of gender

• A feminist critique of the leadership literature that suggests theory is too narrowly constructed and should be broadened;
  
  

  Classes will consist of seminar discussions of books and articles as well as discussion sessions with women who practice leadership.
  
  

  Course Objectives:
  
  

  By the end of the five weeks, students should have gained:
  
  

• familiarity with mainstream issues and ideas of leadership

• a basic understanding of gender as social phenomenon and analytical tool

• ability to critique mainstream leadership theories from the perspective of gender

• familiarity with various gender-sensitive perspectives on leadership theory and practice
  
  

  Written Assignments:
  
  

  1. JOURNAL (due June 26th): The journal where you record your reflections on the course -- readings, videos, guest speakers, seminar discussions, etc. At least one entry per class session is required. Each entry should pick one thing as its focus: when you think back on each class, what stands out in your mind as the most puzzling, most interesting, most maddening event or idea? Then reflect on that event or idea -- what does it make you think of? Finally, what lesson does this event or idea teach you? What action might you try out as a result of thinking about it?
  
  

  2. BOOK REVIEWS: A typewritten review of two book for undergraduate or three books for graduate students is due on the day of the seminar discussion of the book (3-5 pages). The book reviews include Evans, Jamieson, and Rosener,
  
  

  3. CHAPTER SYNOPSES: A typewritten summary of the central arguments and how the author(s) has sought to build the arguments. Due on the day of the class.

  4. FINAL EXAM / CONCEPT PAPER: Final exam is due on June 26th. It is a take-home, typewritten exam that averages @10 pp. Graduate students are expected to research a woman leader (include at least four cites) and use the final exam as a means of applying the central question of the class to the particular leader's style.
  
  

  Final Exam Question: Drawing on course materials construct an argument that is
  
  

  (a) a defense of essentialist leadership or

  (b) a perspective that leadership has no gender/multiple genders or

  (c) critique the idea of leadership from a feminist perspective

  (d) identify another argument on the material and present it to me as an option.
  
  

  Whatever position you take, be sure to begin with a thesis statement, define leadership, identify the objections you anticipate from classmates who have taken other perspectives and counter them.
  
  

  Evaluation Criteria:
  
  

  Graduate Students

  Book reviews 45% (3 for 15% each)

  Synopses 20%

  Journal 15%

  Final exam 20%

  Undergraduate Students

  Book reviews 50% (2 for 25% each)

  Synopses 15%

  Journal 15%

  Final exam 20%
  
  

  REQUIRED READINGS:
  
  

  Evans, Gail (2000) Play Like a Man Win Like A Women: What men know about success that women need to learn. New York: Broadway Books.
  
  

  Jamieson, Kathleen Hall (1995) Beyond the Double Bind: Women and leadership. New York: Oxford University Press.

  Rosener, Judith B. (1997) America's Competitive Secret: Women managers. New York: Oxford University Press.
  
  

  BOOK CHAPTERS AND ARTICLES: (See department secretary for copies)
  
  

  Epstein, Cynthia Fuchs (1988) Deceptive distinctions: Sex, gender, and the social order. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press., Chs. 4, 5, and 10.
  
  

  Rosenbach, William and Robert L. Taylor (1989) Contemporary Issues in Leadership, Boulder, Westview Press. Chs. 2,5,9,16
  
  

  Rost, Joseph (1991). Leadership for the twenty-first century. New York: Praeger Press. Chs. 2-4.
  
  

  Tannen, Deborah (1993) Talking from 9 to 5: How women's and men's conversation styles affect who gets heard, who gets credit, and what gets done at work. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc. Chs. 1,5,6.
  
  
  

  Class Schedule

  May 16^th: Introduction, overview

  May 23^rd: Review of mainstream literature on leadership

  Readings: Rost, Joseph (1991). Leadership for the twenty-first century. Chs. 2-4.

  Rosenbach and Taylor (1989) Contemporary Issues in Leadership, Chs. 2,5,

  Assignment: Synopsis of readings (1-2 typewritten pages per article)

  May 25^th: Dimensions of leadership , (continued)

  Readings: Rosenbach and Taylor (1989) Contemporary Issues in Leadership, Chs. 9, 16.

  Assignment: Synopsis of readings (1-2 typewritten pages per chapter)

  Class Discussion of Myers-Briggs Personality Types and Leadership Styles
  
  

  May 30^th: Guest Speaker: Dean Darlyne Bailey, Case Western Reserve
  
  

  June 1^st: The construction of gender

  Readings: Epstein, Cynthia Fuchs (1988) Deceptive Distinctions: Sex, Gender and the Social Order, Chs. 4, 5, and 10.

  Assignment: Synopsis of readings (1-2 typewritten pages per chapter)

  June 6^th: Guest Speaker: Caroline Watts-Allen, former Prosecutor, City of Cleveland

  Readings: "The Hidden Rage of Successful Blacks" Newsweek, November, 1998.
  
  

  June 8^th: Gender and leadership from historical perspective

  Readings: Jamieson, Kathleen Hall (1995) Beyond the Double Bind: women and leadership. New York: Oxford University Press.

  Assignment: Book Review Due (4-5 pp)
  
  

  June 13^th: Guest Speaker: Patty O'Donnell, Partner, Baker and Hostetler
  
  

  June 15^th: The essentialist perspective on leadership

  Readings: Rosener, Judy B. (1997) America's Competitive Secret: women managers. Tannen, Deborah (1993) Talking from 9 to 5, Chs 1,5,6

  Assignment: Book Review Due (4-5 pp)
  
  

  June 20^th: Guest Speaker: Claire Rosacco, Senior Vice President, Public Sector, Key Bank
  
  

  June 22^nd: The androcentric approach:

  Reading: Evans, Gail (2000) Play Like a Man, Win Like a Woman

  Assignment: Book Review Due (4-5 pp)
  
  

  June 26^th: ** Final Examination and journal due **