She really goes in depth about topics that can be difficult to understand, rather than assuming that people will do the extra research on our own in order to fully understand the concept.
[Ms. Herling] fostered discussion and debate to make the class more aware of the influence of social constructs on all parts of the world we live in with an emphasis on gender studies. Assigned reading and coursework was relevant and interesting and [we] discussed it in class to deepen our understanding of it.
You can tell that she is very passionate about the topics we are learning about which makes it easier to learn, she gives thoughtful and personal feedback to help improve and understand things in this course.
.
Teaching Philosophy
My goal for teaching is for students to learn how to critically engage with what they take for granted,
apply concepts learned in the classroom to their own lives, and recognize and provide their own
evidence-based arguments. As a sociologist who specializes in women’s and gender studies, these
goals will often require students to engage with the familiar in ways that may be uncomfortable. For
example, students will address their privilege and learn to think about groups instead of individuals
in a meritocratic society. This process fosters critical thinking as students will interrogate their
preconceptions and recognize the impacts of systems of inequality.
apply concepts learned in the classroom to their own lives, and recognize and provide their own
evidence-based arguments. As a sociologist who specializes in women’s and gender studies, these
goals will often require students to engage with the familiar in ways that may be uncomfortable. For
example, students will address their privilege and learn to think about groups instead of individuals
in a meritocratic society. This process fosters critical thinking as students will interrogate their
preconceptions and recognize the impacts of systems of inequality.
Courses
LGBTQ Health and Health Cares DisparitiesLesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) populations experience health and health care disparities in contrast to cisgender and straight populations, but who counts as being a member of these populations? This course maps the various disciplinary definitions of LGBTQ health and evaluate these definitions from a critical, feminist and queer perspective. Through this course, students grapple with the complexities of drawing boundaries around LGBTQ health and how we actively legitimate particular lived experiences while denying the existence of others. In other words, students will examine the stakes of (re)defining LGBTQ health and interrogate if (and how) gender and heteronormative policies and practices impact the health of LGBTQ patients.
|
Introduction to Women's and Gender StudiesThis course introduces the core concepts and theories in the interdisciplinary field of Women’s and Gender Studies. It also focuses on issues of gender inequality in society in addition to intersecting inequalities related to race/ethnicity, immigration, class, sexual orientation, and disability. Through a combination of readings, videos, online discussions, and assignments, we will study how gender is an intersectional, social, historical, and cultural phenomenon and how gender impacts everyday life. The aim of this course is to familiarize students with social relations of power related to gender/sex binaries and to be able to utilize feminist theories to analyze and deconstruct these binaries.
|
Social ProblemsThis course introduces students to the sociological analysis of social problems. Students will learn to analyze our social world from a sociological perspective, focusing on social institutions and social interactions and how these contribute to systems of inequality. Students are introduced to key issues in the discipline related to class, race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, family, education, and health among others. Through a combination of lectures, readings, discussions, and assignments, we will critically examine social problems by keeping in mind larger structural issues, how the world is socially constructed, and patterns of human behavior. We will also assess how systems of power intersect to create social problems and how social problems can be addressed through social policy and social change.
|