Jane Hunter Gender studies is an interdisciplinary field that examines the biological, social, and cultural construction of femininity and masculinity, and the ways men and women locate themselves within gender systems.
Gender defines relationships among women, among men, and between men and women.
Interacting with factors such as race and class, gender structures the activities into which women and men enter in all aspects of life. It provides a continuing resource for integration of gender throughout the curriculum and also enables students to explore these crucial areas of human concern directly and in depth through an interdisciplinary minor in gender studies. The program identifies resources, gathers information, develops programs, sponsors an annual symposium, and serves as catalyst for change that should be of equal concern to men and women. The interdisciplinary minor in gender studies examines the relationship between biological differences and social inequality, explores the construction of sexual identity, and analyzes the variations in gender systems that have occurred across cultures and over time. It illuminates the images of femininity and masculinity that shape cultural representations and explores similarities and differences in men's and women's artistic expression.