In a course on the sociology of the Body it is fundamental that you grasp the critique of essentialism. This is the dominant discourse so understanding it and critiquing it is the first step in understanding how sociologists approach issues of sexuality and identity.

PART 1 (500 words maximum)
The city or town in which you live is about to be visited by gender ‘experts’ Barbara and Allen Pease who are the authors of a best-selling popular book on human relationships. There is a half page write up in the local paper about their book Why men don't listen and why women can't read maps which has sold 10 million copies and reveals 'dramatic new research' about how male and female brains are 'significantly different' and the implications for male and female relationships – and invites people to one of their seminars.

For the purpose of the exercise I am using this as an example of biological essentialism – any number of examples would suffice. I do NOT want a critique of Pease’s work (though you can refer to it as an example) but of the underlying essentialist ideas which animate it.

You are a local sociology lecturer and have been approached by the newspaper to write a reply in the form of an accessible article, no more than 500 words, explaining what the problem with this sort of ‘essentialist’ work is (not that they used those words) from a sociological (i.e. non-essentialist) perspective. This means you have to explain in words that the ordinary reader can understand what the issue is.

PART 2 (500 words)
Attached to the above you are required to briefly explain to me (with references) the claims you have made in the article in relation to the objectives and make a self assessment of your understanding of the issue. Any referencing should be in appropriate format. This is to demonstrate that you have grasped the course material. You may submit either or both parts for feedback from me and your peers on the Moodle discussion forum though you are free to post anonymously if you prefer. Specific marking sheets are available from the course website.

I’d also like to draw your attention to readings by RW Connell which are useful for this assignment: Supplementary Reading 2-1 Connell & Dowsett 1992 in Resource Readings and Reading A in Chapter 4 ‘Men’s Bodies’ on pp. 229-34 of the set text

Explain the social construction of contemporary sexuality (and gender) using dating ads by writing a report of 1500-1800 words in length. We are not interested in dating ads per se but in what the patterns tell us about sexuality and how the theories from the textbook can add to our understanding.

1. Collect at least 10 personal ads placed by people in each of the following groups (i.e. 40 in total) (depending on your location, you may need to use the Internet to locate some of your ads). Do not rely on the first ads you come across - you are trying to analyse them for patterns so two-line newspaper ads will not be suitable (include copies of your ads as an appendix in your assignment).

• heterosexual men
• heterosexual women
• gay men
• lesbians

2. Identify the recurring themes in relation to:

• how the body is referred to: age, size, shape
• what makes particular sexualities and genders desirable/compatible
• commodification/exchange
• compulsory heterosexuality 

3. Compare and contrast the discourses and ideologies in relation to different genders and different sexual identities.

Remember we know nothing about the individuals ‘behind’ these ads – what we are interested in is how they represent themselves to others. It is how this constructs sex and gender that is the point of the exercise. There is a lot of work in collecting data and analysing patterns but that's only the data collection. The real work lies in bringing the concepts from the textbook tells us (i.e. what would Foucault and/or Lacan might say about all this, what does it tell us?). There is a more detailed outline of the structure of the report on the course website but you will require a report with an Introduction/a brief summary of your method & results/a theory section (one drawn from chapter 4 or 5 of the set text) and discussion of what the patterns tell us about sexuality and gender.

Specific marking sheets are available from the course website.

The aim of the portfolio is to replace the exam as a more meaningful way for you to demonstrate that you have engaged with and understood the course materials. Each week there is a portfolio question (except for those on which another assessment item is due). These questions are for you to demonstrate your understanding of the course materials - most often they relate directly to an understanding you will need in order to complete the other assessments. 

On the Moodle site and in the textbook there are a range of activities, questions and readings to encourage you to demonstrate your understanding of the course concepts. Some of these activities and readings I have flagged as Portfolio activities which you must complete each week. I expect your answers to be 250-300 words long for each week so answers need to be a concise demonstration of your understanding in your own words - not a re-citing of the textbook or another website. 

In order to facilitate discussion on the Moodle forums - so we can learn by reflecting on each others posts and so I can provide you with ongoing feedback throughout the term if you post your DRAFT portfolio answer to the Moodle site you will automatically get 1 (one) mark (out of a possible 4). So ten posts over the term - within the relevant week  (i.e. before c.o.b Friday) - will be worth a minimum of 10 marks. It is expected that you will comment on each others posts as well (but only brownie points for that) but after Week 1 (introductions and preliminary reflection) you will not be able to see other's posting unless you post yours. At the end of term you should submit the portfolio of answers - with additional comments to demonstrate your learning - for final overall grading in week 12. 

It is fine to use non-academic language as long as you demonstrate that you have engaged with and understood the course materials which should be referenced along with any other sources you draw on where appropriate.