Contact Information

Professor	Dr. Elizabeth E. Mustaine
Office	Phillips Hall (PH) 403-L
Office Hours	T 11am - 1pm; or by appointment
Office Phone	407-823-2618
Main Sociology Office	PH 403 ; Phone 407-823-2227
E-mail	emustain@mail.ucf.edu

Course Description

This is a course designed to familiarize you with the legal institution, policymaking, and social movements. In addition, it will acquaint you with the impact of policy making on women and women's lives: women's rights, education, health care, employment, economic equity, the family, reproduction, and women and the criminal justice system. Discussions in class and on-line will focus on the policy making process from the grassroots efforts of social movements through the passage of laws in the legislative branch to the interpretation of such laws by the judicial branch, and the enforcement of such laws by various government agencies. Further, we will examine the impact of policy silences on that process. Also, we will explore considerations of social control and ways that public policy can accomplish social control. Other issues include the impact that women can have on the law and public policy. One common way of affecting public policy is the social movement. We will explore how women have influenced public policy through social movements, the conflict and intense battles relating to social movements efforts, and how these battles are related to large scale changes that are effecting women and women's lives.

This course is an "M" course. As such, there will be less learning and instruction time in the classroom, but this time will be made up on-line. You will participate in discussions with other students, post your ideas about the readings, class, and internet research to a discussion board, complete course work modules on-line, do research via the internet (and possibly in the library), and come to class prepared to discuss your understandings of the issues.  You will not find this course any easier or less work than a fully in-class course, in fact you may find there is more work.

This course, Women, Culture, and Law or Women, Culture, and Social Policy is also called Women and Social Policy. They are the same course with the course prefix and number, SYD4813.