Syllabus

Course Description

Reading seminar focusing on male adolescent health and sexual issues and explores the meaning of masculinity and the impact of masculine beliefs on men's health and health care use. Students critique the literature and explore methods to design interventions working within a masculinity framework to improve men's health outcomes.

Course Objectives

At the end of this class, students will be able to:

1. Identify key health and sexual health issues for males from a domestic as well as an international perspective.
2. Critically describe masculinity theory and measures used in the field and the impact of masculinity on health.
3. Identify methods to incorporate masculinity theory in public health interventions.

Readings

The following books are recommended but not required:

• Featherstone B, Hearn J, Pringle K. Man Made: Men, masculinities and equality in public policy. London, UK: The Coalition on Men and Boys; 2009, www.comab.org.uk .
• Levant & W. S. Pollack (Eds.) A new psychology of men. New York: Basic Books. 1995.
• Connell, R. W. Masculinities. Berkeley: University of California Press. 2005.
• Heidelbaugh J, Ed. Clinical Men's Health: Evidence in Practice. First Edition. 2007.

Course Requirements

Students seeking 2 credits are evaluated on their preparation and participation in class discussions as well as class presentations.

• Attendance, class preparation and discussion, and two presentations.
• For the majority of class sessions, standard lecture format is not be used. Class time will be used to discuss readings on male reproductive health and two-person team presentations on related topics beginning mid-quarter and at the end of the quarter.
• Attendance/Class preparation and discussion (40%)
  • 7+ prepared sessions = A
  • 5-6 = B
  • 3-4 = C
  • 2 or fewer = D
  • Students will be required to complete all required readings prior to class, be prepared to participate in class and discuss relevant readings.
  • For each paper, one student will be assigned to lead the discussion. This student will develop 2-3 questions to help stimulate a discussion for the class on the assigned article as modeled in Class 1 by instructors.
• Presentations (60%; 30% each)
  • Students will make 2 class presentations; for each, they will pair up with another student as a team.
  • Sessions 4 & 5: Teams of 2 will present sexual and reproductive health needs of men as well as services/programs and policies that respond to these needs in clinical or non-clinical settings for men at different life stages (see below).
    • Presentations by each team should last no longer than 15 minutes.
    • For health needs presentations, teams must include prioritization of health issues and summary of challenges.
    • For service/program/policy presentations, teams must include effectiveness data as appropriate and challenges with task.
    • All teams should create & share 1-page annotated bibliography/sources of information and databases used with classmates and instructors.
    • Life stages presentations: Health needs Services
      • Children (0-10): 1 team (2 students)
      • Adolescents (11-18): 1 team (2 students)
      • Young adults (19-49): 1 team (2 students)
      • Adults (50 and older): 1 team (2 students)
  • Sessions 7 & 8: Two-person teams present on topics chosen by the team. Topics should be submitted to the instructors no later than Session 5.

Students seeking 3 credits are evaluated on the basis of the above criteria plus a final paper, which is due on the final day of class.

• The paper can be formatted as a lLiterature review, policy brief, or study proposal.
• The paper topic can be based on earlier team presentations & should incorporate key concepts learned throughout the course.
• Paper length: no more than 10-15 pages double spaced, 12-pt font.
• By Week 3, students must share paper approach with one of the instructors.
• By Week 5, students must share basic outline (if requested).