This course is an interdisciplinary introduction to the study of women and issues important to women. This course is a prerequisite for other women’s studies classes and will provide you with the theoretical foundations necessary for understanding women’s issues. The concept of gender will be explored as a critical category in relation to race, ethnicity, sexuality, class, and culture. Social institutions such as education, family, work, health, sexuality, religion, and politics will be explored through the course readings, presentations and in-class discussions.