Perspectives on Gender Inequality in the Labor Force: Gloria Steinem & Sheryl Sandberg

Abstract

Scholars argue that we have reached a period of "stalled" gender equality at work: the wage gap between men and women persists, and men and women continue to be concentrated in different types of occupations with differential rewards. The literature on work and gender provides several supply-side and demand-side explanations for gender inequality in labor...

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Details

Subject Area(s):

Work and Labor Markets

Resource Type(s):

Class Activity, Video

Class Level(s):

Any Level

Class Size(s):

Any

Usage Notes

This activity is appropriate for college students in classes covering topics related to the sociology of work and labor markets and sex and gender inequality. The total approximate time for this exercise is 55 minutes. This accounts for the run time of the two videos (23 minutes), plus 15 minutes for small group discussions and another 15 minutes for a...

Learning Goals and Assessments

Learning Goal(s):

1. 1. Students will apply scholarly theories of gender inequalities in the labor market to real-world discourse.
2. 2. Students will be able to differentiate between "supply-side" and "demand-side" explanations of inequality
3. 3. Students will adjudicate between different theories of and solutions to gender inequality

Goal Assessment(s):

1. 1. Students will complete an in-class activity in small groups in which they apply scholarly theories of gender inequality in the labor market to explanations presented by Gloria Steinem and Sheryl Sandberg in two video clips.
2. 2. In small group guided discussions, students will specifically identify which of Sandberg’s and Steinem’s points focus on supply-side vs. demand-side explanations of inequality.
3. 3. In a class discussion, students will evaluate the strengths and limitations of each presenter’s proposed solutions.