Placing women's experiences at the center of interpretation, this class introduces basic concepts and key areas of gender both historically and contemporaneously. It is an inter-disciplinary, trans-disciplinary, and cross cultural study of gender as well as an overview of theoretical perspectives of its intersection with other social constructs of difference (race/ethnicity, class, sexuality, and age). We will move beyond the theme of "gender difference" and examine the ongoing debate about the politics of gender inequality and inequity in our societies and cultures.