1. Gendered Public Policies Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

2. computer-mediated communication allows for anonymity, and it can allow for greater participation across the boundaries of gender, class and race but … it is also a fertile ground for aggression

3. and therefore … the need for public policies, for netiquette, for socializing the public spaces in the electronic environment

4. Gendered Discourse in Electronic Media What is your experience with computer-mediated communication? List some examples of when one is able to act anonymously? How is that liberating for an individual? How is that constraining? What is the liberating / constraining effect on women as participants? List social controls that you familiar with in the electronic environment? What are the differences / similarities with f2f communication?

5. Gender and Electronic Environments the assumptions women outnumber men in the workforce, but men make up the large majority of high-level administrative positions women are less represented in computer science and engineering, while they are well-represented as users women are making numerous important contributions to the computer field and in on-line communities and the proportion of their contributions continues to rise however just as in our larger society, public and professional space on-line remains male-dominated on-line communication is male-dominated and male-oriented participation in the computer world is segregated according to sex

6. Gendered Discourse in Electronic Media Public spaces and the electronic environments Censorship / free speech Liberatory prospects for electronic writing spaces (anonymity, gender identity can be shifted; still, these are social spaces; how to create society online) Online harassment How to identify it and how to act? Ferganchick-Neufang: Harassment on-line Brail: The Price of Admission Dibbell: A Rape in Cyberspace

7. Harassment on-line ? What do women encounter online? How does that affect them? (Brail: The Price of Admission) How can the electronic medium perpetuate sexism & violence against women? (Brail; Dibbell) What can we do? Who needs to act? What are the sanctions? How to act? (Ferganchick-Neufang)

8. Brail: The Price of Admission Interpret the title of this article in terms of issues surrounding the Internet: what is ‘the price of admission’ and for whom explain ‘harassment / free speech’ dichotomy ‘Wild, Wild West’ metaphor and how it applies to cyberspace (5 years ago, now, the future) What are the specifics of Brail’s story? How is this relevant for understanding women’s experience with computer-mediated communication? Give examples from the media or own experience that deal with similar issues.

9. Dibbell: The Rape in Cyberspace If it is possible to change identity online, and that experience is liberating, why is it possible to conceive of a ‘rape in cyberspace’? What is the story of this article? Comment on the following statement: “Internet is not real’ -- it is only words’? To what degree is that true? Does the fact that harassment happens in a ‘virtual’ world make it ‘virtual harassment’?

10. Ferganchick-Neufang: Harassment on-line legal definition of sexual harassment Sexual harassment is legally defined as any unwelcome sexual advance, behavior, or conduct in any aspect of employment, housing, or academia that creates an intimidating or hostile environment. There are two types of sexual harassment: "Quid-pro-quo" (this- for-that), and "hostile environment".

11. Ferganchick-Neufang: Harassment on-line three scenarios for the workplace recognized by law (a) Submission to sexual conduct or demand is, directly or indirectly, a condition of employment (b) Submission to sexual conduct or demand is, directly or indirectly, a condition for employment decisions such as promotion or a raise (c) Submission to such conduct results in interference with work performance or creates a hostile or intimidating work environment

12. Ferganchick-Neufang: Harassment on-line conditions for defining sexual harassment definition relates to situations in which the person who claims harassment must necessarily be in a position of less institutional authority than her or his aggressor (an employer, for example, cannot be dependent upon an employee for conditions of employment; nor can an employer be dependent upon an employee for promotions and raises) the issue of institutional authority of the aggressor is taken for granted but there may be reverse situations "bottom-up" or "contra-power" harassment simply does not exist but it is useful (in gender perspective) to consider such cases as well

13. Ferganchick-Neufang: Harassment on-line contra-power harassment cases Research has shown that institutional authority does not level the playing field between men and women (discourse analysis examples: female employer-to-male employee, female doctor-to-male patient) Even when attaining a position of authority women can be at an authoritative disadvantage Disadvantage women have in the real world is not eliminated in virtual space Ferganchick-Neufang study student-to-teacher harassment in the virtual writing environments (contra-power)

14. Ferganchick-Neufang: Harassment on-line What can we do? Temper optimism with critical analysis Train and prepare instructors Train students Create and enforce a discipline plan Ensure safe and supportive administration Masculine space / feminine spaces

15. Gendered Public Policies: Case Studies & Role--playing exercise Read 2-3 group members enact an event that would fall into the category of sexual harassment according to the definition (use role-playing technique) have 1-2 group members identify specific elements of the written policy and apply them to the situation (scope including discussion of gray areas, definition, behaviors) have 1-2 group members suggest a course of action (and all the steps that would be taken according to the policy statement) The policy statement may be accessed at http://uhr.rutgers.edu/uhce/h-sexual- harassment.html

16. Preparation for the Visual Essay assignment: Understanding the principles of design and story-telling online