"Whose knowledge" is an important question posed by contemporary feminist scholars. This question reveals the positionality and politics of knowledge and drives change in gender studies as well as social theory. On one hand, the universality of gender categories is challenged, leading researchers to focus on the multiple intersecting powers, positions, and local experiences. On the other hand, gender is no longer seen merely as a part of an individual or a discrete variable; it is also a core organizing principle of social order, shaping various social institutions, actions, and interpersonal interactions, thus possessing the potential to reconstruct social theory.

In line with this perspective, this course aims to provide students with a foundational understanding of gender sociology and equip them with analytical tools for conducting social analysis from a gender perspective. The course content is roughly divided into two parts: the first part reviews important concepts and theoretical developments, while the second part discusses how gender intersects with other axes of power to shape various social institutions and spheres of life.