The term ‘gender’ is socially constructed which involves socio-cultural attributes of masculinity and femininity. It is different from the concept of ‘sex’ which mainly involves biological difference between male and female. Gender Studies encompasses studies about masculinity, femininity and also Third Gender (LGBTQI) community.
Employability after studying Gender Studies (Seminar on Gender):
In the Department of Sociology, Adamas University, a common paper entitled ‘Seminar on Gender’ is being offered at under graduate level for all students of School of Liberal Arts and Culture Studies along with students from Media and even Psychology. This paper provides an in-depth understanding about the social construction of gender along with the problems faced by binary and non-binary categories of gender followed by the impact of feminist movement.
After studying this paper on Gender, students are exposed to myriad opportunities both at the public and private sectors like:
1. HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST: Candidates can get employment in Organizations like UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women which is an UN Agency dedicated to establish gender equality or to prevent any kind of gender discrimination in society. Men’s Alliance works for socializing boys to prevent atrocities against women.
2. CAREER IN MEDIA INDUSTRY: Social media plays a decisive role in the everyday life of adolescents/youngsters. The paper of Gender opens various avenues for the candidate in the media industry like being public relation officer where one can publish blogs and articles on feminist activism. The candidate can also become a social media manager who is an individual in an organization who can contribute/monitor or measure the social media presence of a brand or product. It’s related to advertising sector. By being consistently associated with media industry, the candidate can become a feminist activist by promoting gender equality through strong channels and social networking.
3. CAREER IN GENDER AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY: Social Psychology studies the nature, functions and phenomena of human behaviour and mental experience of individuals in social sphere. The major socio psychological phenomena include prejudice and inter-group conflict, impression management, sexual behaviour and socialization (Coleman, 1996).Any candidate specializing in gender or after studying the paper on Gender can combine it with medical field (social psychology) which will open up avenues or job prospects in mental health care, family care (therapist) and old age homes.
4. RESEARCH CONSULTANT/RESEARCH ASSISTANT: Specializing in Gender Studies which is an upcoming and an important arena helps the individual to work as research consultant/research assistant by being associated with various projects on gender and development. There are educational institutions which employs research assistants to work on certain projects at the national and international level.
5. EDUCATIONAL SECTOR: If the candidate wishes to pursue a career in Academics, he/she can appear for School Service Commission, NET/SLET examinations, qualifying which he/she can become teacher in schools and lecturer/Professors in government and private colleges/universities.
6. SOCIAL ACTIVISTS IN NGOs: As a social activist, the candidate can pursue career in NGOs working on gender and development and problems faced by working women and even violence against women in public and private spheres. There are NGOs like AKANSHA in Mumbai, Hope Foundation in Kolkata, Bangla Natok.com in Kolkata which works on myriad gender issues involving the victims of crime against women
and Third Gender both in the domestic and the public place. These non-governmental organizations help the candidates to shape their career with global reach.
7. CAREER IN GENDER AND LAW: Sociology of Gender has a strong affinity with legal studies and Law. If the candidate is interested in studying the legal cases involving gender discrimination or crime against women, men or Third Gender, he/she can work with various agencies, law firms; international development programmes in order to fight for gender equality and to meet out justice to the victims of gender based crime.
8. SEXUALIZED VIOLENCE EDUCATOR: Sex education helps to make the
youngsters aware about the knowledge, skills and values to make responsible choices about their sexual and social relationship affected by infectious diseases. Sexual violence involves violence in the household against men and women along with problems in reproductive health of women. It also involves violence regarding racism, homophobia which needs to be understood fro sociological perspective. An educator of sexualized violence or a counsellor can act as a therapist who can re-socialize the victims who has been subjected to such form of violence.
9. SOCILA POLICY ANALYSTS: One who specializes in gender studies can also become social policy analysts which involves finding solutions to problems like poverty, hunger and crime against women.
10. CONTENT WRITER: A candidate can become a content writer on different projects on gender based violence and gender and religion. These projects require content writers who can contribute on gender issues like depiction of women in different religions, gender construction of rituals and even depiction of sexuality in different religions of India and the world.
References:
1. Colman. Andrew, Social Psychology, January 1996,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280098253_Social_psychology Retrived
30-05-2020
2. Gender/Women Studies, https://www.mindler.com/careerlibrary/Social-Sciences-
Humanities/career-in-gender-studies-in-india Retrieved 30-05-2020
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