This course examines American courtship from the opening decades of the 20^th century to today. We will talk about when, how, and why dating replaced the 19^thcentury custom of “calling”, and examine how and why dating rules changed over the next half-century before discussing the shift from dating to "hanging out” and “hooking up." Hookup culture today shapes many younger Americans' sexual and relationship expectations, so we also will consider how it is impacting their ideas about relationships and marriage. Does it promote greater personal well-being and satisfaction, or does it undermine emotional intimacy and healthy relationships? In addition to comparing calling, dating, and hookup norms and social scripts, we will talk about the social, economic, and political trends that contributed to changing courtship conventions over time and how each change shifted relationship power between men and women and between parents and youth.

There are no required texts for this course; weekly reading assignments will be emailed to students. Students must be able to access email and download attachments. For those interested in digging deeper into courtship history and hookup culture, the instructor will provide a list of book recommendations.