2. Global Gender Relations Flashcards
Gender refers to the
Social, cultural, political constructions of what men and women are like
How is gender wrongly used?
To describe biological differences
This reproduces inequality
Sexes vs gender
Sexes = biology
Gender = constructions
Feminism
Constructed from the viewpoint of those who have experienced discrimination and marginalisation
Women are a majority on this planet
But still a minority in terms of power
Largest social group
Feminist theories are
Bottom-up views of the world
Assumptions and constructions are perpetuated (Peterson 2005)
Some behaviours e.g nurture and love are either ignored or devalued as emotional behaviour (England 1993)
UK 40+ pay gap
Huge 14/15% (ASHE, 2017)
Office for national statistics
CEO’s and Senior management genders
30% women
70% men
UK Pay gap
19.7% pay gap
6th worse EU state
CEO and senior management pay gap
25-30%
Why is there a pay gap?
Unsupportive family policies
Discrimination
Feminist theories
Liberal- 19th Century
Historical Materialism- late 19th Century
Second-Wave Radical Feminism- 1950s/60s
Standpoint Feminism
Poststructuralist Feminism 1980s-
Liberal Feminism year and people
19th Century
Enlightenment and Suffragettes
E.g Emily Pankhurst and Eleanor Rathbone
Liberal Feminism ideas
- Women’s relative status in society is a measure of progress in society
- Societal position of women not ordained by god or nature but determined by society
- Women like men are rational so have the right to be equal
- The way they are perceived effects of discrimination
FOCUSES ON SECURING EQUAL RIGHTS FOR WOMEN
19th Century position of women
Confined to private sphere of home and family
Represented by the male as the head of the household
Women not allowed to work for a wage, confined to home unpaid labour
Marginalised from public life
Historical Materialism date and people
Karl Marx
Late 19th Century
Historical Materialism key ideas
- Capitalism and private property are oppressive
- Capitalism creates new forms of social discrimination and subordination
- Distinction between paid labour and necessary SOCIAL REPRODUCTION of labour
Issues with historical Materialism
Silent on women
Merely a conceptual framework for understanding discrimination
Second Wave Radical Feminism years
1950s-1960s
Inspired by Marxist ideas but also contest them
Second wave radical feminism key ideas
- Critical of dominant gender roles
Introduced wider issues:
- Sexuality
- Reproductive rights
- Working and social inequalities
Patriarchy = male domination has become institutionalised
Marriage reinforce roles of men and women: property of husband
Standpoint feminism key ideas
Women and men occupy radically different life worlds
- institutionalised society discrimination, experience so different can’t talk about similarities
Gender identities forged through socialisation
Feminine should be celebrated- women’s experiences of nurturing and caring should be central to society
Unique experiences of women should be celebrated
Roles shouldn’t be criticised
Issues with standpoint feminism
Attribute too much difference to biological
ESSENTIALISING
Standpoint issue with second wave
2nd wave devalues feminine characteristics
Poststructuralist feminism years
1980s
Poststructuralist feminism key ideas
Look at everyday practices and how men/women given unequal access
No authentic women’s experience from which to construct understanding
- challenge biological sources of difference
Masculinity or femininity constructed through language, symbols, stories and practices that are woven into fabric of everyday life
GENDER IS DISCURSIVELY CONSTRUCTED AND IS IN CONSTANT FLUX
What is social reproduction?
Women responsible for labour in the sphere of reproduction, creating and sustaining the labour force
Women support capitalism through home labour
What are the three levels of social reproduction?
Biological
Reproduction of the labour force
Social
Tepe-Belfrage 2012 social reproduction
Privatisation allows labour to be exploited, disguised behind ideas of naturalness or sexual division of labour and depending on men
Social reproduction is more than just physical
Social care work necessary for biological reproduction and reproduction of human labour
What work is under social reproduction?
Maternity
Childcare
Reproduction of social and cultural values of society
UNWAGED
Women tend to dominate child care work
Poorly paid
Difficult to put market value on their worth
Cost of childcare more than wage?
Government enables women to go back to work with subsidies
Blyth 2013
Leaves gender out of austerity as a class issue
Cuts affect women more
Social reproduction policies
Supportive and flexible family policy in care arrangements
Role of man in care work sharing partnership involves men
Paid work vs non paid (home)
Why is there a significant gender pay gap?
Women tend to take career breaks to care for others
‘Glass ceiling’ what women should/shouldn’t do
Discrimination
Undertake more unpaid work e.g household
Division of household labour in UK (Szelewa 2013)
Women do 1 hr 55 mins more than men
Italy is worse at 3 hr 50 mins
Paternity leave average payment
20% across UK
NO INCENTIVE
Better financially to keep father working
Average paternity leave taken in EU counties
12% of total available taken
Failure of family policy
