4b - gender theory

Question 1

functionalist explanations of gender inequality

Answer 1

Parsons
Rastogi
Davis and Moore
Young

Question 2

Parsons gender inequality

Answer 2

biological differences:
nature over nurture
women: expressive roles (nurturing, caregiving, emotional)
men: instrumental roles (money-making, financial responsibilities, competitive, achieving)

Question 3

Rastogi gender inequality

Answer 3

Human Capital Theory
human capital = knowledge, competency, attitude and behaviour embedded in an individual

wage gap explained through amount of human capital people develop through knowledge and training
personal income varies based on investment in human capital

WOMEN less likely to invest in human capital and training due to expectation that they’re less committed to paid employment than men. choosing different priorities.

e.g. degree choice, maternity leave

Question 4

Davis and Moore gender inequality

Answer 4

Role Allocation theory 1945

— Stratification is permanent, universal, and FUNCTIONALLY NECESSARY
— Every society faces the task of ‘placing’ people on a hierarchy: ROLE ALLOCATION, according to abilities + effort
— 2 principles that dictate the hardest/best jobs:
— FUNCTIONAL UNIQUENESS (no other occupation can substitute for them, innate ability and training needed)
— DEGREE OF DEPENDENCY ON OTHERS (other positions dependent on them)

Women choose less functionally unique jobs due to functional uniqueness of parenting

40% of women choose part time

Question 5

Young (gender inequality)

Answer 5

— MERITOCRACY: people with merit rewarded with higher status and money
— in 50s, could foresee arisotcracy depleting and making way for equal opportunities (NOT INEQUALITY)

Theresa May: “I want to be a place where advantage is based on merit not privilege”

Most UK residents think this is the society we live in or would like to live in.

women have less merit than men in the workplace as they are suited for parenting

Question 6

Marxist Feminist/Marxist explanations of gender inequality

Answer 6

Friedman
Feeley
Skeggs
Bourdieu

Question 7

Friedman gender inequality

Answer 7

reserve army of labour
–> MAINLY WOMEN
married women = secondary workers, main responsibility: children and home
dependent on husband’s wages
should be more willing to leave work when demand drops: ‘familist ideology’

Question 8

Feeley gender inequality

Answer 8

family props up the capitalist system
family = patriarchal institution, women being exploited in role of wife and mother

capitalist ideology promotes nuclear family is ideal type + gender inequalities are natural and legitimate

children brainwashed by nuclear family unit to become next generation of workers

teaches conformity to parental control and acceptance of hierarchy

segregated conjugal roles taught

bride price

Question 9

Skeggs gender inequality

Answer 9

working class women particularly oppressed
feminists advance ‘individualist’ values and overlook discrimination against working class

working class women retraining to become health care workers. Dressing style changed: more demure, less makeup, to FIT IN with new role.

working class women oppressed by dual system of patriarchy and capitalism

Question 10

Bourdieu (gender inequality)

Answer 10

capital theory: social, cultural, material
men hold cultural hegemony so have more cultural capital, disadvantaging women

discussing sport, playing golf etc

women in London banking sector complained they were excluded from the ‘in-crowd’ because they didn’t go late night drinking in strip clubs

Question 11

Weberian explanations of gender inequality

Answer 11

Weber
Barron and Norris
Parkin
Hutton

Question 12

Weber gender inequality

Answer 12

2 class model = OVERSIMPLIFICATION
— Life chances influenced by 3: CLASS, STATUS, PARTY

fits in middle class groups better than Marx, who faces a boundary problem

CAN EXPLAIN DIFFERNECES BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN OF THE SAME CLASS

Question 13

Barron and Norris gender inequality

Answer 13

work sector consists of 2 sectors, primary and secondary

PRIMARY: secure, well-paid jobs, good prospects
SECONDARY: poor pay, insecurity, no ladder of promotion, gig economy, zero hour contracts

working class more likely secondary sector

inequality caused by DUAL LABOUR MARKET

secondary sector disproportionately women: glass ceiling

Question 14

Parkin gender inequality

Answer 14

EXCLUSION STRATEGY: groups anxious to protect privileges from new recruits so certain criteria used to restrict. E.g. elite private schools (Eton costs 37,000 a year, reccommendation, interview and test)
King and Smith Jack Wills culture maintains elite social groupings

USURPATION STRATEGY: less privileged groups try grab others’ privilege e.g. trade unions, strikes

Usurpation strategies against patriarchy: suffragettes, bra burners, equal pay act 1970, sex discrimination act 1975

Question 15

Hutton gender inequality

Answer 15

DISADVANTAGED: Bottom 30% of unemployed, economically inactive,, part-timers, insecure employment.
MARGINALISED: middle 30% structurally insecure employment , part timers on contracts, zero hour contracts
PRIVILEGED: 40% tenured jobs, security, trade union agreements like teachers, doctors, lecturers

disadvantaged/marginalised disproportionately women: glass ceiling

Question 16

New right explanations gender inequality

Answer 16

Schlafly

Question 17

Schlafly

Answer 17

positive freedom

traditional gender roles are FREEING for women
“liberation” only leads to bondage
campaigned against Equal Rights Amendment in USA 1970
Inequality exists and benefits women as traditional gender roles gives them special privileges e.g. chivalry

e.g. wife dependent benefits under social security, freedom from financial responsibility and army drafting,

Question 18

Feminist explanations of gender inequality

Answer 18

Liberal feminism
Marxist feminism
Triple systems / intersectional feminism
Radical feminism
Postmodern feminism

Question 19

Liberal feminism

Answer 19

Wants equal opportunities and rights in all areas which have been breached due to unfair laws and discriminatory practices. Must change norms and values

Oakley
Sommerville

Question 20

Oakley gender inequality (liberal)

Answer 20

primary socialisation
manipulation
canalisation

Question 21

Sommerville gender inequality (liberal)

Answer 21

we should introduce new policies to help working parents

Question 22

Marxist feminism

Answer 22

social class impacts womens’ life chances
capitalism leads to patriarchy
nuclear family supports capitalist AND patriarchal exploitation and oppression:
1. reproduction of next brainwashed generation of workers
2. women domestic work unpaid
3. women soothe stress and frustration of proletariat men, stultifying revolution. wives = ‘safety valve’ / ‘takers of shit’

Friedman
Feeley
Skeggs

Question 23

Triple systems/intersectional feminism

Answer 23

three interacting systems: racism, capitalism, PATRIARCHY!
liberal feminism fails to relate to many women of minority groups/low social class
e.g. Kurdish women in Syria, minority group women in Afghanistan

Bell hooks - liberal feminists ignore multiple oppressions faced by black women. murdered, attacked, poor, unemployed in higher numbers.

Question 24

radical feminism

Answer 24

conflict between men and women is THE MOST fundamental divide in society
male supremacy is ensured at the expense of women
women all have shared interests as they are all exploited by men

men seize control of social privileges, material rewards, cultural power, and inflict physical and sexual violence against women

cultural dominance allows ‘justification’

SEPARATISM: women can free themselves by cutting themselves off from men

Dworkin

Question 25

Dworkin

Answer 25

patriarchy based on sexual exploitation
critical of porn
porn encourages rape and sexual violence
tried to get porn outlawed
all heterosexual sex is like rape, as consent is given by women without true understanding of patriarchal implications

Question 26

postmodern feminism

Answer 26

importance of language and symbols in media subtly reinforcing gender inequality
Walter - hypersexuality
Ros Coward
Messerschmidt (toxic hegemonic masculinity)
Benetar (most dangerous jobs with least pay and security are left to men)

Question 27

Ros Coward

Answer 27

attacks ‘sacred cows’ of feminism (fundamental ideas)
there is no overarching patriarchal system with men always oppressing women
men also oppressed: 90s unemployment, feminisation of economy, crisis of masculinity (Mac an Ghail)

Social changes create a new ‘gender landscape’ where men are also oppressed

Question 28

Post feminism

Answer 28

‘after feminism’ - we have gender equality now
new development of feminist ideas, sometimes even rejection of feminist ideas?

Hakim - Preference theory

Question 29

Hakim

Answer 29

women now have genuine freedom to choose their own destinies. patriarchal obstacles have largely been removed by leglislation
women given a rational free choice, and many simply choose to prioritise childcare
gender differences in orientations to work

PREFERENCE THEORY: some women (especially highly educated) are work-oriented
others have more traditional views, are home oriented
some believe in PRIMARY gender roles but also fluidity between them (adaptive orientation)

both men and women should use sexual capital to get on in life