Culture and Identity Flashcards
How do radical feminists explain how patriarchy controls women’s bodies and sexuality?
Firestone (1970) argues that women’s biological role in reproduction has historically placed them in a position of dependency, allowing patriarchy to dominate. She advocates for reproductive technologies and the abolition of the nuclear family to liberate women from biological determinism and patriarchal control.
How do radical feminists explain how patriarchy is reinforced through domestic labour?
Greer (2000) claims that domestic labour and sexual relationships within the household are mechanisms through which men exploit women. She proposes matrilocal households, where women live separately, as a way of undermining male dominance and reclaiming autonomy.
How do radical feminists explain violence as a tool of patriarchy?
Brownmiller (1976) asserts that male violence, including rape and domestic abuse, is not incidental but a systemic tool of patriarchal control. The ever-present threat of violence, she argues, serves to keep all women subordinate, reinforcing male supremacy.
How do liberal feminists evaluate radical feminist views on biology and patriarchy?
Somerville (2000) critiques the radical focus on biology and family abolition, arguing that legal reforms and wider societal changes have already improved women’s status. She believes pragmatic reforms, rather than revolutionary changes, are more effective in promoting equality.
How do Marxist feminists critique radical feminist views on domestic labour?
Ansley (1972) challenges radical feminists by attributing domestic oppression to capitalism, not men alone. She argues that women act as emotional support systems for men alienated by capitalist work, absorbing frustration and stabilising the system.
How do liberal feminists critique radical feminist views on violence and patriarchy?
Kelly (1988) warns against the radical feminist generalisation that all men are violent. She advocates for institutional reform and stronger legal protections for women, stressing the importance of working within the system to achieve real change.
What do radical feminists argue about the role of family in gender socialisation?
Radical feminists see the family as a patriarchal structure that socialises women into subordinate roles. Greer (2000) argues that traditional families normalise female oppression and suggests matrilocal households to eliminate the embedded power imbalance.
What do feminists argue about gender socialisation in education?
Sue Lees (1993) highlights the double standards in sexual labelling, where girls are shamed as ‘slags’ while boys are praised as ‘studs.’ This reinforces patriarchal expectations and contributes to gendered subject choices and horizontal segregation.
What do feminist theorists argue about media’s role in gender identity formation?
Tuchmann (1978) contends that women are symbolically annihilated in the media, while Mulvey (1975) introduces the concept of the male gaze, where women are objectified and valued primarily for their appearance, reinforcing patriarchal norms.
How do Marxist feminists evaluate the feminist view on the family?
Barrett (1980) argues that the ‘ideology of familism’ persuades women that fulfilment comes from motherhood and housework, which benefits both patriarchy and capitalism by providing unpaid labour and social stability.
How do functionalists evaluate feminist claims about gender socialisation in education?
Parsons suggests that schools prepare students for adult roles based on natural biological differences—boys for instrumental roles and girls for expressive roles—offering a consensus-based, rather than conflict-based, explanation of gender roles.
How do pluralist theorists critique feminist views on media?
Pluralists argue that audiences are active and can interpret media in diverse ways. McRobbie (1991) acknowledges that while objectification still exists, media portrayals of women have become more empowering, reflecting broader social change.
What is the liberal feminist perspective on gender socialisation today?
Somerville (2000) argues that while gender inequality persists, women now have greater access to education, employment, and personal autonomy. Legal frameworks have created new opportunities for gender parity in both public and private spheres.
How do Marxist feminists explain how capitalism reinforces patriarchal gender roles?
Ansley (1972) states that women are the ‘takers of shit,’ emotionally cushioning men from the alienation caused by capitalism. This role sustains both capitalist and patriarchal structures by keeping resistance subdued within the domestic sphere.
How do Marxist feminists explain domestic roles through the ideology of familism?
Barrett (1980) believes women are indoctrinated through the ideology of familism, which frames domesticity and motherhood as natural aspirations. This ensures the unpaid reproduction of labour and legitimises capitalist exploitation.
How do Marxist feminists critique liberal feminist optimism?
Marxist feminists argue that liberal reforms do not tackle the economic base of women’s oppression. True liberation requires structural change to dismantle capitalism and eliminate gendered economic roles.
How do functionalists evaluate feminist critiques of domestic roles?
Murdock argues that the sexual division of labour is functional and universal, benefiting society by ensuring tasks are efficiently allocated based on biological predisposition, rather than reinforcing inequality.
How do postmodernists evaluate feminist arguments about gender roles?
Postmodernists claim that in a fluid, individualised society, gender identity is increasingly chosen, not fixed. Dunne (1999) found that lesbian couples shared housework more equally, illustrating that patriarchy is not universal or inevitable.
What distinguishes high culture from popular culture?
High culture refers to intellectually and artistically valued forms like opera, classical music, and fine art. Haralambos & Holborn (2013) define it as the pinnacle of cultural creation. Arnold’s Elite Theory views it as the “pursuit of perfection,” accessible only to a cultivated elite.
Why might the distinction between high and popular culture be outdated?
Postmodernist Strinati (1995) and Giddings (2010) argue that technology and global media have blurred cultural lines. High culture is now commodified and streamed, eroding exclusivity and reinforcing the concept of cultural hybridity.
How does high culture reinforce class inequality?
Bourdieu’s (1984) Cultural Capital Theory argues that access to high culture gives the middle class educational advantages, embedding class stratification and maintaining structural inequality.
Why might class distinctions in culture matter less today?
Postmodernists argue for individualised and fragmented identities. Banksy exemplifies this by merging street art with elite galleries, showing that cultural boundaries are fluid and consumer-led.
What role does economic access play in cultural distinctions?
Marcuse’s (2002) Marxist critique of mass culture highlights that profit-driven entertainment pacifies the working class, while high culture’s exclusivity sustains bourgeois dominance.
Can popular culture be meaningful and critical?
Neo-Marxist Hall (1980) and Livingstone (1988) argue that audiences are active, not passive. Popular media like EastEnders can raise social awareness and challenge dominant ideologies.
