Feminism

Question 1

Feminism - the challenge to malestream sociology

Answer 1

feminists view mainstream sociology as ‘malestream’, concentrating on men and mostly carried out by men, then assuming they can apply findings to women too; therefore distorting explanations of social life by neglecting women

Question 2

Walby’s six structures of the patriarchy

Answer 2

• the household (women have primary domestic responsibility)
• paid work (women are lower paid and lower status in jobs)
• the state (policies focus on male interests)
• sexuality (different standards for male and female behaviour)
• male violence (domestic violence, rape etc - inadequately tackled by the state)
• cultural institutions (religion, media, education and other institutions)

Question 3

General features of feminist theory

Answer 3

• inequality in power and status between men and women, with women dominated by men
• conflict of interest between men and women (theorefore conflict theories)
• gender roles and inequalities are socially construct and not based on biological differences so they can be challenged by human action
• recognition of the importance of the structure of the patriarchy

Question 4

Liberal feminism

Answer 4

• suggest inequality comes primarily from stereotypes and socialisation generating a lack of equal opportunity
• research like Oakelys on housework and Sharpes on gender socialisation and education shows these inequalities
• believe equality will come through a gradual process of reforms, such as improved/ free childcare, equal pay etc

Question 5

Evaluation of liberal feminism

Answer 5

• produced evidence showing that gender differences are socially constructed
• important effects on social policy such as Equal Pay Act 1970
• but it deals with reducing the effects of female oppression rather than challenging the causes (the patriarchy)

Question 6

Radical feminism

Answer 6

• patriarchy is the fundamental form of inequality, dividing the world into two ‘sex classes’ with all men reaping all the benefits
• all women have shared interest in challenging men
• men are the key instruments in female oppression and all male-female relationships involve sexual politics (power struggles where men dominate)
• Firestone and Ortner both link women’s subordination to biology (pregnancy and childbirth) making them dependent and vulnerable, giving men the opportunity to physically and psychologically control them
• propose the complete destruction of patriarchy and childbirth to happen independently of men, and also separatism and political lesbianism

Question 7

Criticisms of radical feminism

Answer 7

• suggests all women have shared interests so fails to recognise other causes of inequality (class and race)
• fails to recognise that gradual reform has improved women’s opportunities
• doesn’t offer solutions for how to abolish patriarchy - separatism and lesbianism are ways to escape it rather than challenge it
• sees all men as ‘the enemy’

Question 8

Marxist feminism

Answer 8

• argues that gender inequality arises from capitalism not an independent system of patriarchy
• women are used as a cheap labour force and a reserve army of labour, or as free labour in the form of unpaid domestic work
• women’s expressive role as “takers of shit” (Ansley) relieves men’s anger at their exploitation at work, helping to keep capitalism stable
• Barnett and McIntosh - the ideal of the ‘cereal packet family’ is patriarchal, and particularly harms working class women
• improving women’s positions requires challenges to capitalism

Question 9

Criticisms of marxist feminism

Answer 9

• don’t explain that the patriarchy has existed in all societies, not just capitalist ones
• men benefit from women’s subordination (not just capitalism)
• men can be instruments of oppression eg through physical violence

Question 10

Dual systems feminism

Answer 10

• dual system feminists like Walby blend radical and marxist feminism
• views capitalism and the patriarchy as separate, dual systems which interact and reinforce each other through ‘patriarchal capitalism’
• this generates dual roles for women as homemakers and paid workers
• it is patriarchal and capitalist structures which are the source of women’s inequality
• presents solutions as the removing of the patriarchy and capitalism, but also supports reform methods like liberal feminists, with both domestic and public reforms
• criticised for primarily theoretical approach

Question 11

Difference feminism (sometimes referred to as postmodernist feminism)

Answer 11

• suggests other forms of feminism focus on the subordination of white middle class women
• emphasise the different experiences of different women (based on class, race, sexuality, disability etc)
• some groups may face several forms of oppression
• different women have different concepts of the meaning of oppression (eg is wearing a hijab oppressive or not)
• criticised for deflecting attention from the shared experiences of all women

Question 12

Feminism as a political ideology

Answer 12

3 waves of feminism
1. late 1800s/ early 1900s campaign for women’s suffrage
2. Women’s Liberation Movement (1960s to 80s) sought to challenge patriarchy and get more equal rights
3. third wave still happening now - continuing struggles from second wave but also embracing issues raised by difference feminism and reflecting on diversity