FEMINIST CRITIQUES 10.31.18

Question 1

1. gendered nature of ideological paradigms

Answer 1

• gender inequality has been assumed

- paradigms and political ideologies have been constructed and reflect the experience of men

Question 2

2. issues particular to women have been MARGINALIZED and EXCLUDED

Answer 2

• women experience a different social world

Question 3

3. paradigms assume that the family is integral to SOCIETAL STABILITY

Answer 3

• families are normal or ideal
• men as breadwinner
• women as caregiver
• families are good places
• violence, power, social and economic inequity

Question 4

feminism is NOT MONOLITHIC

Answer 4

• although they agree on gender inequality, they vary on the causes and potential solutions

Question 5

liberal feminism

Answer 5

• emphasis on equal opportunities and equal civil rights
• inequality is the result of gender discrimination and gender-biased laws
• emphasis on reforming EXISTING social and political institutions NOT transforming them
• simplistic approach: overlooks patriarchal and capitalist nature of the state
• restrict analysis to the public sphere
• seeks solutions to inequality in MALE TERMS and fails to consider other structural issues
• women of privilege
• significant changes have not occurred

Question 6

socialist feminism

Answer 6

• influenced by social democratic and Marxist thought
• locates analysis within a socialist or Marxist analysis of capitalism
• not just about oppression of working class, but alos about the specific oppression of women
• social problems should examine CLASS and GENDERED OPPRESSION
• women and labour market
• not interested in women’s reproduction work
• dual role not given full attention
• recognition of sexual division of labour
• not seen as revolutionary or radical enough

Question 7

radical feminism

Answer 7

• neither liberal feminism or socialist feminist is radical “enough”
• PATRIARCHY is seen as primary source of women’s oppression
• male violence
• false universalism: women have common interest
• downgrades importance of social class and ethnicity
• are all men enemy
• ignores the importance of positive political and economic changes

Question 8

anti-racist critiques

Answer 8

• traditional/dominant paradigms have ignored racism
• feminist movement criticized as excluding the experiences and voices of women of colour and Indigenous women
• race = rank the abilities
• race = biological category // social construction

Question 9

black feminist

Answer 9

• white feminist have ignored the differences of POWER
• little solidarity between white men and black men
• may not apply to Black women
• diversity of women’s experiences/realities
• intersectionality of violence

Question 10

post-modern critique

Answer 10

• rejection of all grand narratives: universality of experience
• reject notion of an essential “human nature”
• many realities
• individuals occupy a plurality of shifting and overlapping identities
• “reality” changes
• ignores structural oppressions: that some groups occupy more powerful positions than others

Question 11

gender-based policy analysis

Answer 11

• • process that assess the differential impact of proposed and/or existing policies, programs and legislation on women and men
• most social policies are written in gender-neutral language
• written by men
• compares how and why women adn men are affected by policy issues