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Sociology - social inequalities > Feminist explanations of inequalities > Flashcards

Feminist explanations of inequalities Flashcards

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Sociology 101 flashcards
1
Q

What are the 3 shared beliefs of most feminists ?

A
  1. Gender inequalities cause major divisions in society
  2. Relationships are conflict based and exploit women
  3. Malestream = the view of men is seen as normal
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2
Q

What is the first wave of feminism ?

A
  • suffragettes
  • wanted all adults - regardless of class - should be able to vote at 21
  • helped empower women and the working class men
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3
Q

What is the second wave of feminism ?

A
  • after the right to vote was gained women continued campaigning
  • influence by 3 key events
    1. Success of the civil rights movement (more freedom for black US citizens)
    2. New technology - contraceptive pill
    3. WW2 - women given responsibility for jobs during the war - had a taste of freedom
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4
Q

What are women liberation groups ?

A
  • in the 60s and 70s
  • engaged in consciousness raising
  • highlighted gender inequalities and argued women’s lives shouldn’t be seen as unimportant
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5
Q

What is the 3rd wave feminism ?

A
  • developed from the 90’s
  • reflects globalisation and technology
  • looks at different nationalities, religions and cultural backgrounds
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6
Q

What is 4th wave feminism ?

A
  • uses the internet to bring change
  • through online petitions, raising awareness etc
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7
Q

What are liberal feminism’s focuses ?

A
  • They focus on obtaining equal opportunities and rights for men and women
  • In area’s such as the workplace, education and politics
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8
Q

Why do liberal feminists say gender inequalities have occurred ?

A
  • result of gender socialisation
  • unfair laws that reinforce discrimination
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9
Q

What did Oakley say about gender inequalities (liberal feminist) ?

A
  • gender role socialisation in the family happens from a young age
  • Looks at how this occurs through manipulation and canalisation which teach norms and values
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10
Q

What are some criticisms of Oakley’s theory ?

A
  • Radical and marxist feminists think that this doesn’t explain how men and women have different amounts of power
  • Other forms of feminism say that there needs to be new and revolutionary change not just reforming current structures
  • Too optimistic - even though the gender pay act went through - their is still a pay gap
  • Middle class movement - doesn’t represent all women
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11
Q

What are the main beliefs of marxist feminists ?

A
  • They believe that social class affects the life chances of women
  • Looks at how capitalism leads to gender inequalities
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12
Q

What do marxist feminists think about the family ?

A
  • patriarchal institution
  • women’s traditional position leads to exploitation
  • inequalities are maintained because women accept the dominant ideology that the nuclear family is best
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13
Q

What are the 4 main ideas as to why women in the family maintain capitalism ?

A
  • They reproduce the next generation of obedient workers
  • Women’s domestic work is unpaid and therefore only one wage is paid to the husband
  • Women soothe the stresses of the proletariat men
  • Women are seen as a reserve army of labour due to their unpaid work
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14
Q

What sociologist supports the theory that women reproduce the next generation of obedient workers ?

A

Feely =
- family teaches children to accept parental authroity that is patriarchal
- children leave the family accepting traditional gender roles

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15
Q

What sociologist supports the theory that women’s domestic work is unpaid and therefore only one wage is paid to the husband ?

A

Benston =
- argues that a wife looks after her husband by feeding and caring
- essential to capitalism as it keeps women out of work

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16
Q

What sociologist supports the theory that women soothe the stresses of the proletariat men ?

A

Ansley =
- Sees women as acting as a safety value
- Husbands come home frustrated from their jobs
- Take their anger out on their wives

17
Q

What sociologist supports the theory that women are seen as a reserve army of labour due to their unpaid work ?

A

Brugel
- family is central to women’s oppression
- ruling class use women for work when it appropriate for them
- but don’t value them as much as men

18
Q

What are the evaluations of marxist feminism ?

A
  • Places too much emphasis on social class - doesn’t look at factors such as ethnicity and age
  • Post-modernists say that there isn’t class divisions anymore
  • Radical feminists believe that patriarchy is more significant than capitalism
  • Marxist feminism relies on a revolution happening
19
Q

What are the main beliefs of radical feminism ?

A
  • patriarchy rather than capitalism causes oppression
  • Society is run by men in the interests of men
  • men don’t want to give up their power
20
Q

How do radical feminists think that the family oppresses women ?

A
  • always been a gender division of labour
  • this reinforces male domination
  • men are the ones who define the ‘natural’ by establishing patriarchy
21
Q

What was Millett’s theory (radical feminist) ?

A
  • men originally acquired power because of biological factors
  • women who are pregnant can’t contribute to society
  • men are consistently reliable
  • the development of the pill means this can’t be justified anymore
22
Q

What was Johnsons theory (radical feminist) ?

A
  • patriarchal terrorism explains violence
  • the result of patriarchal traditional of mens rights to control women
  • shows why their is high levels of domestic violence across the world
23
Q

What are the evaluations of radical feminism ?

A
  • don’t acknowledge any family type other than the nuclear family
  • Liberal feminists suggest that women’s position has changed over time whereas radical feminists ignore this
  • Over-emphasise the differences between men rather than looking at the ways they can work in harmony
24
Q

What is Sylvia Walby’s theory ?

A

Intersectionality =
- looks at the intersectionality between inequalities such as class, gender, ethnicity, religion and nationality

25
Q

What are the 6 patriarchal structures in society which restrict women and maintain male dominance (Walby) ?

A
  1. Paid employment = women face discrimination and stereotyping in the working place
  2. The household = women are exploited in the family and they take responsibility for childcare and clearing whilst working full-time
  3. The state = Acts in the interests of men in terms of taxes, welfare and laws
  4. Cultural institutions such as the media = Represents women in certain social roles and as sex objects or mothers
  5. Sexuality = Men are applauded for the amount of sexual partners they have whereas men are shamed for the same behaviour
  6. Violence against women = Threat of violence and sexual assault as a way for men to control women
26
Q

Overall, what does Walby think about changes to female power ?

A
  • young, well-educated women have made progress
  • impacts are mainly for the poor unqualified young and older women
27
Q

What are the evaluations of Walby ?

A
  • A strength is it can be seen as an improvement due to the incorporation different feminist viewpoints
  • Stacey has criticised Walby because she over-exaggerates the effects of social structures
28
Q

What is Hakim’s theory ?

A

Preference theory
- women aren’t the victims of unfair unemployment but make choices in the way they work
- women aren’t as committed to their careers as men
- inequalities are due to women’s attitudes towards work
- explains glass ceiling, gender-pay gap, occupational segregation

29
Q

What are the 3 classifications that Hakim proposes for work-lifestyle preferences ?

A

Home centred = Family and childcare is the priority - would rather not work (20% of UK females)

Adaptive = Women want to combine family and work - also includes women who want to work but haven’t committed to a career (60% of UK females)

Work-centred = Childless women who are concentrated fully on employment (20% of UK females)

30
Q

What are the evaluations of Hakim’s preference theory ?

A
  • Ginn = it is employer attitudes rather than women’s attitudes that lead to low pay and limited job security
  • Hakim ignores the power of patriarchy to suppress women - patriarchal ideology has shaped preferences

Sociology - social inequalities (42 decks)

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