Marxism and Feminism Flashcards
Marxist analysis pinpoints the root of social conflict to
the unequal distribution of wealth in society.
Bourgeoisie
Capitalist class who owns most of society’s wealth.
The workers, who can sell their own labour.
Proletariat
Ideology
refers to common-sense systems of belief belonging to any class or social group; often perceived as natural. “Just the way things are”.
Marx focused on base while Gramsci focused on
superstructure
Superstructure
The ideology producing institutions.
Base
The economic foundation of society.
Hegemony requires that
ideologies be understood as inevitable, natural.
How can hegemony be actively won and secured?
Through coercion or consent.
5 Feminist Frameworks
Liberal Feminism Socialist Feminism Radical Feminism Psychoanalytic Feminism Cultural Feminism
Reason & Emotion
Liberal Feminism
Public & Private
Socialist Feminism
Nature & Culture
Radical Feminism
Subject & Object
Psychoanalytic Feminism
Mind & Body
Cultural Feminism
Liberal feminism argues that
women are rational beings with a right to participate and contribute to public life.
Socialist feminism critiqued
women’s economic dependance fostered by gendered division of labour as well as the benefits to capitalism secured by women’s place in “private sphere”.
Radical feminism is critical of
male stream social, political, academic, and cultural institutions. Male dominated culture has done violence to women. A solution for some is lesbian separatism.
Psychoanalytic feminism examines
assumptions set forth in psychoanalytic theory and its treatment of girls’ development as less worthy of study. Psychoanalytic feminism is a theory to include girls/women’s experiences.
Cultural feminism critiques
the devaluation of women through association with the “body”. Women are relegated to work in roles related to child bearing and caring because of their association with only the body.
