Perspectives On Social Policy (feminism)

Question 1

What is one view?

Answer 1

Hilary Land argues that the assumption is for a patriarchal nuclear family but Edmund Leach claims that there is a cereal packet family norm

Norms affect policies and policies further reinforce this norm

E.g. If assuming the male is the main wage earner, it can make it hard for wives to claim social security benefits reinforcing a women’s dependence on her husband

Courts may also assume that women should have custody of children in divorce cases as they are the natural carers

Question 2

What is another view?

Answer 2

Diana Leonard also claims that those policies aimed at supporting women still encourage patriarchy (e.g. Maternity vs paternity = triple shift)

Similarly child benefit is also paid to the mother assuming that she is the primary carer

This shows the important of social policies in the social construction and maintenance of patriarchal family roles

Question 3

What are the criticisms of feminism?

Answer 3

Not all policies are directed at patriarchy such as equal pay, sex discrimination laws, benefits for lone parents

New Right believe that feminists have turned the natural order of things and especially women’s role within the family upside down

The policies of the 60’s and 70’s were the beginning of a sustained attack on traditional family views

Question 4

Further evaluation

Answer 4

By doing examinations of other countries and their policies we can see if social policies really do have an effect on encouraging and maintaining a patriarchal family

Eileen Drew refers to ‘gender regimes’ to explain how some counties show a traditional ‘feministic’ gender regime or a more equal ‘individualistic’ gender regime

Question 5

Individualistic gender regimes

Answer 5

Belief that husbands and wives are equal and wives are not assumed to be financially dependent upon their husbands and equal entitlement to state benefits

Question 6

Further evaluation 2

Answer 6

In Sweden policies are based on equality. Drew argues that there is a movie in EU counties towards individualistic gender regimes and away from others

However public funded policies create conflict about who should benefit from them and who should pay for them

Question 7

What do feminists believe?

Answer 7

That policies maintain women’s subordinate position and unequal gender division of labour within the family

Policies are based on assumptions about what is ‘normal’ at the expense of other types

E.g. Benefits and taxes that encourage marriage makes it more difficult for people to live in other family types