Theory and Methods- Perspectives (Feminism) (7) Flashcards
What does Feminism mean?
-advocacy of women’s rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes.
What is sociological feminism?
-society based on the exploitation of women by men (patriarchy) .
What are the four basic tenants of sociological feminism?
- Inequality: between men + women.
- Conflict: between men + women.
- Gender Inequality: are socially constructed.
- importance of Patriarchy in explaining inequality.
What are the 6 structures of patriarchy?
- Paid work
- Household work
- Culture
- Sexuality
- Violence
- The State (the gov.)
What is liberal feminism?
- idea that all humans should have equality, rights + freedom.
- women should have the same rights as men.
- reforminism: equality achieved by gradual reforms + changes to laws, attitudes + policy.
Work place (CLAP):
- challenge institutional sexism.
-challenge “glass ceiling”. (invisible barrier that prevents women from rising beyond a certain level)
Law (CLAP):
- equal act pay.
-anti-discrimination law. -> gender no longer important.
-better care for victims of sexual crime.
Social Policy (CLAP):
- more work to be done on paternity/maternity leave.
-nursery vouchers. (allows working parents the opportunity to sacrifice part of their pre-tax salary to pay for registered childcare.)
Education (CLAP):
- Expectations have changed but more work needs to be done.
i.e: women in science or engineering.
Family (CLAP):
- more women pursuing careers.
- more equal parts in household tasks + childcare.
Evaluation of liberal feminism: (FOR)
- shows gender ineq. and discrimination can be overcome w/o violence.
- gender diff. are socially constructed.
-has had an important influence on social policy.
Evaluation of liberal feminism: (AGAINST)
- ignores the need for revolutionary action.
-deals w/ symptoms of oppression not causes.
-overly optimistic. (confident/hopeful)
Who are the Key thinker for liberal feminism?
-Anne Oakley: distinguishes between sex + gender.
Sex: biological makeup
Gender: what you socially regard yourself to be.
-Sue Sharpe
What does radical feminism mean?
- extreme version of feminism.
- sees society as being completely dominated by men.
-sees interests of men + women being v. diff.
Radical Feminism:
- patriarchy -> universal
-women’s main enemy -> men
- asking for legal change is unlikely to bring equality.
What do some radical feminists advocate and why?
- Separationism: women’s separation from men.
- Collective action
- Political Lesbianism:
heterosexual relationships -> ‘sleeping with the enemy’
∴ lesbianism is the only non-oppressive form of sexuality.
} creates a new culture of female independence.
Evaluation of Radical Feminism: (FOR)
- raises profile of what has been considered “private issues”.
-exposes social construction of gender/ gender roles.
Evaluation of Radical Feminism: (AGAINST)
- uses violence to achieve its aim.
- ignores elements of “choice” in relationships.
-ignores progress that has been made -> Jenny Sommerville.
What does Marxist feminism mean?
- argue that working-class women are exploited by both patriarchy and capitalism.
Marxist feminism:
- Capitalism main cause of women’s oppression (not patriarchy)
-Capitalism main winner from female oppression (not men).
What do Marxist feminism believe about women?
WOMEN:
-provide cheap exploitable labour.
-a reserve army of labour.
- reproduce the labour force (create +socialise next generation of workers)
-absorb men’s anger.
Who was the key thinker for Marxist Feminism and what did she say?
Michele Bartlett:
-In capitalist society women were FORCED to rely on men during late pregnancy + after birth.
-Patriarchal nuclear family: only place where women can attain fulfilment.
-Over throw capitalism:
ideology of familism will follow allowing equality.
Evaluation for Marxist feminism (FOR):
- shows importance of economic production.
- shows greater understanding of the structural cause of women’s oppression.
Evaluation for Marxist feminism (AGAINST):
- women are still oppressed in non-capitalist societies.
- doesn’t ? why women perform unpaid labour.
-lack of emphasis on how MAN not capitalism oppress women.
What does the duel system feminism mean?
- seeks to combine Marxist + radical feminism.
What are the 2 systems of oppression?
The economy : capitalism
The Sex gender system: patriarchy
Heidi Hartman: Patriarchal Capitalism.
- patriarchy -> universal but takes specific forms in capitalist society.
- focuses on relationship between women’s positions in domestic division of labour + paid work.
Sylvia Walby:
- patriarchy + capitalism are at odds with each other.
- Capitalism = cheap female labour
- Patriarchy: dominance of women in private sphere.
-Capitalism more powerful than patriarchy by keeping women in low status jobs.
Evaluation of Duel System Feminism:
- patriarchy is not at the system as capitalism.
} is a descriptive term for practices i.e male violence + control of women’s labour.
What does Intersectional Feminism mean?
do not see women as a single homogeneous (similar) group who all share the same issues + problems.
Who was the Key thinker for Intersectional Feminism and what did she say?
Judith Butler:
-white-middle class women dominate feminist movement + falsely claim a universality of women’s experience.
-our identities constituted (be a part of) through many discourses.
What do discourses mean?
- A way of seeing, thinking or speaking about something.
Evaluation for Intersectional feminism (FOR):
- allows analysis of different forms of oppression
- allows for different forms of resistance + struggle to achieve equality.
Evaluation for Intersectional feminism (AGAINST):
- having many subgroups weakens movement.
- SEGAL: abandons any notion of objective social structure.
