Week 3: Feminism & Marxism

Question 1

What is Epistemology?

Answer 1

What counts as valid or true knowledge

Question 2

What is Positivist epistemology?

Answer 2

seeks an objective, scientific understanding of the social world: seeks universal laws

Question 3

what are examples of positivist epistemology?

Answer 3

• Empiricism (emphasizes the importance of evidence and observation in understanding social phenomena. It uses empirical data, gathered through research methods such as surveys and experiments, to develop theories and explanations about social behavior and patterns)
• Objectivity ( goal of creating neutral and unbiased knowledge about social phenomena. It involves minimizing personal biases and subjective perspectives to arrive at a more accurate and impartial understanding of social reality)
  fact-value distinction (recognizes that facts can be established through evidence, while values reflect personal beliefs and attitudes)

Question 4

what is interpretivism?

Answer 4

Seeks intersubjectively share meaning: to enable all humans to understand each other’s experiences, perceptions, and motivations

Question 5

what is intersubjectivity?

Answer 5

shared understanding and mutual recognition between individuals in a social context. It refers to the ways in which individuals understand, interpret, and assign meaning to their experiences and to the experiences of others. based on the idea that knowledge and understanding are not simply the result of an individual’s subjective perception, but are instead shaped by the collective experiences and perspectives of a group.

Question 6

What is hermeneutics?

Answer 6

study of interpretation and understanding in human affairs, emphasizing the role of context and interpretation in shaping our understanding of the world.

Question 7

what is subjectivity?

Answer 7

refers to the personal, subjective perspective and interpretation of experiences, beliefs, and attitudes that shape an individual’s view of reality.

Question 8

what is intersubjective validity?

Answer 8

the degree to which different individuals can agree on the meaning and interpretation of a phenomenon, based on shared experiences and understanding.

Question 9

what are examples of interpretivism?

Answer 9

hermeneutics (interpretation and understanding), subjectivity (personal, subjective perspective), intersubjective values (degree meaning and interpretation can be agreed on)

Question 10

what are critical theories?

Answer 10

seek the transformation of social relations toward greater human freedom and equality

Question 11

what is perspectivism?

Answer 11

the idea that all knowledge and understanding are shaped by individual perspectives, experiences, and biases. recognizes that there are multiple ways of viewing and interpreting reality and truth is dependent on one’s perspective.

Question 12

what is universalism?

Answer 12

belief in the existence of universal principles, values, and norms that apply to all individuals and cultures, regardless of differences in their specific beliefs and practices.

emphasizes the idea of certain standards and moral values that are applicable to all people. these standards should be used as a basis for evaluating and making decisions about social and ethical issues.

Question 13

what are examples of critical theories?

Answer 13

• Perspectivism (knowledge and understanding are shaped by individual perspectives, experiences, and biases.
• Universalism ( existence of universal principles, values, and norms that apply to all individuals and cultures)
  Praxis (putting knowledge into action in order to achieve a particular goal or objective)

Question 14

where do critical theories originate?

Answer 14

From social struggles. Many critical theories as there are issues that people struggle over

Question 15

what do critical paradigms include?

Answer 15

• Marxism
• Feminism
• Queer theory
• Crip theory
• postcolonial theory
• Anti-racism
  -indigenism

Question 16

what is Marxism?

Answer 16

originated by Karl Marx.
focuses on the struggle between capitalists and the working class.
It analyses how capitalist societies are structured, how they operate, and how they can be changed.
argues that society is divided into classes based on their relationship to the means of production and that the ruling class exploits the working class for its own benefit.

Question 17

what is feminism?

Answer 17

movement for equal rights and opportunities for all genders, challenging gender-based oppression, and promoting gender equality.

Question 18

what is queer theory?

Answer 18

a way of thinking about gender and sexuality that challenges traditional norms and explores their complexities, examining how they are shaped by social, cultural, and historical factors. It questions the categorization of people into binary categories and critiques the marginalization of non-normative genders and sexualities.

Question 19

what is anti-racism?

Answer 19

a political and social movement that seeks to challenge and eliminate racism in all its forms. It involves actively working to recognize and challenge systems of oppression and privilege based on race, and to promote racial equality and justice.

Question 20

explain indigenism

Answer 20

a political and cultural movement that seeks to promote the rights and interests of indigenous peoples. It aims to recognize and preserve the unique cultures, traditions, and sovereignty of indigenous communities, and to address the ongoing impacts of colonization and oppression faced by indigenous peoples around the world.

Question 21

what is crip theory?

Answer 21

field of study that examines the social and cultural experiences of people with disabilities. It critiques dominant societal norms and cultural representations of disability and argues for a more inclusive and empowering understanding of disability that recognizes the diversity of experiences and perspectives of people with disabilities.

Question 22

what is postcolonial theory?

Answer 22

examines the cultural, political, and economic impacts of colonialism and imperialism on colonized societies and cultures. It critiques the ways in which colonial power and knowledge have been used to shape and define the experiences and identities of colonized peoples, and seeks to decolonize knowledge and promote more equitable and just global relationships.

Question 23

imperialism

Answer 23

an economic system in which a powerful country extends its control and influence over other countries, often through colonization, military conquest, or cultural domination. It involves the exploitation of resources, labor, and markets of colonized societies for the benefit of the imperial power, and often results in the oppression and exploitation of colonized peoples.

Question 24

what is cultural hegemony?

Answer 24

The ways the dominant group produces a worldview that makes its dominance seem natural, normal, and inevitable.

Question 25

what is an example of cultural hegemony?

Answer 25

the cultural hegemony of male dominance imposes the belief that men are superior to women, and this belief is reflected in laws, policies, media representations, and other cultural institutions. As a result, women may internalize this belief and see themselves as inferior, and other cultures that do not conform to patriarchal norms may be marginalized or oppressed.

Question 26

what is counter-hegemony

Answer 26

challenges cultural hegemony
anything that challenges the status quo

Question 27

Who was Antonio Gramsci?

Answer 27

known for his theory of cultural hegemony, which he developed while imprisoned by the Italian fascist government in the 1920s and 1930s. regarded as one of the most important Marxist thinkers of the 20th century, and his ideas continue to shape debates on political power, cultural representation, and the role of the state.

Question 28

what is the concept of hegemony?

Answer 28

system o inequality

Question 29

what works together in the same system

Answer 29

Privilege and oppression

Question 30

the “coin model”

Answer 30

Top of the coin: Privilege (have an advantage, did not earn it, have it because of who you are)
The coin: a system of inequality (the social structure that produces and maintains inequality)
Botton of the coin: oppression (disadvantage others do not have, did not earn it, have it because of who you happen to be)

Question 31

what does feminism generally hold?

Answer 31

• Social forces make women collectively subordinate (lower rank) to me
• subordination of women is unnescessary

Question 32

what is the matrix of oppression?

Answer 32

refers to how multiple forms of inequality (gender, race, class, etc) overlap to produce different experiences: intersectionality

Question 33

what is intersectionality?

Answer 33

the idea that different parts of a person’s identity, like their race, gender, and class, can all play a role in their experiences and opportunities.

Question 34

What does Marxism propose?

Answer 34

The foundations of every society are material social relations through which people produce the means of their existence

Question 35

what is class defines through?

Answer 35

the relationship to the means of production

Question 36

who own means of production

Answer 36

small minorities (factories, raw materials, etc)
ie: the capitalist class

Question 37

What do most people have to sell in exchange for wages?

Answer 37

Labor power

refers to working class

Question 38

what does value come from?

Answer 38

labor

Question 39

how does the bourgeoisie (capitalist class) exploit workers?

Answer 39

by paying them less than the value they produce

Question 40

what is a commodity?

Answer 40

a good that can be bought or sold or exchanged for products o similar value

ex: Agricultural products such as wheat, corn, coffee, and cotton

Question 41

what is alienation?

Answer 41

By selling a part of themselves, workers are separated from their own humanity and from other people.