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Feminism Theory (Discrimination- The unfair/unequal treatment of women.…
Feminism Theory
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Patriarchy- Is the dominance of men in society, and the oppression of women for men's gain.
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Gender stereotypes- The negative generalizations/misconceptions about women. Perpetuated in the media, as well as the education system.
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Sociological stance on feminism- Feminism is a structuralist theory. Postmodernist sociologists argue that society had 'fragmented' since the 'modern' era and can no longer be explained with rigid rules and structures. Instead, postmodernists believe in social action theory. Marxism shares some similarities with feminism: it argues that society is unequal and that it is characterized by oppression. But Marxists believe that the oppression is of the proletariat by the bourgeoisie.
Functionalist sociologists disagree with feminists. Unlike feminists, they emphasise the positive aspects of society. Functionalists believe that society's institutions are vital so that society can function. But functionalists are often criticized for ignoring negative aspects of society, such as domestic violence.
Liberal Feminism- Focuses on equal rights and want an equal access to education for boys and girls.
Radical Feminism- Focuses on the sex war and separation. Men are a bad influence and we should have a female-centered educational system.
Marxist/socialists- Focuses on the impact of capitalism while black feminists focus on racism and ethnicity. They want to consider gender inequalities combined with inequalities of class and ethnicity.
Famous proponents of feminism- Ann Oakley: British Sociologist and writer.
Claire Wallace- Was president of the European Sociology Association
Economic dependency- The case where women have to give up work to take care of childcare/housework responsibilities, then becoming dependent on their husbands for money.
Emotional work- When women are expected to do the majority of emotional care for their family, on top of their job and housework: the 'triple shift'.
Education- Feminists believe that schools promote male domination, due to the fact that there is gendered language within education, stereotypes, leaving women out from the curriculum, 'girls' and 'boys' classes have evolved (girls do Food Tech, while boys do Woodwork).
Patriarchy- They believe that the educational system is patriarchal- they believe that the 'Hidden curriculum' reinforces gender differences. However, girls tend to do better than boys but boys still demand more attention from teachers. Men also dominate top positions in schools such as head teachers.
Feminism and Family- Is patriarchal, dominated by men and exploits and oppresses women. Families support and reproduce inequalities between men and women. Women are oppressed due to them being dependent on men and remain in second place. Reject the 'march of progress', in that society has not changed and it is still unequal. They also believe that men benefit from wives and reject the idea of 'one best' family type- Freedom and diversity.
Feminism and the Media- They believe that the media often presents women as cleaners, housewives, domestic servants providing comfort and support for men. They also believe that the media suggests these roles as natural and normal. Feminists therefore see this as an example of patriarchal ideology- distortion of reality and the support of male dominance.
Feminism and Crime- They argue that the overall behavior of women when criminality is involved can only be understood in the context of male dominance. Pat Carlen says the women's crimes are largely 'crimes of the powerless'. She explained that working-class women turn to crime when the advantages appear to outweigh the disadvantages. There is also the belief that the most striking thing about women's behavior is their conformity to social norms. As a result women have less inclination, time and opportunity for crime.
Feminism and Religion- They believe that religion is a patriarchal institution. For example, they criticize the sacred texts as in almost all the world's religions, the gods are male. Supernatural beings and religious professionals are overwhelming male, and in many religions, women play a secondary role in worship.
Feminist Methodology- 'Weak thesis'- overgeneralisation in all aspects of the research process. But research methods, in and of themselves, are not sexist. Some see women's struggle and feminist methodology as inseparable. The feminist researcher should be consciously partial and actively participate in women's liberation. Postmodern feminism rejects pre-set, pre-determined categories- diversity and variation.
Critics of feminism- The belief that feminists sometime ignore recent social changes and that feminists portray women as 'passive' victims, as if they are unable to act against discrimination. They also criticize the fact that feminists focus on one specific group, ignoring women from other cultures and ethnicity.