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Sociology - Feminists Theories - Coggle Diagram
Sociology - Feminists Theories
Types of feminism
see society as male dominated, aims to change position of women in society
Suffragettes 19th century - right to vote
Criticise mainstream sociology for being malestream
liberal, radical, marxist, dual systems, difference & poststructualist feminism.
LIBERAL FEMINISM - concerned with the human rights / freedoms - equal rights. // Reformists - equal rights can be achieved through gradual reforms. // CONSENSUS VIEW (conflicts can be changed)
CULTURAL CHANGE - liberal feminist want this because of prejudices block equality. eg women are dominated by emotion leads to their exclusion from important roles - keeps them in household jobs.
SEX & GENDER - varies from culture to culture - what is considered a role for women in one culture can be different in another.
SOCIALISATION - sexist attitudes are spread through socialisation. Therefore we must change socialisation by promoting appropriate role models & challenging stereotypes creating equality.
See men and women doing the same roles
RADICAL FEMINISM- Emerged in early 70s. Key concept = PATRIARCHY (men dominate women).
Patriarchy's universal - its in women's biology to care for infants, means they have to depend on men
Patriarchy's Fundamental - men are women's main enemy
All men oppress all women - men benefit from patriarchy, especially women's unpaid domestic labour
Patriarchal oppression - direct & personal (work & family / domestic labour)
SEXUAL POLITICS - personal is political:
Relationships involve power and they become political when someone becomes men begin to domiate.
RF focus on ways patriarchal power is used in relationships (sexual / physical violence).
malestream socioloy regards sexuality as a natural urge and so outside the scope. But RF argues that patriarchy socially constructs sexuality to satisfy men.
WOMEN'S LIBERATION'S - given that patriarchy & oppression are reproduced through relationships, these must be transferred for women to be free:
Separatism - living apart from men & creating independent culture
Consciousness-raising - lead to collective action eg marches
Political lesbianism - RF believe straight relationships are 'sleeping with the enemy' & lesbianism = non-oppressive sexuality.
MARXIST FEMINISTS - subordination is rooted in capitalism
IDEOLOGICAL FACTORS - non economic factors
Ideology of familism - presents the nuclear family & its sexual division of labour as normal. The family is portrayed as the only place women are fulfilled.
Femininity & the unconcious - Mitchell argues, ideas of femininity are deeply implanted in women's minds its difficult to dislodge it and is hard to overcome.
DUAL SYSTEM FEMINISM - combine marxist and radical feminism.
Capitalism = economic system. Patriarchy = sex-gender system
Hartman - 'patriarchal capitalism'
Walby argues that capitalism & patriarchy are inter-related but not the same:
Capitalism demands cheap exploitable female labour for its workforce.
Patriarchy wants to keep women subordinated in domestic sphere.
DIFFERENCE FEMINIST - concerned with disclosures (ways of thinking, seeing and speaking something.) The world is made up of them eg religion.
Power to define - by enabling user to define in certain ways, disclosure gives power over definer - eg defining pregnancy as a medical condition powers doctors and disempowers women