Topic 7: Feminism

Outline the main Marxist Feminist theories

• Engels, Ansley: Economic and ideological role of womens oppression

• Barrett, Mitchell: Ideology of familism

• Hartmann, Walby: Dual systems feminism

Which two sociologists contribute to the theory of Dual systems feminism?

Hartmann, Walby

Explain Hatmanns, Walby dual systems feminism

• Bridge Marxist & Radical feminist theory, identifying we live in both an economic system: Capitalism, & sex-gender system: Patriarchy

• This duality creating Patriarchal Capitalism

• These act in a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship, perpetuating one another

• Eg, Capitalism bars women entry into the workforce (keep them source of free DL), which sustains patriarchy by forces them into economic dependency upon a partner

• Walby: However, these systems interests sometimes conflict

• Eg, in periods of crisis (eg ww2) capitalism demands cheap female labour, resisted by patriarchal control (normally resulting in compromise on capitalisms terms, eg women allowed to work, but only in low status “womens jobs”, continuing their patriarchal subordination)

Evaluate Dual Systems feminism

Anna Pollert (1996):

• Patriarchy cant be viewed as a system in the same sense of capitalism, which is driven by a clear economic goal, profit

• By contrast, patriarchy is a descriptive term for a range of oppressive practices that oppress women, such as domestic violence, the gender pay gap etc

What role does the subordination of women play for capitalism?

Economic:

• Reserve army of labour: 2m women entered the workforce during WW2 - 1941 2nd Conscription Act (UK)

• Reproduce next gen of workers: Through unpaid DV, nurturing & socialising children for free

• Ensures legitimate heirs for the transfer of private property

Ideological:

• Ansley - Takes of Shit: anger from alienation subjected against them, not capitalism

Which sociologist provides the main rebuttal to radical feminism?

Anna Pollert

Which sociologist theorises the ideology of familism?

Barretts

Outline Barretts theory of the ideology of familism

• We must understand capitalisms ideological, as well as economic subjugation (eg why women live in conventional NF when its a source of supression)

• This is due to “familism” which presents the family as the only avenue to meet expressive needs

• Mitchell adds this has become so deep routed within womens psych (after 11,000 years of class society since the move away from primitive communism after the agricultural revolution) and that an economic revolution would not be enough, with ideological change being central to dislodging capitalism

Outline the main radical feminist theories

• Germaine Greer: sexual politics and change

• Firestone: Underpinnings of radical feminism

What are the 3 underpinnings of radical feminism?

• Firestone - Patriarchy is universal: Women`s biological childbearing role makes them temporarily dependent on males, leading patriarchy to develop in all societies

• All men oppress all women: All men oppress from patriarchy, be directly through unpaid vs or indirectly through less competition in the job market

• Thus, patriarchy is the fundamental form of inequality due to its universality across cultural and the socio-economic spectrum

Which radical feminist calls for matrilocal relationships?

Germaine Greer

Explain the radical feminist theory of sexual politics and change

• Womens exploitation is in every sphere, not only in the public sphere of work & politics, but also in the private sphere of the family

• Men do this through the threat of DV. Thus, all relationships are political, dual to the unequal power dynamics inherent within them (sexual politics)

• Therefore, these relationships must be transformed if women are to be free, with Germaine Greer arguing for the creation of all female “matrilocal” households and Consciousness-raising to expose the patriarchal system (MeToo movement)

What theorises underpin Liberal feminism

• Consensus, men and women benefit from increased equality (eg less female conformity to gender scripts also allows men to express more feminity)

• Difference: Gender is a social contruct of norms associated with sexes. Therefore, they can be different across culturals, as seen with the Hopi, two-spirit view of gender

Name a reformist, Liberal feminist

Somerville

How do Liberal feminist theorise society can be changed?

Somerville:

Reformism is that current society can be reformed to enact change, without a need to change society iteself, therefore:

• Legal change (eg Equality Act)

• Cultural change (eg #Metoo movement 2017). As gender scripts are so socially engraned, important to create change at the base, eg in the family and education system

Name a Difference Feminist

Angela Davis

What theory underpins Difference feminism

• Feminism claims a false universality, not representing the experience of all women but rather white western ones (eg Angela Davis argues the family has acted as a source of support for some black women against racism)

Which sociologist sees discourse as a source of power?

Judith Butler

What theory underpins Poststructural Feminism

Judith Butler:

• Discourse as a source of power: Discourse is the way we think/speak about something (eg religion, art, science etc)

• Those that define discourse are able to exert power over others, eg defining childbirth as medical condition it disempowers women

• This can be applied to Enlightenment project, which allowed old, white, m/c men to define the discourse to their own benefit

• Thus, due to the fluidity of identity, shaped by ever changing discourge, it is impossible to come up with a “Universal theory of womenhood”

Name a poststructural feminist

Judith Butler