Political Science 401/WGSS 402 Feminist Theory

It will consist of five identifications (5 points), 5 matching columns (5 points) and one essay (10 points). By the time of the midterm exam, be acquainted with the following terms and concepts. Be able to discuss them as they’ve been used in POSC 401/WGSS 402. Please bring a green book and a pen

Transcendence

ability of individuals to go beyond their immediate conditions, make choices, and shape their own future. It is associated with freedom, action, and self-determination and men.

Immanence

being trapped within a given condition, often reduced to passivity or defined by external forces. De Beauvoir argues that historically, women have been confined to this, restricting them to domestic roles and biological functions.

Pour-soi

(For-itself) refers to conscious beings (humans) who can reflect, make choices, and define their own existence. 

En-soi

refers to objects that simply exist without self-awareness or agency. They are static and defined by external factors. Women have often been treated as so, defined by societal expectations rather than their own self-determination

“One is not born; one becomes a woman”

Expresses the idea that gender is not purely biological but socially constructed. De Beauvoir argues that women are shaped by cultural expectations, social roles, and institutionalized oppression, rather than being naturally inclined toward certain behaviors or identities.

"Existence precedes essence"

Core of existentialism, individuals are not born with a predetermined nature or essence but create their own identity through choices and actions. De Beauvoir applies this to gender, arguing that women are not inherently inferior or suited for domestic life but are conditioned to accept these roles. 

Self and Other

Hegel describes how identity is formed through relationships with others.  De Beauvoir argues that men have positioned themselves as the default (subject) and women as the (object), defining men as autonomous beings. 

Is de Beauvoir anti-woman?

No, de Beauvoir is not anti-woman. She critiques the societal structures that have historically oppressed women, but she does not see women themselves as the problem. Instead, she calls for women’s liberation and the dismantling of gender-based oppression, advocating for women to embrace transcendence and self-determination.

“The Problem with No Name”

dissatisfaction many suburban housewives felt despite living in material comfort. Women were told that being a wife and mother was their ultimate fulfillment, but many felt unfulfilled, depressed, and trapped. Society dismissed women’s frustrations and did not recognize them as a collective issue, coining the term.

Media 1940s

Hollywood portrayed strong, independent women (e.g., Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Rosalind Russell), often playing career-driven or ambitious roles.

Media 1950s

After World War II, there was a cultural shift toward domesticity. Women were encouraged to embrace the role of the perfect, cheerful homemaker

“Happy Housewife Syndrome”

media-driven ideal where women were expected to find complete satisfaction in domesticity, often at the expense of their personal ambitions

1960s - Realizing you’re not alone

Friedan's work helped many women recognize that their dissatisfaction was not an individual failing but a shared experience caused by societal expectations, empowering women to challenge gender roles and advocate for greater opportunities beyond the home.

The Mind/Body Dualism of the Western Tradition

Western philosophy (from Plato, Descartes, and others) has long separated the mind (rational, intellectual, masculine) from the body (emotional, physical, feminine). This dualism devalues bodily experience and emotions, reinforcing gender hierarchies.

Rationality in Western Philosphy

logical, detached thinking which have become a determining factor when it comes to one’s ranking in the community, compared to emotional thinking.

Autonomy in Western Philosophy

independent and sufficient with a masculinist bias s, while women’s view of the self is based on interdependence.

Self-Intrestedness in Western Philosophy

the issue between solipsism (carelessness) and altruism. Liberals disagree as to whether this is part of human nature and if it is beneficial, as if one succeeds all succeed

How Women’s Traditional Experience Controverts the Mind/Body Dualism

Women’s roles (caregiving, emotional labor, and embodied knowledge) challenge the strict separation, because they demonstrate that emotions and bodily experiences are not irrational but essential to human understanding and ethics.

Gender Blindness in Classical Economics

Marçal critiques classical economics for ignoring the unpaid and undervalued labor of women, particularly in caregiving and domestic work. Economic models focus on market transactions and rational self-interest, overlooking the essential work (often done by women) that sustains societies.

The Ethic of Care

Marçal highlights how classical economics dismisses care work (relationships, community well-being, and interdependence) and prioritizing individual profit and competition.

Non-Remunerated Labor

Housework, childcare, and elder care (most of which are unpaid and disproportionately done by women) are crucial to the functioning of economies, yet they are not counted in economic models. Marçal calls for a rethinking of economic value to include this labor.

Critique of Adam Smith

the notion of the "invisible hand" and his assumption of the rational economic man ("homo economicus”), is ironic said by Marcal as his life was sustained by his mother’s unpaid labor, yet his economic theories ignored the vital role of such work.

Privileged identities feeling victimized

Manne critiques how some men, particularly those accustomed to privilege, feel victimized when marginalized groups demand equality. She argues that while identity politics seeks to address systemic oppression, some men interpret this as a personal loss.

Incels and Male Rage Against Women

express resentment toward successful or independent women, blaming feminism for their perceived loss of power. Manne explores how these groups uphold misogyny by demanding that women serve their sexual needs.

The title “down girl”

captures how society polices women’s behavior when they challenge male entitlement. She describes misogyny as an enforcement mechanism that punishes women who do not conform to their expected roles ( too ambitious, independent, or assertive).

Why Neoliberal Feminists Are “Monsters”?

Hernandez claims this emphasizes individualism and corporate success rather true change, since it prioritizes elite women’s success while ignoring broader social injustices, making it complicit in capitalism’s exploitative structures.

How to “Slay” These Neoliberal Monsters

Instead of celebrating CEOs or "girlboss" figures, Hernandez calls for a feminism that challenges economic inequality and prioritizes collective liberation over individual success.

Masculinists views in the classroom

Hernandez critiques how education often reinforces patriarchal and capitalist values, rewarding competition, hierarchy, and productivity over collaboration, care, and critical thinking. She calls for a shift in teaching that values feminist ethics and collective empowerment.

Separating feminism from neoliberalist values

In Fem. for the 99% it is argued that feminism should not be about integrating women into existing capitalist structures but challenging the inequalities those structures create. Rejecting that feminism should focus solely on individual success within a broken system.

“Leaning In”

this approach encourages women to work harder and assimilate into corporate culture. Fem. for the 99% argue that true feminism should critique these structures.

Feminism Is About Economic Issues, Not Just Gender

Fem for the 99% advocate for a feminism that is anti-capitalist and intersectional, recognizing that gender oppression is tied to economic exploitation, racial injustice, and other systemic inequalities. Fighting for all marginalized groups, not just elite women.

Caring deficit = Democracy deficit

Tronto argues that care work (childcare, eldercare, healthcare) is undervalued and unequally distributed. Those burdened with care responsibilities (marginalized groups) have less time and power to engage in political decision-making.

Caring about

recognizing that care is needed.

Caring for

taking responsibility for addressing that need.

Caring with

ensuring care is done in a way that respects the dignity and voices of those receiving it.

Who Is Doing the Care Work in the Home?

Tronto highlights that it is often done by women, particularly low-income women and immigrants, while wealthier individuals outsource their care needs, creating a class and racial divide in caregiving.

Those Who Do Care Work Often Cannot Afford Care Themselves

Concept from Tronto, many are underpaid and lack benefits, a system that relies on undervalued labor

Masculine “Inclining”

standing upright, independent, self-sufficient

Feminine “Vertical”

bending toward others in care and relationality,

Kant and Adam

the belief that a human should be fully independent and this fictional figure embodies this as they were made a fully grown adult

Plato’s Allegory of the Cave as an Example of Verticality

When the philosopher rises vertically from ignorance (the cave) to enlightenment (the sun). This upward movement represents a masculine ideal of rational transcendence, reinforcing hierarchy rather than relationality.

New ideas on Inclining as Offering a Theory of Non-Violence

Cavarero sees inclining as an ethical model, based on care, vulnerability, and interdependence rather than domination or rigid autonomy. Challenging the violence embedded in hierarchical power structures.

What is “Pandemic Possibilities”?

White examines how the COVID-19 pandemic exposed inequalities in care work but also created opportunities to rethink social structures and support systems.

White claims society divides the poor into

“deserving” (hardworking, blameless) and “undeserving” (lazy, irresponsible). This moral judgment determines who receives assistance, reinforcing systemic inequalities.

Reframing care as interventions that help

White argues that care should be understood as a collective effort involving policy, community support, and systemic investment.

Care pods

families formed in small, cooperative networks for childcare and mutual support, demonstrated the potential of collective care models. In the pandemic this was popular methods and exposed inequality

Anti-Work movement

workers began rejecting exploitative jobs that undervalue their labor, particularly in care industries during the pandemic. She argues that this moment created a chance to rethink labor, care, and social responsibility.

Changes in care work

policies and cultural shifts that recognize care as essential work, ensure fair wages for caregivers, and promote collective models of care rather than individual burden. She asks how we might build a society where care is prioritized over profit and efficiency.

Biodiversity to Agriculture and the Ecosystem

is essential for sustainable agriculture and ecological balance. Industrial farming, which promotes monocultures and GMO crops, reducing the variety of plant species, depleting soil nutrients, and increasing vulnerability to pests and climate change.

Shiva advocates for

diverse, locally adapted crops that support soil health, pollinators, and resilient ecosystems.

Women’s Indigenous Knowledge

preserves traditional agricultural knowledge, including seed saving, organic farming, and sustainable water management. Corporate agribusiness and Western science often dismiss this knowledge, despite its effectiveness in maintaining ecological balance and food security. Reviving these practices is crucial for environmental sustainability and food sovereignty.

Green Revolution

introduced high-yield crops, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides, initially increased food production but caused long-term harm

Harm done by green revolution

made faming unsustainable for small farmers, soil degradation from excessive chemical use, Water depletion due to high irrigation demands, Loss of seed diversity, as traditional seeds were replaced by corporate-controlled hybrids and GMOs, Farmer dependency on expensive seeds and agrochemicals, leading to debt and, in many cases, increased farmer suicides.