Gender Studies 1000 Midterm 2

What is the ideology of domination that permeates Western culture according to bell hooks?

It includes patriarchy, racism (white supremacy), imperialism/colonialism, capitalism, and a more comprehensive understanding of gender.

How does bell hooks define feminism?

As a movement to end sexist and other entangled forms of oppression.

What are the guiding principles of an abolitionist politics according to Ruth Wilson Gilmore?

1. Life is precious, 2. Make freedom out of what we have, 3. When Black lives matter, everyone's lives improve.

What does Ruth Wilson Gilmore mean by 'Life is precious'?

It reflects an anti-capitalist politics where capitalism turns life into work through discipline and terror.

What is meant by 'Make freedom out of what we have'?

It emphasizes understanding existing resources and possibilities to create freedom rather than waiting for a future ideal.

What does 'When Black lives matter, everyone's lives improve' signify?

It articulates that centering Black struggle leads to broader freedom for all, a principle echoed by the Combahee River Collective.

How does Ruth Wilson Gilmore define racism?

As the state-sanctioned and/or extra-legal production and exploitation of group-differentiated vulnerabilities to premature death.

What is the significance of 'premature death' in the context of racism?

It provides a material basis for analyzing racism, indicating the outcomes of racist discourses and practices.

What is the difference between institutional racism and personal prejudice?

Institutional racism refers to social relations that produce group-differentiated vulnerabilities, while personal prejudice does not have a material basis in society.

What does the term 'racialization' refer to in the context of capitalism?

It is a method by which capitalism differentiates groups to justify hierarchy.

What are the components of the 'pan-European system' in relation to racism?

It refers to the application of racism in American, Canadian, and other societies within a broader colonial context.

What is the role of capitalism in relation to racism?

Capitalism needs difference to justify hierarchy, which is often achieved through racialization.

What does the term 'systemic racism' imply?

It distinguishes racism as a social relation rather than just individual prejudice.

What does the phrase 'you can't be racist against white people' signify?

It refers to the idea that prejudice against white individuals lacks the material basis tied to systemic vulnerabilities.

What is meant by 'anti-capitalist politics' in the context of Gilmore's principles?

It suggests a political stance that opposes capitalism's tendency to devalue certain lives in favor of profit.

What is the importance of understanding how the world is made according to abolitionist politics?

It is crucial for recognizing existing resources and possibilities to enact change and create freedom.

What does Gilmore suggest about the relationship between capitalism and life?

She argues that capitalism conditions behavior through fear and the devaluation of certain lives.

What is the significance of the Combahee River Collective in the context of Black radical thought?

It emphasizes that centering Black struggle is essential for the liberation of all people.

What does the term 'entangled forms of oppression' refer to in feminism?

It refers to the interconnected nature of various forms of oppression, including sexism, racism, and classism.

What is the goal of an anti-racist, anti-sexist politics?

To dismantle systems of oppression that affect marginalized groups.

What is the process of differentiating between people based on physical features?

It involves factors such as complexion and amount of melanin.

How does Anna Laura Stoler define state racism?

As a tactic that creates 'biologized' internal enemies for society to defend against.

What is the relationship between race and social relations?

Race uses biological attributes to create a subordinate class, associating biological meaning with social meaning.

What is the definition of racism according to the notes?

The state-sanctioned and/or extra-legal production and exploitation of group-differentiated vulnerabilities to premature death.

What does 'extra-legal' mean in the context of racism?

It refers to actions not regulated or allowed by law.

What distinguishes institutional racism from systemic racism?

Institutional racism is a social category, while systemic racism pervades the entire system of social relations.

What does Ruth Wilson Gilmore say about racial capitalism?

It involves the exploitation of group-differentiated vulnerabilities to create a subordinate class and transform humanity into alienated labor.

What are the three needs of capitalism mentioned?

Capitalism needs land, labor, and the ability to extract value from labor.

How does racism function in the context of capitalism?

It legitimizes the worthlessness of certain groups, allowing for free or cheap labor and maintaining workplace discipline.

What is the 'wages of whiteness'?

The concept that non-targeted groups benefit from the lower wages of marginalized groups.

How does capitalism relate to inequality and racism?

Capitalism creates inequality, and racism enshrines it through systemic discrimination.

What historical change occurred in the prison population after emancipation?

The percentage of Black convicts often exceeded 90% post-Civil War.

What were 'Black Codes'?

Laws that criminalized behaviors of Black freedmen, reinforcing their subordinate status.

What does Angela Davis say about the incarceration of former slaves?

It emphasized that Black people's social status remained that of slaves, despite the abolition of slavery.

What are the upcoming topics for next week's lecture?

Incarceration and abolition, intersections of racism with gender, and abolition feminism.

What is the goal of anti-racist, anti-sexist politics?

To promote equality and justice for all individuals, regardless of race or gender.

How does Ruth Wilson Gilmore define racism?

As the state-sanctioned and/or extra-legal production and exploitation of group-differentiated vulnerabilities to premature death.

What role does capitalism play in racism according to the notes?

Capitalism seeks to obtain labor for free or at low cost, and racism legitimizes the worthlessness of certain groups, facilitating this exploitation.

What is the concept of 'the wages of whiteness'?

It refers to the economic benefits that white individuals receive by not being part of marginalized groups, which helps to drive down wages for everyone.

What is the historical context of the US prison system?

Initially designed for able-bodied white men, it later aimed to reform women into 'wives' and 'mothers' and post-emancipation, it reinforced the subordinate status of Black former slaves.

What is abolition feminism?

A movement that examines how racism intersects with gender and advocates for the abolition of systems that perpetuate oppression.

What are some key principles of abolitionist politics?

Life is precious, addressing systemic issues that lead to harm, and advocating for alternatives to incarceration.

What are the conditions that lead to harm according to Ruth Wilson Gilmore?

Harm arises where life is not valued, leading to organized abandonment of communities through defunding essential services.

What are some vulnerabilities produced by racism that lead to premature death?

Housing instability, low wages, lack of clean environments, inadequate education, and poor healthcare access.

What is organized abandonment?

A process where essential services like healthcare and education are defunded, leading to increased harm in marginalized communities.

Why do abolitionists argue against prisons?

They argue that prisons do not deter crime, do not stop violence, and primarily serve to incapacitate individuals rather than address the root causes of harm.

What is the relationship between mass incarceration and police brutality?

Both operate as functions of terror to discipline labor and maintain social order, rather than providing safety.

What is the significance of the phrase 'life is precious' in abolitionist politics?

It emphasizes the inherent value of all lives and the need to protect and uplift marginalized communities.

What does Gilmore suggest we ask to reduce harm in society?

We should inquire about the conditions that lead to violence and harm and seek solutions to alleviate these issues.

What is the impact of rising income inequality on community safety?

Rising income inequality leads to the gutting of essential services, creating conditions that increase harm rather than reduce it.

How does the abolition movement address police violence?

It critiques the reliance on police as a solution to social issues and advocates for systemic change to prevent violence.

What is the overarching critique of the prison system in the context of abolitionist politics?

The prison system is seen as a mechanism that fails to address the root causes of crime and perpetuates cycles of violence and poverty.

What does the term 'mass incarceration' refer to?

The extensive and disproportionate imprisonment of individuals, particularly from marginalized communities, in the United States.

How does the concept of 'organized abandonment' relate to systemic racism?

It highlights how systemic racism leads to the neglect of communities, resulting in increased vulnerability and harm.

What is the role of education in combating racism and promoting abolitionist principles?

Education is crucial for raising awareness about systemic injustices and empowering individuals to advocate for change.

What does Gilmore mean by asking about the conditions under which violence occurs?

She emphasizes the importance of understanding the social and economic factors that lead individuals to resort to violence.

What significant event occurred in Watts in 1965?

The Watts Rebellion

What was the focus of the Kerner Report published in 1968?

It condemned the abandonment of Black communities and highlighted the role of white racism in urban issues.

What did Lyndon B. Johnson's 1968 Crime Control and Safe Streets Act aim to address?

It was a reformist response to white supremacy, providing funding to police.

What was the impact of Bill Clinton and Joe Biden's 1994 Crime Bill?

It allocated $9 billion to policing and contributed to the peak era of mass incarceration.

What are some recent Black uprisings mentioned in the notes?

The LA Uprising in 1992 and the Black Lives Matter movement from 2014 to 2020.

What is the goal of prison abolition?

To dismantle systems that perpetuate abandonment and vulnerability, and to create life-sustaining institutions.

Why are Black women at the forefront of the prison abolition movement?

They face unique challenges due to the intersection of race and gender oppression.

What concept does Beth Ritchie associate with the intersection of feminism and prison abolition?

Carceral feminism, which critiques how incarceration is used as a solution to gendered violence.

What does carceral feminism ignore according to Beth Ritchie?

It overlooks the organized abandonment of Black communities and the targeting of these communities by incarceration.

What is colonial feminism?

A form of feminism that uses the plight of women to justify colonial oppression.

What critique does Lila Abu-Lughod make about Laura Bush's focus on cultural dimensions?

She argues that it neglects political and historical explanations for socio-economic problems.

What does Abu-Lughod suggest we should focus on instead of viewing veiling as a sign of unfreedom?

She emphasizes the importance of understanding structural violence, poverty, and the impacts of war.

What does the Combahee River Collective state about liberation?

They assert that the only people who truly care about their liberation are themselves.

What is one takeaway from the discussion on racism and gender?

Personal reflection on the content or a question that remains about the topic.

What are the three main themes discussed in Week 7 of GNDR 1000?

1) Unpaid work & the origins of modern 'womanhood'; 2) Low-paid 'women's work' + race, gender, and work in a global context; 3) Organizing around 'women's work'.

What is the problem discussed regarding women's work?

The problem is determining whose work counts and how to count it.

What does Gloria Steinem argue about information and economics?

Steinem states that if people don't have the information, they can't act on it, and that economics is how we assign value to what we consider valuable.

What methodology is used to count women's work according to the notes?

The methodology involves interviewing women through ethnography in various locations to understand their time use and make their work visible.

What is 'emotional labor' as defined by Arlie Russell Hochschild?

Emotional labor is the free, invisible work women do to manage the little things in life that collectively hold households and society together.

What are the consequences of not valuing women's work?

Consequences include the misvaluation of economic indicators like GDP, which can lead to prioritizing profit-generating industries such as war and disaster capitalism.

What is the connection between women's work and the GDP?

There is a connection between not counting women's work and an economic system that values waged work reflected in GDP, leading to the devaluation of women's contributions.

What does the United Nations System of National Accounts imply about capitalism?

It suggests that capitalism is not just a set of rules but a relational system that influences people's actions based on market dependence.

What historical context does Silvia Federici provide regarding women's freedom?

Federici notes that women had relative freedom in Europe between 1300-1500 before the rise of capitalism and the subordination of women.

What does 'housewifization' refer to?

'Housewifization' refers to the process through which women were subordinated and their roles were defined within the domestic sphere, often through violent means.

What violent process does Maria Mies associate with the rise of capitalism?

Mies associates the rise of capitalism with the violent subordination of women, including the execution of 'witches' during the early modern era.

What is the significance of Cathy's daily tasks in the context of women's work?

Cathy's daily tasks illustrate the extensive, often unrecognized labor that women perform, which is typically deemed unproductive.

What is the critique of the military-industrial complex in relation to men's work?

The military-industrial complex is critiqued for being a profitable industry that generates value from war, contrasting with the undervaluation of women's work.

What does the term 'disaster capitalism' refer to?

Disaster capitalism refers to the practice of profiting from crises, such as wars or environmental disasters, often at the expense of marginalized groups.

How does the documentary mentioned relate to women's work?

The documentary addresses how women's work is often not counted as legitimate work, highlighting the economic implications of this oversight.

What role do international organizations play in enforcing economic policies?

International organizations like the World Bank operate to discipline governments into adopting economic policies that support capital accumulation.

What is the significance of the term 'social reproduction' in the context of women's work?

Social reproduction refers to the processes through which women's unpaid labor sustains families and society, often going unrecognized in economic analyses.

What does the phrase 'whose work counts?' signify in the context of this discussion?

It signifies the ongoing debate about the recognition and valuation of women's unpaid and low-paid labor in economic systems.

What is the impact of capitalism on women's work according to the notes?

Capitalism often leads to the devaluation of women's work, as it prioritizes waged labor and economic indicators like GDP over unpaid contributions.

What does Ruth Wilson Gilmore mean by 'capitalism is a relation'?

Gilmore suggests that capitalism is defined by the relationships and dependencies it creates, rather than merely a set of rules.

What is the hypothesis regarding the transformation from feudalism to capitalism?

It required a sexual division of labor, a new patriarchal order, and the mechanization of the proletarian body.

What role did Silvia Federici attribute to dissent against patriarchy?

It was persecuted as 'heresy' and later as 'witchcraft'.

How were contraceptives viewed historically according to Federici?

They were deemed 'sterility potions' and persecuted as witchcraft.

What was the status of women's reproductive health historically?

It was given over to male doctors.

When was the concept of a 'family wage' instituted?

In the 19th century.

What is 'housewifization'?

A violent process that diminished the perceived value of social reproduction, primarily affecting women.

How does housewifization affect wages in women's work?

It drives down wages in forms of labor construed as women's work.

What are some examples of labor that is undervalued due to housewifization?

Cotton spinning, childcare, nursing, cooking, and cleaning.

What methods were used to impose housewifization globally?

Violent administrative methods and hegemonic cultural dynamics.

How does Silvia Federici describe the power difference between men and women?

As the effect of a social system that mystifies labor as a natural resource rather than recognizing it as a source of capital accumulation.