Sociology - Component 1 - Family & Households - POST FEMINISM KEY THINKERS

Preference theory / Post Feminism

Hakim - What does Hakim argue we live in?

A more equal society

Hakim - From living in a more equal society, what does this mean for women?

They increasingly have a choice and can choose which family type they wish to live in

Hakim - Where does Hakim believe inequality stems from?

Personal preference

Hakim - What can women now choose to do?

Gain a higher level of education, employment or focus on their role in the family

Hakim - What does increased affluence mean?

Personal preference is more important than necessity

Hakim - Because of a more equal and affluent society, what has this led to the emergence of?

3 types of women

Hakim - What are the three types of women?

• Adaptive women - Women who combine paid work and family life equally without prioritising one. They seek flexible or part time work

• Home centred women - Women who focus on their role in the family and their children come before employment and educational achievements. They prefer not to work, including women who are well qualified

• Work centred women - A minority of women who prioritise work and career developments, fitting their family life and children around work commitments 

Hakim Evaluation - What would New Right Realist argue?

Equality isn’t always a good thing, as most women are now work centred and children are suffering as they’re being neglected. Women themselves are suffering as they’re doing too much. For example, working and looking after the home and children. This shows the negative impact on both women and children. Unicef warned that working mothers are taking a massive risk when they put their children in low quality child care 

Hakim Evaluation - What would Marxist Feminist Benston argue?

That adaptive women, as identified by Hakim, are women who are seen as the cheap reserve army of labour. They are brought in during economic booms but thrown out during slumps. This then creates flexibility for capitalists