Theories of Gender Oppression

1. Theories of Gender Oppression Chapters 12 and 13

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3. What is Theory? • 1) A set of assumptions that are used to develop testable hypothesis about reality. • 2) Every theory has: • Assumptions -educated guesses that cannot be proven. • Propositions – statement of relationship between two or more ideas. • Social Policy Implications – Formal rules that affect people living in particular locale

4. Classical Liberal Theory • 1) Historical Significance of CLT • Most influential theory shaping public policy today. • Both Republicans and Democrats justify their policies using the foundation of CLT • CLT moved societies from theocracies to democracies in a period call “The Enlightenment.” • CLT and Anarchy were contemporary theories vying for prominence in U.S, U.K. and France.

5. CLT continued • 2) CLT assumptions about Human Nature • Humans are rational • Rationality is a mental capacity that allows all humans the ability to act on their own self-interest. Thus, we seek rewards and avoid punishments. • Rationality creates: • Abstract Individualism -- • Free Will Rules. Networks and Social Class Don’t • Dualism: Mind/Body Split • We are not governed by emotions or social pressure

6. Are We Rational? • Myth/Fact? • Annual job reviews increase productivity. • Teaching about birth control in schools increases teenage pregnancy • Politicians are equally influenced by constituents regardless of money/power • Supreme Court Justices are neutral • I always make the most economically rational decision for myself and my family

7. Dan Arielly: Predictably Irrational • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9X68dm92HVI • Start at –2:39

8. CLT Cont • Problems with Abstract Individualism and Dualism. • How do these problems affect Meritocracy – the driving assumption of our society.

9. CLT Continued 3) Propositions Given assumptions about rationality, the following propositions exist: a) Neutral state exists so that it can control inevitable conflict that will occur due to rational people pursuing their best interest b) Education ensures that people will act rationally rather than based on emotions (such as bias, racism, sexism, etc).

10. Applying CLT to Classical Liberal Feminist Theory • 1) Use the same assumptions and propositions as CLT. • 2) They argue that oppression occurs because they are acting irrational.

11. CLFT Policy for Ending Oppression • 1) Education • 2) Government sanctions

12. Marxism 1) Marx and Historical Materialism • Social context of Marx’s writings • What is historical materialism

13. Marxism 2) Marxism – A) Assumptions of human nature species being – given that production and reproduction are fundamental…. B) Propositions Class is relational Capitalism causes: exploitation, alienation, false consciousness, hegemony State and other institutions are tools of capitalists. Hegemony is a tool capitalists use to maintain power. C) Policy to end oppression: ? D) Marx’s problem about other oppression besides class.

14. Socialist Feminism • 3) What do Socialist Feminists claim? • A) Assumptions about human nature – • Species being – no group enjoys oppression, be it class, gender or race. • B) Propositions • Capitalists will organize society so that they benefit from patriarchy (public/private split). • Men as a group organize so that they benefit from patriarchy (Public/private split) • The State works for capitalists

15. SF continued • C). Solutions to End Oppression • Get rid of public/private split, class oppression.

16. Radical Feminism • 1) History – This theory emerged in the sixties. Critiqued Marxist theory. • 2) What do Radical Feminists claim? • Assumptions – Patriarchy-- Men as a group desire control over women as a group and organize society around oppression. Other theories cannot explain footbinding, infibulation, sex trafficking, porn. etc. B) Propositions: Men and women control women through: Controlling Motherhood (and devalue it) Controlling Sexuality State helps in control by failing to write laws or writing laws that allow men to control women’s bodies and role in society. C) Solutions -- Allow women to control motherhood and sexuality.

17. Multi-Racial Feminists • 1) Assumptions • Species Being; the world will always be heterogeneous. Oppression exists when people deny differences. • 2) Propositions • People’s racial identities lead to macro-level segregation, which leads to oppression. (for instance, biology shows people who live closer have chromosomes most similar). • Racism and Sexism are organizing principles of society. Segregation leads to different kind of sexism and classism in homes of people of color. • 3) Solutions: • Get rid of segregation • Understand the relational nature of race oppression.

18. Post-Modern Feminists • 1) Assumptions – Positivism is false. There is no knowable reality. Just people struggling to control what is considered knowledge. • 2) Propositions – Oppression is caused by powerful people controlling language, discourse. For example, many of us believe violence is everywhere because media. • 3) Solutions – Open up media and other institutions so everyone has opportunity. • Solution: Reality needs to be deconstructed to examine how power is used. Deconstruction is: Breaking down social reality to examine the subtext embedded beneath the surface of social reality.

19. Feminism • What is it? • Why does the word have such a bad rap? • History of Feminist Movement • First Wave – cult of true womanhood, moral • Second Wave – equality, consciousness-raising • Third Wave? – Women should exploit the little power they have