More handpicked essays just for you.
Compare structural functionalism with social conflict
Feminist theory introduction
Feminist theory introduction
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
A theoretical perspective or paradigm is a set of ideas that attempt to guide your thinking and explain viewpoints. Within the field of sociology, there are many paradigms. These include structural-functionalism, social conflict, feminism, symbolic interactionism, and postmodernism. As a female who appreciates a viewpoint outside of the standard male outlook, my favorite theoretical paradigm is feminist theory. Feminism is one of the most prominent areas in contemporary sociology. By linking sociological theory and political reform, feminists aim to end inequalities between men and women in both public and private environments. Feminist theory is where things such as gender, class, and race meet. Emphasis is placed on masculine versus feminine …show more content…
While they do recognize the inequalities women face, they do not see subordination as part of a larger system. Instead they believe there are many smaller factors that contribute to the imbalance. Liberal feminists work towards change by democratic means such as congressional acts and reform. This perspective of the feminist theory tends to follow the slow and steady wins the race method, unlike their radical feminist counterparts. Critics of this branch of feminism tend to criticize just that, claiming they fail to comprehend the bigger …show more content…
They put women and their experiences first, making it the only theoretical paradigm to do so. Feminist theory is significantly different than other theories because it encompasses the ideas of members of society that have not had the opportunity to share them in the past. Feminism is also one of the only paradigms to link sociological theory and political reform, accomplishing things such as the Equal Pay Act and the Sex Discrimination Act. I chose feminist theory as my favorite paradigm because it is very relatable. I can see examples of inequality in everyday life and I refer to myself as a feminist. I am constantly sharing pro-feminism articles and examples of injustices on social media. Learning the scientific background behind the theory was beyond interesting. On the flip side, I don’t like the other perspectives as much because they aren’t as easy to see in the real world. They are also dominated by male perspective, which leaves out the ideas of half of our
“Feminism”, as defined today, is “1: the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes,” and “2: organized activity on behalf of women’s rights and interests.”2 Many critics claim that feminism has been active longer than the word itself has existed.3 The word, “feminist” was not in true use until the late 1800s and early 1900s, but activism for women’s rights was alive and well a...
Feminism can simply be defined as a range of movements and ideologies in which share a common ground in terms of defining, establishing and achieving equal opportunities to that of males, in regards to economic, cultural and social rights. It is a critique of male supremacy with efforts in changing this to end the social oppression of women. (Hooks, 2000)
The last sociological theory is the feminist theory. This theory deals with human life through the experience of a woman. The woman in this situation may have felt proud at first for trying to take care of her children and keeping them in a good area. She was doing all she can to keep her children in good care. But then when the cops came she might have felt upset and independent. She may have felt like the cops didn?t give her a chance to help her children out and get back on her feet. The women in the area may have felt sorry for the homeless woman and saw her as too independent. So they might have wanted to give her help for her and the children by finding a good shelter home for them. The feminist theory is unique from all the other perspectives because it expresses things from a woman?s point of view.
Feminism is the movement for removing inequalities from society. Women imbued with a spirit of radicalism understand that a liberal feminist attitude, despite the seeming slowness of change that accompanies it, may transform a community more rapidly than a revolutionary approach that alienates those to be convinced and, thus, extinguishes the possibility of improvement. (Weaver 49) Feminists confront the problems of their society in hopes of altering society to be equal.
For many years, a political, culture, or economic movement aimed at establishing equal rights and legal protection for women. Feminism involves political and physiological theories concerned with issues of gender difference. Feminism seeks to achieve equality and social rights for women in all key areas, which includes education, personal economic, employment, and cultural sphere of human endeavors. Women's rights is an issue that not many people cover, but affects every woman's lives. There are both pros and cons to this issue. Men, social media, and people’s perspectives are all relating to this issue.
When I hear the term Feminism I automatically think its about doing things for women, and what they stand for, so I didn't really have a good idea about it. So I went online and looked it up. "Feminism consists of ideas and beliefs about what culture is like for women just because they are women, compared to what the world is like for men just because they are men. In ethical terms, this form or aspect of feminism is descriptive. The assumption in feminism is that women are not treated equally to men, and that women are disadvantaged in comparison to men" (http://womenshistory.about.com/od/feminism/a/feminism.htm). I have to say I definitely agree that women and are not treated the same as men, and I don't think we ever will. Theres a saying I believe it is "its a mans world", I don't know if I believe that. I just feel like men were always held
Feminist theory looks beyond the common male based perspectives and focuses on women’s perspectives and their roles within society. The feminist theory is still relevant in today’s society. In fact, feminism and the feminist theory will be relevant for as long as there is inequality in this world. For example, according to the United States Department of Labor, women still make 78 cents for every dollar men make, on average, in every career field. Additionally, violence against women is still a prevalent problem today. For instance, one in three women are victims of physical and sexual violence often committed by intimate partners. These statistics are higher in countries where women are treated and seen as property of their husbands. Lastly, reproductive rights are an important step to creating equality. Laws need to protect the rights of women to have freedom over their bodies in the way that men have control over
Ever since the introduction of feminism, there has been a controversy with the two main types of feminism in our society which are Radical and Liberal. Radical feminist believe that women should have the complete equality to men and want to revolutionized the patriarchal system in which men have full authority. On the other hand, liberal feminists argue that modern society holds the ignorant notion that women are by nature, less intelligent and unable to perform certain task that men are adept to doing. However, unlike the radical feminist, liberals are willing to work within the system. Although radical and liberal feminists are strategically different and take different approach on promoting change for women, both types of feminist aim to
Liberal Feminism is a particular approach to achieving equality between men and women. Liberal feminism emphasizes the power of an individual person to alter discriminatory practices against women. This particular type of feminism accepts the organization of our society, however, seeks to expand the rights and opportunities of women, in part by passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. Most Liberal feminists believe that women should advance according to their own efforts, rather than working collectively, and want to use democratic process to help women and men become more equal in the eyes of the law, society, and the workplace. Liberal feminists use the available resources and tools to advocate for change.
It seems fitting that the 'marriage' of feminism and postmodernism is one fraught with both difference and argument. The fact that these disagreements occur within the realm of the intellectual undoubtedly puts a wry smile on the face of either party. While feminism and postmodernism share several characteristics, most notably the deconstruction of the masculinised western ideology, feminism chooses to place itself within the absolutism of the modernist movement. While feminism argues for the continuation of the subject/object dichotomy, aiming largely to reverse the feminine position of the latter to the former, postmodernism would have the modernist movement deconstructed in its entirety, including all such metanarratives.
Feminism is a perspective that views gender as one of the most important bases of the structure and organization of the social world. Feminists argue that in most known societies this structure has granted women lower status and value, more limited access to valuable resources, and less autonomy and opportunity to make choices over their lives than it has granted men. (Sapiro 441)
Throughout history, women have remained subordinate to men. Subjected to the patriarchal system that favored male perspectives, women struggled against having considerably less freedom, rights, and having the burdens society placed on them that had so ingrained the culture. This is the standpoint the feminists took, and for almost 160 years they have been challenging the “unjust distribution of power in all human relations” starting with the struggle for equality between men and women, and linking that to “struggles for social, racial, political, environmental, and economic justice”(Besel 530 and 531). Feminism, as a complex movement with many different branches, has and will continue to be incredibly influential in changing lives. Feminist political ideology focuses on understanding and changing political philosophies for the betterment of women.
Feminism, what is it and how did it developed? Feminism is a women's right movement and it’s goal may differ by era it is found but one continuity is to seek equality for women after a certain perceived. Thus it certainly did not developed overnight nor did it stayed the same throughout the ages. Feminism empowers women against oppressive sexism but what is the definition of the word “women”? Some define the word “women” by sex while others define ‘women” by gender. Sex and gender may seem similar yet they are different which can exclude some people if the only one of those definition is used. Sex is the physical and biological aspect that differentiate men and women by reproductive organ shape while gender is a social construction that assign feminine roles to women and masculine role to men. If you define women by sex you exclude male to female transgendered people and infertile women while if you used gender to define women you exclude “masculine” women. In reality the definition of women is most likely inclusive of both sex or gender as it includes those that are biologically women (but may not conform to the gender role) or gender (which includes those who self identify as female). For such a simple term it requires a bit of thinking and by answering who is a women we also get the answer of who benefits from feminism.
Even though society has distorted the ideals feminism was founded upon, some of the remaining true roots still hold true. While women are gaining equal opportunities in society, they need to not diminish the importance of working together with men to form a functional society. The widespread idea of quotas needs to be analyzed. People should be accepted into college or hired for a job because they are the most qualified, not because of their sex. Society has demented feminism as a harmful dogma because it has been an excuse, almost a cop-out by women who do not want to work for their acceptance. Both men and women need to realize the necessity that exists for each other to make society work.
Feminism today is a social stigma, it should not be. From how I see it, when someone is called a feminist it is often used to insult another, it should not be. Today more than ever, there are millions of people who I would consider feminists and I am happy there are. Feminism is the practice of giving women their God given right of equal opportunity, rights, and privileges that are given to men. Feminism though a practice, is also an idea that will grow and push our society to further successes in every aspect of daily life. Feminism is the same idea that human genders and races strive for, equality. This is embodied in our society in multiple ways in our society through employment, media, and support.