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aqa a level sociology > feminist view of family > Flashcards

feminist view of family Flashcards

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1
Q

What do feminists generally believe about society and its institutions?

A

They see them as male constructs benefiting men over women and as areas where women suffer injustice because of their sex.

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2
Q

How do feminists view the family?

A

As a social unit rather than a natural unit.

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3
Q

What aspects do feminists consider when analyzing the family?

A
  • Social
  • Economic
  • Political
  • Reproductive role
  • Relations between family members
  • Domestic violence
  • Love
  • Marriage
  • Domestic work
  • Childcare
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4
Q

What is a key difference between feminism and Marxist theory?

A

Feminism focuses on gender and sexuality, while Marxism focuses on material conditions.

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5
Q

What do many feminists argue is necessary for meaningful improvement in women’s lives?

A

Changing the socio-economic context.

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6
Q

What are the aims of Marxist feminism?

A
  • Describe the material basis of women’s subordination
  • Describe the relationship between modes of production and women’s status
  • Apply theories of women and class to the role of the family
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7
Q

What assumption did classic Marxism make about the labor market?

A

That women and children would increasingly be drawn into the paid labor market as capitalism developed.

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8
Q

What do Marxist feminists attempt to highlight regarding women’s unpaid labor?

A

Its relationship to the capitalist economy and its strategic importance.

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9
Q

What did the early debate regarding unpaid work reveal?

A

It is connected to the wider economy and serves important functions under capitalism.

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10
Q

What was a significant oversight in early Marxist feminism’s analysis of domestic labor?

A

It did not address why women perform domestic labor or the patriarchal structures behind gender divisions.

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11
Q

True or False: Marxism recognizes that both men and capitalism benefit from gendered arrangements.

A

False.

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12
Q

According to Mitchell, what are the four structures determining women’s situation?

A
  • Production of classic Marxism
  • Family-based structures of reproduction
  • Sexuality
  • Socialization of children
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13
Q

What does Mitchell argue regarding women’s roles within a given structure?

A

They are prescribed roles derived from a male ideology.

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14
Q

What criticism did Jean Elshtain have of Mitchell’s work?

A

She argued it was too abstract and lacked a view of human beings within politics.

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15
Q

What is the main role of the family according to Barrett and McIntosh?

A

Ideological rather than economic.

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16
Q

What does Christine Delphy argue about women’s unpaid housework?

A

It places all women in a common economic position and constitutes a class.

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17
Q

How do Delphy and Leonard view the economic system of the family?

A

As one involving exploitation, where men benefit from women’s labor.

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18
Q

What roles exist within every family-based household?

A
  • Head of the household
  • Dependents
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19
Q

Fill in the blank: The head of the household provides maintenance for others and, upon his death, they inherit a share of _______.

A

[family property]

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20
Q

What is the primary reason for women’s oppression according to Delphy and Leonard?

A

The value of their work is defined by and limited within the family.

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21
Q

What does radical feminism argue about women’s categorization?

A

Women are categorized as an inferior class to men based on gender.

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22
Q

What is the defining characteristic of society according to radical feminism?

A

Patriarchy.

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23
Q

How has radical feminism contributed to feminist theory?

A
  • Created the concept of ‘woman culture’
  • Reconceptualized reality from a woman-centred perspective
  • Revealed the masculine bias of conventional conceptions
  • Focused on the gendered nature and structure of society
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24
Q

What criticism do radical feminists have of socialist and Marxist feminists?

A

They fail to recognize the centrality of patriarchy and the psychological perspective of women’s domination.

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25
What is the primary focus of radical feminism?
The gendered nature and structure of society ## Footnote Radical feminism emphasizes the patriarchal systems that oppress women.
26
Who argued that 'Patriarchy's chief institution is the family'?
Kate Millet ## Footnote Millet's work in 'Sexual Politics' provided a foundational understanding of patriarchy in feminism.
27
What are the two principles of patriarchal power according to Kate Millet?
* Males shall dominate females * Elders shall dominate the young
28
How is patriarchy understood in feminist theory?
As male domination ## Footnote It represents a system based on male domination and female subordination.
29
What do radical feminists believe about the family?
It is a social institution where women's labor is exploited and male sexual power may be violently expressed.
30
How do early radical feminists view domestic work?
As potentially unfulfilling and degrading ## Footnote Unlike liberal feminists, they see it as a systemic issue rather than a personal misfortune.
31
What solutions do some radical feminists propose regarding domestic labor?
* Refusing to perform domestic services for men * Persuading men to accept domestic responsibility * Abolishing the family itself
32
According to Kate Millet, what role does the family play in socialization?
It is the primary social institution through which children learn societal values and expectations.
33
What is the relationship between patriarchy and economic exploitation according to Millet?
Patriarchy rests upon economic exploitation and the use or threat of force.
34
What does Shulamith Firestone argue in 'The Dialectic of Sex'?
Women's role as reproducers oppresses women and sustains patriarchal power.
35
How does Firestone's theory differ from traditional Marxist views?
She substitutes reproduction for production and sex-class for economic class.
36
What does Firestone believe about the future of women's liberation?
It relies on artificial reproduction to free women from their role as reproducers.
37
What critique do some feminists have of radical feminism?
It insists that sex is the fundamental division in society, making other differences secondary.
38
What does Adrienne Rich argue about maternity?
It contains the potential for creativity and joy, rather than being solely oppressive.
39
What is the concept of motherhood as an institution according to Rich?
It is an invisible institution that controls women's lives and perpetuates patriarchal power.
40
According to Germaine Greer, what is a major source of oppression for women?
Women’s responsibilities as mothers and the ideology surrounding the role of wife.
41
What does Greer argue about the media portrayal of wives of political leaders?
They are expected to be subservient and adore their husbands, reinforcing unequal relationships.
42
What statistic does Greer provide about divorce rates?
Three-quarters of divorces are initiated by women.
43
What does Greer believe about the value of motherhood in society?
Motherhood is not valued, despite the sacrifices and contributions of mothers.
44
What does Jean Elshtain argue about family life?
It is a necessary condition for a civilized society.
45
What is the 'feminine mystique' as described by Betty Friedan?
The belief that women's highest value lies in fulfilling their femininity.
46
What are the consequences of the 'feminine mystique' according to Friedan?
Mental illness, alcoholism, suicide, and negative effects on future generations.
47
What does Friedan advocate for to help women achieve fulfillment?
A national education program to reveal possibilities of freedom outside the home.
48
What is the cause of the problem described by Friedan?
American women were denied any opportunity for independence or self-development. ## Footnote This lack of opportunity leads to mental illness, alcoholism, and suicide among women.
49
What are some effects of the problem that has no name?
* Mental illness * Alcoholism * Suicide * Damaging effects on subsequent generations
50
What did Friedan call for to address women's issues?
A national education programme.
51
How did Margaret Thatcher view housework?
As something that must be done quickly and efficiently, not a career.
52
What did Friedan argue about maternity leave and workplace nurseries?
They allow women to combine long-term career plans with family responsibilities.
53
What is Catherine Hakim known for discussing?
The intersection of women, work, and family life.
54
What does post-structural feminism critique?
Essentialist understandings of gender, biology, and identity.
55
Who is a central figure in contemporary feminist theory associated with queer theory?
Judith Butler.
56
What is gender performativity?
The concept that gender is performed through repeated actions, behaviors, and speech.
57
What does Butler argue about traditional gender identities?
They create the illusion of stable identities, whereas gender is fluid and socially constructed.
58
What is Butler's critique of the binary understanding of gender?
It limits individual expression and perpetuates patriarchal control.
59
How does Butler suggest patriarchal norms are enforced?
Through gendered expectations placed on individuals in family structures.
60
What is the family seen as in Butler's critique?
An institution that reinforces heteronormativity and patriarchal ideas.
61
What does Butler suggest about deviations from traditional gender roles?
They are often stigmatized or punished.
62
What is meant by the dual burden?
The combination of paid employment and domestic responsibilities faced by women.
63
What is meant by the triple burden?
The additional responsibilities of emotional labor on top of paid work and domestic duties.
64
What is a patriarchal family?
A family structure where men hold primary power and dominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege, and control of property.
65
What are two criticisms of the radical feminist view of the family?
* Overemphasis on patriarchy * Neglect of women's agency and choice
66
What are three reasons husbands may make more important decisions?
* Traditional gender roles * Economic power dynamics * Socialization and upbringing
67
What is the gender division of labor?
The allocation of different tasks and responsibilities based on gender.
68
What are some key ideas from Ann Oakley?
* Focus on domestic division of labor * Critique of the 'housewife' role * Emphasis on unequal power dynamics in family structures

aqa a level sociology (2 decks)

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