women Flashcards
(142 cards)
1
Q
What has historically shaped the sociological tradition?
A
The sociological tradition has historically been shaped by men, often excluding women’s contributions.
2
Q
Which major male sociologists are commonly accepted as foundational in sociology?
A
Marx, Durkheim, Weber
3
Q
How were women’s contributions to sociology often categorized?
A
Under other disciplines such as literature and philosophy.
4
Q
What roles were women often relegated to in the field of sociology?
A
Secondary roles as data collectors, interpreters, or reformers.
5
Q
What reinforced gender biases in the professionalization of sociology?
A
The professionalization of sociology in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
6
Q
Name two early female sociologists who were denied academic positions.
A
Harriet Martineau, Charlotte Perkins Gilman
7
Q
Who controlled what was considered legitimate sociology?
A
Male scholars
8
Q
When did women’s studies and feminist sociology emerge as recognized fields?
A
In the 20th century.
9
Q
What does Lynn McDonald argue about sociology’s treatment of sexism?
A
Sociology remains one of the last academic disciplines to fully address its sexist foundations.
10
Q
What has been slower to acknowledge women’s contributions compared to other disciplines?
A
Sociology
11
Q
What does McDonald advocate for regarding the sociological canon?
A
A re-examination to include early female theorists like Martineau and Wollstonecraft.
12
Q
What was the title of Mary Wollstonecraft’s response to Edmund Burke?
A
A Vindication of the Rights of Men
13
Q
What did Wollstonecraft criticize in Burke’s work?
A
Burke’s defense of tradition and monarchy.
14
Q
What did Wollstonecraft advocate for in her writings?
A
Rationalism and individual rights over inherited privilege.
15
Q
What is the significance of ‘A Vindication of the Rights of Woman’?
A
One of the first major feminist philosophical works.
16
Q
What did Wollstonecraft argue about women’s intellectual inferiority?
A
It was a result of lack of education, not nature.
17
Q
What type of feminism did Wollstonecraft’s work represent?
A
Bourgeois feminism
18
Q
What was Wollstonecraft’s critique of Edmund Burke’s views on tradition?
A
Condemned romanticism of the past and defense of monarchy.
19
Q
What was Wollstonecraft’s stance on Rousseau’s views on women’s education?
A
Rejected that it should be centered around pleasing men.
20
Q
What dilemma did Wollstonecraft face in her advocacy?
A
Reconciling women’s dependence on men with her vision of rational equality.
21
Q
How did Harriet Martineau contribute to sociology?
A
Translated and condensed Auguste Comte’s Positive Philosophy.
22
Q
What methodology did Martineau advocate in sociology?
A
Systematic observation of social life.
23
Q
What are two of Martineau’s key contributions?
A
- Illustrations of Political Economy
- Society in America
24
Q
What critique did Martineau present in ‘Society in America’?
A
Critiqued American democracy for its failure to include women and enslaved people.
25
What was the focus of Herbert Spencer's evolutionary sociology?
Applied Darwinian principles to social evolution.
26
What is 'Synthetic Philosophy'?
An attempt to unify all scientific knowledge under a single framework.
27
What is the process of 'aggregation' in social evolution?
Societies evolve by combining smaller social units into larger, more complex systems.
28
What role did Charlotte Perkins Gilman attribute to women in society?
Women played a crucial role in reproduction and social organization.
29
What concept did Gilman introduce regarding competition and cooperation?
Cooperation became more important than competition as societies evolved.
30
What is 'gynaecocentrism' according to Gilman?
Society is fundamentally female-centered.
31
What was the evolution of patriarchy according to Gilman?
Patriarchy originally helped survival but became dysfunctional over time.
32
What is the ongoing struggle in sociology regarding women?
Incorporating women into the classical sociological canon.
33
Name three women whose social theorizing is examined this week.
* Mary Wollstonecraft
* Harriet Martineau
* Charlotte Perkins Gilman
34
What does institutionalization refer to?
The ways in which human behaviors, thoughts, and emotions become normalized and embedded into daily routines.
35
Who are the classical Triumvirate in sociology?
* Karl Marx
* Emile Durkheim
* Max Weber
36
What key contributions did Harriet Martineau make?
* Illustrations of Political Economy
* How to Observe Morals and Manners
* Society in America
* Life in the Sick Room
37
True or False: Women have historically been recognized as central figures in classical sociology.
False
38
What is Bourgeois Feminism according to Wollstonecraft?
Feminism focused on middle-class women advocating for education and reforms within existing structures.
39
What critique did Wollstonecraft make against Rousseau?
She rejected his view that women were naturally submissive and argued that gender differences were socially constructed.
40
Fill in the blank: Harriet Martineau translated and condensed ________'s Positive Philosophy.
Auguste Comte
41
What did Gilman's Gynaecocentric Theory of Society emphasize?
Society is fundamentally female-centered.
42
What did the professionalization of sociology reinforce in the late 19th century?
Gender biases.
43
What was one key aspect of Herbert Spencer's Synthetic Philosophy?
Attempted to unify all scientific knowledge under a single framework.
44
What is the primary focus of Mary Wollstonecraft’s Second Vindication?
Equal educational opportunities for women.
45
What is true about the historical representation of women in sociology textbooks?
They were often omitted or marginalized.
46
What did Lynn McDonald argue about sociology?
It remains one of the last academic disciplines to fully address its sexist foundations.
47
What does the term 'gynaecocentrism' imply?
Society is fundamentally female-centered.
48
What did Martineau argue in 'How to Observe Morals and Manners'?
Societies should be studied with both quantitative and qualitative methods.
49
True or False: Marx, Weber, and Durkheim fully addressed the impacts of industrialization on women.
False
50
What is one proposed solution to address institutionalized gender bias in sociology education?
A dedicated course on the history of early women sociologists.
51
What is the significance of Wollstonecraft's critique of Edmund Burke?
Condemned Burke’s romanticism of the past and defense of monarchy.
52
What did Gilman argue about male aggression in evolving societies?
It became dysfunctional, requiring men to adopt more nurturing traits.
53
Fill in the blank: Theories of Marx, Weber, and Durkheim have been ________ as the foundation of sociological theory.
institutionalized
54
What did the concept of social facts by Emile Durkheim align with?
Institutionalization.
55
What is a key criticism of the traditional sociological canon?
It perpetuates gender bias by focusing predominantly on male theorists.
56
What did Lynn McDonald argue regarding classical theory?
Classical theory excluded women and sought to systematically examine their contributions
## Footnote
McDonald identified key women who should be included in mainstream theory courses.
57
What are some key findings from McDonald's research on women in sociology?
* Some women made foundational contributions to sociology
* Others had less significant contributions but still deserve attention
* Being a woman in the 19th century did not automatically make one a key sociologist
58
What did McDonald claim about classical theory courses in 2019?
They remain one of the last sexist strongholds in sociology
## Footnote
Acknowledged progress includes more than half of all sociology PhDs in North America being earned by women.
59
What issue arises from the inclusion of women theorists in classical theory textbooks?
Women theorists are often tokenized in gender chapters
## Footnote
Gender becomes a 'substantive ghetto', suggesting women only wrote about gender.
60
What misrepresentation occurs when women are excluded from classical theory?
Students receive the false impression that only men produced sociological theory.
61
How did women theorists address social justice issues differently than their male counterparts?
They provided granular insights into sexism and social structure absent from the works of Marx, Weber, and Durkheim.
62
What rhetorical question did McDonald pose in her 2019 paper?
What will it take to create an inclusive sociological theory curriculum?
63
Who was Mary Wollstonecraft?
A writer, philosopher, and strong advocate of women's education
## Footnote
Recognized as a principal architect in the fight for gender equality.
64
What was the title of Wollstonecraft’s first book?
Thoughts on the Education of Daughters.
65
What is Wollstonecraft's best-selling book?
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman.
66
What did Wollstonecraft argue in her best-selling book?
If women were given the same opportunities and education as men, they could contribute just as much to society.
67
What was the significance of Wollstonecraft's 'A Vindication of the Rights of Men'?
It was a defense of the French Revolution and advocated for contracts, equality, tolerance, and private property rights.
68
What critique did Wollstonecraft make in 'A Vindication of the Rights of Woman'?
She critiqued hypocrisy within the Enlightenment, especially regarding sexism.
69
What type of feminist is Wollstonecraft described as?
A bourgeois feminist.
70
Who was Mary Astell?
An English philosopher and social theorist who made early contributions to feminist thought.
71
What was the title of Mary Astell's book published in 1694?
A Serious Proposal to the Ladies for the Advancement of Their True and Greatest Interest.
72
What was Astell’s argument for women's education?
God would not have granted women reason and souls if they were not meant to develop them.
73
Which philosophers influenced Mary Astell's work?
* René Descartes
* John Locke
74
What concept did John Locke introduce that Astell adopted?
The tabula rasa (blank slate).
75
What did Astell argue regarding women's education and reasoning?
If women's minds were blank slates, they should have equal access to education to develop their reasoning abilities.
76
What common theme existed in early feminist advocacy?
The importance of education.
77
What did Wollstonecraft critique about Burke's views?
His beliefs on tradition and private property.
78
What were the two opposing aesthetic categories defined by Edmund Burke?
* The Beautiful
* The Sublime
79
How did Wollstonecraft interpret Burke's aesthetic theory?
She viewed it as implying that women’s beauty defined their worth.
80
What did Wollstonecraft argue regarding women's oppression?
It was a social construct shaped by history and not natural or divinely ordained.
81
What was Wollstonecraft's response to Rousseau's educational philosophy?
She rejected the 'separate but equal' argument and called for full education of women.
82
What is Harriet Martineau known for?
Being referred to as the first woman sociologist.
83
What is the common issue with Martineau’s recognition in textbooks?
She receives minimal coverage despite her significant contributions.
84
What did Wollstonecraft advocate for in terms of educational reform?
Universal suffrage and equitable education.
85
What class-based contradictions existed in Wollstonecraft’s thought?
* Excluded aristocratic men from reforms
* Excluded poor women from reforms
86
Who is often referred to as the first woman sociologist?
Harriet Martineau
## Footnote
A book titled Harriet Martineau: First Woman Sociologist supports this claim.
87
How much coverage does Martineau receive in sociology textbooks?
1.5 to 2 pages
## Footnote
This reflects potential sexism in how textbooks critique gender issues.
88
Who is recognized as the first male sociologist?
Auguste Comte
89
What is a suggested improvement for textbook coverage of sociologists?
A dedicated chapter on Martineau and Charlotte Perkins Gilman
90
When was Harriet Martineau born?
1802
91
What chronic health issues did Harriet Martineau experience?
No sense of taste or smell, chronic ear pain
92
What nickname did Harriet Martineau earn due to her hearing issues?
The little deaf woman from Norwich
93
What methodological principles did Martineau pioneer?
Empirical and reliable sociological research
94
How did Martineau critique Mary Wollstonecraft?
Distanced herself from the 'Wollstonecraft crowd'
95
What was Martineau's key belief regarding social change?
Social change comes from the people, not government reforms
96
What genre did Martineau use to popularize sociological ideas?
Fictional stories
97
What significant work did Martineau translate from French to English?
Course of Positive Philosophy
98
What was the original length of Comte's Course of Positive Philosophy?
Six-volume, 4700-page text
99
How did Martineau's translation of Comte's work differ from the original?
Condensed it to two volumes (~1000 pages) and simplified explanations
100
What was the goal of Martineau's early work in political economy?
Explain economic laws to the general public
101
What series did Martineau publish that illustrated economic theories?
Illustrations of Political Economy
102
How did Martineau's writings aim to engage readers?
By using relatable characters in different communities
103
What was the financial outcome of Martineau's Illustrations of Political Economy?
Allowed her to continue writing
104
What methodological approach did Martineau take in her sociological research?
Ethnographic study
105
What significant insights did Martineau provide about American society?
Deeper insights into racism, sexism, and contradictions in democracy
106
What pioneering methods book did Martineau write?
How to Observe Morals and Manners
107
What key concepts did Martineau define in her methods book?
* Morals = Cultural beliefs, principles, customs
* Manners = Social interactions, practices, and norms
108
What did Martineau emphasize in her empirical research techniques?
Reducing prejudices and understanding society from its members' perspectives
109
What was Martineau's critique of American democracy focused on?
The gap between ideals and reality regarding equality, freedom, and class inequality
110
What did Martineau's Life in the Sick Room explore?
Social expectations and power dynamics in interactions
111
Which later theorists were influenced by Martineau's work?
* Émile Durkheim
* Max Weber
* Symbolic interactionists
112
What is the central problem in sociology regarding methodology?
Objectivity
113
What distinction did Wilhelm Windelband make in types of knowledge?
* Nomothetic sciences: Seek general laws
* Idiographic sciences: Focus on unique, historical events
114
What did Heinrich Rickert argue about the natural and social sciences?
The difference lies in value orientations rather than methodology
115
What methodological approach did Max Weber develop?
Verstehen (interpretive understanding)
116
What are social facts according to Émile Durkheim?
* External to individuals
* Coercive over individual behavior
* Objective and measurable
.
117
What are the two methodological tensions in sociology?
* Positivism
* Interpretivism
118
What critiques have contemporary sociology faced regarding objectivity?
* Feminist critiques
* Postcolonial critiques
* Need for reflexivity
119
What is Charlotte Perkins Gilman's historical context?
Born in 1860, she was 23 when Marx died and 35 when Durkheim published Rules of Sociological Method
120
How did Gilman's approach differ from Mary Wollstonecraft?
Did not just seek gender equality within capitalism but challenged traditional structures
121
What type of thinker was Charlotte Perkins Gilman?
An evolutionary thinker
122
Who was a dominant figure in sociology before Durkheim?
Herbert Spencer
123
What did Spencer argue about social evolution?
Societies evolve through interaction, migration, and adaptation
124
What was Spencer's stance on state intervention?
Opposed it, advocating for natural social evolution
125
How did Gilman connect to Spencer's theories?
Incorporated evolutionary theory into her sociological work
126
What did Gilman argue about gender inequality?
It was an unnatural evolutionary stagnation
127
What legacy does Gilman's work hold in sociology?
Significant in feminist theory and evolutionary sociology
128
What theoretical foundations does Gilman's theory integrate?
Elements from Darwin, Marx, Rousseau, Durkheim, and Herbert Spencer
## Footnote
These foundations include natural selection, economic structures, early human life, social differentiation, and social evolution.
129
What did natural biological selection lead to in women according to Gilman?
Development of exaggerated secondary sex characteristics
## Footnote
Examples include breasts, facial features, and body sizes to attract men.
130
What was the role of men in early human life as described by Gilman?
Hunted for food and competed for sexual access to women
## Footnote
This created a natural world without communal life, private property, or surplus wealth.
131
What process led to the emergence of social organization according to Gilman?
Competition, interaction, migration, trade, and exchange
## Footnote
These factors led to the development of rudimentary social structures and eventually complex societies.
132
What is Herbert Spencer’s theory of aggregation?
Societies first formed as small cells and then expanded and differentiated
## Footnote
This was due to selective advantages.
133
How did Durkheim’s division of labor contribute to social complexity?
Increased likelihood of survival by fostering functional interdependence
134
What transition did humans undergo regarding their environment?
From natural to social environment
## Footnote
Humans uniquely mastered their natural environment, allowing the social world to become the primary factor in survival.
135
What evolutionary shift does Gilman discuss regarding competition and cooperation?
Competition was initially advantageous for men, but cooperation became more important for survival
## Footnote
Men continued to compete, creating dysfunction in the social order.
136
What are the two instinctual energies Gilman distinguishes between genders?
Male energy: Competitive and savage
Female energy: Nurturing and maternal
137
What does the gynecocentric theory propose?
Society is organized around female instinctual energy as the basis of social life
## Footnote
This concept was influenced by Lester Ward.
138
How did patriarchy initially benefit society according to Gilman?
Created male dominance for social stability
## Footnote
This was seen as beneficial for species survival.
139
What is Gilman's concept of 'morbid excess' of sex differences?
Sex differences became exaggerated beyond basic reproductive functions
## Footnote
This included dependence on cosmetics and attractiveness for economic skills.
140
What is Gilman's view on the evolution of patriarchy?
Patriarchy became dysfunctional in modern society
## Footnote
Initially necessary, it now suppresses women's economic independence.
141
What does Gilman argue about women's movements and gender equality?
Represents an inevitable evolutionary shift towards greater equality
## Footnote
Gender equality is seen as the natural next step in human evolution.
142
What unique perspective does Gilman present on gender and social organization?
An evolutionary perspective on gender, social organization, and societal development
## Footnote
She acknowledges the historical necessity of patriarchy but argues it is now obsolete.
