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Theories of gender inequality

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ZannatulFerdaushKeya

Discussion about gender inequalities theories. Which helps the student to gather knowledge about those theorists also their theories in their academic and also in their practical life knowledge.

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Theories of Gender Inequality Course No: Soc-4207 Course Title: Sociology of Gender 1
PRESENTED BYZ a n n a t u l M a w a I d : 1 5 1 6 0 7 Z a n n a t u l F e r d a u s h K e y a I d : 1 5 1 6 3 0 R o z i n a P a r v i n I d : 1 5 1 6 4 8 2
GENDER • Gender refers to the social, cultural and psychological differences between men and women. (Giddens, 2015) • Gender describes the role, rights and responsibilities that society consider appropriate for men and Women (Wikipedia, 2019). Transgender/ Third GenderFemale/GirlMale/ Boy 3
GENDER INEQUALITY “Gender inequality is the denial of opportunities and equal rights to individuals and groups based on gender that results from the normal oppressions of a society.’’(Schaefer, 2015) • Gender inequality acknowledges that men and women are not equal and that gender affects an individual's lived experience. These differences arise from distinctions in biology, psychology, and cultural norms. (Wikipedia, 2019) 4
5
C Conflict View F Feminist View I Symbolic Internationalism u F Functionalist Views All Perspectives at a Glance 6
THE FUNCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVES OF GENDER INEQUALITY • The functionalist perspective sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. (Wikipedia, 2019) • This approach looks at society through a macro-level orientation and broadly focuses on the social structures that shape society as a whole. • Functionalist perspective of gender inequality suggests that gender inequalities exist as an efficient way to create a division of labor, or a social system in which a particular segment of the population is clearly responsible for certain acts of labor and another segment is clearly responsible for other labor acts.(Schaefer, 2015) 7
THEORIST OF FUNCTIONALISM o The functionalist perspective of gender inequality was most robustly articulated in the 1940s and 1950s, and largely developed by ‘Talcott Parsons’ model of the nuclear family. o In their view, it is a way of socializing children and regulating the relationship between sexes. o Structural functionalist view of gender inequality applies the division of labor to view predefined gender roles as complementary: women take care of the home while men provide for the family. o Thus gender, like other social institutions, contributes to the stability of society as a whole.(Schaefer, 2015) Talcott Parsons 8 Robert Bales
They believe that the modern family needs two people in two different capacities(Schaefer, 2015) InI Instrumentality InI Instrumentality Expressiveness 9
SOME CRITICISM Functionalism was criticized for focusing too much on the stability of societies. This theory ignore women’s obstacle of being dominated as a second gender. It ignores inequalities including race, gender, class which causes tension and conflict. 10
CONFLICT VIEW OF GENDER INEQUALITY • According to conflict theory, society is defined by a struggle for dominance among social groups that compete for scarce resources. • Societies are divided into two groups- a) Bourgeoisie, and b) Proletariat. (Wikipedia, 2019)Karl Marx (1818 –1883) 11
CONFLICT VIEW OF GENDER INEQUALITY CONT.…. • Conflict theories draw attention to power differentials. • Conflict theorist contended that the relationship between females and males has traditionally been one of unequal power, with men in a dominant position over women. • Conflict theorists emphasize that men’s work is uniformly valued, while women's work is devalued. (Schaefer, 2015) 12
CONFLICT VIEW OF GENDER INEQUALITY • Friedrich Engels, a German sociologist, studied family structure and gender roles. • Engels suggested that the same owner-worker relationship seen in the labor force is also seen in the household, with women assuming the role of the proletariat. (Smelser, 2000) Friedrich Engels (1820-1895) 13
CONFLICT VIEW OF GENDER INEQUALITY • Men, like any other group with a power or wealth advantage in Conflict Theory, fought to maintain their control over resources (in this case, political and economic power). • Conflict between the two groups caused things like the Women’s Suffrage Movement and was responsible for social change. (Smelser, 2000) Women’s Suffrage Movement 14
CONFLICT VIEW OF GENDER INEQUALITY • Randall Collins (1975) believes sexual inequality is based on conflict between a dominant group (men) and a subordinate group (women). • The original basis for male domination of females was that males, being bigger and stronger, were capable of forcing themselves on women for sexual gratification. (Smelser, 2000)Randall Collins 15
NEO- MARXIST VIEW • Heidi Hartmann (1976) suggests a complicated set of relations among capitalism, patriarchy and the structure of economy. The argument goes like this: a) By providing lower wages for women than men, society maintains male dominance. b) Lower wages encourage women to marry. c) Married women work for their husbands in the household. d) Because of their household responsibilities, women are placed at a further disadvantage in the labor market. (Smelser, 2000) 16
NEO- MARXIST VIEW • Barron and Norris (1976) argue that subordination of women is capitalisms way of achieving market flexibility. • They divide the labor market into- a) Primary sector, and b) Secondary sector (Smelser, 2000). 17
CRITICISM Some social scientist criticize conflict theory for stressing disagreement and competition. It did not say clearly how to solve the problem in case of gender inequality. It ignores social unity based on mutual interdependence and shared values. 18
INTERACTIONIST PERSPECTIVE • A symbolic interactionist perspective, gender is produced and reinforced through daily interactions and the use of symbols. • While functionalist and conflict theorist who study gender stratification typically focus on macro level social forces and institutions, interactionist researchers tend to examine gender stratification on the micro level of everyday behavior. • According to interactionists, gender stratification exists because people act toward each other on the basis of the meanings they have for one another. • Interactionists believe that these meanings are derived through social interaction and that these meanings are managed and transformed through an interpretive process that people use to make sense of, and handle, the objects that constitute their social worlds.(Schaefer, 2015) 19
INTERACTIONIST PERSPECTIVE CONT.…… • As an example, studies show that men initiate up to 96 % of all interruption in cross- sex (male-female) conversations. • Men are more likely than women to change the topic of conversation, to ignore topics to chosen by members of the opposite sex, and to validate their own contributions. (Schaefer, 2015) 20
CHARLES HORTON COOLEY Looking Glass Self • Cooley argued that an individual’s perception of himself or herself is based primarily how society views him or her. • In the context of gender, if society perceives a man as masculine, that man will consider himself as masculine. • Men and women are expected to perform their gender to the point that it is naturalized and thus, their status depends on their performance. • Thus, when people perform tasks or possess characteristics based on the gender role assigned to them, they are said to be doing gender (rather than “being” gender). (Schaefer, 2015) 21
According to Cooley (1902) in his work, ‘Human Nature and the Social Order’, his Looking Glass Self involved three steps You imagine how you appear to the other person You feel some sense of pride, happiness, guilt of shame You imagine the judgement of the other person 22
Confounding Expectation The woman in this picture blurs the boundaries between the symbols that are traditionally considered masculine or feminine. While she has long hair and is wearing makeup, typically feminine markers, her clothes are much more masculine in nature 23
GOFFMAN’S THEORY OF IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT/ SELF-PRESENTATION /IDENTITY MANAGEMENT (1969) • Impression management (IM) is the goal-directed attempt to influence others’ perceptions about a person, a group, and/or an organization regarding an object or event by providing self-assessed beneficial information in social interactions • We create impressions through what Goffman calls sign vehicles which includes both our language as well as our body language. We create impressions by our expressions. And there are two different kinds of expressions: A. The expressions we give, primarily the things we say, and the intentional poses, facial expressions (smiles, surprise, etc.) and other controlled body language we emit; B. The expressions we give off, which are the elements of our expressiveness over which we have less control; the inconsistencies between what we say and what we actually do, the body language which “gives us away” in some situations. (Wikipedia, 2019) 24
25
DIAGRAM/SCHEMATIC OF THEORY Discordant Perceived Reality Resonant Impression + _ 26
FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE OF INEQUALITY • Most feminist share the assumption that women are disadvantaged in comparison with men. • They argue that these inequalities are not the direct result of natural differences between men and women. Basically, they are socially constructed. (Tong, 2009) • Main feminist perspectives are 1. Liberal perspective 2. Radical perspective 3. Social perspective 27
LIBERAL FEMINIST • Liberal feminism seek equal rights to men. Women should be allowed to compete freely with men and should enjoy the same privileges and opportunities in the social and cultural attitudes.(Tong, 2009) • For Example, liberal feminist are concerned with sexism and discrimination against women in the workplace, educational institution and 28
RADICAL FEMINIST • Radical feminism focus on patriarchal as the cause of women's inequality- although most feminist touch on this in some way. • They encouraged women to become ‘androgyno’ persons, that is, persons who embody with both masculine (good) and feminine (good) characteristics. • Among the first radical libertarian feminist to celebrate androgynous women was Joreen Freeman.(Tong, 2009) 29
SOCIAL FEMINIST • Social feminism is a feminist movement that advocates for social rights and special accommodations for women. It was first used to describe members of the women's suffrage movement in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who were concerned with social problems that affected women and children • Marxist feminism is a sub-type of feminist theory which focuses on the social institutions of private property and capitalism to explain and criticize gender and oppression(Tong, 2009). 30
CRITICISM They ignored positive aspects of family life: That women may enjoy running the home and raising children. They ignores the point that some women choose their expressive role and part time/ flexible work. 31
REFERENCES • Schaefer, R. T. (2015). Sociology (10th ed.). New York: McGRAW HILL. • Jary, D. J. J. (2000). Collins Dictionary of Sciology (3rd ed.). Great Britain: HarperCollins • Giddens, A. (2015). Sociology (5th ed.). Malden , USA: Polity Press. • Sociological Perspectives on Gender Stratification. (2018). from file:///C:/Users/user/Pictures/Sociological%20Perspectives%20on%20Gender%20Stratifi cation%20_%20Boundless%20Sociology.html • Tong, R. (2009). Feminist Thought (3rd ed.). Colorado: Westview Press. 32

More Related Content

Theories of gender inequality

  • 1. Theories of Gender Inequality Course No: Soc-4207 Course Title: Sociology of Gender 1
  • 2. PRESENTED BYZ a n n a t u l M a w a I d : 1 5 1 6 0 7 Z a n n a t u l F e r d a u s h K e y a I d : 1 5 1 6 3 0 R o z i n a P a r v i n I d : 1 5 1 6 4 8 2
  • 3. GENDER • Gender refers to the social, cultural and psychological differences between men and women. (Giddens, 2015) • Gender describes the role, rights and responsibilities that society consider appropriate for men and Women (Wikipedia, 2019). Transgender/ Third GenderFemale/GirlMale/ Boy 3
  • 4. GENDER INEQUALITY “Gender inequality is the denial of opportunities and equal rights to individuals and groups based on gender that results from the normal oppressions of a society.’’(Schaefer, 2015) • Gender inequality acknowledges that men and women are not equal and that gender affects an individual's lived experience. These differences arise from distinctions in biology, psychology, and cultural norms. (Wikipedia, 2019) 4
  • 5. 5
  • 6. C Conflict View F Feminist View I Symbolic Internationalism u F Functionalist Views All Perspectives at a Glance 6
  • 7. THE FUNCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVES OF GENDER INEQUALITY • The functionalist perspective sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. (Wikipedia, 2019) • This approach looks at society through a macro-level orientation and broadly focuses on the social structures that shape society as a whole. • Functionalist perspective of gender inequality suggests that gender inequalities exist as an efficient way to create a division of labor, or a social system in which a particular segment of the population is clearly responsible for certain acts of labor and another segment is clearly responsible for other labor acts.(Schaefer, 2015) 7
  • 8. THEORIST OF FUNCTIONALISM o The functionalist perspective of gender inequality was most robustly articulated in the 1940s and 1950s, and largely developed by ‘Talcott Parsons’ model of the nuclear family. o In their view, it is a way of socializing children and regulating the relationship between sexes. o Structural functionalist view of gender inequality applies the division of labor to view predefined gender roles as complementary: women take care of the home while men provide for the family. o Thus gender, like other social institutions, contributes to the stability of society as a whole.(Schaefer, 2015) Talcott Parsons 8 Robert Bales
  • 9. They believe that the modern family needs two people in two different capacities(Schaefer, 2015) InI Instrumentality InI Instrumentality Expressiveness 9
  • 10. SOME CRITICISM Functionalism was criticized for focusing too much on the stability of societies. This theory ignore women’s obstacle of being dominated as a second gender. It ignores inequalities including race, gender, class which causes tension and conflict. 10
  • 11. CONFLICT VIEW OF GENDER INEQUALITY • According to conflict theory, society is defined by a struggle for dominance among social groups that compete for scarce resources. • Societies are divided into two groups- a) Bourgeoisie, and b) Proletariat. (Wikipedia, 2019)Karl Marx (1818 –1883) 11
  • 12. CONFLICT VIEW OF GENDER INEQUALITY CONT.…. • Conflict theories draw attention to power differentials. • Conflict theorist contended that the relationship between females and males has traditionally been one of unequal power, with men in a dominant position over women. • Conflict theorists emphasize that men’s work is uniformly valued, while women's work is devalued. (Schaefer, 2015) 12
  • 13. CONFLICT VIEW OF GENDER INEQUALITY • Friedrich Engels, a German sociologist, studied family structure and gender roles. • Engels suggested that the same owner-worker relationship seen in the labor force is also seen in the household, with women assuming the role of the proletariat. (Smelser, 2000) Friedrich Engels (1820-1895) 13
  • 14. CONFLICT VIEW OF GENDER INEQUALITY • Men, like any other group with a power or wealth advantage in Conflict Theory, fought to maintain their control over resources (in this case, political and economic power). • Conflict between the two groups caused things like the Women’s Suffrage Movement and was responsible for social change. (Smelser, 2000) Women’s Suffrage Movement 14
  • 15. CONFLICT VIEW OF GENDER INEQUALITY • Randall Collins (1975) believes sexual inequality is based on conflict between a dominant group (men) and a subordinate group (women). • The original basis for male domination of females was that males, being bigger and stronger, were capable of forcing themselves on women for sexual gratification. (Smelser, 2000)Randall Collins 15
  • 16. NEO- MARXIST VIEW • Heidi Hartmann (1976) suggests a complicated set of relations among capitalism, patriarchy and the structure of economy. The argument goes like this: a) By providing lower wages for women than men, society maintains male dominance. b) Lower wages encourage women to marry. c) Married women work for their husbands in the household. d) Because of their household responsibilities, women are placed at a further disadvantage in the labor market. (Smelser, 2000) 16
  • 17. NEO- MARXIST VIEW • Barron and Norris (1976) argue that subordination of women is capitalisms way of achieving market flexibility. • They divide the labor market into- a) Primary sector, and b) Secondary sector (Smelser, 2000). 17
  • 18. CRITICISM Some social scientist criticize conflict theory for stressing disagreement and competition. It did not say clearly how to solve the problem in case of gender inequality. It ignores social unity based on mutual interdependence and shared values. 18
  • 19. INTERACTIONIST PERSPECTIVE • A symbolic interactionist perspective, gender is produced and reinforced through daily interactions and the use of symbols. • While functionalist and conflict theorist who study gender stratification typically focus on macro level social forces and institutions, interactionist researchers tend to examine gender stratification on the micro level of everyday behavior. • According to interactionists, gender stratification exists because people act toward each other on the basis of the meanings they have for one another. • Interactionists believe that these meanings are derived through social interaction and that these meanings are managed and transformed through an interpretive process that people use to make sense of, and handle, the objects that constitute their social worlds.(Schaefer, 2015) 19
  • 20. INTERACTIONIST PERSPECTIVE CONT.…… • As an example, studies show that men initiate up to 96 % of all interruption in cross- sex (male-female) conversations. • Men are more likely than women to change the topic of conversation, to ignore topics to chosen by members of the opposite sex, and to validate their own contributions. (Schaefer, 2015) 20
  • 21. CHARLES HORTON COOLEY Looking Glass Self • Cooley argued that an individual’s perception of himself or herself is based primarily how society views him or her. • In the context of gender, if society perceives a man as masculine, that man will consider himself as masculine. • Men and women are expected to perform their gender to the point that it is naturalized and thus, their status depends on their performance. • Thus, when people perform tasks or possess characteristics based on the gender role assigned to them, they are said to be doing gender (rather than “being” gender). (Schaefer, 2015) 21
  • 22. According to Cooley (1902) in his work, ‘Human Nature and the Social Order’, his Looking Glass Self involved three steps You imagine how you appear to the other person You feel some sense of pride, happiness, guilt of shame You imagine the judgement of the other person 22
  • 23. Confounding Expectation The woman in this picture blurs the boundaries between the symbols that are traditionally considered masculine or feminine. While she has long hair and is wearing makeup, typically feminine markers, her clothes are much more masculine in nature 23
  • 24. GOFFMAN’S THEORY OF IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT/ SELF-PRESENTATION /IDENTITY MANAGEMENT (1969) • Impression management (IM) is the goal-directed attempt to influence others’ perceptions about a person, a group, and/or an organization regarding an object or event by providing self-assessed beneficial information in social interactions • We create impressions through what Goffman calls sign vehicles which includes both our language as well as our body language. We create impressions by our expressions. And there are two different kinds of expressions: A. The expressions we give, primarily the things we say, and the intentional poses, facial expressions (smiles, surprise, etc.) and other controlled body language we emit; B. The expressions we give off, which are the elements of our expressiveness over which we have less control; the inconsistencies between what we say and what we actually do, the body language which “gives us away” in some situations. (Wikipedia, 2019) 24
  • 25. 25
  • 27. FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE OF INEQUALITY • Most feminist share the assumption that women are disadvantaged in comparison with men. • They argue that these inequalities are not the direct result of natural differences between men and women. Basically, they are socially constructed. (Tong, 2009) • Main feminist perspectives are 1. Liberal perspective 2. Radical perspective 3. Social perspective 27
  • 28. LIBERAL FEMINIST • Liberal feminism seek equal rights to men. Women should be allowed to compete freely with men and should enjoy the same privileges and opportunities in the social and cultural attitudes.(Tong, 2009) • For Example, liberal feminist are concerned with sexism and discrimination against women in the workplace, educational institution and 28
  • 29. RADICAL FEMINIST • Radical feminism focus on patriarchal as the cause of women's inequality- although most feminist touch on this in some way. • They encouraged women to become ‘androgyno’ persons, that is, persons who embody with both masculine (good) and feminine (good) characteristics. • Among the first radical libertarian feminist to celebrate androgynous women was Joreen Freeman.(Tong, 2009) 29
  • 30. SOCIAL FEMINIST • Social feminism is a feminist movement that advocates for social rights and special accommodations for women. It was first used to describe members of the women's suffrage movement in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who were concerned with social problems that affected women and children • Marxist feminism is a sub-type of feminist theory which focuses on the social institutions of private property and capitalism to explain and criticize gender and oppression(Tong, 2009). 30
  • 31. CRITICISM They ignored positive aspects of family life: That women may enjoy running the home and raising children. They ignores the point that some women choose their expressive role and part time/ flexible work. 31
  • 32. REFERENCES • Schaefer, R. T. (2015). Sociology (10th ed.). New York: McGRAW HILL. • Jary, D. J. J. (2000). Collins Dictionary of Sciology (3rd ed.). Great Britain: HarperCollins • Giddens, A. (2015). Sociology (5th ed.). Malden , USA: Polity Press. • Sociological Perspectives on Gender Stratification. (2018). from file:///C:/Users/user/Pictures/Sociological%20Perspectives%20on%20Gender%20Stratifi cation%20_%20Boundless%20Sociology.html • Tong, R. (2009). Feminist Thought (3rd ed.). Colorado: Westview Press. 32