...Feminism: Feminism is a diverse, competing, and often opposing collection of social theories, political movements, and moral philosophies, largely motivated by or concerning the experiences of women, especially in terms of their social, political, and economical inequalities. One institutionally predominant type of feminism focuses on limiting or eradicating gender inequality to promote women's rights, interests, and issues in society. Another opposing type of modern feminism, with deep historical roots, focuses on earning, and establishing equity by and for women, vis-a-vis men, to promote those same rights, interests, and issues, regardless of gender considerations. Thus, as with any ideology, political movement or philosophy, there is no single, universal form of feminism that represents all feminists. The most well-known types of feminism are: liberal feminism, social feminism, radical feminism, and post-modern feminism. Liberal feminism seeks no special privileges for women and simply demand that everyone receive equal consideration without discrimination on the basis of sex. Liberal feminists would seek to remove barriers that prevent equal access for women to information technology jobs not only to provide economic equality but to provide access to higher-paying jobs for women. In contrast to liberal feminism, socialist feminism rejects individualism and positivism. Social feminism believes that technology and the social shaping of technology have often been conceptualized...
Words: 924 - Pages: 4
...because they are not women-centered. Radical feminism suggests that because men, masculinity, and patriarchy have become completely intertwined with technology and computer systems in our society, no truly feminist alternative to technology exists. Postmodern feminist theories imply that no universal research agenda or application of technologies will be appropriate and that various women will have different reactions to technologies depending upon their own class, race, sexuality, country, and other factors. This definition of postmodern feminism parallels the description of the complex and diverse co-evolution of women and computing. In contrast to liberal feminism, postmodernism dissolves the universal subject and the possibility that women speak in a unified voice or that they can be universally addressed. Wajcman's (1991) thoughtful analysis of the social constructivist perspective on gender and technology reveals some of the issues embedded in its assumptions. She points out that there is no behavior or meaning which is universally and cross-culturally associated with either masculinity or femininity, that what is considered masculine in some societies is considered feminine or gender-neutral in others. It is not that gender difference does not exist but that it is manifested...
Words: 319 - Pages: 2
...eventually affecting the image of the ideal male in fashion. Male sexualities in high fashion photography can oscillate between the homoerotic or a dominant hetero-masculinity, thus there is usually no middle ground in fashion advertising, especially where artistic direction takes over. Such advertising targets niche “high fashion” audiences and responds to the popularization of sexual themes in other forms of advertising (and indeed wider media), whilst associating diverse sexualities with artistry. Coding in high fashion advertisements affect, but also respond intuitively to, audience sexual ideologies by deconstructing the concepts of femininity and masculinity that have undergone rapid change in our self-reflective and deconstructing postmodern world. Hedi Slimane’s penchant for androgynous men has significantly heightened popularity for thin male models in the fashion industry. His work usually incorporates explicit concepts of homo-eroticism and femininity inspiring many leading contemporary designers and photographers who saw his designs as radical and surprisingly persuasive” [1]. Indeed, Hedi’s influence on modern fashion aesthetics suggests that “designers everywhere started reducing their silhouettes"[2]. Karl Lagerfeld, who drastically lost weight in order to fit into Hedi Slimane’s clothes (designed to be “modelled by very, very slim boys”[3]) is now one of the most influential figures in the fashion world: a world that preferences feminine males and adopting an...
Words: 2699 - Pages: 11
...reading experience. When discussing the postmodern literature, Calvino’s novel of 1979 “If on a winter's night a traveler” definitely is a work that is worth to be examined within this context. While ascribing the features of the postmodern fiction to a specified work at times can prove to be an undertaking that is both controversial and challenging in nature. This novel has proven to be both fascinating and also to be innovative work of the fiction which is postmodern. “If on a winter's night a traveler” authored by Italo Calvino, is a postmodern novel since it deviates from the obvious objectivity provided by the omniscient external narration normally found in nearly all traditional books(Calvino & William, pp.13-18). All through chapter two, Calvino employs second person viewpoint, where he narrates of the readers of the novel, are the key characters in his plot. The author constantly employs the pronoun “you” in making the reader to feel more engaged in what is happening and points out directly the relationship between the author, the text, and the readers. Self-reflectivity also is found in nearly all postmodern novels are well-known to possess. Calvino’s novel portrays numerous remarkable literary devices that use “key characteristics’’ postmodern fiction as illustrated in the parameters summarized by Tim Woods in Beginning postmodernism which was his publication (Woods, pp.65-66). This essay will try illuminating some of the postmodern characteristics which are present in...
Words: 2371 - Pages: 10
...reading experience. When discussing the postmodern literature, Calvino’s novel of 1979 “If on a winter's night a traveler” definitely is a work that is worth to be examined within this context. While ascribing the features of the postmodern fiction to a specified work at times can prove to be an undertaking that is both controversial and challenging in nature. This novel has proven to be both fascinating and also to be innovative work of the fiction which is postmodern. “If on a winter's night a traveler” authored by Italo Calvino, is a postmodern novel since it deviates from the obvious objectivity provided by the omniscient external narration normally found in nearly all traditional books(Calvino & William, pp.13-18). All through chapter two, Calvino employs second person viewpoint, where he narrates of the readers of the novel, are the key characters in his plot. The author constantly employs the pronoun “you” in making the reader to feel more engaged in what is happening and points out directly the relationship between the author, the text, and the readers. Self-reflectivity also is found in nearly all postmodern novels are well-known to possess. Calvino’s novel portrays numerous remarkable literary devices that use “key characteristics’’ postmodern fiction as illustrated in the parameters summarized by Tim Woods in Beginning postmodernism which was his publication (Woods, pp.65-66). This essay will try illuminating some of the postmodern characteristics which are present in...
Words: 2371 - Pages: 10
...Dropbox 6 PSYC 460 View of Human Nature - This theory is different from most other therapies. Many of the other therapies came from historical periods where social arrangements were assumed to be rooted in a person’s biological base gender. Because men were considered to be the norm they were the only ones who were studied. The constructs of feminist therapy is fair, spans the entire life, is flexible, and multicultural. Feminist Perspective on Personality Development – When a person is born the gender role expectations influence the identity of that person from birth and become ingrained in the personality. Very young children develop gender schemas. These schemas are internalized and they continue in a sexist society. Principles of Feminist Therapy – The following core principles form the foundation for the practice of feminist therapy: Unique Focus of Solution-focused brief therapy – focusing on what is possible and not how the problem emerged. Positive Orientation – Optimistic assumption that people are healthy and competent and have the ability to figure out solutions that can make their lives better. Therapists assist clients in shifting from the problem to a world with new possibilities. Looking for What is Working – The focus is not the problem but instead on what is working in the client’s life. Basic Assumptions Guiding Practice – Clients are capable of behaving effectively. There are advantages to having a positive focus on solutions and on the future....
Words: 586 - Pages: 3
...Name Course Tutor Date Feminist Social Theory. The feminist social theory calls for equality for both genders- men and women. It entails studying gender inequality, the roles of women in the society, their experiences, duties and their contribution in fields such as, among others, sociology, and literature. The theory has been studied examined and expanded by several analysts such as sociologist Dorothy Smith, Patricia Hill Collins and Judith Butler. They all have their distinct views regarding the topic. Their conclusions also contain differences as well as similarities. First, Dorothy Smith is a Canadian sociologist who involves neo-Marxist and phenomenological concepts and ideas in her work. She employs institutional ethnography approach that she sees as a way of acquiring knowledge of the way relations of ruling work from the perspective of the people upon which they work. Dorothy Smith is famous for coming up with the standpoint theory that states that the position held by an individual in the society affects what he or she knows. She argues that nobody is in a position to possess the complete knowledge and that two people cannot share a similar standpoint. She urges us to recognize our perspective and investigate it. Smith points out that the position of men is favored whereas that of women is ignored. She also claims that the post of the white male upper class is given more emphasis than that of the rest of the world. She employs the concept of bifurcated consciousness...
Words: 563 - Pages: 3
...Limitations of Marxist Feminism 3.4.4 Contribution to the Women’s Movement 3.5 Psychoanalytic Feminism 3.5.1 The Beginnings of Psychoanalytic Feminism – Countering Freudian Theories 3.5.2 Explanation by other Theorists 3.5.3 Limitations of Psychoanalytic Feminism 3.5.4 Contribution to the Women’s Movement 3.6 Radical feminism 3.6.1 Definition 3.6.2 The influences that shaped Radical Feminism 3.6.3 What are the variations of Radical Feminism? 3.6.3.1 Radical- Libertarian Feminism 3.6.3.2 Radical-Cultural Feminism 3.6.4 Radical Feminism – Its Structure 3.6.5 The Outcomes of the Movement 3.6.6 Critiques of Radical Feminism 3.6.7 Contribution to the Women’s Movement 3.7 Postmodern Feminism 3.7.1 Postmodern Thought 3.7.2 Postmodern rethinking of psychological explanation of gender 3.7.3 Postmodern Feminist 3.7.4 Limitations of Postmodern feminism 3.7.5 Contribution to the women’s Movement 3.8 Black Feminism and Womanism 3.8.1 The Beginnings of Black Feminism 3.9 Cyber Feminism 3.9.1 Origin of Cyber Feminism 3.9.2 Definition of the 100 Anti Thesis 3.9.3 Cyber art and its relation to Cyber feminism 3.9.4 Cyber Feminism – Practical Manifestation 3.9.5 Cyber Feminism challenges and its future 3.10 Let Us Sum up 3.11 Answers to Check Your Progress 3.12 Unit End Questions 3.13 References 3.1 INTRODUCTION The second half of the twentieth century has seen a new impetus to the women‟s movement. There are many factors responsible for this. One of the main factors, however, has been the recognition...
Words: 17769 - Pages: 72
...|breaking down |times (first exercise), reconstituted families involve all sorts of people, all sorts | | | |of groups claim to be families, biology/legal ties are not the only basis for those | | | |claims. | | |Traditional theories do not |Traditional structural theories, Functionalism, Marxism, and Feminism, assume the | | |explain the society of today. |family being explained is the traditional nuclear family, this is not relevant any | | | |more, there is family diversity, changing gender roles and changing relationships | | | |between parents and children. | | |It is not possible to put things |It is not possible to make general statements about “the family”, as in ‘being good | | |together as one category. |for society’ or ‘being exploitative’, as there is no such thing as “the” family. | | | |Families vary too much for generalisations. | |p.30 |There has...
Words: 1200 - Pages: 5
...Thursday 14h00 Word Count = 860 TABLE OF CONTENT Pages LIST OF FIGURES…………….....……………………………………………iii 1. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………..1 1.1 What is Musculinism…………………………..………………………..1 1.2 Branded Masculinity…………………………………………………….1 2. MASCULINISM AND ADVERTISING………………………………………...2 3. CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………..3 4. BIBLIOGRAPHY………………………………………………………………...4 LIST OF FIGURES Page Fig 1 Old Spice, The Man Your Man Could Smell Like, 2010. ………………….2 INTRODUCTION 1.1 What is masculinism? Masculinity is a word that describes an idea generated by the media of what it entails to be a man. According to Cohen(2001:5) “a gender is formed by shared beliefs or models of gender that majority of society accepts as appropriate”. Gender ideals are socially constructed in specific historical and cultural context and changes over time and location. As identified by Brannon (1976) being a hegemonic masculine male entails four main themes: (i) No Sissy Stuff: men must never resemble women or display stereotypical characteristics of a woman. Kimmel (2001:35) suggests that “Homophobia is a centralised principle of our cultural definition of manhood.” (ii) The Big Wheel: the ability of real men to obtain wealth, fame, success and status. Typically determined by occupation. (iii) The Sturdy Oak: manliness, confidence and self reliance. (iv) and Give ‘Em Hell: using acts of aggression and violence to obtain sex from women...
Words: 998 - Pages: 4
...Review Chapter 7; Chapter 8; Chapter 9 I. Gender roles A. Gender roles are sets of behavioral norms assumed to accompany one’s status as a male or female. However, there is much evidence showing that gender roles have more to do with social status then biology II. The Women Question A. What is the root of patriarchy? III. Patriarchy A. A nearly universal system involving the subordination of femininity to masculinity B. A wide range of theories and approaches have been applied to the study of gender, including structural functionalism, psychoanalytic theory, conflict theory C. Each perspective has contributed to our understanding of gender differences, gender roles, and this complex and fundamental social institution IV. Structural functionalism A. Theoretical tradition claiming that every society has certain structures(the family, the division of labor, or gender) which exist in order to fulfill some set of functions(Reproduction of the species, production of goods, etc). B. A structural functionalist approach to studying gender assumes that gender differences exist to fulfill necessary functions in society V. Sex role theory A. Talcott Parson’s theory that men and women perform their sex roles as breadwinners and wives/mothers, respectively, because the nuclear family is the ideal arrangement in modern societies, fulfilling the function of reproducing workers VI. Limitation A. Their theory doesn’t allow for the possibility...
Words: 1375 - Pages: 6
...Alternative theories of methodology are far more useful for gaining an understanding of society today than those used by positivists and interpretivists. To what extent do sociological arguments support this view of social research (33 Marks?) Positivism is a philosophy of science and a theory of methodology which suggests that social behaviour should be researched according to the principles of natural science, whereas interpretivism is an alternative to the positivist scientific tradition, interpretivists argue society cannot be studied in the same way as objects in natural interactions. However alternative theories of methodologies e.g.: Realism, Feminism, social constructionism and methodological cosmopolitanism are said to be better useful ways for gaining an understanding of society today then positivists and interpretivists. Positivism is a philosophy of science and a theory of methodology which suggests that social behaviour should be researched according to the principles of natural science. For example Comte a positivists who first used the word ‘sociology’, argued that sociology should be based on the methodology of the natural sciences. As this would result in positive science society and would reveal invariable laws and could use the research to control and improve society. Positivists assumptions on the subject matter is that people are the subjects of social forces beyond their control, for example Durkheim (1874) tried to establish sociology as a distinct...
Words: 1568 - Pages: 7
...Therapy and Narrative Therapy are: - Collaborative relationship between therapist and client - Client considered expert on own life - Focus on solutions (alternative stories) rather than problems - Positive (or optimistic) orientation - Emphasise client’s strengths rather than weaknesses - Clients set their own goals (take an active role) - Focus on the future - Use of questions - Belief that small steps lead to bigger changes - Postmodern idea that there are multiple realities and truths (they are not objective facts) - Importance of language An advantage of using both Solution-Focused Brief Therapy and Narrative Therapy together is that the therapist has more techniques or strategies to draw on as they see fit for the each individual client. Due to the many similarities between the two combining seems very appropriate. Many of the basic concepts and techniques of these Postmodern approaches could be quite easily be integrated into other therapeutic perspectives. For instance, the Feminist Perspective with its focus on how gender-roles and how they affect present behaviour could benefit from the use of exception questions, the miracle question, deconstruction and the creation of alternative stories. Or the Reality Perspective with its focus on each individual being responsible for what they choose to do could benefit from the use of exception questions and identifying small steps that are already being taken in the direction of desired change. Or the Cognitive-Behavioural...
Words: 304 - Pages: 2
...Unit G671 revision notes Gender: Sex= Gender= socially constructed (construction of masculinities / femininities) Parsons: men are instrumental, women are expressive Stanley and wise: they question the view that gender is socially constructed. Behaviours are connected to how we are brought up and the influences around us Femininities: Blackman – study wc girls assertive Passive: traditional / stereotypical views on how women should be and act Jackson: normative physical appearance is key Seidler: questioning (Asian girls living double lives) Masculinities: Connell = 4 types Hegemonic: male supremacy, heterosexuality, aggression, laddish behaviour (normally wc men) Nayak: body capital study Archer: feminists argue that we cant say there is one hegemonic masculinity, there are more Paul Willis: lads and earoles study Mac and Ghail: macho lads – no factory jobs anymore Jackson: some boys at school don’t study as they wish to look “cool” Burdsey: Asian footballers want to fit in Complicit: new man, they adopt a shared role in the family Marginalised: loss of masculinity, unemployed men Subordinate: gay men behaving differently to the expectations of the dominant hegemonic masculinity Creation and reinforcement: Family: Ann Oakley: cannalisation, verbal appellation, toys and activities, primary socialisation – parents Mitchell and green: mother – daughter bond is strong in wc families Archer: family is pivotal – muslim boy masculine identity...
Words: 954 - Pages: 4
...Therapy and Narrative Therapy are: - Collaborative relationship between therapist and client - Client considered expert on own life - Focus on solutions (alternative stories) rather than problems - Positive (or optimistic) orientation - Emphasise client’s strengths rather than weaknesses - Clients set their own goals (take an active role) - Focus on the future - Use of questions - Belief that small steps lead to bigger changes - Postmodern idea that there are multiple realities and truths (they are not objective facts) - Importance of language An advantage of using both Solution-Focused Brief Therapy and Narrative Therapy together is that the therapist has more techniques or strategies to draw on as they see fit for the each individual client. Due to the many similarities between the two combining seems very appropriate. Many of the basic concepts and techniques of these Postmodern approaches could be quite easily be integrated into other therapeutic perspectives. For instance, the Feminist Perspective with its focus on how gender-roles and how they affect present behaviour could benefit from the use of exception questions, the miracle question, deconstruction and the creation of alternative stories. Or the Reality Perspective with its focus on each individual being responsible for what they choose to do could benefit from the use of exception questions and identifying small steps that are already being taken in the direction of desired change. Or the Cognitive-Behavioural...
Words: 1677 - Pages: 7
