Feminist Theoretical Schools in Various Cultures Coursework

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Updated: Feb 11th, 2024

Introduction

Feminism is a compilation of activities intended at essential, beginning, and protecting equivalent political, economic, and social civil rights and like openings for women. Its thoughts have common characteristics with those of women’s rights. Feminists are human beings whose attitudes and actions are supported by feminism.

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Let us now see where the Feminist theory comes into view. It originated from these feminist engagements and includes wide-ranging theories and theories about the genesis of disparity and in a number of cases, about the communal structure of sex and gender, in a diversity of disciplines.

Feminist activists have made movements for women’s rights—such as in agreement, belongings, and ballot vote while also endorsing women’s privileges to physical honor and independence and reproductive rights. They have conflicted household violent behavior, sexual harassment, and sexual attack. In economics, they have supported work rights together with an equivalent forfeit and prospect for careers and to start businesses.

This led to the conception of ethnically-explicit or multi-culture varieties of feminism.

Theoretical schools

Feminist theory aims to comprehend gender disparity and highlights gender affairs of state, authority relationships, and sexuality. While on condition that an analysis of these communal and political relationships, much of feminist theory in addition focus on the back-up of women’s rights and interests.

It has been found that the feminist reader studies the philosophy behind literary observable facts. The second is called the gyno-criticism, in which the female is the creator of textual sense as well as “the psycho-dynamics of feminine imagination; linguistics and the difficulty of a female verbal communication; the route of the entity or communal female fictitious profession and literary account” (WN, n.d). She calls the last phase as gender hypothesis, in which the “ideological writing and the legendary effects of the sex/gender structure” are discovered” (WN, n.d)

Let’s now see the two major types of Feminism discussed very actively by feminists. Equity feminism and gender feminism are two different terms invented by scholar Christina Hoff Sommers in her 1992 book Who Stole Feminism? which she made use of to differentiate among what she illustrates as two ideologically separate twigs of contemporary feminism.

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Equity feminism

Sommer describes equity feminism as a philosophy entrenched in traditional open-mindedness, and that aspires for full social and officially permitted equality for women. Investigation psychologist Steven Pinker makes it bigger on Sommers by writing, equity feminism is an ethical set of guidelines about equivalent action that makes no pledges on the subject of open experiential matters in psychology or biology.

Sommer challenges that most American women pledge philosophically to the older First Wave type of feminism whose main objective is even-handedness, particularly in political affairs and education. On the other hand, Sommers also disputes that equity feminism is a marginal place in the academic world dignified feminist theory and the prearranged feminist pressure group as a whole that tends to grip gender feminism.

As per a source, “Feminists who recognize themselves with equity feminism consist of Jean Bethke Elshtain, Elizabeth Fox-Genovese, Noretta Koertge, Donna Laframboise, Mary Lefkowitz, Wendy McElroy, Camille Paglia, Daphne Patai, Virginia Postrel, Alice Rossi, Nadine Strossen, Joan Kennedy Taylor, Cathy Young, and evolutionary psychologist Steven Pinker” (WN, n.d).

Gender feminism

Gender feminists characteristically disapprove of modern gender positions and aspire to do away with them all in all. In present practice, “gender feminism” may also explain feminism which tries to find and make use of officially authorized means to give the first choice to women in such areas as domestic violent behavior, kid guardianship, sexual pestering, separation measures, and compensation equity. Psychologist Steven Pinker explains three crucial pillars of gender feminism:

Here we will be highlighting Gender feminism. Gender feminism is an experiential policy dedicated to three arguments about human character. The first being that the dissimilarities between men and women do not have anything to do with biology, but are within a society built up in total. The second is that human beings enjoy a solitary communal intention authority and that social life can be unstated only in terms of how it is put into effect. The third is that human communications take place not from the reason of people dealing with everyone as people, but from the intentions of factions trading with other factions in this case more specifically, the male gender controlling the female gender.

Sommer argues that gender feminism sets apart most of the remains of modern feminist theory and is the established philosophy in the academic world. She quarrels that at the same time as the feminists she assigns as gender feminists support favored handling and represent, “all women as sufferers”, equity feminism gives a feasible substitute structure of feminism to those who point to basics of gender feminist ideology.

Marxism’s idea of continuous disagreement between blue-collar waged people and entrepreneur Bourgeoisie has been reinstated with feminist theory that posits uninterrupted utilization of women by men, or by a control construction. In small, the names have been distorted, but not the principles. In addition, Nathanson and Young challenge that ideological feminism is deeply anti-academic and also that:

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In a straight line or in a roundabout way, many ideological feminists have time after time disputed that women are expressively, ethically, morally, rationally, and physically better than men. That state of mind is now all-encompassing – not only in educational spheres but in well-liked civilizations as well, where it will no doubt last far longer.

As per an explanation, “Sommers claims Wellesley, Mount Holyoke, Smith, Mills and the University of Minnesota are severe illustrations of the U.S. universities and colleges where gender feminists put forth a key control on curriculum” (WN, n.d).

As discussed there are various writers and ideologists who are actively a part of the Feminist groups and are constantly writing about the issue or creating awareness regarding it. One of the most famous feminist writers is Bell Hooks (nee Gloria Watkins). She is an illustrious Professor of English at City College in New York. She was born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky in 1952.

Even though Hooks is for the most part recognized as a feminist intellectual, her writing covers up a wide variety of themes on sexual characteristics, race, education, and the implication of media for up-to-date civilization. She powerfully considers that these topics cannot be handled as detached, but must be unstated as being inter-related (Miami Education, n.d).

Bell Hooks Work: Feminist Theory from Margin to Center Plot Summary

A foretaste of Feminist Theory from Margin to Center:

This in-detail examination of what the person responsible considers being necessary main beliefs of feminism was first in print in 1984, with a second (unrevised) edition in print in the year 2000. All the way through the book, the author looks at a mixture of expressions of her vital debate – that early on feminist theory and practice was constricted in a range that factual feminist movement has the probability to very much make better the lives of men and women similar and that farther than ever feminist movement is at the same time essential and challenging – not to talk about of necessity stimulating.

The volume commences with two forewords, one to the first version, in print in 1984, and one to the second, in print unrevised in 2000. In the first foreword, the writer gives her grounds for writing the book – a deficiency in the wakefulness in the feminist movement of the point of view of African-American civilization and the social order.

Bell hooks in Chapter 2 of her 1984 book, “Feminism: A Movement to End Sexist Oppression” plainly and without a doubt describes feminism. She spots out that;

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With no decided upon meaning(s), we are deficient in a sound groundwork on which to build a hypothesis or fit into place in on the whole significant practice of an art, science, or skill. In other words, if we can’t describe feminism, we can’t build up a theory or put it into practice. Hooks speech marks Carmen Vasquez, writing with aggravation in the essay ‘Towards a Revolutionary Ethics’:

Feminism in America has come to denote no matter which thing you like, baby.

That, to hooks, points towards a “rising lackadaisical attitude in feminism as a fundamental political interest group.” And this is 1984, when “women’s liberty” was at a standstill and a widespread term for the pressure groups, so we can visualize the thrash about we’ve had to maintain the faction deep-seated for the past 26 years!

Hooks’ subsequent point is vital: Most inhabitants, she inscribes, believe of feminism as a movement to make women the communal social group of men. But which men do women want to be equal to? In addition, Hooks writes down; Women in working-class and deprived groups, predominantly those who are non-white, would not have definite women’s emancipation as women gaining societal egalitarianism with men in view of the fact that they are repeatedly stroked a chord in their daily lives that all women do not contribute to regular communal status. At the same time that they recognize that many men in their social groups are browbeaten and subjugated. Hence, they would not consider it important to distribute their societal standing.

And that’s why, Hooks comments, women in those working-class groups were doubtful of feminism from the moment they started, for the reason that they become conscious of the boundaries in its classification, which would make it to be relevant first and foremost to middle- and high-born white women.

No matter which goes, messily distinct feminism focuses by default on societal parity, which as hooks identify, is quite challenging, and an individual woman’s right to liberty and self-government. And at this point, I stopped right here in the chapter to replicate the fake feminism being taken up by various women of the world, which is more of feminism which doesn’t recognize or deem it important to take up a communal accomplishment. Hook rightly calls it a “romantic idea of individual freedom,” and it pays no attention to the requirement to speak out in opposition to race and class subjugation as well as chauvinism.

Hooks lobbies for a dissimilar meaning of feminism than societal parity:

“Feminism is the great effort to finish bigot tyranny. Its endeavor is not to profit exclusively any definite group of women, any particular race or class of women. It does not benefit women over men. It has the authority to convert significantly all our lives” (Miami Education, n.d).

Well-thought-out as a movement to end sexist subjugation, feminism then directs our concentration to the organization of command and the interrelatedness of gender, race, and rank repression. Feminism as a movement obliges us to consolidate the understanding and the societal dilemma of women who put up with the force of sexist subjugation as a way to be aware of the combined rank of women in the United States (Kort, 2010).

So now as per the views of Hooks let us see what we can draw out of it. Do you think the objective of feminism should be parity with men? Do you think that bigot actions by disenfranchised races of men are greatest understood as the language of annoyance?

Hanson, S. and Pratt, D. (1988) ‘Re-conceptualizing the Links between Home and Work in Urban Geography Economic Geography.

Let us now take a look at the books of Pratt D. and Hanson, S. (1988). This also provides a feminist view but in a different light. Since its commencement in the mid-1970s, feminist geography has considerably impacted the regulation. Open almost any human geography textbook, evaluate course contributions in most of the leading geography agendas, or look at current journals by renowned human geographers and you will find out the control of gender and feminist point of view.

Susan. S. in Re-conceptualizing the Links between Home and Work in Urban Geography Economic Geography (1988), says that the connection between house and job is single of the flagstone of metropolitan geography. We dispute that this connection has been studied in a restricted and restraining method, and yet this excessively basic vision of the house-job connection has remained at the core of the study.

Illustration upon fresh writing as well as upon our personal learning in Worcester, Massachusetts, we suggest a re-conceptualization of the connection between job and house, a re-conceptualization that dwells the inter-dependencies between these two areas that showcases of attempting to learn single in remoteness from the extra, and that tells innovative paths of combining the study of assembling and de-assembling. We focus first on the outcome of the house on a job, directing to the paths in which the house atmosphere influences the job choice and recommending the want to retell what we signify by “house” and “job.”

We then observe the outcome of a job on a house, examining the conduct in which changes in the public’s workforce position and dedication influence housing setting and locality operation. Lastly, we converse the substance of the home framework in reconciling the house-job connection (Hanson, 1988).

Geography and feminism are two influential academic powers at large now. Are they powers that can converse successfully with each other to construct a better-off accepting of existence on the world or are they two unfamiliar worlds in conflict? I investigate three core investigative backgrounds that I see as ordinary to geography and feminism: discovering importance in normal existence, valuing the significance of framework, and thoughts about dissimilarity.

With instance from local labor market studies, I then demonstrate how the impact between geography and feminism has not flamed a caustic detonation, but as a substitute has clarified how we think about sexual characteristics, how we believe about the place, and how we reflect about the job. I dispute that because geography and feminism share convinced intellectual traditions, the two areas of inquiry should once they set in motion to open up to and become skilled at work from each other, not only change each other but also add influential new imminent insights about the world (Hanson, 2005).

Fresh sections are getting focus, some of which involve the diverse formation of geography and space. A sizeable amount of research has been produced about gender cultural depiction, which widens the vision to more creative and figurative spaces. Few, but an increasing number of research of masculine started producing on the commitment of sex lucid concept, by shifting the concentration away from females to a broader network of hetero-patriarchal relationships. The weight and effects of person policy and post structure writing have re-alerted the mind on sexuality and geography (Johnston, 2000).

Summary

Multiple sources show how different activists have taken part in creating awareness regarding feminism and have taken the desired steps to get the women of the world their due rights. They are still trying to get rid of the male-dominant cultures prevailing in a number of societies. These efforts have been successful, but what implications it has on those places or populations who are highly male-dominated and do not welcome any such theories should also be addressed and steps should be taken to educate people properly on this subject.

Question to Discussion

Now the question to be discussed is whether or not this whole theory and feminist movement actually working out for not only white-women but women of other races as well. Has it actually gained the desired attention of the people and whether or not it has given women their rights specified in the third world countries? This remains a question over the success of these movements. Both the studies discussed under this topic are focusing on two different aspects of the same issue. Hanson has pointed out a key problem being faced by a number of ambitious women in the world; their priorities collide in the form of work and home.

It is yet to be determined what is important. Since everyone has their own preferences and decisions are taken accordingly. What points should be highlighted to give women their due share of work eligibility such that home responsibilities should be a major concern? We need breakthrough planning for women who can pursue their careers along with their family lives. On the other hand, Hooks talks about injustice and equality problems faced by women throughout the world. She focuses more on how to handle such issues, but again they should be highlighted in the context of different races and cultures.

References

Hanson, S., 1988. . Economic Geography, 64(4). Web.

Hanson, S., 2005. Abstract. Geography and Feminism: Worlds in Collision?, 82(4).

Johnston, R.J., 2000. The dictionary of human geography. 4th ed. Wiley-Blackwell.

Kort, M., 2010. . Web.

Miami Edication, n.d. Bell Hooks. Web.

WN, n.d. Gender Feminism. Web.

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IvyPanda. 2024. "Feminist Theoretical Schools in Various Cultures." February 11, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/feminist-theoretical-schools-in-various-cultures/.

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