Feminist Social Theory
1. Relevance of Classical Social Theory
- Epistemology: standard of knowledge
- Better able to produce value-free knowledge, provides tools to understand what
reality really is.
- CST encourage us to Q simple ideas of individual freedom. Cp. Rosseau “man…chains
whatnot”
o Think of humans as socially positioned actors and the kinds of freedoms we
have is only understood through this positioning.
- CST is produced by men bc women at the time considered invisible or secondary to
males in public life.
- In the past 40 years there has been a continual rise of women in employment.
(prime working age: 25-54)
- 1945: 57% of females in work CP. to now 78% females working.
- Where 80% of women living with spouse/partner at 25 in 1940s to 60% now.
- 1945: 60% by age of 25 had a child now its ….
- 1900: 16% of all students were women today women are the majority in higher
education 56.5%.
- WOMEN ARE MORE VISIBLE.
2. First Wave 18thC-mid 20thC
- Pioneer feminist- Mary Wollstonecraft: The Vindication of the Rights of Women-
recognised as crucial figure of 1st wave feminism
- 1792: called for more educational opportunities for women.
- Rejects…
o view that women are the possessions of males and that their job in life is
ornamental.
o That reason is concentrated in males and emotion in women.
o The above view is socially constructed and reflects male power.
- Women are equal to women therefore should have same political and civic rights
- Concerned with expanding women’s’ power and profile in public by changing laws
through education, vote and legislation.
3. Second Wave
- Began to develop a critical epistemology.
- This rejected idea that male knowledge is objective “superior”
- Gender power relations permeate through all social life
- Sandra Harding: in thinking about male think about it as androcentric (male power
reinforces male power)
- ANDROCENTRIC: makes non-scientific assumptions, designed to reduce the profile of
women
Divided into 3 strands:
- Empiricist feminism: Millman, Kanter.
1. Relevance of Classical Social Theory
- Epistemology: standard of knowledge
- Better able to produce value-free knowledge, provides tools to understand what
reality really is.
- CST encourage us to Q simple ideas of individual freedom. Cp. Rosseau “man…chains
whatnot”
o Think of humans as socially positioned actors and the kinds of freedoms we
have is only understood through this positioning.
- CST is produced by men bc women at the time considered invisible or secondary to
males in public life.
- In the past 40 years there has been a continual rise of women in employment.
(prime working age: 25-54)
- 1945: 57% of females in work CP. to now 78% females working.
- Where 80% of women living with spouse/partner at 25 in 1940s to 60% now.
- 1945: 60% by age of 25 had a child now its ….
- 1900: 16% of all students were women today women are the majority in higher
education 56.5%.
- WOMEN ARE MORE VISIBLE.
2. First Wave 18thC-mid 20thC
- Pioneer feminist- Mary Wollstonecraft: The Vindication of the Rights of Women-
recognised as crucial figure of 1st wave feminism
- 1792: called for more educational opportunities for women.
- Rejects…
o view that women are the possessions of males and that their job in life is
ornamental.
o That reason is concentrated in males and emotion in women.
o The above view is socially constructed and reflects male power.
- Women are equal to women therefore should have same political and civic rights
- Concerned with expanding women’s’ power and profile in public by changing laws
through education, vote and legislation.
3. Second Wave
- Began to develop a critical epistemology.
- This rejected idea that male knowledge is objective “superior”
- Gender power relations permeate through all social life
- Sandra Harding: in thinking about male think about it as androcentric (male power
reinforces male power)
- ANDROCENTRIC: makes non-scientific assumptions, designed to reduce the profile of
women
Divided into 3 strands:
- Empiricist feminism: Millman, Kanter.
