Feminism

Feminism

· Feminism criticizes sociology for adopting male perspective and marginalizing the roles of females.

3 types of feminism:

1. Liberal Feminism-Sex discrimination and sex biased laws seen as a productive of irrational prejudice and stereotyping.

2. Radical Feminism-Patriarchy and institutionalization of sexism.

3. Marxist/socialist Feminism-Patriarchy and capitalism.

Male stream sociology

-Feminists argue that the consequence of ‘male stream’ that women have been ignored, distorted and marginalized in sociology.

‘Feminist responses’

· Sociology attempts to explain women’s subordination.

· Sexism in sociology can be overcome by making every attempt to take the vote of women into account when looking at work, leisure, crime, education and so on.

· Sociology theory must be rethought and rewritten and the basic assumptions of male stream fundamentally challenged.

· Implies a revolution in the way sociology is practiced, breaking down the traditional categories of sociology especially the private sphere of the home and the domestic relationships.

· Abbott and Wallace(1990) argue because there are a number of distinct feminist perspective, not just one.

· Feminists sociologists may embrace other perspectives: what they have in common is a commitment to looking at the world through the female prism.

The impact of feminism upon ‘male stream’ sociology is a good example of the way sociology continually examines and criticizes itself.