Unit 2 SCLY2 - Education with Research Methods; Health with Research Methods
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Summary AQA Sociology - Feminist Perspective on Education Notes
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Unit 2 SCLY2 - Education with Research Methods; Health with Research Methods
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AQA
A* Sociology Student, sat exams in 2022 and received a grade of over 95%.
These are notes for AQA (but would work for all exam boards).
Feminism and their perspective on education, notes for Paper 1 - Education. These are a set of extensive notes primarily taken from the textbook and written ...
Unit 2 SCLY2 - Education with Research Methods; Health with Research Methods
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Sociology
2. The Role of Education in Society
3) Feminist perspective of Education
Feminist perspective of Education
Feminists are subdivided into 4 types: Liberal, Radical, Marxist and Difference feminism.
Liberal Feminism: They take a march of progress view, noting the societal gains of women,
particularly through legislative means, however, recognise there is still far to go.
Radical Feminism: Society creates conflict, and it needs to be broken down and rebuilt in order to
destroy patriarchy.
Marxist Feminism: Repression of women stems from capitalism, not patriarchy.
Difference Feminism: That we should not generalise all women’s experiences within society.
I.E. Difference feminists argue that black women face different issues to white women and functions
have different effects upon different race, ethnicity, region, age, sexual preference etc.
The feminist perspective is a conflict theory which argues that those in power (the feminists due to
their belief of a patriarchal society argue that the men are dominant) control and create conflicts
with the those who in subordinate positions (i.e. the women within a patriarchal society).
Thereby, this theory is directly at odds with the functionalist approach, which is a consensus theory
and thus argues that all aspects within society work together and society functions on the basis of a
broad consensus.
General A03:
- Functionalist argue that this view does not recognise the biological difference between
women and men, and that many of the subject choices are actually because of the different
genders being biologically more suited to such subject.
- Marxists point out that this view ignores the most important conflict, that of class and that
Schools actually socialise pupils into the values of capitalism moreso over patriarchy.
- Statistically, women are now more likely to achieve higher grades in both A-Levels and
GCSEs and have a higher rate of university attendance. However, Michelle Stanworth (1983)
argues that high expectations of boys in comparison to girls still exist with teachers being
more likely to recommend boys to apply for higher education.
- The disparity between subject choice is beginning to be combatted through techniques such
as GIST (Girls in Science, and Technology) which aim to help women to take more STEM
subjects – as well as there being greater representation of female teachers in these STEM
(male dominated) subjects, which mean that there are more role models and representation
of females in such subjects.
, Sociology
2. The Role of Education in Society
3) Feminist perspective of Education
Social Control
Feminist sociologists argue that the education system acts as a form of social control, controlling the
women dominated by men in a patriarchal system.
Feminist sociologists argue that the education system acts as a form of social control, in which
through control by the men in a ‘gender hierarchy’ women are shaped and pushed into the ideals of
men.
They argue that an example of this is how women are pushed through into weaker and more
feminine subjects which helps lead to inferior career prospects and absorbing less of the top jobs
within society.
They argue this is achieved both through the Male Gaze and Sexual Double Standards:
Male Gaze:
Depicting and sexualising females, often in one creating a hypersexualised identity in which women grow insecure
and obsessive over their appearance.
This is reinforced through the literature and arts taught at school in which the depicting of women in arts and
literature are from a heterosexual masculine perspective, as sexual objects, which can lead to these ideas of what a
‘women should look like’ becoming internalised.
I.E. In literature, such as ‘Of mice and men’ the predominant woman in the story is referred to as ‘Curly’s Wife’ and
described and depicted as ‘pretty’ – which reinforces the view of women as sexual objects.
Sexual Double Standards:
The belief that women and men are held to different standards, particularly in the realm of sexual conduct.
An example of this is how women are often the victim of ‘slut shaming’ where they can be socially harassed for
sexual actions or relationships – whereas men are often praised for such actions.
Feminist sociologists further assert that this behaviour is also prevalent within the education system, where females
can be told off or sanctioned for being disruptive, as they are expected to conform and to be quiet, whilst in the
same position males can get away with such actions, and given attention for such ‘boisterous’ behaviour, through
the idea of letting ‘boys be boys’.
Radical Feminist, Kat Banyard (2011), found that sexual harassment is not treated as seriously as other forms of
bullying in the education system.
Evaluation (A03):
- Marxists point out that this view ignores the more important conflict, that of class. Schools
are actually socialising pupils into the values of capitalism – which maintains class inequality.
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