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Summary Edexcel A Level Politics feminism revision notes
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Revision notes covering all content for feminism as a non-core ideology for Edexcel A Level paper 2 UK Government
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Core ideas/principles of feminism- Sex & gender: sex = biological differences between men and women; gender = the different
roles that society ascribes to men and women (cultural/social differences)
- Associated w/: Simone De Beauvoir - socialist feminism (emphasised that women are
socialised into their role in society, not born into it)
- Patriarchy = society/state/the economy are characterised by systematic/
institutionalised/pervasive gender oppression
- Associated w/: Simone De Beauvoir - socialist feminism (only men have the freedom
to present themselves as essential; women are inherently inessential)
- Personal is political = idea that all relationships (both in society + in private relationships)
between men + women are based on power + dominance
- Associated w/ 2nd wave feminism: phrase attributed to Carol Hanish (radical
feminism)
- Difference & equality feminism; difference feminism = men + women have a
fundamentally different nature from one another; equality feminism = seeks equality for men
+ women in society
- Equality feminism most closely associated w/ socialist feminism (equality feminists
are left-wing)
- Intersectionality = argues that black + w/c women’s experiences of patriarchy in
state/society/the economy are different from white m/c women
- Aspect of 4th wave feminism: most closely associated w/ bell hooks
Liberal feminism
- Main branch of feminism
- Applies liberal values (individualism, equality) to women
- Reformist feminism: gradual reform to society w/o revolution/upheaval
- Women are rational individuals who are entitled to universal + inalienable human rights
- Aim to facilitate a ‘diversity of lifestyles’ amongst women
- Argue for a society where women have political equality to men (focus on the public sphere)
- No aim of challenging the private/domestic sphere (up to men/women to choose what
to do) so restructuring of society not required
- Sex discrimination can be eradicated through legislation + employment regulations (to
prevent workplace discrimination); legal rights form the basis for gender equality
- Once these barriers are removed, women will enter all spheres + compete w/ men
- The more young girls can see women in all types of jobs the sooner gender
stereotypes will disappear
- View marriage as an equal partnership (so advocate for greater share of childcare
responsibilities)
- ‘Otherness’: developed from De Beauvoir’s work; identities of minority groups are controlled
by those who hold a greater level of political power (rather than being innate) - identities of
women are constructed by men to serve their own interests (they are presented as the ‘other
sex’)
- Key thinkers: Mary Wollestonecraft, John Stuart Mill, Virginia Woolf, Betty Friedan, Simone
De Beauvoir, Charlotte Perkins Gillman
- Key texts: ‘A Vindication of the Rights of Women’ (Mary Wollestonecraft - 1792), ‘The
Feminine Mystique’ (Betty Friedan - 1963)
- Associated movements: women’s suffrage movement, campaigns for abortion/freely available
contraception/reform to divorce laws
- Criticisms:
- bell hooks: too great a focus on female equality with men of their own class (usually
m/c)
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