Deck 10: Feminist Theories

Question 1

Dorothy Smith discusses the power of ruling texts in institutional and everyday practices. What are the specific ruling texts that shape your current everyday existence? How precisely do they matter in your everyday life? (Give examples.) As part of your discussion, assess the extent to which the ruling texts you have identified differ for men and women.

Answer 1

The specific ruling texts that shape my current everyday existence include laws and regulations, company policies and procedures, social norms and expectations, and media messages. These texts matter in my everyday life because they dictate how I should behave, what is considered acceptable or unacceptable, and what opportunities and limitations I may encounter.

For example, traffic laws and regulations dictate how I should drive and navigate the roads, company policies and procedures dictate how I should conduct myself in the workplace, social norms and expectations dictate how I should interact with others and present myself, and media messages dictate what is considered desirable or aspirational.

In terms of the extent to which these ruling texts differ for men and women, there are certainly differences in how they are applied and experienced. For example, social norms and expectations may dictate different standards of behavior and appearance for men and women, and media messages may perpetuate gender stereotypes and reinforce traditional gender roles. Additionally, laws and regulations may have different implications for men and women in terms of reproductive rights, parental leave, and workplace discrimination.

Overall, the ruling texts that shape my everyday existence have a significant impact on my life and the lives of others, and it is important to critically assess and challenge any disparities or inequalities that may exist based on gender or other factors.

Question 2

Patricia Hill Collins elaborates on the importance of recognizing the social intersectionality of experiences. Identify and discuss some of the challenges that this poses for the conduct of social research. Are there any studies you have read in your other classes that, in your opinion, do a good job of capturing social intersectionality? To what extent does attentiveness to intersectionality detract from awareness of the overarching significance of either gender, or race, or sexuality?

Answer 2

Patricia Hill Collins' work on recognizing the social intersectionality of experiences is crucial for understanding the complexities of social identities and power dynamics. Intersectionality acknowledges that individuals' experiences are shaped by multiple social categories such as race, gender, sexuality, class, and ability, and that these categories intersect and interact to shape individuals' experiences and opportunities.

However, conducting social research that fully captures intersectionality poses several challenges. One challenge is the complexity of analyzing and interpreting the interactions between multiple social categories. Traditional research methods often focus on isolating and studying one social category at a time, which can overlook the ways in which these categories intersect and influence each other. Additionally, there may be a lack of available data that adequately captures the experiences of individuals with intersecting identities, making it difficult to conduct comprehensive intersectional research.

In terms of studies that effectively capture social intersectionality, one example is Kimberlé Crenshaw's work on the intersection of race and gender in the legal system, particularly in her analysis of the experiences of Black women. Crenshaw's research highlights the unique challenges faced by Black women due to the intersection of racism and sexism, and the ways in which their experiences are often overlooked in both feminist and anti-racist movements.

Attentiveness to intersectionality does not detract from the overarching significance of gender, race, or sexuality; rather, it enhances our understanding of how these categories intersect and shape individuals' experiences. Recognizing intersectionality allows for a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of social inequalities and power dynamics, and it is essential for developing inclusive and effective social policies and interventions. Ultimately, intersectionality enriches our understanding of social identities and experiences, and it is crucial for conducting socially relevant and impactful research.

Question 3

Hochschild elaborated her theory of emotion management in the 1970s. Assess, based on your own experiences, the extent to which the feeling rules she identified might have changed over the last three decades. Are these rules impacted more by gender than by race or social class? Or, where, and how, do intersecting social locations coalesce to make emotion management even more self-alienating for some women rather than for others? [e.g., low wage service work of immigrant women] Use illustrative examples to support your arguments.

Answer 3

Hochschild's theory of emotion management, as outlined in her 1970s work, focused on the societal expectations and feeling rules that dictate how individuals should express and manage their emotions in various social settings. Assessing the extent to which these feeling rules have changed over the last three decades requires a consideration of the evolving social and cultural landscape.

In my own experiences, I have observed a shift in the feeling rules surrounding emotional expression. There seems to be a greater acceptance of diverse emotional displays and a recognition of the importance of authentic emotional expression. This shift can be attributed to various factors, including the influence of social movements advocating for emotional authenticity, the impact of globalization and exposure to diverse cultural norms, and the increasing awareness of mental health and well-being.

However, it is important to acknowledge that the changes in feeling rules are not uniform across different social groups. Gender, race, and social class continue to intersect and shape the ways in which individuals are expected to manage their emotions. For example, women are often still expected to display nurturing and empathetic emotions, while men are expected to suppress vulnerability and display stoicism. These gendered feeling rules can be particularly restrictive for individuals who do not conform to traditional gender norms, leading to self-alienation and emotional suppression.

Additionally, the impact of race and social class on feeling rules cannot be overlooked. For example, immigrant women working in low-wage service jobs may face unique challenges in managing their emotions. They may be expected to display subservient and accommodating emotions in their interactions with customers and employers, further exacerbating their feelings of self-alienation.

In conclusion, while there have been some changes in feeling rules over the last three decades, the impact of intersecting social locations, such as gender, race, and social class, continues to shape the ways in which individuals are expected to manage their emotions. These intersecting social locations can contribute to heightened self-alienation and emotional suppression for some women, particularly those in marginalized and low-wage positions. It is crucial to continue examining and challenging these feeling rules to create more inclusive and authentic emotional expressions in society.

Question 4

Please write 2 or 3 sentences per question.

-Give an example of a ruling text, and explain how it impacts gender inequality in contemporary society.

Question 5

Please write 2 or 3 sentences per question.

-Why, according to Smith, is sociological attention necessary to women's everyday/everynight worlds?

Question 6

Please write 2 or 3 sentences per question.

-Identify the theorist, and explain what is meant by "bifurcated consciousness."

Question 7

Please write 2 or 3 sentences per question.

-Identify the theorist, and discuss and illustrate with an example what is meant by social intersectionality.

Question 8

Please write 2 or 3 sentences per question.

-Contrast the ways in which any two controlling images of African-American women justify inequality.

Question 9

Please write 2 or 3 sentences per question.

-Explain how an airline steward's smile is a capitalist resource.

Question 10

Please write 2 or 3 sentences per question.

-Discuss one way in which Hochschild's discussion of emotional display differs from Goffman's.

Question 11

In arguing that we live in man-made world, Gilman is referring to the fact that:

A) Social structures are social creations
B) The man-made home/work divide confines women's sphere to the home
C) Man-made labor markets are equally open to men and women
D) Gender is irrelevant to the development of social structures

Question 12

Androentric culture refers to societies that:

A) Privilege culture rather than material existence
B) Emphasize equality of opportunity
C) Affirm men's rather than women's interests
D) Affirm women's rather than men's interests

Question 13

Smith argues that ruling texts:

A) Shape all institutional activities and social practices
B) Have only historical relevance
C) Are confined to law and government
D) Do not affect women

Question 14

The ruling texts of femininity:

A) Emphasize women's intellectual competence
B) Emphasize women as objects
C) Are found only in fashion magazines
D) Do not affect social relationships

Question 15

Smith argues that adherence to principles of scientific objectivity:

A) Is what all sociologists should strive toward
B) Ensures greater rigor in research studies
C) Excludes women's everyday experiences
D) Is equally attentive to women's and men's experiences

Question 16

Sociology, according to Smith:

A) Is knowledge written from the standpoint of men
B) Is limited in its ability to discover lived realities
C) Is entwined in the relations of ruling
D) All of the above

Question 17

Sociology as "knowledge from within," means that the sociologist:

A) Must see and understand individuals' experiences from within the local contexts in which they are experienced
B) Can rely on traditional ethnographic research methods to discover the realities of the socially marginalized
C) Can pay attention to lived realities independent of the institutional contexts which structure everyday realities
D) Can rely on her/his own sociological knowledge

Question 18

Bifurcated consciousness:

A) Emerges from women's confinement to the domestic sphere
B) Is a false consciousness
C) Emerges form women's simultaneous negotiation of the domestic and public spheres
D) Undermines a feminist consciousness

Question 19

An alternative sociology from the standpoint of women:

A) Begins with women's particular experiences and knowledge
B) Has to be a sociology for women and men
C) Aims to produce institutional change
D) All of the above

Question 20

The research method advocated by Smith is:

A) Survey research
B) Content analysis of ruling texts
C) Institutional ethnography
D) On-the-ground observation

Question 21

Hill Collins argues that a black women's standpoint:

A) Recognizes the commonalities that structure black women's experiences
B) Is impossible due to the diversity of black women's experiences
C) Is more about race than gender
D) Is more about gender than race

Question 22

African-American women's experiences of community:

A) Parallel the domestic-public divide characterizing white women's history
B) Are shaped by their history of combining family and work commitments
C) Are historically independent of white institutional practices
D) Are due to their lower-class economic status

Question 23

According to Hill Collins, controlling images of black women:

A) Have symbolic value only
B) Are devoid of power
C) Are used to justify discrimination against black women
D) Are a thing of the past

Question 24

According to Hill Collins, black feminist thought is knowledge produced by:

A) Sociological theorists like Collins
B) Black women poets and writers
C) Any black woman who expresses black women's shared history of oppression
D) All of the above

Question 25

Hill Collins argues that black feminist thought is:

A) At the core of mainstream objective knowledge
B) Basically similar to white feminist thought
C) Marginal to what is defined as objective, legitimate knowledge
D) Free of political interests

Question 26

In emphasizing the social intersectionality of knowledge, Hill Collins highlights that most people's experiences are determined by:

A) Class location and race
B) Gender and race
C) Class, gender, and race
D) Class, gender, race, sexuality, and other status locations

Question 27

Activist knowledge:

A) Fosters collective resistance against inequality
B) Is learned only from books
C) Is privileged in political debate
D) Is critical of narratives of individual empowerment

Question 28

In calling for "honest bodies," Hill Collins is arguing for:

A) Social relationships that are not controlled by any form of sexual oppression
B) The perpetuation of gender images that objectify women's bodies
C) The denial of individual autonomy in sexual preferences
D) The irrelevance of sexuality to gender and racial inequality

Question 29

Emotions:

A) Reflect an individual's natural felt state
B) Are determined by society's feeling rules
C) Are confined to the private sphere
D) Are independent of institutional practices

Question 30

Which of the following statements most accurately applies to emotion work?

A) Only women do emotion work
B) Women do more emotion work than men
C) Women are more naturally suited than men to emotion work
D) Only women in the work-force do emotion work

Question 31

Emotional labor:

A) Has exchange value
B) Produces profit for employers
C) Must produce the right emotion in paying customers
D) All of the above

Question 32

Hochschild argues that emotional labor:

A) Does not interfere with an individual's inner feelings
B) Is simply about external, display behavior
C) Contributes to self-alienation
D) Is therapeutic

Question 33

Service occupations:

A) Require a large amount of emotion work
B) Are populated disproportionately by women
C) Demonstrate the commercialization and management of feelings
D) All of the above

Question 34

Hochschild argues that one of the consequences of women's inequality vis-à-vis men is that:

A) Women use emotion to enhance their professional status at work
B) Men do not display emotion in public
C) Women are less protected than men from the emotional abuse of strangers
D) Men and women are more accepting of women's emotional states