Social theories present a framework or paradigms that explain a social phenomenon and social behaviour. The term social theory consists of ideas about the operation of societies and occurring changes in society (Martindale 2013). The changes, development and the explanation methods are defined by social theory. For years several thinkers have presented their ideas that have played an essential role in understanding the social phenomenon (Wallace 2017). In the contemporary social theory, specific core themes take the limelight overlooking the others such as the nature of social life, the structure of the social institution, Role and possibility of social transformation, the relationship between self and society, themes including gender, race and class are some other core themes.. This paper argues on one of the contemporary theory presented by Barbara Risman, liberal feminism. The paper focuses on the way liberal feminism explains contemporary society and a various social phenomenon that can be explained from the same perspective.
Barbara Risman is the head of the department of sociology and professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is the founding director of the NCSU women studies program from 1989 to 1993 (UIC 2018). Being the head of the sociology department, she is also a visiting professor in various other reputed universities. Dr Risman was maned as the 2003 Feminist Lecturer by the sociologists for women in society. She was elected as the Vice-president of American Sociological Association. There are several milestones in her career that are contributed to the society and in the academic field. A significant career contribution done by Risman is the theory of gender as a social structure. She has been working and contributing to bring gender equality in society (Shefner et al. 2014).
In the article Gender as a Social Structure, Risman presents her point of view regarding the concept of gender. The author through her writing has emphasised and highlighted several aspects of gender that are ignored or neglected only for the fact that gender inequality is deeply rooted in society. According to her (Barbara Risman), gender should be conceptualised as a social structure. By conceptualising gender as a social structure, it will situate gender in the same level of general social importance. Even though the author is aware of the intersectionality existing in the society, she believes that conceptualising gender as a social structure will help in eliminating gender inequality. Different structures of inequality have different constructions or different influential casual mechanism at any historical moment. Considering the intersectionality, it is essential to follow a strategy to understand the gender structure, historical moment and race structure. Several advantages of gender structure theory are mentioned by Risman. Although gender as a social structure is enormously complex, it needs to be understood with full attention in order to understand the building of intersectional pattern, institutional regulation. This process will give the scope of exploring the cause of gender inequality. Conceptualising gender will leave behind the modernist warfare version of science. The structure is multi-dimensional which provides serious investigation on direction and strength of the causal relationship between gendered phenomenon on every dimension. Lastly, it is the dynamism that is the most essential feature of the conceptual schema. Although changes in individual identities have the capability of changing interactional expectation, the opposite might be doing the same as well. Institutions change due to change in individuals, yet such changes are considered difficult as institutions exist across time and space. According to the author, once gender is conceptualised as a social structure, the conditions and the way gender inequality is produced can be identified. It is essential to consider the most effective socialisation mechanism to create fewer gender-schematic children and resocialization. In relation to cultural expectation is a necessary aspect of the theory, where the gender equality among the heterosexual couple is mainly attributed to the intersectional expectations at the cultural level (Risman 2004.).
According to Mouffe (2013), feminism is of two types liberal and radical. In this paper, the concept of liberal feminism is focused. According to liberal feminism, men and women should be treated equally. The liberal feminism does not believe in-all-women world but desiring the equal treatment (Mouffe 2013). The method adopted by Barbara Risman is the peaceful method of approaching the people and the young minds by writing and researching. Main issues that liberal feminism includes are reproductive and abortion rights, sexual harassment, women education, voting rights, affordable childcare and affordable healthcare. According to Butler and Trouble (1990) The causes for these issues can be solved looking at the broader picture of gender inequality’s root that is not only in individuals but throughout social life. The reason exaggeration of gender differences is significant for women deserving the same legal rights, job opportunities and education. According to Barbara Risman (2004), exaggeration of gender difference is the basis of inequality. Women are deprived of equal rights, and it not behind the doors but open in the out where everyone is aware of the fact. If structures are about the external maintenance of individual choice, it is necessary to analyse the ways men and women are different from one another that makes them fundamentally different. For example, Childcare is another aspect which is argued by the liberal feminists that call the practice of childcare learned and not innate. Often when a man is forced to take care of a child on his own, he is found capable yet when there is a woman around it is expected and assumed that women would be better at childcare.
For years numerous thinkers have manifested their ideas that have played an crucial role in understanding the social phenomenon According to Scott (2017), Giddens described the social structure had the capability of affecting human activity, however, human beings are capable as well of affecting the social structure. Power is not unilateral however it is co-determined and relational. There is no individual in power who will give the other person any power unless the other person fights for it. Risman has explained the stubborn nature of social change. According to Risman social changes often possible to change in very short span of time however due to the long aged norms and values existing in the society it becomes hard and stubborn. Even when in the social setting any situation that is ripe enough to go through change, social status hierarchies tend to continue to be engrained and get reproduced again in the society. For example, Liberal feminists find it only a way of imposing responsibility on women for the child. Media is supportive of the concept that says that being assertive is more valued than being emotional, the liberal feminist try to promote children’s nonsexist socialisation. It is found that in the contemporary period where more and more people are reclaiming for equal rights and feminism, there are things that are rigid and stubbornly the same which are conveyed mostly promoted by media (Morris and Anderson 2015). According to Ali (2003), the liberal feminism is against the idea that boys need to be masculine and girls need to be feminine. Media is one of the mass communication methods that have a high potential of connecting with a large population in very less time (Lyon, 2014). According to Chalabaev et al. (2013), the concept of masculinity for boys and femininity for girls have been promoted mostly by media. It is in all the domains that are dominated by patriarchal systemic dominance. The whole concept gives the power to men through various ways with the idea of masculinity and feminity. For example, Women are paid approximately 25-35 % less than men working for the same hours.
Conclusion:
Although the conceptualisation of gender as a social structure is complicated, it is an enriching social theory about gender in the contemporary period. Gender stereotype has become common on every ground, and people are revolting. Women growing in this era are working hard to bring change however despite all the effort there have been decidedly fewer changes which are justified by Barbara Risman. By all the discussion, there can be few recommendations on this particular aspect. There is a need for more research and more writing on the issue of gender inequality. The gender inequality is mostly identified on the women however the other gender’s contribution will accelerate the process. It is significant to consider the intersectionality more deeply as the issue of gender inequality is deeply rooted in the society that is dominated by patriarchal rules. Lastly like the author suggests it is necessary to pay more attention to researches and writing theory with explicit attention. It is to work and help bringing transform as well as inform in the society.
References:
Ali, S., 2003. Changing Women, Unchanged Men? Sociological Perspectives on Gender in a Post-industrial Society. Sociological Research Online, 8(3), pp.1-2.
Butler, J. and Trouble, G., 1990. Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. New York: Roudledge. pp.12-23.
Chalabaev, A., Sarrazin, P., Fontayne, P., Boiché, J. and Clément-Guillotin, C., 2013. The influence of sex stereotypes and gender roles on participation and performance in sport and exercise: Review and future directions. Psychology of sport and exercise, 14(2), pp.136-144.
Lyon, D., 2014. Surveillance, Snowden, and big data: Capacities, consequences, critique. Big Data & Society, 1(2), p.2053951714541861.
Martindale, D., 2013. The nature and types of sociological theory. Routledge. pp.1-2.
Morris, M. and Anderson, E., 2015. ‘Charlie is so cool like’: Authenticity, popularity and inclusive masculinity on YouTube. Sociology, 49(6), pp.1200-1217.
Mouffe, C., 2013. Feminism, citizenship, and radical democratic politics. In Feminists theorize the political (pp. 387-402). Routledge.
Mouffe, C., 2013. Feminism, citizenship, and radical democratic politics. In Feminists theorize the political (pp. 387-402). Routledge.
Risman, B.J., 2004. Gender as a social structure: Theory wrestling with activism. Gender & society, 18(4), pp.429-450.
Scott, J., 2017. Social structure. Concepts in Action: Conceptual Constructionism, p.153.
Shefner, J., Dahms, H., Jones, R. and Jalata, A. eds., 2014. Social Justice and the University: Globalization, Human Rights and the Future of Democracy. Springer.
UIC, 2018, Barbara Risman, PhD, retrieved from https://soc.uic.edu/profiles/barbara-risman
Wallace, W., 2017. Sociological theory pp. (357-403) Routledge.
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