Patriarchal Society Between Women And Women - 849 Words

Patriarchal describes a general structure in which men hold power over women. A patriarchal society consists of a male-dominated power structure throughout organised society and in individual relationships. A patriarchy, from the ancient Greek patriarchies, was a society where power was held by and passed down through elder males. When modern historians and sociologists describe ‘patriarchal society’, they mean that men hold the positions of power: for example- head of the family unit, leaders of social groups, boss in the workplace and heads of government etc. Feminist theorists have expanded this definition of the patriarchal society to describe a systematic bias against women. As second-wave feminists examined society during the 1960’s, they did observe households headed by women, and female leaders etc. However, they were concerned with whether or not this was uncommon. More significantly, they were concerned with the way society perceived women in power as an exception to a collectively held view of women’s ‘role’ in society. Rather than saying that individual men oppressed women, most feminists saw that the oppression of women came from the underlying bias of a patriarchal society. It is a concept designed by the radical second-wave feminists who define it as â€Å"a system of social structures, and practices in which men dominate, oppress and exploit women† (Wolby, 1990). This use of the concept of patriarchy has enabled the development of some of the most significantShow MoreRelatedConflict Between Cultural And Historical Norms893 Words   |  4 PagesWomen, whether in the western world or third world countries, are socialised in patriarchal societies where misogyny is often internalised. As a result women often make choices, which reflect their subordinate status to keep to the norm and stabilise themselves economically and socially. Women in countries in sub- Saharan Africa, South and East Asian areas, though in differing contexts face similar struggles of subservience and manipulation. Women accommodate, resist or adapt to the sexist oppressiveRead MorePatriarchal Capitalist Society : An Analysis Of The Commodity Fetishism Of The Female Slender Body911 Words   |  4 PagesPatriarchal Capitalist Society: An Analysis of the Commodity Fetishism of the Female Slender Body This feminist study will define the commodity fetishism of the slender female body within the social relationships of patriarchal capitalism and sales marketing. In American society, the female body has a history of being exploited through patriarchal interpretations of the slender body as part of capitalist commoditization. In this manner, unrealistic expectations of the female body are enhancedRead MorePatriarchal Society : An Critique Of The Environmental Influence Of Gender Bias973 Words   |  4 PagesPatriarchal Society: An Analysis of the Environmental Influence of Gender Bias in Advertisements This study will define the environmental influence of patriarchal societal values on women that create an undue gender bias in popular culture. In â€Å"Sex and Molecules†, the narrow view of sex identity through a â€Å"scientific† view of biology defines the limitations of gender roles in a patriarchal society: â€Å"And â€Å"biology† excludes the dynamic interweaving of our physical beings with our experience withinRead MoreFeminism in Mrs. Dalloway1341 Words   |  6 PagesFeminism in Mrs. Dalloway Virginia Woolf is one of the greatest writers whose works reflect her philosophy of life and identification of women. She grew up with an intense interest in the feminist question, and her novels hold the key to the meaning of life and the position of women in the existing patriarchal society. She portrays the impact of the patriarchal English society on women’s lives, the loneliness and frustration of women’s lives that had been shaped by the moral, ideological and conventionalRead MoreFeminism In The Handmaids Tale1709 Words   |  7 Pagesa dystopian world with a patriarchal society, is displayed in Atwood’s, The Handmaid’s Tale. More specifically, the novel takes place in what used to be considered the United States but is now being called the Republic of Gilead where freedoms and rights have been excluded, especially for women. The society nurtures a â€Å"theocratic, patriarchal, nightmare world created by men, with the complicity of women† ( â€Å"Margaret (Eleanor) Atwood†). The separation of the freedoms between the genders created femaleRead MorePatriarchy By Mary Kincaid s Girl1699 Words   |  7 PagesPatriarchy has been part of the social and political systems since the beginning of time and yet most people do not even know that it exists. Patriarchy is a system in which it is believed that men are superior to all, especially women, and are believed to have the right to dominate over the weak. Moreover, patriarchy is pre-determined and little has been done to change it. Through â€Å"Understanding Patriarchy† by bell hooks one is able to infer and understand implied themes and ideas in Jamaica Kincaid’sRead MoreWomen s Rights Of Women1655 Words   |  7 PagesDespite improvements in the rights of women in the contemporary world, modernity has created systems in which women are prevented from achieving equality. One of the most popular influences in today’s society is the media. Female objectification in media has damagingly grown with the emergence of modernity. Unquestionably, this is an important sociological issue to address. Often in the modern world, the ideology of feminism is considered unnecessary. However, in spite of technological developmentRead MoreA Male Dominant Society1816 Words   |  7 PagesIn order to create a logical and reason based argument that the modern society is still tilted towards a male dominant society, or what the sociologists refer to as a patriarchal society, it is pivotal that a thorough understanding of the characteristics of a patriarchal society is developed. When a strong grasp of the ideas of a patriarchal society is developed then we will be in a position to argue that it is in fact the commoditization of the female sexuality through media and other popular mediumsRead MoreWomenS Rights And Economic Progress Are Highly Correlated.1212 Words   |  5 PagesWomen s rights and economic progress are highly correlated. In to day s developed countries, by large, women hold the same legal rights as men. Two hundred years ago, in most parts of the world women were considered possessions of men and had no primary benefits of their own, thus living in Patriarchal societies. â€Å"Patriarchy is a social structure in which men are regarded as having a monopoly on power and women are expected to submit.†(Boundless, Par. 1) The sources of patriarchy are closely relatedRead MoreFeminism in Mrs. Dalloway1354 Words   |  6 Pagesin Mrs. Dalloway Virginia Woolf is one of the greatest writers whose works reflect her philosophy of life and identification of women. She grew up with an intense interest in the feminist question, and her novels hold the key to the meaning of life and the position of women in the existing patriarchal society. She portrays the impact of the patriarchal English society on women’s lives, the loneliness and frustration of women’s lives that had been shaped by the moral, ideological and conventional