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Essay on Feminist Theory
Although sociology theories gained many benefits from the earlier wave of feminist theory, the profession has been much slower to confront the opportunities and challenges offered by the more recent feminist theory. A recent burgeoning of feminist writings has triggered re-conceptualizations of sociology knowledge. Emerging writings across disciplines have provided insight into women's status in a patriarchal society, the sexist biases of social and behavioral theories, and the feminization of poverty. Sociology has been much slower in confronting the opportunities and challenges offered by the dramatic newer developments in feminist theory that include post-structuralism, deconstruction, and French feminism. This article discusses the contributions and difficulties that feminist-thought has to offer for the re-conceptualization of sociology theories and practice. It provides an overview of the status of feminist theory within the sociology literature and describes the roots and explains the concerns of feminism.
Feminist writings across disciplines have illuminated an understanding of the status of women in a patriarchal society, sexist biases in social and behavioral theories, and the feminization of poverty. In sociology, a number of scholars have explored the striking compatibility between feminist theory and sociology. This article provides an intellectual background to understanding feminism and its potential contributions and challenges to sociology. This is an ambitious project because the body of works from which postmodern feminists draw is immense and complex.
The inaccessibility of feminist writings, which has been one of the grounds on which feminism has been criticized increases the importance of this article. The obtuse nature of the writing as well as the highly specialized vocabulary, tends to discourage even the most intellectually curious. As the profession prepares for the 21st century, sociologists will find that the contributions of feminism provoke re-conceptualizations of many of sociology's basic assumptions. Emerging feminist theory challenges accepted ideas about race, gender, and class, as well as political rights, equality, and differences, which are basic to the values of both the women's movement and the sociology profession.....
