Radical feminist

• How useful are feminist approaches to our understanding of society
• Walby's 6 structures of patriarchy (maintain patriarchy)

  • The household
  • Paid work
  • The state
  • Violence
  • Sexuality
  • Cultural institutions
• The household


  Women do most housework, with access to promotions in paid work
• Paid work


  Women have lower paid, lower status, part-time, temporary jobs
• The state


  Policies are primarily in men's interests
• Sexuality


  Different standards of behaviour are expected of men and women
• Cultural institutions


  Religion, media, education and other institutions all reinforce patriarchy
• Liberal feminism's biggest problem is sexist stereotypes
• Radical feminism


  • Men are the main enemy of all women and patriarchy is the main form of social inequality
  • Patriarchy means "rule by fathers" and has become the term commonly used to describe a more male-dominated society
  • Believe that men oppress women through 'sexual politics' and sexuality
  • Argue that men push women into 'compulsory heterosexuality' which they believe is narrow and unsatisfying to women but beneficial to men as it fulfils only their desires
• Dobash and Dobash:

  domestic violence=maintaining control and domination over wifes or partners
• Dual burden, triple shift: can be seen as evidence of patriarchy. Reflects gender inequalities.