An Introduction to Sociology: Feminist Perspectives

by Abbott; Pamela

• ISBN13: 9780415312592
• ISBN10: 0415312590
• Edition: 3rd
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2005-06-13
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

This third edition of the bestsellingAn Introduction to Sociology: Feminist Perspectivesconfirms the ongoing centrality of feminist perspectives and research to the sociological enterprise and introduces students to the wide range of feminist contributions to key areas of sociological concern. This completely revised edition includes: new chapters on sexuality and the media additional material on race and ethnicity, disability and the body many new international and comparative examples the influence of theories of globalization and post-colonial studies. The theoretical elements have also been fully rethought in light of recent developments in social theory. Written by three experienced academics, this book gives students of sociology and women's studies an accessible overview of the feminist contribution to all the key areas of sociological concern.

Author Biography

Claire Wallace is Professor of Sociology at the University of Aberdeen.

Table of Contents

List of tables	ix
Preface	xi
Acknowledgements	xvii
1 Introduction: feminism and the sociological imagination	1	(271)
Setting the agenda	1	(3)
Gendering the sociological imagination	4	(2)
Ideologies of sexual difference	6	(2)
The sex-gender distinction	8	(1)
The feminist critique of malestream sociology	9	(2)
Towards a feminist sociology	11	(3)
Conclusions	14	(1)
Summary	14	(1)
Further reading	15	(1)
2 Feminist sociological theory	16	(41)
Feminist perspectives and sociology	17	(1)
An invitation to feminist sociology	18	(1)
The insights of sociology	19	(2)
The historical context of sociology	21	(2)
Theory and theorising	23	(4)
Feminist theory	27	(2)
Feminist debates on sexual difference	29	(2)
Feminist theoretical perspectives	31	(20)
Postfeminism	51	(4)
Conclusions	55	(1)
Summary	56	(1)
Further reading	56	(1)
3 Stratification and inequality	57	(32)
Gender-based stratification	59	(5)
Social class-based stratification	64	(6)
Race, ethnicity and stratification	70	(6)
Disability and stratification	76	(4)
Global stratification	80	(7)
Conclusions	87	(1)
Summary	87	(1)
Further reading	88	(1)
4 Education	89	(28)
Girls' educational achievements	91	(4)
The history of girls' education in Britain	95	(4)
Explaining girls' continued disadvantage	99	(8)
Global inequalities in literacy and education	107	(2)
Feminist perspectives on education	109	(5)
Masculinity and education	114	(1)
Conclusions	115	(1)
Summary	115	(1)
Further reading	116	(1)
5 The life course	117	(27)
Childhood	117	(9)
Adolescence	126	(6)
Adulthood	132	(3)
Ageing	135	(6)
Conclusions	141	(1)
Summary	142	(1)
Further reading	143	(1)
6 The family and the household	144	(27)
Sociological perspectives on the family	145	(2)
Feminist approaches to the family	147	(1)
Industrialisation and the origins of the family wage	148	(3)
Diversity in family forms and practices	151	(6)
Familial ideology	157	(1)
Gendered experiences of family life	158	(10)
Conclusions	168	(1)
Summary	169	(1)
Further reading	170	(1)
7 Health, illness and caring	171	(27)
Women and medicine	172	(8)
Iatrogenic medicine	180	(3)
Gender, power and medicine	183	(7)
Women as providers of health care	190	(6)
Conclusions	196	(1)
Summary	197	(1)
Further reading	197	(1)
8 Sexuality	198	(33)
Essentialist perspectives on sexuality	199	(4)
Sociological perspectives on sexuality	203	(3)
Postmodern sexualities	206	(4)
Feminist perspectives on sexuality	210	(3)
Women's sexual experiences and attitudes	213	(2)
Sexuality and power relations	215	(10)
Race, ethnicity and sexuality	225	(1)
Sexuality and HIV/AIDS	226	(2)
Conclusions	228	(1)
Summary	229	(1)
Further reading	229	(2)
9 Work and organisation	231	(41)
Gender ideology and the sexual division of labour	232	(2)
Industrialisation and the gendered organisation of work	234	(2)
The gendered division of domestic labour	236	(4)
Men, women and the labour market	240	(10)
Feminist studies of the workplace	250	(8)
Gender and the professions	258	(3)
Managerial work	261	(3)
Sexuality and work	264	(1)
Explaining the gendered labour market	265	(2)
The changing nature of work	267	(3)
Conclusions	270	(1)
Summary	270	(1)
Further reading	271	(1)
10 Crime, violence and criminal justice	272	(31)
Explaining crime - women as criminals	272	(2)
Men, women and crime	274	(4)
The need for feminist theory	278	(1)
Feminist theories of crime	279	(7)
Violence, fear and social control	286	(2)
Crimes against women	288	(11)
Women, violence and male power	299	(1)
Conclusions	300	(1)
Summary	301	(1)
Further reading	301	(2)
11 Politics	303	(15)
Men, women and voting studies	303	(3)
Defining feminist politics	306	(1)
Feminist political activism	307	(4)
Women and the state	311	(5)
Conclusions	316	(1)
Summary	316	(1)
Further reading	316	(2)
12 Mass media and popular culture	318	(46)
'Culture': a brief history of the concept	322	(1)
The sociology of culture and the emergence of cultural studies	323	(2)
Cultural studies as ideology studies	325	(2)
Studying media culture	327	(2)
Sociological perspectives on media culture	329	(6)
Youth culture and rebellion	335	(3)
Postmodern cultural forms	338	(2)
The feminist critique of cultural studies	340	(4)
Feminist studies of media culture	344	(7)
Masculinity and media culture	351	(3)
Feminist perspectives on language	354	(5)
New media technologies and cyberfeminism	359	(2)
Conclusions	361	(2)
Summary	363	(1)
Further reading	363	(1)
13 Feminist knowledge	364	(22)
Doing feminist research	366	(4)
Feminist epistemologies	370	(12)
Epistemic communities	382	(1)
Conclusions	383	(1)
Summary	384	(1)
Further reading	385	(1)
References	386	(25)
Additional web-based resources	411	(1)
Author index	412	(8)
Subject index	420