Theory on Gender: Feminism on Theory (Social Institutions and Social Change) Book

How do various social theories explain gender inequality? Are these theories infused with masculinist biases that need to be redressed with insights from feminist theory? To address these questions, this collection of original essays features prominent sociologists discussing the strengths and the limitations of the theoretical traditions within which they have worked. Among the theoretical perspectives included are those of Marxism, world system theory, macrostructural theories, rational choice theory, neofunctionalism, psychoanalysis, ethnomethodology, expectation states theory, poststructuralist symbolic interactionism, and network theory. Each of the chapter-length essays of the first two sections provides an overview of the theory, explains its implications for gender inequality, reviews empirical research, and comments upon sexist biases or other limitations of the perspective. The final section contains chapters on feminist debates over methodology, critical commentaries on the preceding papers by four feminist scholars, and replies by the original authors. CONTENTS list of Contributors. Preface. I. Introduction. 1. Sociological Theories and the Study of Gender, Paula England. II. Theoretical Perspectives on Gender. 2. Shotgun Wedding, Unhappy Marriage, No-Fault Divorce? Rethinking the Feminism-Marxism Relationship, Beth Anne Shelton and Ben Agger. 3. Reconceptualizing World System Theory to Include Women, Kathryn B. Ward. 4. Macrostructural Perspectives on Gender Inequality, Dana Dunn, Elizabeth M. Almquist, and Janet Saltzman Chafetz . 5. Feminism and the Pro-(Rational-) Choice Movement: Rational-Choice Theory, Feminist Critiques, and Gender Inequality, Debra Friedman and Carol Diem . 6. Functionalism and Feminism: Is Estrangement Necessary? Miriam M. Johnson. 7. Psychoanalytic Theory and the Sociology of Gender, Christine L. Williams. 8. Power, Inequality, and the Accomplishment of Gender: An Ethnomethodological View, Candace West and Sarah Fenstermaker. 9. Gender, Status, and the Social Psychology of Expectations, Cecilia L. Ridgeway. 10. Sexuality and Gender: An Interactionist/Poststructural Reading, NormanK. Denzin. 11. You Are Who You Know: A Network Approach to Gender, Lynn Smith-Lovin andJ. Miller McPherson. m. DialogueandDebate. 12. Overcoming Dualisms: A Feminist Agenda for Sociological Methodology, Joey Sprague and Mary K. Zimmerman .13. With Many Voices: Feminism and Theoretical Pluralism, Nancy Tuana . Standpoints and Theory: Reply to Tuana, Joey Sprague and Mary K. Zimmerman. Reigning in Diversity: Reply to Tuana, Miriam M. Johnson. Working with the Critic I: Reply to Tuana, Norman K. Denzin . Psychoanalysis and Pluralism: Reply to Tuana, Christine L. Williams. The Omnirelevance of Sex Category: Reply to Tuana, Candace West and Sarah Fenstermaker. 14. Toward Integrating Micro and Macro, Structure and Agency, Science and Feminism, Linda D. Molm . The Methodological Thorn in the Theoretical Rose: Reply to Molm, Dana Dunn, Elizabeth M. Almquist, andJanet Saltzman Chafetz . Some Disintegrating Thoughts on Structure and Agency: Reply to Molm, Lynn Smith-Lovin andJ. Miller McPherson. Same-Sex Interac- tion and the Situational Approach: Reply to Molm, Cecilia L. Ridgeway . Constrained Choices and Connected Selve1!: Reply to Molm, Debra Friedman and Carol Diem. Seeing Past Sacred Science: Reply to Molm, Joey Sprague andMaryK. Zimmerman. 15. Micro, Macro, Choice, and Structure, Nancy Folbre. Neither Biology nor Social Learning: Reply to Folbre, Christine L. Williams. Eliminating Choice: Reply to Folbre, Lynn Smith-Lovin and J. Miller McPherson. The Importance of Altruism and the Interdependence of Utilities: Reply to Folbre, Debra Friedman and Carol Diem. Differing with Feminist Difference: Reply to Folbre, Beth Anne Shelton and Ben Agger. Throwing Out the Baby with the Bath Water: Reply to Folbre, Dana Dunn, Elizabeth M. Almquist, and Janet Saltzman Chafetz . Reframing Theories: Reply to Folbre, KRead More