Gender Essay
Introduction, part I
As with general sociological theory, one of the persistent issues in gender theory is a focus on the tension between human agency and social structure. While most theories of gender—including radical feminism, intersectionality approaches, postmodernism, and queer theory—address both agency and social structure, implicit in their theoretical assumptions are the sources of social praxis. Because of their differing analyses on the source of social praxis, they analyze structure and agency differently.
For example, radical feminism and intersectionality approaches to gender emphasize systematic oppressors like capitalism and patriarchy, while postmodern and queer theories emphasize the structural oppression—and liberation potential—of discourse. Radical feminism and intersectionality approaches tend to emphasize the material realities of women (as a universal category) and examine the juxtaposition of the global economy and individual places within production. Postmodern and queer theories examine the structure of language and discourse and operationalize identity as fragmented rather than as particular universals.
In the following sections, I outline the theoretical assumptions of all four theories, how each operationalize agency and social structure, and the implications of these operationalizations for the study of gender and sexuality. As Alcoff (1988) does, I argue that the most effective way to create social change is by restructuring social structures at the material and discursive level rather than emphasizing one over the other.
All the theories I address analyze agency and structure, though as stated, materialist perspectives emphasize the structures of capitalism and patriarchy while postmodern and queer theories emphasize the structure of discourse. These operationalizations have implications for the theories’ conceptualizations of agency.
I define agency as the ability to move within social structures with the proper tools
As with general sociological theory, one of the persistent issues in gender theory is a focus on the tension between human agency and social structure. While most theories of gender—including radical feminism, intersectionality approaches, postmodernism, and queer theory—address both agency and social structure, implicit in their theoretical assumptions are the sources of social praxis. Because of their differing analyses on the source of social praxis, they analyze structure and agency differently.
For example, radical feminism and intersectionality approaches to gender emphasize systematic oppressors like capitalism and patriarchy, while postmodern and queer theories emphasize the structural oppression—and liberation potential—of discourse. Radical feminism and intersectionality approaches tend to emphasize the material realities of women (as a universal category) and examine the juxtaposition of the global economy and individual places within production. Postmodern and queer theories examine the structure of language and discourse and operationalize identity as fragmented rather than as particular universals.
In the following sections, I outline the theoretical assumptions of all four theories, how each operationalize agency and social structure, and the implications of these operationalizations for the study of gender and sexuality. As Alcoff (1988) does, I argue that the most effective way to create social change is by restructuring social structures at the material and discursive level rather than emphasizing one over the other.
All the theories I address analyze agency and structure, though as stated, materialist perspectives emphasize the structures of capitalism and patriarchy while postmodern and queer theories emphasize the structure of discourse. These operationalizations have implications for the theories’ conceptualizations of agency.
I define agency as the ability to move within social structures with the proper tools
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