GEN&WS 101 Midterm: Complete Review for Midterm
30 Oct 2014
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Document Summary
Feminism: the theory of the political, social, and economical equality of the sexes. The belief that women have the right to information that allows them to make informed decisions about their lives. Gender: how people and social structures are shaped by cultural definitions of masculinity/femininity. Biological determinism: the idea that biology determines who we are: family/school/church, media. This is what it means to be a female/male based on characteristics: role of environment and socialization (upbringing) through instiutions. Critques: doesn"t leave room for free will (a criminal is destined to be a criminal since birth) Perpetuated by non scientists than scientists (gay sex gene) Relevance to gender- creates structured binary of female/male and doesn"t distinguish between sex/gender. Social determinism: opposite of biological determinism; society determines individual behaviors. Social constructivism: humans actively and passively recreate knowledge systems that constitute our shared behavior and shape human reality.
