SOCI 311 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Hegemonic Masculinity, Biological Determinism, Social Constructionism
16 May 2017
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Document Summary
The study of gender differences and inequality addresses the difference between men and women. There are two schools of thought concerned with the creation of gender inequalities. Gender difference is present in almost every culture, with the power usually skewed in favor of men. It is important to note that despite a male dominant atmosphere, individual men are not necessarily stronger than all women. Biological determinism essentially derives its ideas about gender inequality from the idea of nature over nurture. Sex is a designation determined by genetic and physical markers. Gender refers to the cultural meaning and expectations that are are assigned to each sex. The difference in the meanings of gender vary from culture to culture and across time in each individual culture. This school of thought derives its ideas about gender equality from the idea of nurture over nature. The difference in treatment for each sex confers expectations specific to each gender.
