SPR 470 - Gender Perspectives in Social Work Practice Magda Frišaufová, Ph.D. Spring semester 2016 Three main goals of the course n1) Gain broader knowledge about feminist and gender theory, and how they influenc social policy and social work n n´gender sensitive social work´ rather than a specific approach n ncontext for understanding social problems and social work practice n Three main goals of the course n2) Employ the theory to social work practice nRelated to postmodernism, critical thinking, critical social work, empowerment, social change n nNot only about gender /intersectionality n nNot only about women, but also men n Three main goals of the course n2) Employ the theory to social work practice n nNot only about clients, but also social workers, social work organizations, education system, society n nSocial work with specific target groups, but also reflecting one’s own position Three main goals of the course n3) Improve writing skills of short academic papers n Structure of the course nlectures and seminars n nassignments (no right answers, your thoughts but based on reading!) n nlectures and seminars are compulsory n none absence allowed / ´meaningful task´ n Requirements and Grading nrecommended x compulsory reading n nassignments n nactive participation n nfinal paper + seminar n Lecture on Gender Theory SPR 470 - Gender Perspectives in Social Work Practice March 2nd, 2016 Outline nFeminist Theories n nIntersectionality n nFeminist Influence on Social Policy n nFeminist Influence on Social Work n n1st Assignment and Seminar n Why Gender? nSex - biological category n nGender – social category n nDifferences not only biological but also socially constructed n nEveryone has a gender n Feminist Theories nLiberal feminism n nRadical feminism n nSocialist feminism n nAfrican American feminism n nDifferences based on what is seen as a source of oppression and how to prevent it. n Liberal Feminism nwomen gaining access to the same opportunities as men (education, work, political representation etc.) n nequal opportunities n nchanges e.g. by legislation, lobbing, quotas n nheterosexual nuclear family as a norm n ne.g.: B. Friedan, J.S.Mill n n Radical Feminism nlate 1960s, early 1970 n nwomen are oppressed by patriarchal system n ncriticism of heteronormativity n ncontrary to queer theory essentialist n ne.g.: A. Dworkin, C. MacKinnon n Socialist Feminism nsocial justice for women only through abolition of both patriarchy and capitalism n nwomen dependent on men n paid labour + doing the ‚second shift‘ at home n African American Feminism nwomen of colour experience domination which is not addressed by liberal, radical, nor socialist feminism n nattention to gender, class and race n ne.g.: Ch. Mohanty, b. hooks n Postmodern Feminism nlanguage, power, discourse, deconstruction, … n nopposition to ‚grand narratives‘ n ncalls in to question the category of male and female (to question is not to deny!) n nnot all women are oppressed and not all men are oppressors n n Postmodern Feminism nQueer theory: n nX the male-female binary n nX traditional sex roles, identities and orientations n nperformativity, ´doing gender´ n Postfeminism nsex as empowering n nrejection of passive/victim image of femininity n nwomen as powerful agents n npost-feminist not anti-feminist n Men and Feminism nmen‘s movement, men‘s and masculinity studies n ne.g.: parents‘ rights, domestic violence, prostitution n Intersectionality ngender + class, age, race, ethnicity, dis/ability, sexual orientation, education, … n n nX sexism, homophobia, heteronormativity, ageism, ableism, racism, ethnocentrism, nationalism, xenophobia, … n n Intersectionality nintersection of oppression as well as privilege n nethnicity, class, gender are not minority issues n npositions are changing in time and space n ntool for positioning / standpoint n Feminist Influence on Social Policy nsocial policy has great influence on gender relations in the society n n nwho will take care of us nwhat choices we have as mothers and fathers nbalance between family life, work life, career n Esping-Andersen: ´Three worlds of welfare capitalism´ (1990) nWelfare Systems: n- Liberal n- Social Democratic n- Conservative/Corporative n nbased on level of ‚decomodification‘ n nworkers ‚commodified‘ = they must sell they labour on the market to survive n n Feminist Critique nthe goal for western feminist has been to ‚commodify‘ women n nneglects the unpaid labour at home n nlevel of ‚defamilization‘ n n‚famialization‘ = family is responsible for all household tasks n nmale bread winner model Feminist Influence on Social Work nGender Lenses: nclients are not ‚gender neutral‘ n nwomen more often living in poverty n nmen more often criminal offenders n nmost of the social workers are women n n… n nnew issues: domestic violence, heteronormativity, prostitution, sexual abuse, etc. n Feminist Influence on Social Work nequality is not sameness n nneed to recognize that women and men are different, but not essentially different n nreflect the specific needs in services n(e.g. women only groups, but not only female workers) n Feminist Influence on Social Work nPostmodern Feminism: nCrisis of Knowledge n(How do we know what we know?) n nCrisis of Identity n(power / lost innocence of helping) n 1st Seminar and Assignment nCompulsory Reading: nRenzetti, Claire, Daniel Curran. 1989. Women, Men, and Society: the Sociology of Gender. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. n- Chapter 1 Studying Gender: An Overview (pp. 1-12). n- Chapter 13 Restructuring Sex/Gender Systems (pp. 326-350). n nRossiter, Amy 2000. ´The postmodern feminist condition: new conditions for social work´ (pp. 24-38) In Fawcett, Barbara (ed.). Practice and Research in Social Work. Postmodern Feminist Perspectives, London: Routledge. n 1st Seminar and Assignment nWrite questions about what was not clear for you, what you do not understand, or what would you like to know more about. n nWrite complex questions. n2 to each chapter = 6 in the total. n nUpload your assignment to the Homework vault no later than on Monday 7th March.