Discussion: Compare and contrast two theories that explain gender inequality Discussion: Compare and contrast two theories that explain gender inequality Table listing theories on gender differences, Click Here To Enlarge[JPG, File Size 268 KB]. This discussion addresses module outcome 1. You will apply theories to explain why gender differences exist in society and how these differences result in inequality. Gender roles and gender inequality exist in every society. You will evaluate how much of the inequalities are built into the social system and how much are contributed to by biological differences between the sexes. Before beginning this activity, be sure to read the Module Notes and the assigned readings and viewings. Use as much detail from the readings and other learning materials in the module as possible to answer the following questions. Compare and contrast two theories that explain gender inequality. Do these theories consider that gender inequality may be a by-product of biological development? Use evidence from the module readings and viewings to support your answer. How much of the differences between the genders do you think could be explained by biology? Your initial post should be at least 300 words and must substantively integrate the assigned readings with proper APA style formatting. ORDER YOUR PROFESSIONAL PAPER HERE Document Preview: Table listing theories on gender differences, HYPERLINK ?https://mycourses.excelsior.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-861816-dt-forum-rid-38582969_1/xid-38582969_1? ?_blank? Click Here To Enlarge [JPG, File Size 268 KB]. This discussion addresses module outcome 1. You will apply theories to explain why gender differences exist in society and how these differences result in inequality. Gender roles and gender inequality exist in every society. You will evaluate how much of the inequalities are built into the social system and how much are contributed to by biological differences between the sexes. Before beginning this activity, be sure to read the Module Notes and the assigned readings and viewings. Use as much detail from the readings and other learning materials in the module as possible to answer the following questions. Compare and contrast two theories that explain gender inequality. Do these theories consider that gender inequality may be a by-product of biological development? Use evidence from the module readings and viewings to support your answer. How much of the differences between the genders do you think could be explained by biology? Your initial post should be at least 300 words and must substantively integrate the assigned readings with proper HYPERLINK ?http://www.apastyle.org/? ?_blank? APA style formatting. Discussion: Compare and contrast two theories that explain gender inequality Order Now

 

 

ADDITIONAL DETAILS 

Theories of gender inequality

Introduction

Gender inequality is the result of sociological processes that have changed over time. In other words, it is possible to describe these processes in terms of the following theories: Conflict theory, Functionalist theory and Feminist theory. This article will describe them briefly and explain how they can be used to explain gender inequality.

Gender inequality is the result of sociological processes that have changed over time.

Gender inequality is a social construct. It has not always existed and will not always exist in the future.

• Theories of gender inequality can help explain why there are still so many differences between men and women today.

• Gender inequality was once thought to be natural, but this idea has changed over time because of sociological processes like industrialization and urbanization, which led to changes in the way people lived their lives.

It is possible to describe these processes in terms of the following theories.

• Conflict theory: This theory argues that gender inequality is a result of conflict between men and women. According to this view, gender roles are established through cultural practices that create social expectations for how men and women should behave.

• Functionalist theory: This perspective focuses on the way in which individuals interact with one another in society. In particular, functionalists believe that people use their gender as a means of socialization and control over others who may be seen as threatening or competing with them (e.g., when they want to get married). For example, if you are trying to become an engineer but find yourself unable because there aren’t any female engineers around who look like your ideal type (taller than average height), then maybe it’s time for some self-reflection about why this might be?

Conflict theory

Conflict theory is a sociological theory that emphasizes the social, political, and economic sources of inequality. Theorists believe that gender inequality is the result of conflicting interests between men and women. In other words, conflict theorists contend that gender differences are not simply a result of biology or nature; rather they believe that society plays a role in shaping gender roles and behavior.

According to this view:

• Women are more likely than men to enter non-traditional occupations such as nursing or teaching because there’s less competition for these positions (i.e., fewer qualified applicants).

• Women earn less money than their male counterparts because they’re often expected to do household chores like cooking meals or taking care of children while simultaneously working outside the home (i..e., housework)

Functionalist theory

The functionalist theory of gender inequality states that society is a system of interdependent parts. This means that there are three main components: the family, the economy and the state. According to this theory, these social institutions should promote equality between men and women because they provide basic necessities for both genders. However, it has been shown that gender inequality exists in these systems due to different roles assigned based on sex (for example—men work outside while women do housework).

This theory assumes that social institutions are functional; therefore they will have positive outputs if they are implemented correctly but could also cause negative outcomes if implemented incorrectly or inadequately supported by other mechanisms within an organization (such as leadership).

Feminist theory

Feminist theory is a sociological approach that focuses on gender inequality. It is based on the idea that women are oppressed, and it views gender as socially constructed. Feminist theories have focused on how women are affected by their roles in society through their work, sexuality, relationships with men and other women (including domestic violence), family life and education.

The feminist movement has three main focuses:

• Women’s liberation movement – this aims to achieve equal rights for all people regardless of sex or gender identity

• Third-wave feminism – this focuses on issues such as reproductive control over childbirths; abortion rights; pornography use among young people; body image issues like eating disorders etcetera — these aren’t just limited topics anymore but they’ve become mainstream!

Symbolic Interactionist theory

The Symbolic Interactionist theory is based on the idea that social life is made up of interactions between people. It focuses on how we create meaning for ourselves and others, based on our perception of those around us. This can be seen as an extension of Goffman’s Theory of Stigma (1959).

The first step in this theory is to identify what it means to interact with another person; these interactions may be very small or large, but they all involve some sort of communication between two or more individuals. For example, when you say hello to someone whom you have just met for the first time and shake hands with them before walking away together; this interaction would count as one type under symbolic interactionism because there was no verbal exchange between yourself and this person beforehand (i.e., no conversation), but instead only physical gestures were exchanged between yourselves!

All four of these theories can be used to explain gender inequality.

The four theories that have been discussed can be used to explain gender inequality in different societies. For example, the social construction theory explains the difference between men and women by looking at how society constructs gender roles for people. The feminist theory argues that women are oppressed by men because of their sex; this oppression is based on power dynamics between the sexes. Finally, both masculinist theorists and socialist feminists argue that all forms of oppression stem from capitalism and its unequal distribution of wealth (or labor).

Theories do not have to be mutually exclusive—they can explain different aspects of gender inequality at once!

Conclusion

In the end, the four theories of gender inequality all have their strengths and weaknesses. While some are more specific than others, all can be used to explain why women tend to earn less than men in similar positions. In addition, it is important to remember that there are many other factors that contribute to these disparities as well (e.g., how much we value individual differences between genders). It may be hard for some people who identify themselves as feminists or functionalists because they don’t want their work to seem reductionist – but at least now they have a place where they can start looking at gender as both an environmental factor as well as an individual behavior choice!