This document summarizes key points from a book that examines how heterosexuality is institutionalized through traditional white weddings. It discusses how weddings serve as a major cultural site for understanding how heterosexuality is organized. The book analyzes how the wedding industry promotes and naturalizes heterosexuality through popular culture representations of weddings. It also discusses theoretical frameworks like Jacques Lacan's concept of the imaginary and how they can help explain how weddings create and maintain the illusion that heterosexuality is innate and inevitable.
This editorial provides an overview of the themes explored in the issue of the journal BUWA! related to feminism and culture. It discusses how culture is often used to dismiss feminist arguments that challenge the status quo. The issue includes articles that critically examine the positive and negative impacts of culture on women's lives. It explores topics like masculinity, marriage, religion, the arts, and how cultures influence women's bodies. While cultures evolve over time, the underlying perception and treatment of women has often not fundamentally changed. The editorial argues more dialogue is needed across generations of feminists to foster real change in replacing harmful practices with respect for women's rights and freedoms.
Critical analysis of Globalisation, Gender and Inequality and Sexuality.Zara Jovıčıč
The document discusses how globalization impacts Australia through outsourcing of jobs overseas, rising costs of living, and budget cuts that disproportionately impact students and lower-income groups. It argues that Australia has become increasingly reliant on larger foreign economies like China and the US. Unless the government invests more in education, healthcare, and local job opportunities, inequality will rise and Australia will become divided between the wealthy and poor.
This document discusses how globalization has impacted concepts of gender, sexuality, and migration. It summarizes various perspectives on how international organizations like the World Bank have approached gender issues, and feminist critiques of those approaches. The document also examines how globalization has influenced understandings of sexuality, including the spread of LGBTQ identities and practices worldwide as well as the globalization of sex work and sex tourism. Further, it explores how globalization has facilitated the spread of HIV/AIDS while also enabling advocacy efforts. The document analyzes the experiences of migrant queer communities and the challenges of negotiating identity abroad while facing discrimination.
Effects of Globaliztion on TransgendersReshma Thomas
Emerging economies like India are experiencing mobilization of third gender and sexual identity politics raising fundamental questions of citizenship, human rights, cultural identity and tradition. With economic globalization in the developing world, a Western, hegemonic notion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) identity has been exported to traditional societies thereby destroying indigenous sexual cultures and diversities. This paper aims at exploring the effects of globalization and colonization in developing world with special reference to India.
After briefly describing the globalization in general, this paper examines the tradition of trans genders prevailed in India in relation to the pre-colonial era and forces of neoliberal globalization. The twin-process of globalization and colonization has significantly influenced the acceptance of hijra communities in Indian society, while simultaneously strengthening the view of Western historians and scholars.
1) The document discusses the Khasi society of Northeast India and examines the link between their matrilineal system and gender identity politics.
2) While women have some security under the matrilineal system, they are not entirely free from subordination by men who seek power. Men have historically excluded women from politics and are now using legislation to distort the matrilineal system and gain more control over women.
3) The 1997 Khasi Hills Autonomous District Custom of Lineage Bill aims to preserve matrilineal traditions but actually aims to redefine ethnic identity in a way that affects women's rights. It has generated controversy over its provisions.
This document is a 10,962 word dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of an M.A. in Politics. The dissertation explores the extent to which gender activists have gained formal political space in Northern Ireland since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
The dissertation argues that despite the dominant and masculinized ethno-nationalist identities in the Northern Irish Assembly, feminist activists are overcoming gender legislative shortcomings by taking action in civic and grassroots society. While the Good Friday Agreement committed to gender equality, these commitments have not been enforced and the agreement has re-essentialized gender stereotypes.
The dissertation analyzes the input of the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition during peace negotiations and shows that while women were politically visible then
The relevance and symbolism of clothes within traditional institutions and it...Alexander Decker
This document discusses traditional institutions in Ghana and their influence on clothing and culture. It notes that traditional institutions like chieftaincy and religious institutions help uphold cultural values and traditions through their clothing, which often has symbolic meanings. However, there is concern that modern influences are impacting the traditional clothing worn within these institutions. The study aimed to understand the extent of modern influences on clothing within traditional settings in Ghana and the impacts on sustaining traditional costumes. It found that while African clothing is symbolic, it faces pressures from trends in trade, entertainment, and advances in textile technology. Generally, balancing traditional and modern forms of dress is important for Ghanaian development, unity, and shared identity.
Global Discourse, Situated Traditions and Muslim Women’s Agency in Pakistan.
Globalization: Feminization of Poverty and need for Gender responsive social protection in Pakistan
This editorial provides an overview of the themes explored in the issue of the journal BUWA! related to feminism and culture. It discusses how culture is often used to dismiss feminist arguments that challenge the status quo. The issue includes articles that critically examine the positive and negative impacts of culture on women's lives. It explores topics like masculinity, marriage, religion, the arts, and how cultures influence women's bodies. While cultures evolve over time, the underlying perception and treatment of women has often not fundamentally changed. The editorial argues more dialogue is needed across generations of feminists to foster real change in replacing harmful practices with respect for women's rights and freedoms.
Critical analysis of Globalisation, Gender and Inequality and Sexuality.Zara Jovıčıč
The document discusses how globalization impacts Australia through outsourcing of jobs overseas, rising costs of living, and budget cuts that disproportionately impact students and lower-income groups. It argues that Australia has become increasingly reliant on larger foreign economies like China and the US. Unless the government invests more in education, healthcare, and local job opportunities, inequality will rise and Australia will become divided between the wealthy and poor.
This document discusses how globalization has impacted concepts of gender, sexuality, and migration. It summarizes various perspectives on how international organizations like the World Bank have approached gender issues, and feminist critiques of those approaches. The document also examines how globalization has influenced understandings of sexuality, including the spread of LGBTQ identities and practices worldwide as well as the globalization of sex work and sex tourism. Further, it explores how globalization has facilitated the spread of HIV/AIDS while also enabling advocacy efforts. The document analyzes the experiences of migrant queer communities and the challenges of negotiating identity abroad while facing discrimination.
Effects of Globaliztion on TransgendersReshma Thomas
Emerging economies like India are experiencing mobilization of third gender and sexual identity politics raising fundamental questions of citizenship, human rights, cultural identity and tradition. With economic globalization in the developing world, a Western, hegemonic notion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) identity has been exported to traditional societies thereby destroying indigenous sexual cultures and diversities. This paper aims at exploring the effects of globalization and colonization in developing world with special reference to India.
After briefly describing the globalization in general, this paper examines the tradition of trans genders prevailed in India in relation to the pre-colonial era and forces of neoliberal globalization. The twin-process of globalization and colonization has significantly influenced the acceptance of hijra communities in Indian society, while simultaneously strengthening the view of Western historians and scholars.
1) The document discusses the Khasi society of Northeast India and examines the link between their matrilineal system and gender identity politics.
2) While women have some security under the matrilineal system, they are not entirely free from subordination by men who seek power. Men have historically excluded women from politics and are now using legislation to distort the matrilineal system and gain more control over women.
3) The 1997 Khasi Hills Autonomous District Custom of Lineage Bill aims to preserve matrilineal traditions but actually aims to redefine ethnic identity in a way that affects women's rights. It has generated controversy over its provisions.
This document is a 10,962 word dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of an M.A. in Politics. The dissertation explores the extent to which gender activists have gained formal political space in Northern Ireland since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
The dissertation argues that despite the dominant and masculinized ethno-nationalist identities in the Northern Irish Assembly, feminist activists are overcoming gender legislative shortcomings by taking action in civic and grassroots society. While the Good Friday Agreement committed to gender equality, these commitments have not been enforced and the agreement has re-essentialized gender stereotypes.
The dissertation analyzes the input of the Northern Ireland Women's Coalition during peace negotiations and shows that while women were politically visible then
The relevance and symbolism of clothes within traditional institutions and it...Alexander Decker
This document discusses traditional institutions in Ghana and their influence on clothing and culture. It notes that traditional institutions like chieftaincy and religious institutions help uphold cultural values and traditions through their clothing, which often has symbolic meanings. However, there is concern that modern influences are impacting the traditional clothing worn within these institutions. The study aimed to understand the extent of modern influences on clothing within traditional settings in Ghana and the impacts on sustaining traditional costumes. It found that while African clothing is symbolic, it faces pressures from trends in trade, entertainment, and advances in textile technology. Generally, balancing traditional and modern forms of dress is important for Ghanaian development, unity, and shared identity.
Global Discourse, Situated Traditions and Muslim Women’s Agency in Pakistan.
Globalization: Feminization of Poverty and need for Gender responsive social protection in Pakistan
This report summarizes the position of women in several Islamic countries, examining dimensions such as religious texts, laws, economic participation, politics, and culture. It finds that while women have some legal rights under Islamic law, social and economic pressures often prevent them from claiming these rights. Women's economic activity and control over resources varies widely between countries and classes. Though women have formal political rights in most Muslim nations, representation remains low. Cultural practices influencing women's roles, such as veiling and polygyny, pre-date Islam and have complex modern meanings. Overall, the report stresses diversity between and within countries but notes women generally have less power over key areas like marriage, inheritance, and household finances.
Awareness of social contemporary issues [autosaved]Fahim Siddiqui
This document discusses the key elements and definitions related to social problems. It begins by defining what constitutes a social problem, noting that a social problem exists when a condition threatens group values, affects a large number of people, and can be remedied by collective action. It outlines both objective and subjective elements of social problems. It also discusses the social context of problems, including how deviations from norms, declines in institutions, diversity, and power struggles can contribute. Culture and social institutions like family, religion and politics are examined. Conflict theories focusing on economic and values-based conflicts are described. Characteristics, factors, and effects of social problems are listed.
This document provides information about the course PSPA 4070: Women and Politics, including the professor's contact information and suggestions for developing a research topic. It discusses exploring women's organizations, news, and congressional actions for topic ideas. Suggested topics include issues regarding women in the military, violence against women, the pay gap, and reproductive rights. The document also outlines the requirements for the policy analysis paper, including discussing why the issue impacts women, its historical context, current problems, and a proposed policy solution. Key concepts from readings by Matthews on feminism, the public/private divide, and social construction are summarized.
Max VanBalgooy, "Ordinary People, Extraordinary Change" - Power of Great StoriesWilliam Hosley
From History News, 2013 "making historical thinking visible" "Through carefully crafted histories, the past can be a compelling and enthralling experience" "adopt an aspirational vision for improving society" "What impact
do you want to have on your community?"
This document discusses masculinity and "lad culture" among young men. It begins by defining masculinity and exploring concepts like hegemonic masculinity. It then examines the history and characteristics of "lad culture", including its roots in Paul Willis' study of working class youth in the 1970s and its spread through lads' magazines and social media. The document also looks at expressions of lad culture in high school and university settings and debates both sides of whether lad culture should be curtailed or is a valid way for males to express themselves.
1. The document examines begging in Dhaka City through a survey of 150 beggars, investigating their socioeconomic backgrounds, circumstances leading to begging, and livelihood patterns.
2. It finds that most beggars choose begging voluntarily due to poverty, lack of employment, disability, or old age, and rely on it as their primary means of survival. Daily incomes range from under 50 taka to over 300 taka.
3. The study aims to understand begging in Bangladesh in order to help transform beggars into productive members of society and ensure national progress. However, beggars currently face poor living standards, social isolation, and lack of access to resources.
Feminism emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s as the second wave of feminism fought for women's rights and equality. While legal and social discrimination against women has decreased in Western nations, gender inequality still persists in many areas of society. Positions of authority remain male-dominated, and traditional gender roles still influence the division of labor at home. The feminist movement has weakened as its goals of equality and empowerment have splintered into debates around gender differences and identity politics. Overall, the document discusses the history and impact of feminism as well as ongoing issues around gender equality.
This document provides information about a cultural studies paper on popular culture and gender. It includes the student's identifying information, an introduction to cultural studies focusing on how media relates to ideology, identity, and other factors. It also defines gender and popular culture. Several forms of media are discussed in terms of their portrayal of gender, including magazines, TV, cartoons, movies, advertisements, and sports media. Women are often portrayed as focused on beauty, relationships, and family while men are shown as strong and aggressive.
Gender Issues: Creating a Safe Environment for All StudentsChristina Gagnier
This document discusses gender issues in schools and policies to promote inclusion. It defines key terms like gender identity, transgender, and gender expression. It outlines California and federal laws requiring schools to allow students to participate in activities based on gender identity, not assigned sex. The document also discusses cyberbullying based on gender and recommends schools implement gender policies, provide resources for victims, educate parents on technology, and address gender bullying promptly.
This document discusses gender and migration. It begins with defining gender and sex, and explaining how gender studies have evolved from initially only examining male migrants to also considering female migrants' experiences. It then explores concepts like intersectionality, geographical scales, social locations, and power geometries as frameworks for examining gender in migration. Specific topics covered include the feminization of migration in Asia, common female-dominated and male-dominated labor markets, issues like "de-skilling" and transnational parenting, and how gender relations shape immigration patterns and settlement experiences for both women and men. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of rights and examining policies in both sending and receiving countries to address gender inequality in migration.
"Gender Equality and the Economic Empowerment of Women" by Dr. McLarenGandhi Legacy Tour
Dr. Margaret McLaren, Department of Philosophy and Religion, Rollins Collins, Orlando Florida has partaken in two Gandhi Legacy Tour of India trips and the Satyagraha Tour of South Africa journey with Dr. Arun Gandhi. She has visited India many times on her own including a two week stay in Ahmedabad to further study the SEWA (Self Employed Women's Association) organizational model.
She gave permission for Gandhi Legacy Tour to share the following published paper on "Gender Equality and the Economic Empowerment of Women." She illustrates the connection between women's economic empowerment and the resulting overall improvement of quality of life by looking at the models of Marketplace of India and SEWA two of the organizations she connected with while on the Gandhi Legacy Tour of India.
http://www.gandhitour.info/india
http://www.gandhitour.info/handwork-of-india/
http://www.gandhitour.info/sewa-india-ahmedabad/
The document discusses the gendered dimensions of Filipina migration for work. It notes that migration has become feminized in recent decades as more jobs have opened for women in domestic and care work. However, Filipina migrant workers still face risks like abuse and lack of legal protections. The document also examines how civil society and the Philippine government have constructed representations of Filipina migrants that focus on their roles as caregivers and as upholding family obligations through their financial contributions.
Spaces of Age, Snowbirds and the GerontologyAdam Edwards
This document summarizes a study on "Snowbirds", or northern Americans and Canadians who spend their winters in warmer southern climates like Florida. It discusses how snowbirds create their own migratory and mobile retirement cultures. The study examined the community of Charlotte County, Florida, where many snowbirds reside part-time, through photos and diaries. It describes the socio-spatial aspects of snowbird culture and their communities, activities, and identity formation as seasonal migrants with attachments to both their northern and southern homes.
Belize: Socio Political Situation Affecting the Development of WomenMyrtle Palacio
The document discusses the socio-political situation affecting women's development in Belize. It notes that while women make up the majority of registered voters, they remain underrepresented in political leadership which is dominated by men. It also outlines several social issues disproportionately impacting women, such as abandonment, abuse, and poverty. The document calls for empowering women through greater political participation, challenging gender inequality in decision-making, and addressing the root causes of women's marginalization rather than just alleviating symptoms.
This document summarizes a research paper on gender equality and development. The paper examines the concept of gender and how gender inequality formed due to changes brought by industrialization. It discusses Marxist and materialist theories that view gender inequality as an outcome of women's roles in domestic labor and men's control over resources in the public sphere under capitalism. The paper argues that the logic and nature of capitalism, with its need to extract wealth and reinvest profits, encouraged the release of women into the labor market to boost consumption and provide cheaper labor, contributing to gender discrimination.
This document discusses examining the traditional white wedding as an institutionalization of heterosexuality. It aims to explicate the underlying social, economic, and cultural patterns of current wedding trends to determine how heterosexuality is organized and institutionalized through weddings. The author argues that weddings are a concentrated site that operate and reproduce organized heterosexuality, yet they have been overlooked by researchers until recently. The white wedding and wedding industry provide clues about how meaning is given to heterosexuality and marriage in popular culture.
This document summarizes key points from a book that examines how heterosexuality is institutionalized through traditional white weddings. It discusses how weddings serve as a major cultural site for understanding how heterosexuality is organized. The book analyzes how the wedding industry promotes and naturalizes heterosexual norms. It also explores challenges to institutionalizing heterosexuality, such as feminism and LGBTQ rights movements, as well as how Jacques Lacan's concept of the imaginary is applied to understand the "heterosexual imaginary" that presents heterosexuality as natural and taken-for-granted.
This report summarizes the position of women in several Islamic countries, examining dimensions such as religious texts, laws, economic participation, politics, and culture. It finds that while women have some legal rights under Islamic law, social and economic pressures often prevent them from claiming these rights. Women's economic activity and control over resources varies widely between countries and classes. Though women have formal political rights in most Muslim nations, representation remains low. Cultural practices influencing women's roles, such as veiling and polygyny, pre-date Islam and have complex modern meanings. Overall, the report stresses diversity between and within countries but notes women generally have less power over key areas like marriage, inheritance, and household finances.
Awareness of social contemporary issues [autosaved]Fahim Siddiqui
This document discusses the key elements and definitions related to social problems. It begins by defining what constitutes a social problem, noting that a social problem exists when a condition threatens group values, affects a large number of people, and can be remedied by collective action. It outlines both objective and subjective elements of social problems. It also discusses the social context of problems, including how deviations from norms, declines in institutions, diversity, and power struggles can contribute. Culture and social institutions like family, religion and politics are examined. Conflict theories focusing on economic and values-based conflicts are described. Characteristics, factors, and effects of social problems are listed.
This document provides information about the course PSPA 4070: Women and Politics, including the professor's contact information and suggestions for developing a research topic. It discusses exploring women's organizations, news, and congressional actions for topic ideas. Suggested topics include issues regarding women in the military, violence against women, the pay gap, and reproductive rights. The document also outlines the requirements for the policy analysis paper, including discussing why the issue impacts women, its historical context, current problems, and a proposed policy solution. Key concepts from readings by Matthews on feminism, the public/private divide, and social construction are summarized.
Max VanBalgooy, "Ordinary People, Extraordinary Change" - Power of Great StoriesWilliam Hosley
From History News, 2013 "making historical thinking visible" "Through carefully crafted histories, the past can be a compelling and enthralling experience" "adopt an aspirational vision for improving society" "What impact
do you want to have on your community?"
This document discusses masculinity and "lad culture" among young men. It begins by defining masculinity and exploring concepts like hegemonic masculinity. It then examines the history and characteristics of "lad culture", including its roots in Paul Willis' study of working class youth in the 1970s and its spread through lads' magazines and social media. The document also looks at expressions of lad culture in high school and university settings and debates both sides of whether lad culture should be curtailed or is a valid way for males to express themselves.
1. The document examines begging in Dhaka City through a survey of 150 beggars, investigating their socioeconomic backgrounds, circumstances leading to begging, and livelihood patterns.
2. It finds that most beggars choose begging voluntarily due to poverty, lack of employment, disability, or old age, and rely on it as their primary means of survival. Daily incomes range from under 50 taka to over 300 taka.
3. The study aims to understand begging in Bangladesh in order to help transform beggars into productive members of society and ensure national progress. However, beggars currently face poor living standards, social isolation, and lack of access to resources.
Feminism emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s as the second wave of feminism fought for women's rights and equality. While legal and social discrimination against women has decreased in Western nations, gender inequality still persists in many areas of society. Positions of authority remain male-dominated, and traditional gender roles still influence the division of labor at home. The feminist movement has weakened as its goals of equality and empowerment have splintered into debates around gender differences and identity politics. Overall, the document discusses the history and impact of feminism as well as ongoing issues around gender equality.
This document provides information about a cultural studies paper on popular culture and gender. It includes the student's identifying information, an introduction to cultural studies focusing on how media relates to ideology, identity, and other factors. It also defines gender and popular culture. Several forms of media are discussed in terms of their portrayal of gender, including magazines, TV, cartoons, movies, advertisements, and sports media. Women are often portrayed as focused on beauty, relationships, and family while men are shown as strong and aggressive.
Gender Issues: Creating a Safe Environment for All StudentsChristina Gagnier
This document discusses gender issues in schools and policies to promote inclusion. It defines key terms like gender identity, transgender, and gender expression. It outlines California and federal laws requiring schools to allow students to participate in activities based on gender identity, not assigned sex. The document also discusses cyberbullying based on gender and recommends schools implement gender policies, provide resources for victims, educate parents on technology, and address gender bullying promptly.
This document discusses gender and migration. It begins with defining gender and sex, and explaining how gender studies have evolved from initially only examining male migrants to also considering female migrants' experiences. It then explores concepts like intersectionality, geographical scales, social locations, and power geometries as frameworks for examining gender in migration. Specific topics covered include the feminization of migration in Asia, common female-dominated and male-dominated labor markets, issues like "de-skilling" and transnational parenting, and how gender relations shape immigration patterns and settlement experiences for both women and men. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of rights and examining policies in both sending and receiving countries to address gender inequality in migration.
"Gender Equality and the Economic Empowerment of Women" by Dr. McLarenGandhi Legacy Tour
Dr. Margaret McLaren, Department of Philosophy and Religion, Rollins Collins, Orlando Florida has partaken in two Gandhi Legacy Tour of India trips and the Satyagraha Tour of South Africa journey with Dr. Arun Gandhi. She has visited India many times on her own including a two week stay in Ahmedabad to further study the SEWA (Self Employed Women's Association) organizational model.
She gave permission for Gandhi Legacy Tour to share the following published paper on "Gender Equality and the Economic Empowerment of Women." She illustrates the connection between women's economic empowerment and the resulting overall improvement of quality of life by looking at the models of Marketplace of India and SEWA two of the organizations she connected with while on the Gandhi Legacy Tour of India.
http://www.gandhitour.info/india
http://www.gandhitour.info/handwork-of-india/
http://www.gandhitour.info/sewa-india-ahmedabad/
The document discusses the gendered dimensions of Filipina migration for work. It notes that migration has become feminized in recent decades as more jobs have opened for women in domestic and care work. However, Filipina migrant workers still face risks like abuse and lack of legal protections. The document also examines how civil society and the Philippine government have constructed representations of Filipina migrants that focus on their roles as caregivers and as upholding family obligations through their financial contributions.
Spaces of Age, Snowbirds and the GerontologyAdam Edwards
This document summarizes a study on "Snowbirds", or northern Americans and Canadians who spend their winters in warmer southern climates like Florida. It discusses how snowbirds create their own migratory and mobile retirement cultures. The study examined the community of Charlotte County, Florida, where many snowbirds reside part-time, through photos and diaries. It describes the socio-spatial aspects of snowbird culture and their communities, activities, and identity formation as seasonal migrants with attachments to both their northern and southern homes.
Belize: Socio Political Situation Affecting the Development of WomenMyrtle Palacio
The document discusses the socio-political situation affecting women's development in Belize. It notes that while women make up the majority of registered voters, they remain underrepresented in political leadership which is dominated by men. It also outlines several social issues disproportionately impacting women, such as abandonment, abuse, and poverty. The document calls for empowering women through greater political participation, challenging gender inequality in decision-making, and addressing the root causes of women's marginalization rather than just alleviating symptoms.
This document summarizes a research paper on gender equality and development. The paper examines the concept of gender and how gender inequality formed due to changes brought by industrialization. It discusses Marxist and materialist theories that view gender inequality as an outcome of women's roles in domestic labor and men's control over resources in the public sphere under capitalism. The paper argues that the logic and nature of capitalism, with its need to extract wealth and reinvest profits, encouraged the release of women into the labor market to boost consumption and provide cheaper labor, contributing to gender discrimination.
This document discusses examining the traditional white wedding as an institutionalization of heterosexuality. It aims to explicate the underlying social, economic, and cultural patterns of current wedding trends to determine how heterosexuality is organized and institutionalized through weddings. The author argues that weddings are a concentrated site that operate and reproduce organized heterosexuality, yet they have been overlooked by researchers until recently. The white wedding and wedding industry provide clues about how meaning is given to heterosexuality and marriage in popular culture.
This document summarizes key points from a book that examines how heterosexuality is institutionalized through traditional white weddings. It discusses how weddings serve as a major cultural site for understanding how heterosexuality is organized. The book analyzes how the wedding industry promotes and naturalizes heterosexual norms. It also explores challenges to institutionalizing heterosexuality, such as feminism and LGBTQ rights movements, as well as how Jacques Lacan's concept of the imaginary is applied to understand the "heterosexual imaginary" that presents heterosexuality as natural and taken-for-granted.
This document discusses examining the traditional white wedding as an institutionalization of heterosexuality. It aims to explicate the underlying social, economic, and cultural patterns of current wedding trends to determine how heterosexuality is organized and institutionalized through weddings. The author argues that weddings are a concentrated site that operate and reproduce organized heterosexuality, yet they have been overlooked by researchers until recently. The white wedding and wedding industry provide clues about how meaning is given to heterosexuality and marriage in popular culture.
Work.com.mm is adding headhunting services to help companies fill positions more quickly and efficiently. The document recommends selecting target groups like senior/middle management specialists and experts, and creating an enabled platform with signing, comparison, and recommendation tools. Pricing would be based on a percentage of the recruitment value, with most fees going to the headhunter and a smaller platform fee. It suggests starting with a market analysis and trialing headhunting for middle management positions.
This document contains slides from a Python workshop presentation. It introduces Python, discussing its history, philosophy, features, and how to write Python code. Some key points covered include:
- Python was created in the late 1980s and named after Monty Python.
- It aims to have clear, readable syntax while also being powerful.
- Python code tends to be more concise than languages like Java and C++.
- It uses indentation rather than braces to define code blocks.
- Common data types like lists, dictionaries, and tuples are covered.
- Basic programming constructs like conditionals, loops, functions and file I/O are demonstrated.
This document discusses examining the traditional white wedding as an institutionalization of heterosexuality. It aims to explicate the underlying social, economic, and cultural patterns of current wedding trends to determine how heterosexuality is organized and institutionalized through weddings. The author argues that weddings are a concentrated site that operates and reproduces organized heterosexuality, yet they have been overlooked by researchers until recently. The wedding industry plays a large role in perpetuating heterosexual norms through extensive marketing across various media. Historically, efforts to critically examine heterosexuality and its rules have faced legal and social sanctions.
The document summarizes the author's experiences interning at SlideShare over the summer. Some key points:
- The author interned as a software engineer from May-July 2011, working primarily on Ruby on Rails projects.
- They helped improve SlideShare's administrator panel by porting features from an older system. This required learning new skills like Ruby, Rails, jQuery, Git, writing tests and deploying code.
- The author found the work challenging but was supported by a buddy and team. They gained valuable experience contributing to open source projects.
- Overall, the internship provided lessons in coding, deploying software, handling crises, and exposure to different companies and
This project report summarizes the production of ethylene glycol via the hydrolysis of ethylene oxide. The report details the team members, industrial production methods, concepts used in the analysis, assumptions made, and the calculation procedure. The results show a final temperature of 348.5K and reactor volume of 9.1 cubic meters assuming complete conversion of ethylene oxide to monoethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, and triethylene glycol.
This document discusses global health and intersectoral collaboration. It begins by defining global health as health problems that transcend national boundaries and are best addressed through international cooperation. It then discusses John Rawls' theory of justice and how global health relates to equality for all. Several definitions of global health from the WHO and Institute of Medicine are provided. The document also discusses the importance of intersectoral collaboration, using the example of different agencies involved in planning the London 2012 Olympics. It outlines challenges and opportunities in global health, such as the need for sustainable development and ensuring environmental considerations.
The document discusses next generation sequencing and its applications in cancer research. It notes that NGS allows studying genetic variations at the individual base level in a fast and affordable manner. The document also distinguishes between driver mutations, which confer a growth advantage to cancer cells, and passenger mutations, which do not provide a selective advantage. Driver mutations can inactivate tumor suppressor genes or activate oncogenes.
This document discusses packet sniffers and network security. It provides details on how packet sniffers work by capturing all network packets using a network adapter in promiscuous mode. It notes protocols like Telnet, FTP, SNMP, and POP that pass information in clear text that can be exploited. It then describes techniques to mitigate packet sniffers like authentication, switched infrastructure, and antisniffer tools. The document outlines trends affecting security and categories of network threats and attacks like reconnaissance, denial of service, and worms/viruses. Specific attack types are listed and examples of reconnaissance attacks through IP and domain queries are shown.
Assignment Four – Essay QuestionsFollow the instructions for the.docxssuser562afc1
Assignment Four – Essay Questions
Follow the instructions for the Assignment One Essay Questions.
1. Describe the different functions of political parties in our system. Contrast the two major parties in the US today – you should go to their respective websites to get this information.
2. Explain the direct and indirect techniques used by interest groups.
3. Explain the different incentives Americans have for joining interest groups. What are the types of interest groups that people join? Think about your future career goals or interests and research and find an interest group that you believe that you would to join after college. Go to their website and summarize what you found out about that interest group.
4. Explain how the Electoral College works, the situations in which it has produced controversial results, and the criticisms leveled against it.
5. Given that there are over 200,000 public school teachers and administrators in Texas, discuss the failure of groups representing teachers to have a greater impact on the major issues affecting education. Explain how teachers might gain greater influence on the political process in Texas in the future.
6. The Texas legislature is meeting right now and by the time you are ready to work on this assignment, many bills will be introduced. Go to the Texas legislature website and choose a bill in either the House of Representatives or the Senate that deals with either public education or higher education and research the bill. Find out the basic premise of the bill and what has happened with the bill. Summarize your findings, i.e. who introduced the bill? What is the wording of the bill? Has it been to committee? Which committee? Has it been to the floor for a vote? Has it been to the other house?
1
2
Across time and social change, the shape our choice of a partner have
changed with the times. Marriage choice in primitive societies and other
preindustrial forms was based upon endogamy. Exogamy can only become
widespread with the emergence of more sophisticated communication and
transportation technologies. The first groups of people to marry outside of
their immediate surroundings were the nobility. In fact, they have been
called the first group to have “elaborated” personalities. They had access to
the highest culture of their times. Even Greek society had people who were
leaders with systematic advantages and they came from the privileged group
called “citizens.” They learned to read and write, were literate, they had
access to the music (Mozart, Bach, etc. were court musicians), they could
travel form place to place and country to country, etc. As a result, and
because they wanted to keep the power they had, they would marry other
members of the nobility but often ones from other countries in order to form
alliances with those countries. Their marriages were based on political goals
rather than romantic ones. This, of course, ...
The document discusses various aspects of LGBTQ+ culture. It begins by defining the LGBTQ+ acronym and then discusses elements that are common across LGBTQ+ cultures, such as works by famous LGBTQ+ figures and an understanding of social movements. It then provides more specific information about the cultures of gay men, lesbians, bisexual people, and transgender individuals. For each group, it discusses icons, social practices, relationships, and flags that represent their identities and communities.
The islamic view of women and the family by by muhammad abdul raufdocsforu
About the Author
Dr. Muhammad Abdul-Rauf was born in Egypt in 1917. By the age of
eight, he had committed the entire Qur'an to memory. After graduating
from al-Azhar in Cairo, he traveled to England, where he received
a B.A. and an M.A. from Cambridge and a Ph.D. in philosophy from
the University of London.
His vast experience includes founding the Muslim College in Malaysia
in 1955 and the Department of Islamic Studies at the University of
Malaysia. He has been the rector of the International Islamic
University of Malaysia, the director of Islamic Missions at al-Azhar,
the Islamic Cultural Center in New York, the Islamic Center of
Washington, DC, and is presently the chairman of the Council of
Imams of North America.
His writings include several books and articles on Islamic history, culture,
and civilization.
Only Two Religions 8 - Where Is Society Headed?sandiferb
This document summarizes a lesson on where society is headed given its adoption of pagan worldviews. It discusses trends like the breakdown of the family and traditional marriage, widespread pornography use, and the rapid rise of LGBTQ ideology. It argues that society is promoting a pagan "oneism" that seeks to eliminate all spiritual and cultural binaries. If unchecked, this could lead to a society that destroys the distinctions between right and wrong, human and divine, and more. The lesson aims to explore this direction, contrast it with biblical Christianity, and suggest how Christians can best respond.
The document discusses human sexuality and provides definitions of key terms related to laws, morality, marriage, and customs. It outlines the objectives, limitations, and introduction of the paper, which examines the conflict between religion and homosexuality. The paper presents the historical background of perceptions towards homosexuals in the Philippines and other countries. It discusses the problem of differing religious views on same-sex marriage. The paper also summarizes the results of a survey on the causes of homosexuality and solutions to the issue.
capital punishment essay final version | Capital Punishment In The .... Capital Punishment - GCSE Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics .... The Use of Capital Punishment - Free Essay Example | PapersOwl.com. Capital PunishmentShould We Use Capital Punishment? - GCSE Religious .... Capital punishment essay – Logan Square Auditorium. 005 Introduction To Death Penalty Essay Essays On Capital Punishment L .... capital punishment essay 2 | Capital Punishment | Guilt (Law) | Free 30 .... Capital Punishment (Essay) | Capital Punishment | Hanging. Overview Essay FAS1101 | Capital Punishment | Punishments. Capital Punishment. - GCSE Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics ....
This document provides an overview of sociological perspectives on families and marriage. It defines key concepts like family, kinship, marriage, and household. It discusses how marriage and family structures vary across cultures, including differences in kinship ties, lines of descent, marital residence, and forms of marriage. It also summarizes sociological theories for understanding families, such as functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. Finally, it notes how families and households are changing with factors like increasing age of first marriage, migration, and same-sex marriage.
This document discusses various topics related to human sexuality. It defines key terms like sex, gender, sexual orientation. It explores topics like sexual practices across societies, the sexual revolution, premarital sex, pornography, and rape. It examines perspectives on the social construction of sexuality and theories of sexuality related to social inequality and challenging heterosexual bias.
13 gender in a globalising world january 2014fatima d
This document discusses gender in a globalizing world and addresses several topics related to gender including sexual identities, masculinities and femininities, and the global gender order. It examines how sexual activity and identity are linked and explores how gender roles are socially constructed. It also analyzes how ideologies about gender on a global level can impact life chances and discusses concepts like patriarchy, hegemonic masculinity, and resistant femininities. The document provides historical context on attitudes toward sexuality and explores how homosexuality has become more normalized in some parts of the world through civil rights movements and legislative changes.
Sexual Orientation in the Media, Religion and Counseling Methodsazbaren
This document discusses representations of LGBTQ identities and issues across various media. It begins by defining terms like sexual orientation, gender, and sex. It then examines portrayals of LGBTQ characters in television shows from the past like Ellen and Will & Grace to more recent portrayals in Glee and Modern Family. The document also explores how religious and cultural views of homosexuality have changed over time from condemnation to greater acceptance in some faiths. In general, it analyzes the evolving depictions of LGBTQ people and relationships in media and society.
Family structures have existed in all societies as a way to form cooperative networks beyond immediate family. Marriage was often used to create political and strategic alliances between groups. Recent trends show changes in family structure, functions, and nature due to various social, economic, legal and cultural factors. Marriage rates have declined while cohabitation and divorce rates have increased. Women have gained more independence and equality within families.
Social groups and organization are essential for human survival and well-being. People naturally organize themselves into various groups and alliances. Individuals derive their identity and membership from the social groups they belong to. There are many types of social organizations that fulfill economic, religious, political, and other functions to support society. Proper organization is necessary for groups and communities to thrive.
1) The passage discusses definitions of family from the US Census Bureau and sociologists, noting that sociologists define family more broadly to include non-nuclear families.
2) It describes how the traditional family structure in America has changed from extended families before the Industrial Revolution to nuclear families after, and now to more diverse structures.
3) Functionalists view the family as an institution that fulfills important functions for society like childrearing while conflict theorists see the family as a site of gender inequality and competition over resources.
The document summarizes views expressed by various religious and political figures opposing LGBTQ rights from the 1990s to present day. It describes the Catholic Church's continued condemnation of homosexual acts as intrinsically disordered. It also outlines anti-LGBTQ statements and policies from other Christian denominations like the Southern Baptist Convention, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Evangelical Covenant Church. Several prominent American evangelical figures like Falwell, Robertson, Dobson, and Phelps are quoted making disparaging claims about LGBTQ people.
This document discusses associations and civic participation in the United States, focusing on issues of race. It notes that while associations are important for democracy, they have historically been segregated along racial lines and excluded minorities. Over time, some groups pushed for integration while others advocated for separatism. Today, rates of civic participation remain unequal along racial and economic lines. Addressing racial divisions and promoting genuine solidarity could help associations better serve democratic ideals.
This document provides an overview of sociological perspectives on the family. It discusses how sociologists define family and how the traditional concept of family has changed over time. It also summarizes research showing increasing diversity in family forms, including rising rates of divorce, single-parent families, and LGBT families. The document contrasts functionalist, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionist views of the family and its role in society.
The document discusses a debate around same-sex marriage. It argues that allowing same-sex marriage would fundamentally change the traditional definition of marriage and could lead to further attempts to broaden the definition, such as allowing polygamous marriages. It asserts that marriage is based on the complementary nature of men and women and that redefining it could have negative social consequences.
The document provides an outline and background information for an Allies training. It begins with introductions and guidelines for dialogue. Trainees then share stories of times they have acted as allies or needed an ally. Definitions of key terms are discussed, emphasizing that gender and sexuality exist on spectrums. The history of the LGBTQ rights movement is briefly outlined. Scenarios are presented to demonstrate ways to act as allies when microaggressions or discrimination occur. The goal is to educate and empower trainees to support LGBTQ individuals.
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Este documento presenta la información sobre el curso "Influencia social y grupos" impartido en la Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona. Detalla el equipo docente, la evaluación, el temario que incluye conceptos como la influencia mayoritaria y minoritaria, la uniformidad, la obediencia a la autoridad y la propaganda, así como aspectos sobre definición de grupos, estructura grupal y relaciones intergrupales. También incluye lecturas recomendadas y datos de contacto del profesor.
Este documento presenta la información sobre el curso "Influencia social y grupos" impartido en la Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona. Detalla el equipo docente, la evaluación, el temario que incluye conceptos como la influencia mayoritaria y minoritaria, la uniformidad, la obediencia a la autoridad y la propaganda, así como aspectos sobre definición de grupos, estructura grupal y relaciones intergrupales. También incluye lecturas recomendadas y datos de contacto del profesor.
This document provides a demo for Google Summer of Code (GsoC) 2012 of a slide importer that uses the OERPub publishing API. The demo was created by Saket Choudhary and involves importing slides into Connexions, an open educational resource platform.
Education should be developed locally to address the specific needs of individual communities while also fostering global cooperation and understanding. Local leaders understand their communities best and are best positioned to create educational programs tailored to local strengths and challenges. A globally-minded yet locally-focused approach to education can help communities thrive while promoting international cooperation.
Education should be developed locally to suit each community while also considering global connections. Local leaders understand their communities best and can create educational opportunities tailored to local needs and strengths. A globally aware yet locally focused approach to education empowers communities.
Education should be developed locally to suit each community while also considering global connections. Local leaders understand their communities best and can create educational opportunities tailored to local needs and strengths. A globally aware yet locally focused approach to education empowers communities.
Education should be developed locally to address the specific needs of individual communities while also fostering global cooperation and understanding. Local leaders understand their communities best and are best positioned to create educational programs tailored to local strengths and challenges. A globally-minded yet locally-focused approach to education can help communities thrive while promoting international cooperation.
Education should be developed locally to suit each community while also considering global connections. Local leaders understand their communities best and can create educational opportunities tailored to local needs and strengths. A globally aware yet locally focused approach to education empowers communities.
Education should be developed locally to suit each community while also considering global connections. Local leaders understand their communities best and can create educational opportunities tailored to local needs and strengths. A globally aware yet locally focused approach to education empowers communities.
Education should be developed locally to address the specific needs of individual communities while also fostering global cooperation and understanding. Local leaders understand their communities best and are best positioned to create educational programs tailored to local strengths and challenges. A globally-minded yet locally-focused approach to education can help communities thrive while promoting international cooperation.
Education should be developed locally to suit each community while also considering global connections. Local leaders understand their communities best and can create educational opportunities tailored to local needs and strengths. A globally aware yet locally focused approach to education empowers communities.
1. W h i te W e d d i n g s
Romancing
Heterosexuality
in
Popular Culture,
2 nd edition
2. F o s o this bok
cu f o
• Objective: to examine the institutionalization
of heterosexuality through the operation of the
traditional white wedding.
• To explicate the underlying social, economic,
and cultural patterns of current wedding
trends to determine how heterosexuality is
institutionalized.
• Definition: A white wedding is a spectacle
featuring a bride in a formal white wedding
gown, combined with some combination of
attendants, religious ceremony, and wedding
reception.
• Integrally linked to marriage, weddings
provide an important cultural site for
understanding the organization of
heterosexuality.
3. L ifting the v il
e
• Until recently weddings have been
overlooked by researchers.
• Why do weddings receive so much
attention from the media?
• How could they be so present in popular
culture yet so absent from academic
scrutiny?
• Do we take them so much for granted that
we don’t think that they merit study?
• What exactly is the significance of the
white wedding?
4. L ifting the v il
e
• Wedding culture and the wedding industry
provide clues to the larger social interests
they serve.
• They provide a rich source of data about how
we give meaning to heterosexuality and marriage.
• White weddings are a concentrated site for the
operation and reproduction of organized
heterosexuality.
• More so than other prominent heterosexual
practices or rituals, weddings are culturally
pervasive, symbolically prolific, are rarely
questioned or examined.
• They are so taken for granted that they seem
naturally occurring and function to institutionalize
a host of heterosexual behaviors that are, in fact,
socially produced.
5. One is N OT bo a bride
rn !
• One is not born a bride or with the
desire to become a bride …
• Yet, we have an abundance of evidence
that shows that many people believe
otherwise.
• From the moment we enter the world,
culture works to install meaning
systems about everything from sex to
gender to social class to ethnicity to
sexual identity.
• Heterosexuality, whether naturally
occurring or chosen, is organized by
those meanings.
6. Weddings marriage
• Entry point to the institution of marriage.
• Enactment of institutionalized heterosexuality.
• Weddings are rituals. They have the capacity
to organize larger social arrangements and to
reflect dominant and non-dominant beliefs.
• The recent same sex marriage debates are
really about state-sanctioned and legalized
marriage or who should receive federal and
state marriage entitlements.
7. H e ro x ality as institu n
te se u tio
• Typically studied as a form of sexuality,
heterosexuality is a highly organized social
institution that varies across culture, history,
region, religion, ethnicity, nationality, race,
lifespan, and social class.
• Sociologically, heterosexuality as an
“established order made up of rule-bound and
standardized behavior patterns” qualifies as an
institution.
• Heterosexuality as an “arrangement involving
large numbers of people whose behavior is
guided by norms and rules” is also a social
institution.
8. H e ro x ality as institu n
te se u tio
• Heterosexuality is much more than a biological
given or the fact that someone is or is not
attracted to someone of the other sex.
• Our sexual orientation or sexual identity is
defined by the symbolic order of that world
through the use of verbal as well as non-verbal
language.
• How we come to understand what it means to
be heterosexual is a product of ruling interests,
a culture’s symbolic order, and its organizing
practices.
9. H e ro x ality as institu n
te se u tio
• As is the case with most institutions, people
who participate in these practices must be
socialized to do so.
• Historically, weddings have served as one of
the major events that signal the readiness of
heterosexuals for membership in marriage as
an organizing structure for the institution of
heterosexuality.
• How this is achieved is the focus of the
wedding industry.
10. The wdding indu
e stry
• According to recent studies, the price tag for
the average wedding has increased by 38
percent in the past 15 years.
• With most textile manufacturing occurring outside
the U.S., the labor costs to produce wedding
apparel have decreased dramatically at the same
time that the price of the average wedding gown
has doubled.
• Coupled with a decrease in the number of
weddings performed annually, these conditions
have contributed to an increase in costs for the
consumer.
• The wedding market is increasingly targeting
upper-level income groups or encouraging a
significant level of wedding debt among lower
income groups for what has become a
compulsory ritual.
11. The wdding indu
e stry
• The annual number of marriages has
decreased.
• The wedding industry has changed its
marketing strategies to accommodate this
change.
• One strategy is market diversification:
weddings are no longer confined to the
“Bride” pages of local and national
newspapers, instead, they have become a
mainstay of American popular and consumer
culture.
• In everything from wedding toys to bride and
groom oven mitts, the wedding market now
reaches into nearly every facet of American
culture.
12. The wdding indu
e stry
• Mainstay of American popular and consumer
culture
• Network and cable TV sitcoms and dramas
• Soap operas
• Reality TV
• Media magazines
• Celebrity magazines
• Toys
• Films
• Web sites
• Embedded advertising
• Daytime TV shows
13. Setting the co x
nte t
• Why have researchers overlooked the study
of heterosexuality as an institution and its
installation through practices such as
weddings?
• One explanation is the risk involved in such
an examination. Efforts to critically examine
sacred or valued practices, rituals, and
institutions are frequently resisted. Readers
often apply suppressionary strategies by
reacting to such discussions as personal
attacks on themselves or on heterosexuals as
a group rather than see them as institutional
analyses or inventories.
14. Setting the co x
nte t
• As activists in the nineteenth century
discovered, to critically examine
heterosexuality’s rules and norms was to
encounter either legal or social sanction.
• “Heterosexuality” as a term or concept was not
coined until 1868 and, at that time, defined
heterosexuality as sexual perversion.
• Without an adequate term for their campaign,
these reformers focused on marriage.
15. Setting the co x
nte t
• As part of the free thinker movement, marriage
reform activists dedicated themselves to the
elimination of church and state control over
marriage, arguing that under these rules
marriage was a form of “sexual slavery.”
• When they attempted to distribute their ideas,
they were frequently arrested, and convicted
for mailing “obscene” materials through the U.S.
Postal Service.
• To mail writings on “sex education, birth control,
or abortion” was deemed by U.S. Postal Code
1461—the Comstock Act of 1872—as the
dissemination of obscenity and a federal
offense.
16. Setting the co x
nte t
History—nineteenth-century examples:
• First and most famous was the
censorship of Ezra Heywood’s
published treatise, Cupid’s Yokes in
1876.
• Heywood critiqued marriage as a form of
legalized prostitution, arguing that
women, as the property of men, were
forced to provide sexual and
reproductive services in exchange for
economic support and security.
• This powerful tract was widely
distributed and censored twice.
17. Setting the co x
nte t
• Second, and equally important—Moses
Harman, publisher of a free thinker
newspaper, printed a letter from a reader
documenting the death of a woman who
had been raped by her husband
immediately following childbirth.
• Because she was the man’s wife, no legal
action was taken against him. The husband
escaped punishment, but Harman’s
newspaper was impounded and he was
sentenced to prison for publishing the
letter.
18. Setting the co x
nte t
• Marital rape was a problem being addressed by
several individuals during this period. Uneducated
about sexual intercourse, many young brides were
traumatized by the experience.
• With the rise of the medical profession, social
reformers began publishing books and articles
addressed to young women, educating them about
sex.
• Ida Craddock published and distributed through the
mail a small book called The Wedding Night. But
having already served one sentence under
horrendous prison conditions, Craddock chose death
as less traumatic than prison when she was
prosecuted the second time.
• A strong activist, Craddock sent her suicide letter to a
New York City newspaper laying out the issues as she
saw them.
19. Setting the co x
nte t
• Late-twentieth-century feminists such as the Furies
Collective, Redstockings, Rita Mae Brown (1976), and
Charlotte Bunch (1975) challenged dominant notions
of heterosexuality as naturally occurring and argued
that it is instead a highly organized social institution
rife with multiple forms of domination and ideological
control.
• Adrienne Rich’s essay “Compulsory Heterosexuality
and Lesbian Existence” (1980) confronts the
institution of heterosexuality head on, asserting that
heterosexuality is neither natural nor inevitable but is
instead a “compulsory,” contrived, constructed, and
taken-for-granted institution that serves the interests
of male dominance.
20. Setting the co x
nte t
• Understanding heterosexuality as an
institution with processes and effects is
one of Rich’s greatest contributions.
• Monique Wittig’s “The Category of Sex”
(1992) takes the argument to a different
level, declaring heterosexuality a political
regime.
• Most important among these theorists was
their assertion that heterosexuality is
institutionalized and organized.
21. Challe s to institu nalize he ro x ality
nge tio d te se u
• Pressures from feminism, from the lesbian/gay/
bisexual/ transgendered rights movements.
• Efforts to pass laws allowing same sex couples
to marry.
• The sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s.
• The prevalence of AIDS as a life-threatening
sexually transmitted disease.
• Research on the prevalence of marital infidelity.
• Disproportionate use of female workers in
developing countries.
• Loosening gender and sexuality norms in the
West.
22. Challe s to institu nalize he ro x ality
nge tio d te se u
• A significant divorce rate (4.3 out of 10
marriages end in divorce; for African
Americans, 6 out of 10);
• High rates of domestic and sexual violence (1
out of 4 women will be a victim of domestic
violence);
• The proliferation of single parenthood;
• The absence of jobs, women’s career
opportunities, day care, and job training all
have worked to destabilize institutionalized
heterosexuality.
• Of all these, women’s increasing economic
independence may be the single most
important reason for marriage’s increasing
irrelevance.
23. Challe s to institu nalize he ro x ality
nge tio d te se u
• Changes in popular perceptions of
sexuality on MTV, VH1, advertising,
popular music, gay or gay-friendly
television programming, mostly on
cable.
• Pivotal moments on prime time
television, e.g., Ellen.
• Significant representations of
sexuality variation in popular film,
e.g., Four Weddings and a Funeral.
24. Challe s to institu nalize he ro x ality
nge tio d te se u
• Rise of fundamentalist Christianity
• Growth of neo-conservative movement
• Pressure to enforce a conservative of
“traditional” view of heterosexuality by
Catholic Church and other groups
• Palimony
• Increases in reproductive freedoms, e.g.,
artificial insemination, adoption, birth control
• Declining interest in marriage and rise in single
parenthood
• Increases in domestic partnership and civil
union laws
25. Challe s to institu nalize he ro x ality
nge tio d te se u
• 9/11
• War in Iraq and Afghanistan
• Influence of radical Islamic
cultures
• Bush economic policies and social
conservatism, e.g., abstinence only
sex education, funding of marriage
initiative
• Global warming
• Globalization
26. The he ro x al im
te se u aginary
• Our sexual orientation or sexual identity
—or even the notion that there is such a
thing—is defined by the symbolic order
of that world through the use of verbal
as well as non-verbal language and
images.
• The wedding ritual represents a major
site for the installation and maintenance
of the institution of heterosexuality.
• Weddings operate as naturally-
occurring—How did this happen?
27. The re
o tical fo ndatio
u ns
• A conceptual framework to examine how weddings
have become naturalized, and institutionalized.
• Theoretical foundations: Jacques Lacan—French
psychoanalytic theory of the imaginary
• The imaginary: the unmediated contact an infant
has to its own image and its connection with its
mother. Instead of facing a complicated, and
contradictory world, the infant experiences the
illusion of tranquility, and fullness. Infants
experience a sense of oneness with their primary
caretaker.
• Rearticulated by Louis Althusser—French
philosopher who incorporated Lacan’s theory of the
imaginary into a theory of ideology.
28. There
o tical fo ndatio
u ns
• According to Althusser, ideology is
“the imaginary relationship of
individuals to their real conditions of
existence.”
• The “imaginary” here does not mean
“pretend” but, rather, an imagined or
illusory relationship between an
individual and their social world.
29. The he ro x al im
te se u aginary
• Applied to a social theory of
heterosexuality, the heterosexual
imaginary is that way of thinking that
relies on romantic and sacred notions of
heterosexuality in order to create and
maintain the illusion of well-being and
oneness.
• This romantic view prevents us from
seeing how we have organized
institutionalized heterosexuality.
30. The he ro x al im
te se u aginary
• The heterosexual imaginary secures power,
the social production of material life, and
organizes gender while preserving racial,
class, and sexual hierarchies.
• The effect of this illusory depiction of
reality is that behaviors we associate with
heterosexuality are taken for granted,
thought of as naturally occurring, and
unquestioned while gender is understood
as something people are socialized into or
learn.
31. H o the he ro x al im
w te se u aginary wrks
o
• The heterosexual imaginary naturalizes male-to-
female social relations; male-to-female rituals;
and male-to-female organized practices.
• The heterosexual imaginary conceals the
operation of heterosexuality in structuring
gender across race, class, and sexuality.
• The heterosexual imaginary closes off any
critical analysis of heterosexuality as an
organizing institution.
• The heterosexual imaginary leaves
heterosexuality unexamined as an institution
• The heterosexual imaginary naturalizes
heterosexuality and obscures how it is learned.
32. The co q e s o the he ro x al im
nse u nce f te se u aginary
• By treating the heterosexual imaginary as taken-for-
granted and as natural, we lose our ability to make
conscious choices.
• Through the heterosexual imaginary, we perceive
the institution of heterosexuality as timeless,
independent of relations of ruling, devoid of
historical variation, and as “just the way it is.”
Social practices reinforce the illusion that as long
as one complies with this naturalized structure, all
will be right in the world. This illusion is commonly
known as romance.
• Romancing heterosexuality is creating an illusory
sexual identity category that defines perceived
female-to-male socio-sexual relations.
33. The co q e s o the he ro x al im
nse u nce f te se u aginary
• Marital rape
• Domestic and sexual violence
• Pay inequities
• Racism
• Gay bashing
• Femicide
• Sexual harassment
• Unpaid domestic work,
• Inequalities of pay and opportunity,
• Exploitation of women as sweatshop workers
in poor countries
• Privileging of married couples in the
dissemination of insurance benefits
34. The co q e s o the he ro x al im
nse u nce f te se u aginary
The heterosexual imaginary naturalizes
the regulation of gender and sexuality
through the
• institution of marriage;
• State domestic relations laws;
• Federal controls on who qualifies for
marriage and benefits.
It also sets the terms for:
• taxation,
• health care,
• housing benefits.
35. Codification of heterosexuality
Laws and public and private sector
policies use marriage as the primary
requirement for social and economic
benefits and access rather than
distributing resources on some
other basis such as citizenship.
36. Heteronormativity
• The view that institutionalized
heterosexuality constitutes the
standard for legitimate and expected
social and sexual relations.
• Heteronormativity represents one of
the main premises underlying the
heterosexual imaginary, ensuring that
the organization of heterosexuality in
everything from gender to weddings
to marital status is held up as both a
model and as “normal.”
37. Heteronormativity examples
• Surveys or intake questionnaires ask
respondents to check off their marital
status as either married, divorced,
separated, widowed, single, or, in
some cases, never married.
• Under what conditions is this
necessary and why?
38. Materialist feminist mode of inquiry
• An approach to social change and a
mode of inquiry.
• Provides a global analytic capable of
revealing the social, economic,
political, and ideological conditions
upon which taken-for-granted social
arrangements depend, e.g.,
heterosexuality and weddings.
39. Materialist feminist mode of inquiry
• This problematic understands materialism
as the economic context framing people’s
lives and work.
• This economic context includes the
division of labor and the distribution of
wealth (private property) in any particular
historical moment.
• This methodology also considers the
economic context in relation to national
and state interests as well as cultural
struggles over meaning and value.
40. Materialist feminist mode of inquiry
• The mode of inquiry considers the
nexus of social arrangements and
institutions that form the social
totalities of patriarchy and capitalism
• It considers how these arrangements
and institutions regulate our everyday
lives by distributing cultural power
and economic resources according to
gender, race, social class, and
sexuality.
41. Materialist feminist mode of inquiry
• Within this framework, rape and domestic
violence can be seen as the effect of social
structures that situate men hierarchically in
relation to women and to each other.
• Historically, this has been accomplished using
forms of social differentiation such as
institutionalized heterosexuality
• This form of heterosexuality is organized by an
historically specific heterogendered—that is,
the asymmetrical stratification of the sexes in
relation to the historically varying institutions
of patriarchal heterosexuality—and racial
components.
42. Materialist feminismcapitalism
Applying a materialist feminist analytic to
capitalism means examining it as a regime for:
• the production of surplus value (profit);
• the securing of private property (accumulation);
• the exploitation and alienation of life and labor;
• the division and distribution of labor and wealth;
• global and state interests;
• those meaning-making systems that reproduce
capitalism and patriarchy.
A materialist feminist approach also understands
that capitalism operates under varying historical,
regional, and global conditions of existence.
43. Materialist feminismpatriarchy
• Patriarchy is also historically variable,
producing a hierarchy of heterogender
divisions that privilege men as a group and
exploit women as a group.
• Patriarchy structures social practices that it
represents as natural and universal and that
are reinforced by its organizing institutions
and rituals (e.g., marriage and weddings).
• Its continued success depends on the
maintenance of regimes of difference as well
as on a range of material forces.
• It is a totality that not only varies cross-
nationally, but also manifests differently
across ethnic, racial, and class boundaries
within nations.
44. Materialist feminism methodology
• Determine what is concealed or
excluded in relation to what is
presumed or presented.
• This method makes visible the
“permitted” meanings—what the
culture allows us to say—in
constructions of weddings, marriage,
and ultimately, heterosexuality.
45. Materialist feminism ideology
• Ideologies—or belief systems—are
essentially statements or images that
legitimize a society’s dominant
behaviors.
• The beliefs are disseminated through
the dominant institutions of a culture
and work to naturalize a host of
social arrangements, e.g., femininity
or racial difference. While gender or
racial difference seems obvious, it is
a society’s dominant ideologies that
shape our view of the world.
46. Materialist feminismideology critique
• Materialist feminist ideology critique seeks to
demystify the ways in which dominant beliefs
are authorized and inscribed in subjectivities
(what it means to be a wife, a bride, or a
mother), institutional arrangements (marriage),
and various cultural narratives (films,
magazines, television, ads).
• Like those taken-for-granted beliefs, encoded
as power relations within social texts and
practices, ideology is central to the
reproduction of the social order.
• Because it produces what is allowed to count
as reality, ideology constitutes a material force
and at the same time is shaped by other
economic and political forces.
47. Materialist feminismideology critique
• The work of dominant ideologies, such as
romantic love, is to conceal contradictions in
order to maintain the social order.
• Yet breaks in the seamless logic of capitalism
and patriarchy allow oppositional social
practices, counter-ideologies, and social
movements to emerge.
• Critique is a “decoding” practice that exposes
textual boundaries and the ideologies that
manage them, revealing the taken-for-granted
order they perpetuate and opening up
possibilities for change.
48. Materialist feminismideology critique
• Situates ideologies historically and
materially and offers both a critical
understanding of the object of inquiry
as well as insights into how to effect
emancipatory social change.
• Ideology critique reveals the terms upon
which we have secured dominance—
institutionalized heterosexuality and the
interests it serves.
Editor's Notes
RUN OPENING TO MY BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING HERE Start at :20 into film
Definitions: White wedding; heterosexuality; institution and institutionalized.
This slide asks the instructor to distinguish between a study of weddings and a critical cultural study about institutionalized heterosexuality. This is the point where the instructor explains how institutionalization occurs; how we learn heterosexuality as a social practice and structure and how this is different from being biologically-determined.
Discuss ritual. What is a ritual? What is its symbolic value? What other rituals do we regularly participate in? What do they signify?
What are institutions? What is their purpose or function? What are the different types? Explore the range of institutions and the difference between total and social institutions.
This is a good place to discuss terms such as socialization, relations of ruling or ruling interests and beliefs, as well as how we organize cultures to serve particular interests. Also, how social behaviors and practices vary from culture to culture.
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QUERY – IN BULLET POINT TWO, SHOULD HETEROSEXUALITY AS SEXUAL PERVERSION BE CHANGED TO HOMOSEXUALITY AS SEXUAL PERVERSION? PLEASE ADVISE
Familiarize yourself with the operation of censorship in the 19 th century vis a vis the Comstock Act.
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THIS SLIDE REPEATS EARLIER MATERIAL, DELETE IT COMPLETELY? CF. SLIDES 3 AND 8.
Important: Develop with students an understanding about how sociologists (and others) have shown that gender is socially produced manifesting in ascribed behaviors and that most have ignored the ways that gender as we organize it actually organizes institutionalized heterosexuality.
Discuss the ways the heterosexual imaginary operates and what power relations it secures.
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Heterogender: Key concept defined as the assymmetrical stratification of the sexes in relation to the historically varying institutions of patriarchal heterosexuality that incorporate racial, class, gender, and sexual components.
Note: Lessons on the primary organizing principles of capitalism are very useful here. For example, the underlying ideology of capitalism is that inequalities of income and wealth are considered socially just.
Ideology: Conceptually and theoretically, ideology is central to a materialist feminist mode of inquiry. This concept is of critical important for the cultural studies work that comes later in this text.
Key terms: Subjectivities; Taken-for-granted beliefs; ideology critique. Note: this method can be used with a variety of cultural artifacts. An effective exercise is to use ideology critique to look at bridal magazines or advertisements.