Our relationships involve economic and political

Our relationships involve economic and political structures every time we have a cup of coffee.
Feminism
Feminism is another important kind of critical sociology. Feminist sociology focuses on the
power relationships and inequalities between women and men. Patriarchy refers to social
structures based on the belief that men and women are different and unequal. Patriarchy
has affected property rights, access to positions of power, access to income and many other
social structures.
Gender refers to how a society defines attitudes and behaviour considered “proper” for
women and men. Gender is different from biological differences between women and
men.
Patriarchy has this attitude: physical sex differences between males and females are
related to differences in their character, behaviour, and ability. These differences are used
to justify a gendered division of social roles and inequality in access to rewards, power and
privilege.
Feminist sociology asks: How does giving different qualities to women and men continue
the inequality between the sexes? How is the family, law, jobs, religious institutions, etc.
organized based in inequality between the genders?
There are many kinds of feminism. Despite the differences, feminist approaches have four
things in common:
1. Gender differences are the central focus.
2. Gender relations are viewed as a social problem. There are social inequalities and
stress.
3. Gender relations can be changed. They are sociological and historical in nature, so
there can be change and progress.
4. Feminism wants to change the conditions of life that are oppressive for women.
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Criticisms of Critical Sociology
The radical nature of critical sociology is criticized. Critical sociology wants revolutionary
transformation of society, and not everybody agrees.
Critical sociology is also criticized for exaggerating the power of dominant groups to
manipulate groups with less power. For example, media representations of women are said
to portray unrealistic beauty standards and make women sex objects. This suggests that
women are controlled by media images and have little ability to interpret media images for
themselves. Similarly, interpretive sociology challenges critical sociology for implying that
people are products of large historical forces rather than individuals who can act to help
themselves.
Because social reality is complex, different sociological approaches can see the social world
differently. Is society characterized by conflict or agreement? Is human practice
determined by external social structures or is it the product of human choice and action?
Is human experience unique because of social interaction, or can it be studied like the
physical world of chemistry? The answer to each question is: Both answers are correct!