An analysis and comparison of "Women, Politics and Media: Uneasy Relations in Comparative Perspective" by Karen Ross and "Women, Power, and Politics" by Margaret Stacey and Marion Price.
Abstract This paper compares and contrasts "Women, Politics and Media: Uneasy Relations in Comparative Perspective" by Karen Ross and "Women, Power, and Politics" by Margaret Stacey and Marion Price. It discusses how the books both deal with the issue of women's political roles (or lack thereof). The paper concludes that despite their differences, both books will be of interest to feminist scholars, though for different reasons.
From the Paper "Both of these books will be of interest to many feminist scholars, particularly those interested in the progress of women in the political sphere. Both are therefore highly recommended. However, for the reader or student with a fairly broad interest in the subject, Stacey and Price's book will be more useful, as it provides an extremely insightful overview of the subject area. Moreover, the fact that they challenge several conventional notions means that the book makes for thought-provoking reading. On the other hand, Ross's book will probably be of more limited appeal, focusing as it does on a more narrow area of the broad subject matter of women in politics. Finally, Stacey and Price (1981) is a substantially more pleasant read, in that it takes a positive view and is optimistic. Ross (2002), by contrast, is positively depressing. One ends up feeling almost hopeless for the future of democracy. Therefore, although these are both good books and impressive works of scholarship, if you have time to read just one of these books, I would strongly recommend you choose Stacey and Price's book."
A discussion of the feminist position that the neoliberal ideology that has replaced Keynesian economic structures has had the effect of marginalizing women.
1,350 words (approx. 5.4 pages), 0 sources, 2006, $ 53.95
Abstract The replacement of Keynesian economic structures with the neoliberal ideology and policy initiatives in the last decades of the 20th century has led - in the opinion of many feminists - to a modern "new gender order" within which the increasing privatization of social reproduction has increasingly marginalized women by limiting their roles in the paid workforce with the social and economic autonomy that these roles signify. This essay argues that an understanding of these processes is critical to any effort at challenging the neoliberal convergence of social reproduction in economic, social and political aspects.
Abstract A book report on a collection of Geraldine Ferraro's speeches and essays from 1984 to 1993. It discusses her centrist-liberal views on ethics, women in the workplace, health care, rape, Roe v. Wade, US-Israel relations, and diversity issues. It also points out how these issues have changed in politics since 1993, comparing the Bush, Sr. campaign of 1992 with the current Bush, Jr. campaign.
This paper discusses that the women and goddesses in "The Odyssey" of Homer are the driving forces of the epic and represent the ultimate goal and the wisdom required to reach a goal.
945 words (approx. 3.8 pages), 1 source, 2004, $ 33.95
Abstract The paper explains that women not only appear in places of honor in "The Odyssey", but also in the day-to-day life of the Homerian society. The author points out that the goddesses, representing key elements in the world that the gods on Olympus oversee, are held in high esteem and are able to exert their power. The paper stresses that most powerfulwomen and goddesses of ?The Odyssey ? show high levels of intelligence, through which they are able to use their wisdom and deceptive powers to manipulate men to get what they want
Table of Contents
The Role of Mortal Women The Goddesses? Roles on Olympus,
Where are Women Most Powerful?
From the Paper "Despite the fact that women play a significant role in "The Odyssey", it is interesting to note that, though many are esteemed, they are identified with fathers, sons and husbands, as if they would not be important if they were not coupled with a male. Odysseus furthers this idea when he says, "but I could not ell over the whole number of them nor name all the women I saw who were the wives and daughters of heroes" (xi 327-329). While Homerian society respects most of the women and women are crucial to the well being of the society, they are subjected to men for their social status and their reputations. In a reprimand of Penelope, Telemachus describes the view men have of women in Homeric society. ?[Penelope] go therefore back in the house, and take up your own work, the loom and the distaff, and see to it that your handmaidens ply their work also; but the men must see to discussion . . . For mine is the power in this household (i. 356-360). The result of this view is that women must use their wits to deceive men in order to get their way."
Abstract This paper examines three different stories written over a thousand years ago when women in China were without power. It looks at how traditional ancient Chinese writers reveal that although women had little sanctioned power, their innate wisdom gave them dominance over the men around them. It demonstrates, with quoted examples, how male Chinese writers from those ancient times frequently portrayed women as possessing control over men through the power of their natural wisdom.
From the Paper "Another incidence of female superiority, this time in Chinese literature from the ninth century, is found in ?The Biography of a Girl Surnamed Chao,? by P?i Jih-hsiu. This young girl, testified in court to save the life of her father who had been convicted of a crime against the government and sentenced to die. She offered to die with her father, and through her "filial devotion" saved her father's life. She then vowed to shave her hair and become a Buddhist in order to repay the judge for his decision, and immediately ?Concerned that others might not believe the words of a girl, she took out a stiletto that she carried in her bosom and forthwith cut off her ear to demonstrate that she would certainly keep her oath.? "
Abstract The paper discusses how Lawrence and Anderson (2005) approach the issue of power in Native communities from both a Native and a feminist perspective. The two main variables used are gender and race. The writer of the paper agrees that the intersection of gender and race are essential for the analysis of power. The writer explains that although class is not explicitly discussed in the article, it is strongly implied since Native women and their informal leadership are given secondary attention. The paper describes how the authors address the invisibility of Native women in politics and the absence of their vision and voice in political power.
Abstract The paper refers to Naomi Wolf's assertion in "The Beauty Myth" that the media is creating a particular image of women with the goal of keeping them in a less powerful role within the patriarchal system. The paper discusses the popular image of thin, beautiful women that forces women to concentrate all their energy and time on trying to become thin instead of attaining more power.
From the Paper "Naomi Wolf has published a book entitled The Beauty Myth. This book argues that the mass media deliberately creates and disseminates a particular image of women. The mass media creates an ideal of female beauty. Wolf believes that this ideal is a method of keeping women in a less powerful role within the patriarchal system. Wolf argues that the media pushes this image so hard because of a backlash against the feminist movement. She believes that this image encourages women to use up all their time and energy on diet and exercise, to try and look like the ideal. If they cannot succeed (and most women cannot match up to this ideal), then they will be filled with anxiety. In either case, they will have no energy and confidence for business and politics."
Abstract This paper takes a look at how power relationships between men and women are as old as man and woman themselves. The paper discusses how throughout history the balance of power has sometimes subtly, sometimes dramatically, shifted in favor of one gender or the other.
Outline:
Introduction
Men Still Rule the Roost
Women in Control
Conclusion
From the Paper "Despite the struggles of generations of women, in America and many other parts of the world, according to feminists, women are still the oppressed gender. According to Arslanian-Engoren, there are still biases that marginalize women, and in fact, these biases are so significant, they negatively impact women's healthcare, resulting in healthcare disparities between men and women. Power and knowledge are not the same thing, however they are mutually dependent on one another. Therefore without knowledge, power cannot be initiated. Feminists theorize that it is man that holds the key to knowledge in society today; therefore, power naturally follows. Arslanian-Engoren notes that only by acquiring new scientific knowledge, in this case specifically concerning women's healthcare, and reframing the parameters of women's healthcare, can women strive to achieve a more egalitarian and equitable balance in the power relationship."
Abstract This paper compares and contrasts John Stuart Mill and Niccolo Machiavelli's view of political power and the role of Public Opinion in relation to power and authority. The author provides a brief outline of the historical and ontological context of their respective works. The paper defines power as the justified use of force and coercion, and authority as obedience without the use of force and coercion. The main arguments in the paper are built using Machiavelli's "The Prince", and John Stuart Mill's ?On Liberty,? and ?The Subjection of Women.?
From the paper:
?Perhaps the hardest part of comparing Machiavelli's "The Prince" with Mill's "On Liberty" and ?The Subjection of Women? is the different audience to which each focuses upon. Machiavelli is writing to a sovereign government in which public opinion holds little or no direct action with it; "The Prince" thus takes on the tone of how public opinion should be nurtured by the ruler to favor him- not of interaction with the government. Mill, on the other hand, is writing in a time of republics where public opinion has become a main component of government, as will be evidenced later in part III, and thus portrays a role and view of public opinion completely different from Machiavelli?s.?
Abstract The paper relates that at the start of World War ll women were denied entry to positions in the workforce that were previously thought of as reserved only for men. Thus, the earning capacity of women was considerably lower than that of men and they were unable to accede to positions of economic or political power as well. The paper continues by highlighting that, as a result of the male task force being involved in fighting a war, vacancies in the work situation became available to Canadian women and thus it became apparent that women proved to be as efficient as men in a previous male-dominated areas. Encouraged by capitalism and the ruling powers and the press, Canadian women were now holding major positions which the government attempted unsuccessfully to reverse after the war. The paper concludes that WWI helped women realize their capabilities and achieve equality with their male counterparts.
From the Paper "In this analysis, it is important to bear in mind that women in Canada have always worked, in one way or another. Feminist scholars such as Bradbury have eloquently dismissed the myth that dual-income families are a new phenomenon, a product of the women's movement in the last few decades. In her analysis of working class families in the period from the 1860s to the 1890s - the time of the industrial revolution in Canada - Bradbury shows that even in that time, married Canadian women were actively involved in a broad range of income-generating activities, such as taking in boarders. At the same time, they were also expected to handle all domestic labour. Bradbury reproduces a cartoon showing a woman on her knees, doing the washing, while her husband eats dinner. The caption reads: "You complain, my poor husband, or your ten hours of labour. Yet I have been working for fourteen hours, and I have not yet finished my day." Bradbury also makes the point that women's labour was essential, and that if most families had relied on the husband's earnings alone, "poverty, even starvation, would have been chronic." Moreover, men would not have had the strength to labour at the factories for ten hours, and women would not have been well enough nourished to produce viable babies. In short, the "working class could not have reproduced itself."
Abstract This paper explains that power in the English colonies was accomplished by the English elite, government officials, landowners and slave owners. The paper then points out the three ways in which power was exerted by the elite included extracting resources, legalizing slave ownership and the writing of laws. The paper concludes that slaves, indentured servants, Indians and women lacked the benefit of power.
From the Paper "First of all, the English elite, government officials, landowners, and slave owners held power in the English colonies. To begin with, the English elite and government officials held power the most amount of power than any other group of people. These were the wealthiest individuals of all. The English elite and government officials made all the decisions in the New World from laws to war, because of their power. Money was a factor in determining power. The more money a person had, the more power he obtained. Power also came in the form of landownership."
Abstract This paper analyzes the way in which women are portrayed in Allende's "The House of Spirits." Specifically the paper examines magic realism and the discussion of female power and autonomy in the lives of the women characters.
From the Paper "Isabel Allende's novel "The House of Spirits" is best known as a journey into a world of magical realism. However, it is important to note Allende's other mission within the narrative, namely a discussion of female power and autonomy in the lives of her characters. In fact the way in which women are portrayed in "The House of Spirits" relates plainly to one of the novel's key themes and allows Allende to articulate an interesting point about the rights of women within a patriarchal society."
Abstract This paper examines the important contributions of women economically, domestically, and even politically to the Cree peoples of the Hudson Bay lowlands and to the Hidatsa peoples of the Western United States and Canada. The paper asks why and how these two groups of women came to assume enormous importance if not power in their respective cultures despite being largely consigned to domestic chores.
From the Paper "A Comparison of the Aboriginal Women of the Hudson Bay Lowland Cree and the Western Canadian and Northern Plains Hidatsa The aboriginal women of the Hudson Bay lowland Cree and the aboriginal women of the Northern Plains' Hidatsa share some similarities - but several differences, as well. The following paper will examine their respective social positions, their respective contributions, political influence, economic contributions and the impact they had upon their particular societies. More importantly, the succeeding paper will explore not only how, but why, the women of these two groups came to assume such enormous power in their aboriginal cultures - even if it may be said that the Cree culture was somewhat more patriarchal than its Hidatsa counterpart. In any event, as the next several pages should show, it is arguable - especially in the case of the Hidatsa - that the division of power within aboriginal society, far from marginalizing native women, gave them great power and importance."
An exploration of the role of women in medieval English literature through the examination of different works such as "Beowulf", "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" and many other religious and secular lyrics.
Abstract This paper attempts to recognize the modern vision of an "empowered woman" in medieval English literature since numerous female characters, both religious and secular, demonstrate a power far beyond the traditional sphere of the subservient woman. Examples of such women are the Virgin Mary who appears in many works and the female characters in "Beowulf".
From the Paper "The medieval romance Sir Gawain and the Green Knight also presents the Virgin Mary as a key figure, able to influence men for the better by personifying Christian values, "representing spiritual love, chastity, obedience and life"(Arkin). At his moment of testing, Gawain draws strength from the image of the Virgin Mary etched on his shield. Mary's symbolic power, here, is as important as her power to act ? merely seeing her face is a reminder of the courtly ideal. The effects of Mary on medieval literature, as intermediary, voluntary mother, and representative of Christianity, should not be underestimated."
Abstract This paper is about representations of women and celebrities in the media and their effects on average American women. Some of the topics discussed in this paper are the media's portrayal of actresses and celebrities and their affects on teenagers and women, the differences and changes in images of celebrities through the past few decades, the "Culture of slimming" , the objectification and subjectification of women, the psychological, social, physical, and mental effects on the average women, and the power of the entertainment industry.
From the Paper "Over the past few decades, the so-called "norm" for a female figure has drastically changed from voluptuous and curvy to waif-like thin. Many female celebrities have been known for their figures. Historically, Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield were two women who each wore a size 12 and were glorified by men all around the world. Today, celebrities from the likes of Jennifer Aniston and Calista Flockhart are admired for their abilities to become and stay so thin, almost appearing sick. As celebrities come and go, women compare themselves to whoever is "popular" at the time."
