Page 190 - DSOC202_SOCIAL_STRATIFICATION_ENGLISH

Unit 9: Gender and Stratification

Notes

Patriarchy not only in terms of the complexity of relationships of gender but also subtleties
of interconnections of patriarchy with capitalism, which is a relationship of tension and
conflict and not of harmony and mutual accommodation.

Thus feminist theories provide explanation for a wide range of particular issues and have been
enriched by different approaches and perspectives. The feminist movements need to draw on the
strength of all feminist theories as each one on its own is incomplete. In fact, feminism will survive
as long as patriarchy persists and ‘the challenge is to establish a viable and coherent third wave
feminism’, which will explain the changing nature of gender relations and explore the ‘myth of
post-feminism’ that society is no longer patriarchal as the most obvious forms of sexist oppression
have been overcome.
Subordination : A Conceptual Analysis

The dictionary meaning of the term ‘subordination’ is to give secondary status. The term
‘subordination’ is generally used as a noun. It is used with reference to human beings. But it
cannot be called as an essential quality that belongs to human beings. Goodness, kindness,
rationality, generosity and such other qualities can be sensibly talked about as the qualities or
Predicates of humans but subordination cannot be a predicate because it does not form a necessary
part of human nature. One cannot make a generalization that all human beings have a tendency
to give secondary status to others or to subordinate others.
In its important sense, although used as a noun it refers to a relation between two individuals or
groups of individuals which are not on par with each other. This relation can hold (1) between one
individual and another individual. The owner may subordinate the worker or the manager in the
office may subordinate the clerk. (2) The same relation can hold between one individual and the
group of individuals on the other hand. The leader or the kind may subordinate his followers or
subjects. (3) Thirdly, such a relation may also hold between a group and an individual. Thus the
community or group may subordinate or even pressurize the individual member. The Nazi rule
subordinated single individuals. (4) Fourthly one group may subordinate the other group. The
super powers may not only subordinate but exploit the third-world countries. Or one racial group
may dominate and subordinate the other racial group. The Whites have subordinated the Africans
countries. Or one racial group may dominate and subordinate the other racial group. The Whites
have subordinated the Africans.
In all these cases, even though the relation are different, the relation is of the same kind. It is a
relation between two (unequals) and as such it is unidirectional. It cannot be reversed. It is a
transitive relation in the sense if A subordinates B, there is a possibility that B may subordinate C
and C may subordinate D.... and ad infinitum. Yet one who subordinate and one who is being
subordinated do not belong to the same level.
When ‘subordination’ operates as a relation in socio-cultural world it is expressed in and through
human action that forms the basis of human life. It is connected with the human praxis that
includes the actual fact of subordination and the evaluation that justifies the fact of subordination.
As a fact ‘subordination’ refers to all those actual ways of (i) giving secondary status to persons in
terms of ascribing animal properties to human beings, (ii) treating human beings as objects and
(iii) denying the power of decision and freedom of will to others.
However, in its simplest sense it may take the form of followership. Children do follow their
mother on whom they are physically and psychologically dependent. Men and women follow
their leader whom they look upon as an example. The cinema world and the advertisement

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