A-Level Politics: Feminism

This material covers feminism, one of the optional (non-core) ideologies in A level Politics. Specifications differ in which optional ideologies they offer, and feminism is available on the most widely taught one, so it is a common choice. The category's other ideas materials deal with liberalism, conservatism and socialism; this one applies the same approach to feminism.

The first strand is the core ideas: the distinction between sex and gender, patriarchy and the different ways feminists use the word, the slogan 'the personal is political' and the challenge it poses to the liberal separation of public and private life, the difference between equality feminism and difference feminism, and intersectionality.

The second strand is the main strands of feminism and how they disagree. Liberal feminism works for equal rights in the public sphere, with the Equal Pay Act 1970 and the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 as UK examples. Socialist feminism links women's oppression, including unpaid domestic labour, to capitalism. Radical feminism sees patriarchy as the most fundamental and all-pervasive oppression, rooted in private life. Post-modern and post-colonial feminism question whether 'woman' is a single category at all. The quiz ends with the central disagreement between liberal and radical feminists over reform and transformation.

The third strand is the key thinkers named by the most widely taught specification: Charlotte Perkins Gilman on women's economic dependence, Simone de Beauvoir on woman as the Other and on femininity as socially made, Kate Millett on sexual politics, Sheila Rowbotham on socialist feminism, and bell hooks on race, class and gender. Their ideas are paraphrased in plain language rather than quoted.

The quiz has twelve questions: described arguments to attribute to a strand, ideas to match to a thinker, and disagreements between strands, with distractors drawn from the other strands and thinkers. The flashcards give eighteen concepts, strands and thinkers. The written work has eight extended questions, from explaining the sex/gender distinction to evaluating whether feminism is more divided than united, each with a reference answer and key points. The oral exam asks questions one at a time and expects strands and thinkers used as evidence.

The material presents each strand in its own terms and does not take sides between them. It is practice material and does not reproduce any exam board's questions.

  • Explain sex and gender, patriarchy, 'the personal is political', equality and difference feminism, and intersectionality
  • Distinguish liberal, socialist, radical and post-modern feminism
  • Attribute key ideas to Gilman, de Beauvoir, Millett, Rowbotham and hooks
  • Explain the disagreement between liberal and radical feminists
  • Use UK equality legislation as an example of liberal feminist reform
  • Evaluate the unity and divisions of feminism

Practice material written by Zestly, based on the feminism content of the A level Politics specifications (for example the optional ideology and key thinkers named by Pearson Edexcel).

Sample question

Most feminists distinguish between 'sex' and 'gender'. Which statement captures that distinction?

See the answer

Sex refers to biological differences between women and men, while gender refers to the roles and expectations that society constructs and attaches to them

The distinction lets feminists argue that much of women's subordination comes from socially constructed gender roles, which can be changed, rather than from biology. It is central to Simone de Beauvoir's argument that one becomes a woman through society. Difference feminists and some post-modern feminists qualify the distinction in different ways.

← Politics

↑ A-Level