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Feminism and the Future of Women
Lecture 1 What Is Feminism?
Lecture 2 Before Explaining Gender and Power
Lecture 3 The Idea of Equality
Lecture 4 Feminism and Race in U.S. History
Lecture 5 Global Feminisms
Lecture 6 Domestic Labor
Lecture 7 Women, Wage Earning, and the Wage Gap
Lecture 8 Feminist Responses to Womens Labor
Lecture 9 Body Politics
Lecture 10 Reproduction and Sexuality
Lecture 11 Violence
Lecture 12 Spirituality and Creativity
Lecture 13 Political Power
Lecture 14 Feminist History and the Future of Women
Since the time of the abolitionists, no movement has so politicized social life in the United States as feminism. Responsible for wide-ranging legislation, such as womens right to vote and the right to an abortion, feminists have fought their way to the center of the countrys political dialogue and made themselves a major presence there. But the road to such influence has not been easy.
From the battle over the Equal Rights Amendment to the continuing debates about abortion, feminists have often found themselves in the middle of the countrys most hotly contested disputes. They have won many allies, but also many enemies. Yet even under the most intense political pressure, feminism has continued to grow. It has evolved from a womens movement concerned with the rights of mostly white, middle- and upper-class women to an ideology that embraces women from communities of color to, most recently, a movement of international solidarity that pleads the cause of oppressed women around the world, from those brutalized by the Taliban in Afghanistan to teenagers sold into slavery in the East Asian sex trade.
Feminists have long called attention to historical injustice and unfair labor practices. Now feminism has reached a position where it must decide not only how to redress the discriminations of the past but how best to shape the future of women.
Lecture 2 Before Explaining Gender and Power
Lecture 3 The Idea of Equality
Lecture 4 Feminism and Race in U.S. History
Lecture 5 Global Feminisms
Lecture 6 Domestic Labor
Lecture 7 Women, Wage Earning, and the Wage Gap
Lecture 8 Feminist Responses to Womens Labor
Lecture 9 Body Politics
Lecture 10 Reproduction and Sexuality
Lecture 11 Violence
Lecture 12 Spirituality and Creativity
Lecture 13 Political Power
Lecture 14 Feminist History and the Future of Women
Since the time of the abolitionists, no movement has so politicized social life in the United States as feminism. Responsible for wide-ranging legislation, such as womens right to vote and the right to an abortion, feminists have fought their way to the center of the countrys political dialogue and made themselves a major presence there. But the road to such influence has not been easy.
From the battle over the Equal Rights Amendment to the continuing debates about abortion, feminists have often found themselves in the middle of the countrys most hotly contested disputes. They have won many allies, but also many enemies. Yet even under the most intense political pressure, feminism has continued to grow. It has evolved from a womens movement concerned with the rights of mostly white, middle- and upper-class women to an ideology that embraces women from communities of color to, most recently, a movement of international solidarity that pleads the cause of oppressed women around the world, from those brutalized by the Taliban in Afghanistan to teenagers sold into slavery in the East Asian sex trade.
Feminists have long called attention to historical injustice and unfair labor practices. Now feminism has reached a position where it must decide not only how to redress the discriminations of the past but how best to shape the future of women.
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About the author
Estelle B. Freedman
16 books37 followersEstelle Freedman is an American historian. Her research has explored the history of women and social reform, including feminism and women's prison reform, as well as the history of sexuality, including the history of sexual violence.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 19, 2017
Dr. Estelle Freedman refers to this course as Feminism 101, and if that sounds like a drag, you're wrong.
TOTALLY FUCKING WRONG!!!
It's actually really fun and edifying course. And I'm so very glad I had the (momentary) good sense to get it and listen to it.
I got it (a) because Trump happened (b) see a, and (c) I got into a spirited conversation with a female coworker who is cool AF, but opposed international woman's day for some reason, and I was at a loss as to how to articulate my vague AF, quasi feminist agenda that (truthfully) hasn't evolved much since 1978 when my mom explained it to me.
So I got this course. And it's great.
It's a broad (get it?) historically oriented survey of a diversity of feminist ideologies, theories and politics, form their origins, to present to (hopefully) their future.
It was so refreshing to hear an objective, educated, simple explanation from a qualified feminist historian.
The subject has been so dominated by assholes on the right like Rush Limbaugh. And so effectively panned and stereotyped by everyone else. That it's easy to loose touch with feminism's basic tenants.
Those being basic equality, freedom, rights and safety for women, and a critical stance toward systems of gender that privilege men.
Dr. Freedman asserts that women have historically found ways to survive, resist and even subvert male authority, from within male dominated gender hierarchies, far before the construct of feminism emerged, but did not necessarily question or reject male biased gender systems.
The thing that makes feminism feminism is that it explicitly questions and rejects assumptions of male privilege and superiority.
Dr. Freedman posits that wherever (a) democratization and (b) wage labor converge, than some form of feminism emerges, and that this is the case cross culturally.
By democratization she doesn't necessarily mean western style democracy. Just simply the leveling of political and social hierarchies by what ever means necessary.
Socialism and Communism produced robust schools of feminism. And feminism is (and has been) emerging globally due (in part) to the democratizing effects of information technology and liberal economics.
Anyway. When ever resources become more equitably distributed, and where ever and how ever individuals become more empowered, than feminism just seems to emerge.
That means, feminism will continue on as long as progressive reform continues, and until a truly equitable and just future arrives. And that sure ain't happening anytime soon right?
This is a really helpful little primer on a deeply life affirming and important subject.
Great Course!!!
TOTALLY FUCKING WRONG!!!
It's actually really fun and edifying course. And I'm so very glad I had the (momentary) good sense to get it and listen to it.
I got it (a) because Trump happened (b) see a, and (c) I got into a spirited conversation with a female coworker who is cool AF, but opposed international woman's day for some reason, and I was at a loss as to how to articulate my vague AF, quasi feminist agenda that (truthfully) hasn't evolved much since 1978 when my mom explained it to me.
So I got this course. And it's great.
It's a broad (get it?) historically oriented survey of a diversity of feminist ideologies, theories and politics, form their origins, to present to (hopefully) their future.
It was so refreshing to hear an objective, educated, simple explanation from a qualified feminist historian.
The subject has been so dominated by assholes on the right like Rush Limbaugh. And so effectively panned and stereotyped by everyone else. That it's easy to loose touch with feminism's basic tenants.
Those being basic equality, freedom, rights and safety for women, and a critical stance toward systems of gender that privilege men.
Dr. Freedman asserts that women have historically found ways to survive, resist and even subvert male authority, from within male dominated gender hierarchies, far before the construct of feminism emerged, but did not necessarily question or reject male biased gender systems.
The thing that makes feminism feminism is that it explicitly questions and rejects assumptions of male privilege and superiority.
Dr. Freedman posits that wherever (a) democratization and (b) wage labor converge, than some form of feminism emerges, and that this is the case cross culturally.
By democratization she doesn't necessarily mean western style democracy. Just simply the leveling of political and social hierarchies by what ever means necessary.
Socialism and Communism produced robust schools of feminism. And feminism is (and has been) emerging globally due (in part) to the democratizing effects of information technology and liberal economics.
Anyway. When ever resources become more equitably distributed, and where ever and how ever individuals become more empowered, than feminism just seems to emerge.
That means, feminism will continue on as long as progressive reform continues, and until a truly equitable and just future arrives. And that sure ain't happening anytime soon right?
This is a really helpful little primer on a deeply life affirming and important subject.
Great Course!!!
September 15, 2017
A very interesting lecture. It's very important to keep us up to date on topics so crucial in our today's life. The improvement of women's role in our society means a better present and a better future for us all. We need to understand the obstacles to overtrow in you want to ease this process.
December 11, 2015
This was the perfect lecture to listen while walking my dog. I didn't have to fully concentrate on the lecture and I ended following most of the lecture. She makes a major flaw by explaining everything within her own CWS (closed world system), a term I get from Charles Taylor and the "Secular Age". Arguments can be more effective if the author steps out of their CWS. Freudian psychology (psychoanalysis) kept rhetorically winning until other psychologist finally stepped out of that paradigm and started improving psychology and making it a real science. I give that Freudian example because in the lecture, the lecturer makes the statement that "anorexia and bulimia are prevalent among young women because they find no control over their own body in society and so control their body by food". What a load of Freudian bull crap.
I was listening intently to her parts on pay comparability between the sexes. What was stated in her lecture was not enough to demonstrate her conclusions. Perhaps, she was watering down the mathematics because the lecture was given to such a general audience.
I get incredibly irritated at people who suggest (or the lecturer implies obliquely) that women running for office is always a good thing. Now, she gives this lecture before John McCain had shown a complete lack of respect for our country by picking Sarah Palin as his running mate, but could any sane human every justify voting for Sarah Palin (a self proclaimed "I am a feminist" candidate, by the way) one of the most bizarre candidates well since Donald Trump!
Also, she implies that it's the social constricts that determine most of the gender differences. That's my segue for recommending "The Blank Slate" by Pinker. He tears apart that argument piece by piece.
Overall, don't get me wrong. This lecture is very good in many places and she has a gift at the rhetorical flourish.
I was listening intently to her parts on pay comparability between the sexes. What was stated in her lecture was not enough to demonstrate her conclusions. Perhaps, she was watering down the mathematics because the lecture was given to such a general audience.
I get incredibly irritated at people who suggest (or the lecturer implies obliquely) that women running for office is always a good thing. Now, she gives this lecture before John McCain had shown a complete lack of respect for our country by picking Sarah Palin as his running mate, but could any sane human every justify voting for Sarah Palin (a self proclaimed "I am a feminist" candidate, by the way) one of the most bizarre candidates well since Donald Trump!
Also, she implies that it's the social constricts that determine most of the gender differences. That's my segue for recommending "The Blank Slate" by Pinker. He tears apart that argument piece by piece.
Overall, don't get me wrong. This lecture is very good in many places and she has a gift at the rhetorical flourish.
November 19, 2008
I love all the Modern Scholar lectures, but this one is especially wonderful. It is a look into the past and how far we have come in creating a more equal world, and also how much further we have to go.
November 2, 2009
Основен въвеждащ курс в историята и идеите на феминизма.
Не е лош, но на места ми се стори леко скучен, защото надълго и нашироко обяснява неща, които смятам за common sense.
Не е лош, но на места ми се стори леко скучен, защото надълго и нашироко обяснява неща, които смятам за common sense.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews