Barbara Risman Liberal Feminism

This paper argues on one of the contemporary theory presented by Barbara Risman, liberal feminism. The paper focuses on the way liberal feminism explains contemporary society and a various social phenomenon that can be explained from the same perspective.

Running head: BARBARA RISMAN LIBERAL FEMINISM
BARBARA RISMAN LIBERAL FEMINISM
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

1BARBARA RISMAN LIBERAL FEMINISM
Introduction:
Social theories present a framework or paradigms that explain a social phenomenon and
social behaviour. The term social theory consists of ideas about the operation of societies and
occurring changes in society (Martindale 2013). The changes, development and the explanation
methods are defined by social theory. For years several thinkers have presented their ideas that
have played an essential role in understanding the social phenomenon (Wallace 2017). In the
contemporary social theory, specific core themes take the limelight overlooking the others such
as the nature of social life, the structure of the social institution, Role and possibility of social
transformation, the relationship between self and society, themes including gender, race and
class are some other core themes.. This paper argues on one of the contemporary theory
presented by Barbara Risman, liberal feminism. The paper focuses on the way liberal feminism
explains contemporary society and a various social phenomenon that can be explained from the
same perspective.
Theorist:
Barbara Risman is the head of the department of sociology and professor at the
University of Illinois at Chicago. She is the founding director of the NCSU women studies
program from 1989 to 1993 (UIC 2018). Being the head of the sociology department, she is also
a visiting professor in various other reputed universities. Dr Risman was maned as the 2003
Feminist Lecturer by the sociologists for women in society. She was elected as the Vice-
president of American Sociological Association. There are several milestones in her career that
are contributed to the society and in the academic field. A significant career contribution done by

2BARBARA RISMAN LIBERAL FEMINISM
Risman is the theory of gender as a social structure. She has been working and contributing to
bring gender equality in society (Shefner et al. 2014).
Theory:
In the article Gender as a Social Structure, Risman presents her point of view regarding
the concept of gender. The author through her writing has emphasised and highlighted several
aspects of gender that are ignored or neglected only for the fact that gender inequality is deeply
rooted in society. According to her (Barbara Risman), gender should be conceptualised as a
social structure. By conceptualising gender as a social structure, it will situate gender in the same
level of general social importance. Even though the author is aware of the intersectionality
existing in the society, she believes that conceptualising gender as a social structure will help in
eliminating gender inequality. Different structures of inequality have different constructions or
different influential casual mechanism at any historical moment. Considering the
intersectionality, it is essential to follow a strategy to understand the gender structure, historical
moment and race structure. Several advantages of gender structure theory are mentioned by
Risman. Although gender as a social structure is enormously complex, it needs to be understood
with full attention in order to understand the building of intersectional pattern, institutional
regulation. This process will give the scope of exploring the cause of gender inequality.
Conceptualising gender will leave behind the modernist warfare version of science. The structure
is multi-dimensional which provides serious investigation on direction and strength of the causal
relationship between gendered phenomenon on every dimension. Lastly, it is the dynamism that
is the most essential feature of the conceptual schema. Although changes in individual identities
have the capability of changing interactional expectation, the opposite might be doing the same
as well. Institutions change due to change in individuals, yet such changes are considered

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difficult as institutions exist across time and space. According to the author, once gender is
conceptualised as a social structure, the conditions and the way gender inequality is produced
can be identified. It is essential to consider the most effective socialisation mechanism to create
fewer gender-schematic children and resocialization. In relation to cultural expectation is a
necessary aspect of the theory, where the gender equality among the heterosexual couple is
mainly attributed to the intersectional expectations at the cultural level (Risman 2004.).
Analysis:
According to Mouffe (2013), feminism is of two types liberal and radical. In this paper,
the concept of liberal feminism is focused. According to liberal feminism, men and women
should be treated equally. The liberal feminism does not believe in-all-women world but desiring
the equal treatment (Mouffe 2013). The method adopted by Barbara Risman is the peaceful
method of approaching the people and the young minds by writing and researching. Main issues
that liberal feminism includes are reproductive and abortion rights, sexual harassment, women
education, voting rights, affordable childcare and affordable healthcare. According to Butler and
Trouble (1990) The causes for these issues can be solved looking at the broader picture of gender
inequality’s root that is not only in individuals but throughout social life. The reason
exaggeration of gender differences is significant for women deserving the same legal rights, job
opportunities and education. According to Barbara Risman (2004), exaggeration of gender
difference is the basis of inequality. Women are deprived of equal rights, and it not behind the
doors but open in the out where everyone is aware of the fact. If structures are about the external
maintenance of individual choice, it is necessary to analyse the ways men and women are
different from one another that makes them fundamentally different. For example, Childcare is
another aspect which is argued by the liberal feminists that call the practice of childcare learned

4BARBARA RISMAN LIBERAL FEMINISM
and not innate. Often when a man is forced to take care of a child on his own, he is found
capable yet when there is a woman around it is expected and assumed that women would be
better at childcare.
For years numerous thinkers have manifested their ideas that have played an crucial role
in understanding the social phenomenon According to Scott (2017), Giddens described the social
structure had the capability of affecting human activity, however, human beings are capable as
well of affecting the social structure. Power is not unilateral however it is co-determined and
relational. There is no individual in power who will give the other person any power unless the
other person fights for it. Risman has explained the stubborn nature of social change. According
to Risman social changes often possible to change in very short span of time however due to the
long aged norms and values existing in the society it becomes hard and stubborn. Even when in
the social setting any situation that is ripe enough to go through change, social status hierarchies
tend to continue to be engrained and get reproduced again in the society. For example, Liberal
feminists find it only a way of imposing responsibility on women for the child. Media is
supportive of the concept that says that being assertive is more valued than being emotional, the
liberal feminist try to promote children’s nonsexist socialisation. It is found that in the
contemporary period where more and more people are reclaiming for equal rights and feminism,
there are things that are rigid and stubbornly the same which are conveyed mostly promoted by
media (Morris and Anderson 2015). According to Ali (2003), the liberal feminism is against the
idea that boys need to be masculine and girls need to be feminine. Media is one of the mass
communication methods that have a high potential of connecting with a large population in very
less time (Lyon, 2014). According to Chalabaev et al. (2013), the concept of masculinity for
boys and femininity for girls have been promoted mostly by media. It is in all the domains that

5BARBARA RISMAN LIBERAL FEMINISM
are dominated by patriarchal systemic dominance. The whole concept gives the power to men
through various ways with the idea of masculinity and feminity. For example, Women are paid
approximately 25-35 % less than men working for the same hours.
Conclusion:
Although the conceptualisation of gender as a social structure is complicated, it is an
enriching social theory about gender in the contemporary period. Gender stereotype has become
common on every ground, and people are revolting. Women growing in this era are working
hard to bring change however despite all the effort there have been decidedly fewer changes
which are justified by Barbara Risman. By all the discussion, there can be few recommendations
on this particular aspect. There is a need for more research and more writing on the issue of
gender inequality. The gender inequality is mostly identified on the women however the other
gender’s contribution will accelerate the process. It is significant to consider the intersectionality
more deeply as the issue of gender inequality is deeply rooted in the society that is dominated by
patriarchal rules. Lastly like the author suggests it is necessary to pay more attention to
researches and writing theory with explicit attention. It is to work and help bringing transform as
well as inform in the society.

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References:
Ali, S., 2003. Changing Women, Unchanged Men? Sociological Perspectives on Gender in a
Post-industrial Society. Sociological Research Online, 8(3), pp.1-2.
Butler, J. and Trouble, G., 1990. Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. New York:
Roudledge. pp.12-23.
Chalabaev, A., Sarrazin, P., Fontayne, P., Boiché, J. and Clément-Guillotin, C., 2013. The
influence of sex stereotypes and gender roles on participation and performance in sport and
exercise: Review and future directions. Psychology of sport and exercise, 14(2), pp.136-144.
Lyon, D., 2014. Surveillance, Snowden, and big data: Capacities, consequences, critique. Big
Data & Society, 1(2), p.2053951714541861.
Martindale, D., 2013. The nature and types of sociological theory. Routledge. pp.1-2.
Morris, M. and Anderson, E., 2015. ‘Charlie is so cool like’: Authenticity, popularity and
inclusive masculinity on YouTube. Sociology, 49(6), pp.1200-1217.
Mouffe, C., 2013. Feminism, citizenship, and radical democratic politics. In Feminists theorize
the political (pp. 387-402). Routledge.
Mouffe, C., 2013. Feminism, citizenship, and radical democratic politics. In Feminists theorize
the political (pp. 387-402). Routledge.
Risman, B.J., 2004. Gender as a social structure: Theory wrestling with activism. Gender &
society, 18(4), pp.429-450.
Scott, J., 2017. Social structure. Concepts in Action: Conceptual Constructionism, p.153.

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Shefner, J., Dahms, H., Jones, R. and Jalata, A. eds., 2014. Social Justice and the University:
Globalization, Human Rights and the Future of Democracy. Springer.
UIC, 2018, Barbara Risman, PhD, retrieved from http://soc.uic.edu/profiles/barbara-risman
Wallace, W., 2017. Sociological theory pp. (357-403) Routledge.