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What are the major difficulties around the concept of 'patriarchy'; has the term outlived its usefulness?
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What are the major difficulties around the concept of 'patriarchy'; has the term outlived its usefulness? The term patriarchy has many definitions, but it broadly means male supremacy over women in society. It can be said to be a "system of male authority, which oppresses women through its social, political and economic institutions" (Humm, 1989 p89). There are several major difficulties around the term. There are conflicting ideas within feminism about what exactly the term means, and as such there is no one set definition of it. The universality of the theory can also be questioned. Furthermore the theory itself can be said to be patriarchal. It can be argued the term has outlived its usefulness, as due to changes in the law, the roles of men and women are viewed as more equal. However, on the other hand it can be argued these changes are not carried out in practice,...
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