COMM 250 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Social Exclusion, Nancy Hartsock, Essentialism
1 Jul 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
❏ What are Critical Theories? - https://youtu.be/btTtpSDKhcY
❏Critical theories try to identify the power structures in society
❏Identify inequalities within society
❏Claim inequalities are wrong
❏Advocate change in the status quo to resolve power imbalance and to give
a voice to those who have been silenced by the power structure
❏Scholar/researcher goal to claim that the inequalities are wrong and to
advocate for the change they want
❏Primary goal - to create social change
❏What is a Feminist Theory? - https://youtu.be/U5rzMH-NKGc
❏Feminist theory - still a critical theory (with a twist of focus)
❏Sex or gender is central focus of theory
❏Sex or gender relations viewed as problematic
❏Statement that an inequality exists - looking at women comparing it
to men (laws to men/women unequal)
❏Sex or gender relations viewed as changeable
❏Feminist theorist advocated change in the status quo to make
gender relationships more equal
❏Challenges status quo when it devalues women
❏The Role of Communication - https://youtu.be/sOq7DNG7aLc
❏Critical theorist in field of comm believe -
❏Society’s views are taught and sustained through comm
❏We use comm to accept or reject society’s views
❏We can use comm to change society’s views
❏Through rhetoric, speeches, lobbying laws, creating social groups
that advocate for the type of change that they are looking for
❏Muted Group Theory - https://youtu.be/YI5Sq9fmCjI
❏By Edwin & Shirley Ardener (Cheris Kramarae expanded the Ardeners
idea in 1981)
❏Origin of MGT
❏Lowered powered groups experiences were represented through a
dominant group prospective
Document Summary
Critical theories try to identify the power structures in society. Advocate change in the status quo to resolve power imbalance and to give a voice to those who have been silenced by the power structure. Scholar/researcher goal to claim that the inequalities are wrong and to advocate for the change they want. Primary goal - to create social change. Feminist theory - still a critical theory (with a twist of focus) Sex or gender is central focus of theory. Sex or gender relations viewed as problematic. Statement that an inequality exists - looking at women comparing it to men (laws to men/women unequal) Sex or gender relations viewed as changeable. Feminist theorist advocated change in the status quo to make gender relationships more equal. Challenges status quo when it devalues women. Critical theorist in field of comm believe - Through rhetoric, speeches, lobbying laws, creating social groups that advocate for the type of change that they are looking for.
