func ­ tionalism gives special weight H u m a n i t i e s

Write two paragraphs answering the following questions:

1. What is feminism?
2. Is feminism a sociological theory?

Your answers to the questions must be of substantial quality in order to get points. Substantial quality includes a demonstration that you have completed the required readings and videos and thought critically about them. Your answers must be original, use your own ideas and words. Do not copy from any website or written material from another person. Be sure to refer to chapter 1 of the textbook in your answer.

Here is the chapter 1 reference:

Feminist Theory

Contemporary sociological theory has been greatly influenced by the development of feminist theory. Prior to the emergence of second­wave feminism (the feminist movement emerging in the 1960s and 1970s), women were largely absent and invisible within most sociological work—indeed, within most academic work. When seen, they were strongly stereotyped in traditional roles as wives and mothers. Feminist theory developed to understand the status of women in society and with the purpose of using that knowledge to better women’s lives.

Feminist theory has created vital new knowl­ edge about women and has also transformed what is understood about men. Feminist scholarship in sociol­ogy, by focusing on the experiences of women, provides new ways of seeing the world and contributes to a more complete view of society.

Feminist theory takes gender as a primary lens through which to view society. Beyond that, feminist theory makes the claim that without considering gen­ der in society, one’s analysis of any social behavior is incomplete and, thus, incorrect. At the same time, feminist theory purports to analyze society with an eye to improving the status of women. Men are not excluded from feminist theory. In fact, feminist the­ ory, as we will see in various chapters that follow also argues that men are gendered subjects too. We can­ not understand society without understanding how gender is structured in society and in women’s and men’s lives.

Feminist theory is a now vibrant and rich perspec­ tive in sociology, and it has added much to how people understand the sociology of gender—and its connec­ tion to other social factors, such as race, sexuality, age, and class. Along with the classical traditions of sociol­ ogy, feminist theory is included throughout this book in the context of particular topics.

Functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interac­ tion, and feminist theory are by no means the only theoretical frameworks in sociology. For some time, however, they have provided the most prominent gen­ eral explanations of society. Each has a unique view of the social realm. None is a perfect explanation of society, yet each has something to contribute. Func­ tionalism gives special weight to the order and cohe­ sion that usually characterizes society. Conflict theory emphasizes the inequalities and power imbalances in society. Symbolic interaction emphasizes the mean­ ings that humans give to their behavior. Feminist theory takes gender as a primary lens through which to understand society, especially in relation to other structures of inequality. Together, these frameworks provide a rich, comprehensive perspective on soci­ ety, individuals within society, and social change (see ◆ Table 1.4).

Whatever the theoretical framework used, theory is evaluated in terms of its ability to explain observed social facts. The sociological imagination is not a single­ minded way of looking at the world. It is the ability to observe social behavior and interpret that behavior in light of societal influences.

Here are the YouTube videos: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Wg9FWxpZeJ8&feature=emb_title

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xorqPUYu_SE&feature=emb_title

I have attached the rest of the res