18 concepts the spec wants you to use precisely, drawn from the Panther database. Read them, then test yourself.
In test mode, tap a concept to reveal its definition.
The concepts
Cultural feminism(tap to reveal)- A form of feminism that celebrates distinctly female values, such as care and cooperation, and argues these should replace the dominant masculine culture.
Equality and difference feminism(tap to reveal)- The debate within feminism about whether women should seek to be equal to men on men's terms, or whether their differences should be recognised and valued.
Liberal feminism(tap to reveal)- Liberal feminists believe women can achieve equality by changing laws and removing discrimination. They work within the existing system rather than calling for revolution.Use it: Use liberal feminism to contrast with radical and socialist approaches. Wollstonecraft and Friedan are the key thinkers. Useful for questions on how feminists disagree on methods and goals.
Postmodern feminism(tap to reveal)- Postmodern feminism says there is no one 'women's experience' - it is different depending on your race, class, sexuality, and other identities. Feminism must reflect this diversity.Use it: Use postmodern feminism to show internal tensions in feminism. hooks is the key thinker. Contrast with liberal and radical feminism's more universal claims. Useful for questions on how united feminism is.
Radical feminism(tap to reveal)- Radical feminists believe sexism is the most basic form of oppression and that real change requires transforming all of society, not just passing new laws.Use it: Use radical feminism to argue that legal equality is insufficient. Millett is the key thinker. Contrast with liberal feminism (too reformist) and socialist feminism (debate over which oppression is primary).
Socialist feminism(tap to reveal)- Socialist feminists say capitalism and sexism reinforce each other. To free women, you need to challenge the economic system, not just change laws.Use it: Use socialist feminism to connect feminist analysis to economic structures. Rowbotham is the key thinker. Contrast with liberal feminism (focuses on rights) and radical feminism (patriarchy as primary).
Waves of feminism(tap to reveal)- The idea that feminist activism has come in distinct phases: first wave (votes for women), second wave (equality at work and home), third wave (broader identity issues).
Discrimination(tap to reveal)- Treating someone less fairly because of who they are, such as their gender, race, or sexuality.
Essentialism(tap to reveal)- The belief that men and women are fundamentally different by nature, not just as a result of social expectations and upbringing.
Gender equality(tap to reveal)- The goal of treating all genders equally and removing the structural barriers that prevent women from having the same opportunities as men.
Gender stereotypes(tap to reveal)- Assumptions about how men and women should behave that society reinforces and that limit people's choices and freedom.
Intersectionality(tap to reveal)- The idea that people face multiple, overlapping forms of discrimination, such as sexism and racism together, which cannot be separated from each other.
Otherness(tap to reveal)- Simone de Beauvoir's concept that women have been defined as the 'other', the opposite of the male norm, which is used to justify their subordination.
Patriarchy(tap to reveal)- Patriarchy means a society where men have more power than women across most areas of life - from who runs the country to who does the housework. Feminism is about challenging this system.Use it: Use patriarchy as the central concept for all feminist analysis. All strands agree it exists; they disagree on its roots (biological, economic, cultural) and how to challenge it. Essential for any feminism question.
Personal is political(tap to reveal)- The idea that everyday life - relationships, housework, sex - is not just personal but political. These are shaped by wider power structures and can only change if those structures change.Use it: Use personal is political to explain the radical feminist challenge to the public/private divide. Contrast with liberal feminism, which focuses on the public sphere. Millett is the key thinker.
Private sphere(tap to reveal)- The areas of life considered personal and domestic, such as the home and family; feminists argue these are also political.
Public sphere(tap to reveal)- The areas of life considered open and political, such as work, government, and public institutions.
Reserve army of labour(tap to reveal)- The Marxist feminist idea that women are used as a flexible and cheap workforce that can be brought in or pushed out depending on economic need.