patriarchy
Sign in to savePatriarchy is a social system in which positions of authority are primarily held by men. The term patriarchy is used both in anthropology to describe a family or clan controlled by the father or eldest male or group of males, and in feminist theory to describe a broader social structure in which men as a group dominate society.
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Patriarchy is a social system where men primarily hold positions of power and authority, whether in families, clans, or society as a whole. Understanding patriarchy matters because it describes how power and influence have been distributed between genders historically and in contemporary societies, which affects opportunities, resources, and social structures for everyone.
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Article
28 sectionsContents
- Terminology
- Overview
- History
- Pre-history
- Sexual division of labour
- Sex hierarchies
- Ancient Western history
- Modern Western history
- Asian history
- Social theories
- Patriarchy and feminism
- Development of feminism
- The role of patriarchy in feminism
- Feminist ideologies
- Feminist theory
- Biological theories
- Evolutionary biology
- Psychoanalytic theories
- Gender inequality today
- Impact of patriarchy on mental health
- See also
- Patriarchal models
- Related topics
- Comparable social models
- Contrast
- References
- Further reading
- External links
Patriarchy is a social system in which positions of authority are primarily held by men. The term patriarchy is used both in anthropology to describe a family or clan controlled by the father or eldest male or group of males, and in feminist theory to describe a broader social structure in which men as a group dominate society.
Sociologists posit that the process of socialization is predominantly responsible for the establishment of gender roles. They contend that gender roles and gender inequity function as instruments of power and have evolved into social norms that serve to maintain control over women. Patriarchal ideology explains and rationalizes patriarchy by attributing gender inequality to inherent natural differences between men and women, divine commandment, or other fixed structures.