Feminism and Postmodernism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Feminism and Postmodernism - Essay Example In particular, the so-called postmodernist feminism has challenged the claims that observed differences between men and women are necessary and that women have an essence that justifies their subordinating position in society. Central to the postmodernist understanding of society is the belief that the grand or totalizing principles of modernity and the Enlightenment - including appeals to rationality, progress, humanity, and justice - have been completely undermined. This line of reasoning emerges from poststructuralist critiques of language, subjectivity, and representation. In other words, where poststructuralists criticized the foundations of modernism, postmodernists read these critiques as mandates for rejecting foundations altogether (Stabile 1995). European postmodernists, like Jean-Francois Lyotard, have expressed the belief that Marxism, like the Enlightenment in general, culminated in Stalinism because of its totalizing impulses. Some postmodernists have gone much further than this identification of Marxism with Soviet-style systems, holding Marxism responsible for all kinds of oppression. Twentieth-century Marxism has used the generalizing categories of production and class to delegitimize demands of women, black people, gays, lesbians, and others whose oppression cannot be reduced to economics. This kind of judgment dramatically displays yet another feature of postmodernism: its historical amnesia. Marxism and socialist organizations in general have been repeatedly marginalized and delegitimized by capitalism. Postmodernism is full of confusions and contradictions, nevertheless, it is based on some unifying principles such as non-critical and idealistic focus on the construction of real as well as examination of the concept of difference. For example, if the society is not able to identify any interests which might unite it, then the only mean to unify people is based on identity differences. This Marx's so-called unity in differences or the identity of interests shared by people and represented by the political institutions was rejected by postmodernists who did not accept any form of presentation in favour of the particular difference (Stabile 1995). Feminism From the first glance, feminism seems to be more accessible than postmodernism and refers to the females as the political unity with the identifiable electorate. Feminism shares with postmodernism the idea of rejection of historical materialism. Notably, the contemporary theories of feminism do not reject the idea of system and totality, but rather elaborates its own analysis in which male domination is seen as the alternative or confederate of capitalism. Thus, women, being oppressed by male dominating system, share the common interest to oppose it. At its beginning, feminism was both intellectual and political movement: to help women in understanding their oppressed position and to promote the changes in society in terms of gender issue. Early feminists organized as the distinct class with radical intentions (Tong 1989). Essentialism argument (the foundation of category "women" from biological perspective) and anti-essentialism argument ("women" seen as the historically and socially constructed group) are essential to understanding feministic assumptions. Essentialists believed that women have similar characteristics upon which political action can be founded. While, anti-essentialists claimed that labels "male" and "female" were not fixed

Safeguarding Children PowerPoint Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Safeguarding Children - PowerPoint Presentation Example This research will begin with the statement that safeguarding or the provision of protection is the basic right of every citizen living in any country or State. In case of children, the responsibility becomes more important that they should be safeguarded against any problem or issue. Children are usually open to be harmed or abused irrespective of their age, religion, and classes. Therefore safeguarding them is more important than any other individual living in the society. Usually, the provision of children safeguarding legislation, laws, and rules is the whole and sole responsibility of the Government and the State authorities. According to the authors, the government defines safeguarding children as the protection against any type of abusive or maltreatment. Implementation the best safety and protective practices also come under the umbrella of safeguard. The government may apply different legislations in order to protect children in different aspects. These safeguarding techniqu es may involve protection in sports. The government may finalize different committees in order to check the implementation of child protection laws. There are different laws and legislation which are approved and being implemented at different times. However, these legislations were different from each other but the basic framework is similar behind all of these legislations and laws. Some of the most popular child protection laws include Children Act 1989, The Children Act 2004, Children Order 1995 and The Children Act 2012.