In the May issue of the Cicero magazine Eva Herman puts up a provocative question: “Die Emanzipation - ein Irrtum?” Her answer is yes. She finds that feminism has deconstructed typical roles and clichés of women and men. Women have been forced into emancipation, into adapting atypical (male) behaviours, while their natural duty of motherhood is neglected. Torn apart between atypical and typical demands women inevitably fail. Herman’s conclusion is that emancipation is a failure which needs to be reversed. She might deliver sound arguments but the premises she draws upon are stunning. As she declares emancipation a failure she must conceive of it as a completed yet not accomplished endeavour. She degrades female emancipation and equality of genders a hopeless and dysfunctional idea which has proved to be a utopia of feminists. Contemporary feminists, on the other hand, would argue that emancipation is still in progress. As it has not ended yet Herman would be rash and biased in her judgement. Ironically, Herman shares her conviction of a concluded emancipation with others not opposed to it. It is true, however, that feminism as a political position is taking a rest while suspension of equal rights continues. Sexism in all its facets continues. The questions interconnected with this problem are: What hinders women from a discernment of disadvantage towards men? Why does feminism loose political and social agency? Why does the supremacy of the male sex continue? Why do women like Eva Herman encourage persons of the same sex to discard self realization?
Table of Contents
1. Problem and Question
2. Thesis and Theory
3. Analysis of the Novel
4. Résumé: Our Society
Objectives and Topics
This paper investigates the persistence of gender inequality by introducing the concept of "discursive double concurrence," a state where women are hindered from achieving solidarity due to both external male-dominated hegemony and internal, system-conditioned intra-sexual rivalry. By utilizing discourse analysis and examining Margaret Atwood’s "The Handmaid’s Tale," the study aims to answer why feminist political agency often falters and how social practices continue to divide women.
- The theoretical construct of system-conditioned double concurrence.
- Discourse analysis of power dynamics, sexuality, and fertility as nodes of control.
- The role of intra-sexual rivalry in perpetuating gender asymmetry.
- Analysis of "The Handmaid's Tale" as a reflection of real-world socio-political dynamics.
- The necessity of a new discourse to overcome dualistic discrimination.
Excerpt from the Book
3. Analysis of the Novel
A discourse analysis is considered an appropriate approach as it aims to find out how social identities are constructed, how different logics of public and private choice work, and how hegemonies and powers are formatted. Discourse theory assumes that all objects are meaningful, and that their meaning is conferred by historically (dimension of time and space) specific systems of rules. Meaning is inherent in objects but “deferred” according to the context it appears in. The object itself exists and is stable, but its meaning is unstable as speaker’s attribute different values/functions to it. The objects treated in discourse theory are the objects that constitute the discursive, or that occur in the theoretical horizon of discourse theory.
Discourse is understood as a complex web of social relations and practices that are intrinsically political and which are established around a nodal point. Nodal points are signifiers or points of reference that bind together a particular system of meaning relations. The discourse which maintains double concurrence is established around the nodal point of sexuality/fertility. Several elements of this discourse will be scrutinized, namely: body, status, sexual orientation, rituals, and supervision/punishment. Indeed, these elements function as techniques of inter-sexual and intra-sexual concurrence while intra-sexual rivalry is eclipsed by men-dominated inter-sexual rivalry. The forthcoming analysis is to show how these elements establish an unjust, a discriminating, dystopian, and double concurrence society. It borrows some ideas from Michel Foucault for theoretical back up.
Summary of Chapters
1. Problem and Question: This chapter introduces the provocation of Eva Herman regarding the failure of emancipation and identifies the core research questions concerning the persistence of male supremacy and the lack of female political agency.
2. Thesis and Theory: The author defines the "system-conditioned double concurrence" as the central barrier to equality, explaining how women are trapped between resisting male hegemony and competing with other women.
3. Analysis of the Novel: Utilizing discourse theory and Foucault’s concepts, this section examines how "The Handmaid’s Tale" illustrates the mechanisms of control over the female body and the institutionalization of intra-sexual rivalry.
4. Résumé: Our Society: The final chapter reflects on the novel as a realistic political dystopia and concludes that a new discourse, which decouples fertility from social hierarchy, is essential for democratic progress.
Keywords
Discursive Double Concurrence, Feminism, Gender Equality, Discourse Analysis, Intra-sexual Rivalry, Male Hegemony, Power Dynamics, The Handmaid’s Tale, Fertility, Michel Foucault, Patriarchy, Social Identity, Dystopia, Female Emancipation, Political Agency.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines why gender equality remains difficult to achieve, proposing that women are caught in a "double concurrence" where they must fight against male dominance while simultaneously competing with other women.
What are the primary thematic areas explored?
The study centers on the intersection of political discourse, power dynamics, the construction of gender roles, and the sociological barriers to female solidarity.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to analyze how discursive systems create and maintain divisions among women, preventing them from effectively challenging existing patriarchal structures.
Which scientific method is applied?
The author employs discourse analysis, drawing upon Foucault’s theoretical framework to deconstruct how social identities and power relations are formatted.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
The main body evaluates the theory of double concurrence and applies it to a literary analysis of "The Handmaid’s Tale" to illustrate how state and social mechanisms reinforce female subordination.
How would you summarize the paper's key characteristics?
It is a political-theoretical study that combines literary critique with discourse analysis to highlight the psychological and social traps that hinder modern feminist goals.
How does the author relate "The Handmaid’s Tale" to reality?
The author argues that while the novel is fictional, its depicted logic—such as the politicization of the female body and the regulation of reproduction—is a realistic projection of totalitarian and patriarchal tendencies in modern societies.
What is the significance of the "nodal point" in the analysis?
The "nodal point" refers to sexuality and fertility, which the author identifies as the central reference point around which the discourse of control and the division of women are constructed.
- Quote paper
- Stefanie Groll (Author), 2006, Discursive Double Concurrence and Its Impact on Equality, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/63511
