Analysis Of Hearn's Critique

Critique involves “a critical reflection to the topic, encompassing a self-reflexivity of the author and a commitment to the political emancipation of both women and men” (Hearn, 1998, p.801, ‘Theorizing Men’). This discursive practice is by far the most direct and effective way of putting the topic of men into question. By application of this discursive practice into sociological writings, we could expect to see how the theorizing of men begins with the attempt to change them. Therefore, if the violences of men on women could be studied using the critique practice, we would be able to better understand the lived experiences of women.
Epistemological Issues Therefore, the epistemological issue that we have to consider here after a critical …show more content…
In the past, written knowledge and proposed ideas are mainly from white educated males. However, we are seeing more diverse voices in mainstream knowledge. For example, women and visible minorities are becoming more educated and are becoming more involved in developing a diverse database of knowledge. Therefore, this trend has allowed women to voice out gender inequality and push forth new ideas and insights on how to change the power relations between women and men. Thus, men are beginning to be included in feminist theorizing and studied in a new light due to women’s higher educational attainment in today’s …show more content…
In the past, biological essentialism has naturalized the social world and failed to allow sociologists to theorize “power” and the individual’s agency over creating change. Jeff Hearn’s approach to critiquing “men’s gendered practice, particularly those of hegemonic masculinities,” (Hearn, 1998, p. 782, ‘Theorizing Men’) comes to confront the heterosexual and “natural” gender roles imposed by early social conditions, such as capitalism. Therefore, Jeff Hearn has contributed to sociology by challenging that gendered practices and roles are “natural and