SOC3061- Lecture 04SOC3061- Lecture 04

Gender and TechnologyGender and Technology

Domestic technologies / Domestic technologies / Reproductive technologiesReproductive technologies

Early feminist writings on reproductive Early feminist writings on reproductive technologies (1970s): endorse a form of technologies (1970s): endorse a form of Technological DeterminismTechnological Determinism

New Technologies New Technologies free women from the tyranny free women from the tyranny of the household. Towards women’s equalityof the household. Towards women’s equality

E.g. the contraceptive pill E.g. the contraceptive pill sexual revolution, sexual revolution, sexual equalitysexual equality

Domestic technologiesDomestic technologies

Ruth Schwartz CowanRuth Schwartz Cowan Critique of Talcott Parson’s model for the crisis of Critique of Talcott Parson’s model for the crisis of

the modern family.the modern family.

Case-study. The mechanization of the household Case-study. The mechanization of the household in the US (1920s-1930s):in the US (1920s-1930s):

- Middle-class wives do not get jobs- Middle-class wives do not get jobs- Mechanized housework is equally time-consuming- Mechanized housework is equally time-consuming- Isolated household: technology is not shared- Isolated household: technology is not shared- New ideology of the perfect housewife-mother- New ideology of the perfect housewife-mother

Gender relations shape the design of domestic Gender relations shape the design of domestic technologies.technologies.

E.g. white good /black goodsE.g. white good /black goods

Cockburn-OrmodCockburn-Ormod: case-study on the microwave: case-study on the microwave

Ann Jorum BergAnn Jorum Berg: case-study on the “smart : case-study on the “smart house”house”

Which priorities can be found in our domestic Which priorities can be found in our domestic technologies?technologies?

Alternative domestic technologies: Alternative domestic technologies: Moyra DoorlyMoyra Doorly on Victorian feminists and their project for on Victorian feminists and their project for cooperative residential neighbourhoodscooperative residential neighbourhoods

Reproductive technologiesReproductive technologies

IVF, egg donation, artificial insemination, IVF, egg donation, artificial insemination, surrogacy, cloning, etc. (changes in the notion of surrogacy, cloning, etc. (changes in the notion of parenthood and family)parenthood and family)

In fact, our choices are highly constrained by In fact, our choices are highly constrained by economic and social factors. Many roads are not economic and social factors. Many roads are not taken (e.g. delay in studying a male pill)taken (e.g. delay in studying a male pill)

History of fertility control are essentially History of fertility control are essentially technological determinist in their approachtechnological determinist in their approach

Nelly Oudshoorn Nelly Oudshoorn on ideologies of gender on ideologies of gender as shaping medical technologies, and as shaping medical technologies, and human bodies as well.human bodies as well.

Male/female bodies as essentially differentMale/female bodies as essentially different Gynaecology/ sex endocrinology: Gynaecology/ sex endocrinology:

contraception research focuses on contraception research focuses on woman’s body until the 1980swoman’s body until the 1980s

Contraceptive campaigns in Africa Contraceptive campaigns in Africa (hormonal implants)(hormonal implants)

E.g. the gender discourse shaped the pillE.g. the gender discourse shaped the pill the pill shaped women’s bodiesthe pill shaped women’s bodies

A “social shaping” perspectiveA “social shaping” perspective

Society and culture Society and culture (priorities, agendas (priorities, agendas for research and for research and design technologies)design technologies)

Domestic and Domestic and reproductive reproductive technologies, and technologies, and ways of using themways of using them