Cross-posted on The Hand Mirror
After all the struggling and difficult arguing and talking and trying to understand each other, and sometimes trying not to understand each other, that has been going on in the feminist blogosphere of late, it’s hard not to feel dispirited, to wonder where to go next.
But here’s a post from Sudy, in which she talks about a word that was coined a few years ago by feminist theologian, Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, “kyriarchy“.
a neologism coined by Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza and derived from the Greek words for “lord” or “master” (kyrios) and “to rule or dominate” (archein) which seeks to redefine the analytic category of patriarchy in terms of multiplicative intersecting structures of domination…Kyriarchy is best theorized as a complex pyramidal system of intersecting multiplicative social structures of superordination and subordination, of ruling and oppression.
Sudy has an excellent analysis of the word, and why it might be a much more useful concept to use than “patriarchy”.
3 responses so far ↓
georgedarroch // Friday 2 May 2008 at 1:54 pm |
Hmmm. An interesting word.
I’m not sure of the need for it, however. I tend to use the word power to describe the concept above. Power for me means the ability to exert oneself over another in such a way as to influence or control them.
Chris // Monday 5 May 2008 at 12:02 pm |
I think she’s misrepresenting the concept of patriarchy. Or maybe it’s just generally misrepresented in feminist thinking, I don’t know enough to comment.
But patriarchy is a useful term that helps you think about lots of institutions. Why is Christianity so obsessed with adultery (did you know that word translated to “fornication” in the King James Bible should actually be “adultery”)? Because it’s from a patriarchal tradition with inheritance down a male line, with attendant fears of not being the real father. Matriarchies care a whole lot less about adultery, because it’s pretty obvious who the mother is. Just one example.
I don’t think you need a new word to describe social hierarchies, be they oppresive or not… then again, I’m known to have a bee in my bonnet about terminologies that just serve to make the author feel clever while confusing the reader.
Karen // Monday 17 August 2009 at 1:13 pm |
the reason why some of us women of color use this word is because it more accurately depicts the multileveled structure of both white supremacy and male supremacy.