ジェンダーと階層構造-理論内在的セクシズムの問題-  [in Japanese] Gender and Social Stratification: A Case of Sexism Inherent in Theory  [in Japanese]

In most studies on social stratification, the female half of humanity has been excluded from research subjects. This exclusion takes two forms : (1) exclusion from research respondents : respondents were extracted from only male populations, (2) exclusion from theoretical propositions i.e. sexism inherent in theory : theories of stratification themselves are disposed to ignore women as a unit of stratification. This exclusion has produced many unreliable results and false conclusions in various fields of studies on social stratification, such as class composition, social mobility, differentiation of peasantry and historical sociology of education. To incorporate women and gender inequality into the study on social stratification, I investigate units of analysis and relations of gender and class structure. Most studies have assumed that the family is the unit of analysis and its location in class structure is determined by the status of the male head of the family. In other words, the patriarchal family has been used as the unit of analysis. This assumption is inadequate, both theoretically and empirically. We have to select relevant units of analysis, individual or family according to research context. As to relations of gender and class structure, I identify three distinct approaches : "gender as class", "gender as determinant of individual's class location" and "gendered class structure". In support of the third approach, I insist that studies on social stratification must be refounded on the basis of adequate theory on class identification and intensive studies of labour processes especially job segregation by sex in the work place.