Autonomy VS Integration in Gender Studies

 Q. What is the autonomy v/s integration debate? Compare and contrast both.

Outline

1.     Introduction

2.     What is autonomy

3.     What is an integration

4.     Autonomy v/s integration: Points of convergence and divergence

5.     Critical analysis

6.     Conclusion

Introduction: Autonomy v/s integration debate as to the foundation of gender studies.

                   The discipline of gender studies arouse out of the third wave of feminism in the wake of the autonomy v/s integration debate. It is a debate that initiated an academic discussion on whether gender studies or women's studies should be treated as a separate discipline or should be merged with other social sciences as was being done in that era. The debate led to the development of gender studies and highly contributed to the development of the field of knowledge.

What is autonomy:

                   The concept of autonomy and integration has been derived from moral psychology.

                   Autonomy is a concept that entitles women to be treated as separate entities. Feminists perceive gendered problems in isolation from other disciplines of social sciences.

 

What is integration:

                   Unlike autonomy, the pro-integrationists critiqued the autonomists and viewed them with skepticism. They perceive that the gendered problems need to be studied in line with other academic disciplines. Hence there was no need for autonomy in the discipline.

Autonomy v/s integration debate: Point of convergence and divergence:

i)                   Points of convergence

a.     Common goals

Both the autonomists and integrationists shared a common goal i.e. gendered development was at their heart. However, their approach was fundamentally different.

b.     Appreciation for feminism

Both the parties appreciated the work of feminists and claimed that feminists have done a great job to highlight the plight of women. In this regard, a quote from Jean Ox Barr needs to be remembered who was fundamentally an integrationist.

“Gender studies have two roles, one an integrationist, and the other feminist.”

 

 

 

 

 

ii)                Points of divergence

Point of divergence	Autonomy	Integration
Power	Power structure- self decision-making.	Centralization of power- partial decision making.
Structure	Separate structure i.e. schools only for females	Investment holistic Structure follows
Roleplay	Women need a quota system to give them special treatment.	Competitiveness
Mode of development	It will follow the women in development, mode of development.	It will follow the women and development mode.
Level of acceptability	It will make autonomy to women through laws. Strict policies will be made to improve the social status of women.	It inculcates partial laws for the development of women.

 

Critical analysis:

                                The autonomists won the debate. However, the queer theorists critiqued the autonomists for their women-centeredness. It gave birth to another debate that gave birth to gender studies. Hence, the debate emancipated gendered marginalization from the ghettos.

 

Conclusion:

                   With the advent of social constructivism, such debates are normal in the discipline of behavioral sciences. However portray to gender studies, it has contributed a lot towards the development of knowledge and given recognition to different genders. To cut short it gave rise to new discoveries and expansion of the academic field of study.