Conceptual Framework

This chapter was to build a foundation for the readers to understand how race, class and gender formed women’s works by their history. Teresa Amott and Julie Matthaei authors of the book Race, Class, Gender, suggest that understanding race, class, and gender helps understand women’s economic histories. Women’s economic status has typically changed through out history when they are connected (married) or separated (divorced widowed) from a man. In addition typically gender roles are assigned to women, but there are some exceptions. For these reasons the authors suggest that there is no generic gender oppression which is experienced by all women regardless of race-ethnicity or class. On the bases of class women have had different jobs then men which caused men and women different economic roles; women having the subordinate role. Gender has typically placed the role of childbearing on women because of their biological makeup. These are just a few that were mentioned which set the conceptual framework for women’s works.