In
feminist theory
Feminist theory is the extension of feminism into theoretical, fictional, or Philosophy, philosophical discourse. It aims to understand the nature of gender inequality. It examines women's and men's Gender role, social roles, experiences, intere ...
, kyriarchy () is a
social system
In sociology, a social system is the patterned network of relationships constituting a coherent whole that exist between individuals, groups, and institutions. It is the formal Social structure, structure of role and status that can form in a smal ...
or set of connecting social systems built around
domination,
oppression
Oppression is malicious or unjust treatment of, or exercise of power over, a group of individuals, often in the form of governmental authority. Oppression may be overt or covert, depending on how it is practiced.
No universally accepted model ...
, and
submission. The word was coined by
Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza in 1992 to describe her theory of interconnected, interacting, and self-extending systems of domination and submission, in which a single individual might be oppressed in some relationships and
privileged in others. It is an
intersectional extension of the idea of
patriarchy
Patriarchy is a social system in which positions of authority are primarily held by men. The term ''patriarchy'' is used both in anthropology to describe a family or clan controlled by the father or eldest male or group of males, and in fem ...
beyond gender.
Kyriarchy encompasses forms of dominating hierarchies in which the subordination of one person or group to another is internalized and institutionalized.
Etymology
The term was coined into
English by
Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza in 1992 when she published her book ''But She Said: Feminist Practices of Biblical Interpretation''.
It is derived from , "lord, master" and , "lead, rule, govern".
The word ''kyriarchy'' (), already existed in Modern Greek, and means "
sovereignty
Sovereignty can generally be defined as supreme authority. Sovereignty entails hierarchy within a state as well as external autonomy for states. In any state, sovereignty is assigned to the person, body or institution that has the ultimate au ...
".
Usage
The term was originally developed in the context of
feminist theological discourse, and has been used in some other areas of academia as a non–gender-based descriptor of systems of power, as opposed to
patriarchy
Patriarchy is a social system in which positions of authority are primarily held by men. The term ''patriarchy'' is used both in anthropology to describe a family or clan controlled by the father or eldest male or group of males, and in fem ...
. It is also widely used outside of scholarly contexts.
The Kurdish-Iranian asylum seeker
Behrouz Boochani
Behrouz Boochani (; born 23 July 1983) is a Iranian Kurdistan, Kurdish-Iranian journalist, human rights defender, writer and film producer living in New Zealand. He was held in the Australian-run Manus Regional Processing Centre, Manus Island d ...
has described the
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
n-run
Manus Island prison as a kyriarchal system:
one where different forms of oppression intersect; oppression is not random but purposeful, designed to isolate and create friction amongst prisoners, leading to despair and broken spirits.
He elaborates on this in his autobiographical account of the prison, ''
No Friend But the Mountains''.
Structural positions
Schüssler Fiorenza describes interdependent "stratifications of gender, race, class, religion,
heterosexualism, and age" as ''structural positions''
assigned at birth. She suggests that people inhabit several positions, and that positions with privilege become nodal points through which other positions are experienced. For example, in a context where gender is the primary privileged position (e.g.
patriarchy
Patriarchy is a social system in which positions of authority are primarily held by men. The term ''patriarchy'' is used both in anthropology to describe a family or clan controlled by the father or eldest male or group of males, and in fem ...
,
matriarchy
Matriarchy is a social system in which positions of Power (social and political), power and Social privilege, privilege are held by women. In a broader sense it can also extend to moral authority, social privilege, and control of property. Whil ...
), gender becomes the nodal point through which sexuality, race, and class are experienced. In a context where class is the primary privileged position (i.e.
classism), gender and race are experienced through class dynamics. Fiorenza stresses that kyriarchy is not a hierarchical system as it does not focus on one point of domination. Instead it is described as a "complex pyramidal system" with those on the bottom of the pyramid experiencing the "full power of kyriarchal oppression". The kyriarchy is recognized as the
status quo
is a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs, particularly with regard to social, economic, legal, environmental, political, religious, scientific or military issues. In the sociological sense, the ''status quo'' refers to the curren ...
and therefore its oppressive structures may not be recognized.
To maintain this system, kyriarchy relies on the creation of a servant class, race, gender, or people. The position of this class is reinforced through "education, socialization, and brute violence and
malestream rationalization".
Tēraudkalns suggests that these structures of oppression are self-sustained by
internalized oppression; those with relative power tend to remain in power, while those without tend to remain disenfranchised.
In addition, structures of oppression amplify and feed into each other.
See also
*
Bullying
Bullying is the use of force, coercion, Suffering, hurtful teasing, comments, or threats, in order to abuse, aggression, aggressively wikt:domination, dominate, or intimidate one or more others. The behavior is often repeated and habitual. On ...
*
Feminist theology
*
Hierarchy
A hierarchy (from Ancient Greek, Greek: , from , 'president of sacred rites') is an arrangement of items (objects, names, values, categories, etc.) that are represented as being "above", "below", or "at the same level as" one another. Hierarchy ...
*
Identity politics
Identity politics is politics based on a particular identity, such as ethnicity, Race (human categorization), race, nationality, religion, Religious denomination, denomination, gender, sexual orientation, Socioeconomic status, social background ...
*
Male privilege
Male privilege is the system of advantages or rights that are available to men on the basis of their sex. A man's access to these benefits may vary depending on how closely they match their society's ideal masculine norm.
Academic studies ...
*
Might makes right
*
Patriarchy
Patriarchy is a social system in which positions of authority are primarily held by men. The term ''patriarchy'' is used both in anthropology to describe a family or clan controlled by the father or eldest male or group of males, and in fem ...
*
Social dominance orientation
*
Toxic masculinity
References
Further reading
* Giannacopoulos, M. "Kyriarchy, Nomopoly, and Patriarchal White Sovereignty." ''Biography'', (2020) 43(4), 736–747.
* Thompson, Margaret Susan. "Circles of sisterhood: formal and informal collaboration among American nuns in response to conflict with Vatican Kyriarchy." ''Journal of feminist studies in religion'' 32.2 (2016): 63-82.
* Thompson, Margaret Susan. "Sacraments as Weapons: Patriarchal Coercion and Engendered Power in the Nineteenth-Century Convent." ''Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion'' 38.2 (2022): 89-104.
External links
* {{Wiktionary inline, kyriarchy
Feminism and society
Intersectionality
Social inequality
Social systems
1992 neologisms