STANDPOINT THEORY

Should be considered with Muted Groups and Spiral of Silence for a modern

appreciationAND

It is not only women that are the subject. Any group can have a standpoint, be a

muted group or enter a spiral of silence.

A standpoint is a situation from which to view the world.

We have a standpoint because of our perceptions (from our experience or observation of society) that we do not have the degree of power experienced by the rest of society and that is the usual explanation for a standpoint.

An opposite standpoint

Rich people or politicians with power may consider that their power is privileged to them and that there will always be other parts of society that are poor or have less power. Many powerful people do not care – but that is their standpoint. Other rich or powerful people care about injustice and use their position to help the less fortunate – another standpoint.

The original application of the theory did not consider the opposite view as having valid objectives – it only considered less powerful groups, especially the role of women at the time making a standpoint against (male dominated) society.

Theorists Harding and Wood say that the social groups to which we belong shape our perceptions and therefore how we

communicate.

• Unequal power in a society causes (behaviour change) social relationships to the group making the standpoint.

• There are many other theories that discuss reinforcing our decisions by using a group as a reference point (standpoint).

• The perceptions of the less powerful provide a more objective view than the perceptions of the more powerful. The reason is that they have more to gain.

• A more objective view (called strong objectivity) may create the rules and resources of the group to achieve something.

Foundation from other theorists

• Hegel said that what people know depends on which group they belong to and that the powerful control knowledge.

• Marx and Engels (founders of communism) proposed the idea that the poor can be the owners of knowledge in a society.

• Symbolic Interaction Theory suggests that gender is socially constructed (an idea that entered Genderlect Theory) and that knowledge and the interpretation of truth is a male-centred context.

• Hence standpoint originally became a feminist context (although other standpoints were also acknowledged).

Women as a marginalised group

Differences between men and women affect their communication (see Genderlect). The differences are the cultural expectations of men and women set in society and therefore the way each gender treats the other.In other words society expects different roles for men and women. The theory said that cultures have inequalities between men and women. Women are less advantaged.

However at the time of the theory and especially in year 2011 many women did not consider themselves disadvantaged and therefore not all women share the same standpoint. (black women and white women in the same culture have ethnic and ethical differences).

People at the top of society have the power to define others

• Standpoint theorists believe that a standpoint group can change the world (behaviour of society) that emerges from their efforts.

• History shows that to be true. Consider the standpoint of feminism 40 years ago, the emergence of Maori culture in NZ, the emergence of black power in the USA and the social unrest in dictator dominated Arab societies and the gradual changes in China.

• The theorists suggest that a standpoint makes society aware of unjust practices and creates groups that work to change behaviour.

(the mark of a critical theory)

• This strong objectivity of a standpoint group contrasts to the weak objectivity of dominant power groups.

• It is because marginalised people have greater motivation to understand the powerful – than the reverse - because they have more to gain.

• And marginalised people have less reason to defend the way society functions.

Does ethics make a difference?

• Ethics are social rules, so can specific social rules in a standpoint group counteract the forces of ethnicity, economic position, different experiences and even culture?

• Modern theorists say that a universal ethical standard can hold standpoints together against forces that may pull the positions apart.

• Modern communication technology assists the process.

(Impact of technology on society)

• Ethical positions can be panhuman – that is across all countries and cultures by mass communication and a panhuman ethic to go with it in order to give solidarity.

• This is probably the force that would now stop a universal standpoint from entering the status of a muted group or going into a spiral of silence.

Does criticism matter?Does it change the theory?

• It may be difficult to determine which social groups are more marginalised than others – but does it matter? It was probably a problem 40 years ago but mass communication gives most standpoints a position.

• Of more concern is the assumption that weak groups have stronger objectivity than strong groups. Elaboration Likelihood, Constructivism and Adaptive Structuration all point to group members having different objectivities within the same group.

• The role of universal ethics and the use of language and semiotics are underestimated as strong forces for objectivity.

• Adaptive Structuration shows how groups can change themselves different to how they were formed, thereby questioning the importance of group solidarity as being all important.