Feminism Is An Entire World View Or Gestalt, Not Just A...

â€Å"Feminism is an entire world view or gestalt, not just a laundry list of women’s issues.† (Bunch, 1979:9) A critical quest for feminisms is the development of theories and analyses of power. One only needs to start analyzing the material of historical theorists to identify that there exists the need for feminist theories of power. Feminist contributions throughout history have been typically assumed much more utilitarian in their approach. The focus of historical theorists might often be described as more elusive and often entrenched within the patriarchal systems as opposed to rebelling against them, often adhering within the paradigm of systematic power instead of directly challenging the pervasiveness of power itself. Nonetheless, historical efforts have helped establish the need for contemporary feminisms to interrogate and challenge systematic power. Power has different manifestations whether systemic or hierarchical which can be viewed through a feminist critique. Several influential feminist scholars, including Mary Wollstonecraft, Simone DeBeauvoir, and Audre Lourde to name but a few help gain a deeper comprehension of the issue. It is evident that the manifestation of power has affected historical education, law, social training, and language. Education has often been used as a tool to facilitate power. Who has been provided with an opportunity to pursue an education is interesting to analyze. Historically, women and racial minority men were not provided with