The levels of analysis can be used as analytical devices to take an in-depth look at various discussed issues such as gender. Gender is a complex topic that many fail to distinguish from sex, and it requires analyzing it to understand what it entails. Whereas gender has to do with social characteristics, sex considers an individual’s biological characteristics. Therefore, individual and institutional levels of analysis can be appropriate or inappropriate as theoretical tools for understanding gender.
Individual Analysis
Individual analysis is the lowest level of analysis and refers to personal views and examination of an issue. The concept is essential in determining normative gender behavior because one can relate what they see with how they behave. For example, one can assess whether a character is womanly or manly (West & Zimmerman 1987). Additionally, an individual analysis is flexible because it is easier to change the views of a person on what they use to define and interpret gender. The individual analysis makes it easier for a person to quickly change their perception about gender based on what they describe as characteristics of that particular person or group of people.
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One weakness of individual analysis is that it leads to bias in how one looks at gender and how they consider the topic. For instance, Agnes’ fiancé claimed that “sunbathing on the lawn in front of her apartment was "offensive" (because it put her on display to other men)” (West & Zimmerman 1987). Additionally, the individual analysis may lead to an individual making wrong assumptions or conclusions. For instance, a person may judge an individual using their voice or how they handle things. As a result, if the victim becomes aware of the basis of judging them, they may become offended, and this will affect the relationship they have with the other party. Individual analysis consists of the element of non-uniformity on what a person uses to define gender. For instance, when people are married, the views on the division of labor differ. While some may say that it is the wife who should not cook, some believe that it is equally important that both spouses contribute to performing house chores (West & Zimmerman 1987). The biases in an individual analysis in an attempt to understand gender may affect the rapport between parties.
Institutional Analysis
Institutional analysis is the level of analysis that occurs within a group of people usually sharing some similar characteristics. One of the strengths of institutional analysis is that it looks at gender from a broader perspective without much bias as in the individual level of analysis. For example, the concept helps in resources for doing gender by creating differences between girls and boys and men and women that are not biological (West & Zimmerman 1987). In schools and society at large, the concept applies to dedicate resources towards various projects involving gender. In most situations, gender is defined using biological factors.
Furthermore, institutional analysis defines what society considers as power and defines people’s beliefs. However, in the current society, there has been a struggle of power by both women and men as females insist on gender equality in various aspects of life, especially in leadership. Agnes’ “learned from his (her fiancé’s) critiques of other women that she should not insist on having things her way and that she should not offer her opinions or claim equality with men” (West & Zimmerman 1987); hence she came to know something about power. Therefore, institutional analysis influences how people from one place or similar opinions view gender.
In most cases, the institutional analysis is rigid from the way it helps understand gender as it provides specific traits that explain what the concepts entail. For example, traditionally, society defined gender roles and limited what men and men could do or not (Fenstermaker & West 2013). However, this has been changing of late, and gender does not define an individual and what they are capable of doing or not. However, there have been empowerment campaigns and movements aimed at changing the concept and fighting for equality.
Another example is that society should not conclude that transsexuals are incapable of performing various tasks because, at one point, they were of the opposite sex. The example of Agnes shows that she does her chose with ease and without straining. A long time ago, society overlooked various positions in the workplace and claimed that some were meant for men whereas others for women. However, this concept has changed in the past years, and there has been an increase in women taking technical courses such as engineering and others (Fenstermaker & West 2013). Men also venture into other careers such as marketing that most claimed were preserved for women. Institutional analysis of gender has transformed over the past years and affected how society views gender and their roles.
Conclusion
Gender is a different concept from sex because it uses social traits to define an individual instead of biological features. Individual and institutional levels of analysis are essential in understanding gender. The individual analysis involves trying to understand the concept from a personal point of view, and it has the weakness of promoting bias. On the other hand, institutional analysis is a view and understanding of gender from the perspectives of a group of people. Therefore, there are various situations where either individual or institutional analysis may be seen as appropriate or inappropriate in understanding gender.
REFERENCES
Fenstermaker, Sarah, and Candace West. 2013. Doing gender, doing difference: Inequality,
power, and institutional change . Routledge.
West, Candace, and Don H. Zimmerman. 1987. Doing gender. Gender & society , 1 (2), 125-151.
