The problematic practices of “feminism”: An interpretive and critical analysis

“Feminism”; is “constructed”; in several ways, some of which are internally conflicted and all of which produce coordination problems when a “feminist”; interacts with a “nonfeminist”; man or woman. Three commonly encountered types of interactions are identified: Sexist patterns; unwanted repetitive patterns; and asymmetrically coherent patterns. The “problematic”; for this study is to explain why these patterns recur and to critique them. Using concepts from the theory of the Coordinated Management of Meaning, we describe four of the ways in which “feminism”; is constructed, and show how these constructs lead to particular forms of interaction. This description goes beyond the knowledge of individual participants in the interaction, and thus provides a basis for critique.