K
Terms: Kyriarchy
Kyriarchy
Phonetic Pronunciation: kye-ri-ARCH-ee
Definition:
A concept in feminist theory that refers to the systemic oppression or subjugation of any one group by another. It reflects a societal structure that might elevate certain races, classes, or genders above others.
History:
It is derived from the Greek word for ‘master’, meaning “kyrios” and “to dominate” (archein). Kyriarchy was established by feminist Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza in her 1992 book “But She Said: Feminist Practices of Biblical Interpretation”. In this book, she critiques mainstream Western feminist thought for focusing too narrowly on sexism as the root of women’s oppression, and failing to realize intersecting systems of domination.
Current Usage:
While it was originally developed and used by feminist scholars, like Elisabeth, the term has begun to be used outside of scholarly context, mainly in activist circles.
Examples:
A situational example: Healthcare discrimination against people of colour (ie. symptoms not being taken as seriously), Workplace discrimination against women (ie. women not being chosen for certain jobs out of “fear” that they’ll become pregnant)
A sentence example: “In the college system, the kyriarchy is present in the fact that wealthy students tend to get more opportunities than those from less privileged backgrounds.”
Perspective:
Musa Dube critiques Elisabeth’s concept of kyriarchy for failing, in her opinion, to fully acknowledge Western imperialism. She acknowledges that kyriarchy is extremely useful in addressing multiple forms of oppression, she also argues that it too often centers 1rst world academic perspectives all while overlooking the critical experiences of non-Western and non-Christian women, and in doing so, fails to challenge imperialist rhetoric and reinforces the very kyriarchal systems it attempts to subvert.
Did You Know?
Unlike patriarchy, which focuses solely on male dominance, kyriarchy acknowledges the interconnected nature of various social hierarchies.
Sources:
https://www.howtopronounce.com/kyriarchy
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/kyriarchy
https://everydayfeminism.com/2014/04/kyriarchy-101
https://www.jstor.org/stable/26098703