science

Tree of patriarchy

Tree of patriarchy is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Tree of patriarchy rather than just read about it. In short: The Tree of Patriarchy is a metaphor used to describe the system of patriarchy. It appears in Allan G.

Key takeaways

Tree of patriarchy belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Tree of patriarchy to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Tree of patriarchy from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Tree of Patriarchy is a metaphor used to describe the system of patriarchy. It appears in Allan G. Johnson's The Gender Knot (1997), who borrowed the idea from R. Roosevelt Thomas Jr. (1991). The metaphor uses the parts of a tree to illustrate how patriarchy is shaped by and performs in society. The roots of the tree illustrate the deep-seated nature of patriarchy in western society. Patriarchy finds it roots in the core principles of male dominance, centrism, and control. These values are rooted deeply and firmly within western society. We can see male dominance most primarily in the workplace – men dominate CEO positions, as well as upper-level government positions. The language that we use denotes a fixation on everything male. The gender dynamics that we experience everyday are shaped by deep-rooted male control (Johnson, 1997). The roots are also complex, showing that patriarchy is hard to untangle and remove (Johnson, 2013). The trunk is a metaphor for the institutions within society that are shaped by and, in turn, support patriarchy. These institutions include education, politics, sciences, arts, and the economy (Johnson, 2013). These institutions are something in which we participate every day. The knowledge and language created within these realms permeates the way we view the world. These institutions are built on the roots of patriarchy, and are responsible for the reflection of these values onto broader society (Johnson, 2013). The branches are the way in which individuals (represented by the leaves) interact with patriarchy. The branches affect our everyday lives and include communities, organizations, legal structures (such as marriage) and our families (ibid.). When we go to school, we learn about a patriarchal world view. When we work within the community and organizations we are expected to act a certain way. The leaves – individuals- are the result of the systems of patriarchy, and it is their activities that sustain the entire tree (Johnson, 1997). The leaves on the tree are passive, and do not object to being a part of the tree. However, humans are not as passive as leaves. If individuals choose to separate themselves from the tree, then the whole system will lose its power and die (Johnson, 2013). Johnson (1997, 2013) is careful to point out that breaking the links between patriarchy and individual is not as simple as it may seem in the tree metaphor, he simply wishes to illustrate that consciously stepping away from patriarchy is only the first step. In order to fully dismantle patriarchy, Johnson says it has to be dismantled at the roots where it is most complex. To do this, all who participate in society must question its foundations and the knowledge that shapes it (Smith, 2007). The metaphor of the tree is not only useful in illustrating the patriarchal system, but in other systems of oppression as well, such as classism, racism, or ableism (Johnson, 2013).

References Allan G. Johnson, The Gender Knot, 1997, p 1-24, http://www.temple.edu/tempress/chapters_1100/1339_ch1.pdf Allan G. Johnson, The Tree as a Metaphor, 2013, http://www.agjohnson.us/essays/tree/ J. L. Smith, Contemporary Patriarchy in America: Examining "The Gender Knot", 11 Jan 2007, at Yahoo Voices

Illustrations

Tree of patriarchy: An illustration of the tree of patriarchy by Esther L. Danielson — An illustration of the tree of patriarchy by Esther L. Danielson

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Tree of patriarchy

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Tree of patriarchy claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Tree of patriarchy before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Tree of patriarchy ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Tree of patriarchy

In research: Tree of patriarchy appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Tree of patriarchy in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Tree of patriarchy is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Patriarchy, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Tree of patriarchy outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “Tree of patriarchy” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Tree of patriarchy in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Tree of patriarchy means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Tree of patriarchy out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Tree of patriarchy in simple terms?

The Tree of Patriarchy is a metaphor used to describe the system of patriarchy. It appears in Allan G.

Why does Tree of patriarchy matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Tree of patriarchy?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Tree of patriarchy.