Universidad de Chile

Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades

Post-Intermediate English II

2019

“The Politics of Fear” by Ruth Wodak

Chapter 7: Gender and the Body Politic: the Politics of

Patriarchy

Reading Guide

1
 While Reading

I. Write down the names of ​female​ politicians and public figures mentioned by the author. Add
brief notes on each of them. Follow the example.

a. ​ ​Marine Le Pen ​:
Marine Le Pen ​serves as President of the French far-right Eurosceptic National Rally political party.
She was beaten by Emmanuel Macron in the final round of the French presidential election in 2017.
b. _____________________:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
c. _____________________:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
d. _____________________:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
e. _____________________:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
f. _____________________:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
g​. _____________________:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
h. _____________________:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

2
 II. Make a list of different issues in everyday politics mentioned in the chapter and briefly
explain them. Follow the example.
a. ​ ​Nazi and fascist past ​:
Austria, Czechoslovakia, the party of Jacques Doriot in France, the Rexists in Belgium, the Iron Guard
in Romania, the Hungarian National Socialists, the Croatian Ustachi, and the
German-American Bund in the United States were all affiliated to some extent with the Nazis.

b. ​ ​Abortion ​ ​:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

d. ​ ​Islamophobia ​:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
e. ___________________________:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
f. ___________________________:
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

3
Are these issues present in Chilean politics? Can you add other examples?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

III. What concepts symbolize “we” and “other” for a society in the ideology of right-wing
parties?
“we” “other”

4
 IV. How have gender relations changed since the beginning of the 20th century?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

V. Define (briefly) the key concepts from the chapter.

Plastic women - ______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Cardboard men -______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Intersectionality -_____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Neo-colonial sexism - _________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Frontier feminism - ___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Kitchen table economics - ______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

VI. Why do right-wing parties are more popular with male voters?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

5
 VII. How are Muslim women portrayed by European right-wing populists?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

VIII. What are the values of a white heteronormative American family?

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

IX. Who are the Grizzly Moms?

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

X. What is the stance of right-wing politicians on abortion / birth control?

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

6
 After Reading
a. General impression
How did you come away feeling, after reading this chapter?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

How did this book impact your thoughts about politics?

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

After reading two chapters, would you like to read the entire book?
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

Food for Thought

1. Seminar with Ruth Wodak on the book: ​here
2. In the ongoing debate over refugees, we hear from everyone -- from politicians who pledge
border controls to citizens who fear they'll lose their jobs -- everyone, that is, except migrants
themselves. Why are they coming? Journalist and TED Fellow Yasin Kakande explains what
compelled him and many others to flee their homelands, urging a more open discussion and a
new perspective. Because humanity's story, he reminds us, is a story of migration: "There are no
restrictions that could ever be so rigorous to stop the wave of migration that has determined our
human history," he says. Watch the video ​here​.
3. How can we bridge the gap between left and right to have a wiser, more connected political
conversation? Journalist Gretchen Carlson and op-ed columnist David Brooks share insights on

7
 the tensions at the heart of American politics today -- and where we can find common ground.
Followed by a rousing performance of "America the Beautiful" by Vy Higginsen's Gospel Choir
of Harlem. Watch the video ​here​.
4. Right-wing populism in Chile: read the article ​here​.
5. Right-wing populism and nationalism in Europe: read the article ​here​.
6. Your suggestions:
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

8
 Tips for the Extensive Reading Test
Study the following criteria that will be applied to grade your answers:

Content is clear, relevant, and accurate. It is evident that the student has read
Relevance
the book and completed the tasks from the reading guide(s).

Examples Appropriate, accurate, help to illustrate the student’s points.

Claims are supported by strong arguments, there are appropriate links between
Discourse ideas. A different cohesive device is used at the beginning of almost every
sentence. There is no repetition of ideas.

Words and expressions are pertinent, accurate and varied within the limits of
what has been learned in class and beyond (self-study, the book, related news,
articles, ted talks etc.). There are synonyms, idioms, collocations, phrasal
Vocabulary
verbs. Nouns are modified by adjectives. There are no repetitions, no simplistic
words (e.g. “interesting”, “good”, “bad”), no wordiness. Be careful with
spelling.

Structures are accurate and varied. There are no elementary mistakes (e.g.
agreement). The following structures will make your language more
sophisticated:
- Conditionals and wishes;
- Passive voice and causative;
Grammar
- Complex tenses (e.g. present perfect continuous, future perfect simple);
- Modal verbs (especially for past and future deduction);
- Verb patterns;
- Reported speech;
- Relative clauses.