Find out the meaning of the following words and phrases.

Use them to add to your own glossary of vocabulary on:

HISTORY OF WOMEN IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.

Try to write the meanings in your own words rather than copying them out of a dictionary. Imagine you are trying to explain the word to a younger person. What would you say? How could you use examples to help explain the meaning to them?

Equal opportunities
Equal pay
Equality
Discrimination
Maternity
Benefits
Rates of pay
Industry
Service industry
Light industry
Heavy industry
Prejudice
Promotion
Industrial Action
Trade unions
Unionism
Activism
Campaign
Strike
Picket
Economic
Economic boom

NOTE TO TEACHERS

Find out the meanings of the following and the differences between them:

• Equal Opportunities
• Equal Pay
• Equal Rights
• Equality

Think about and / discuss the difference between 'Equal Opportunities' and 'Equality'. Why is the distinction an important one?

NOTE TO TEACHERS

In all three Programmes in the series 'HISTORY IN ACTION - WOMEN IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY' you have learnt about the nature and uses of propaganda. You have also learnt about the effects of propaganda. In this activity you will need to think about the similarities and differences between propaganda, information, education. There are no 'right' answers in this activity: you may agree or disagree with others depending on who you are and where you are.

David Welch defines propaganda as:

"the deliberate attempt to influence the opinions of an audience through the transmission of ideas and values for a specific persuasive purpose".

(History Today, 49 (8) August 1999, p26)

He describes information as:

'objective facts'

and the purpose of education as:

'to open up minds'.

Use his descriptions to write your own definitions of information and education.

Discuss and make a list of differences between the three.
Discuss and make a list of similarities between the three.

In your discussions, did you use evidence to 'back up' your arguments? Which evidence did you use?

In some countries and at some times, 'education' and 'propaganda' were / are the same.

Can you think of one or more examples where this has happened / is happening?

Describe the type of 'education' that can be called 'propaganda'.

See
Extract 8:

Sequence of shots of recruitment advertisements for nursing.

In the 1950s the recruitment campaign for nurses stressed the 'rewards' of the job.

• What sort of rewards did they mean?

The government started a recruitment campaign for nurses in 1999.

• Why do you think they had to do this?

See

Extract from cinema newsreel made by Rank organisation about issues of Equal Opportunities and Equal Pay. Includes shots of women in variety of jobs and images of women achieving in education.

American training film made to address male prejudice at work and to re-educate men about issues around women working.

Television current affairs in 'This Week' series about limitations in the legislation about equal rates of pay for men and women. Includes shots of women at work.

Sequence of shots of Women's Liberation campaign march and includes shots of their demands, for example, free 24 hour nurseries, free contraception, abortion on demand, equal pay, equal opportunities.

Issues around Equal Pay and Equality at Work are debated in Parliament at this time. Use the government web sites (see HYPERLINK) to find relevant Press Releases. What are the views of the government?

Make a list of arguments to support the motion:
'Equal Pay is Good for Everyone'.

See

Sequence of shots of news headlines about strike of women machinists at Ford's, Dagenham, in 1968.

Television current affairs programme about strike of Asian women at Grunwick's, London, in 1976.

Make a list of reasons why women workers might join trade unions.

Which of the reasons are particular to women?

Design a campaign (poster / speech / manifesto) to promote trade unionism among women. What arguments will you use to try and recruit women?

See

Extract from ITN report on the response of working mothers to the Bishop of Woolwich's comment that mothers of young children should not go out to work.

Sociologists have identified a range of agencies of social control. By this they mean that our families, the papers we read, our religion and so on, all form the way we think and behave.

Read the following section from the BACKGROUND again:

Britain used propaganda very effectively during both world wars. After 1945, however, the use of propaganda did not stop – through the media, it became an effective method of social control. During the 1950s the population was seen as particularly open to the transmission of ideas and, in particular, to advertising as consumers. A significant amount of this peace time propaganda was directed at women within families and formed an important part of the socialisation process being commented on by feminists such as Simone de Beauvoir.

During the 1990s, more complex views of propaganda have emerged. The population is seen as less easy to influence than it was in the post war period. Sociologists continue to see the media as influential in controlling opinions and behaviour, however, they also stress the use of propaganda to reinforce attitudes as well as to create them. In other words, propaganda is as much a result of societies' attitudes as it is a cause of them.

Draw a diagram to show what is being said in the last sentence.

Do you agree with what is being said in the first paragraph?
Why / why not?

Do you agree with what is being said in the second paragraph?
Why / why not?

Does your school have an 'Equal Opportunities' policy? Is it displayed? Can you read it? Can you understand it? Why / why not?

See
Extract 16:

Information about Sex Discrimination Act and number of women Detective Chief Inspectors in Metropolitan Police in 1989 (4 out of 173). Focuses on and makes reference to the 'Glass Ceiling'.

Extract from television drama in which the central character tries to convince her male superior that she should be promoted.

What challenges might young women face in 2000 as they enter the world of work?