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In her article Womens History Joan Scott states that it is important for historians to be serious-minded to both the ways in which political science constructs sexual activity and gender constructs politics. First, definitions for politics and gender will be established in order to give out Scotts claim. Second, what Scott meant by the claim politics constructs gender will be illustrated. Third, the contradictory claim gender constructs politics by Joan Scott will be explained. Finally, this wallpaper will evaluate why it is important for historians to be attentive to both the notion that politics constructs gender and gender constructs politics. The usefulness of Scotts claim on our understanding of both politics and gender will also be examined. The point that Scott was trying to give birth across in stating that historians should be attentive to the measure claim that politics constructs gender and gender constructs politics is that an incomplete history will be recorded i f both sides of the equation are not considered mass in hand.To portray why Joan Scott believes it is important for historians to be cognizant of both genders effect on politics and politics effect on gender we must first establish what Joan Scotts definitions of gender and politics are. Gender has umteen definitions that have been developed through the numerous approaches to history and the many other social sciences. The basic debate in defining gender is at what point is the distinction made between the natural (sex) and the heathenish (gender). Gayle Rubins definition in The Traffic in Women Notes on the Political Economy of Sex is that sex is the raw material on which culture uses to produce gender and that gender is the cultural expectations of the differences between men and women. The important aspect of the definition of gender is that it is culturally defined and does not remain static all over time. As society adjusts, so do its definitions of gender. Politics is the other key word in Scotts statement that must be defined. Politics, according to Scott in Womens History, is not just formal government but all relationships involving unequal distributions of power. Scott uses this broad definition of politics in order to explain the cultural determination of the terms of sexual difference. In other words this definition allows for a more complete explanation of what has shaped societys e... ...he role of historians should be to record history and its significance. The third reason historians should look at the relationship between politics and gender is that if historians only look at the way formal politics shapes gender then a black and white picture of gender is portrayed. If a broad definition of politics is used, such(prenominal) as the one used by Joan Scott, then arguments about the separate and distinctive qualities of womens character and experience can be avoided. As a result a clearer picture of history will be drawn that does not rely on fixed distinctions that have been made between the genders over time and in the present. Finally, by paying attention to the idea that gender and politics have an effect on one another we can get a clearer picture of where womens history fits into the history books.In conclusion, Scotts claim that historians should be attentive to both the ways in which gender constructs politics and politics constructs gender is a thought provoking comment that must be considered if an accurate and unbiased history is to be produced. Politics and gender are both socially construed notions and by definition will have an influence on one another.