Today, the concept has broadened to describe similar dynamics globally, where traditional gender roles are reinforced or reasserted, even as societies undergo economic and social development.
This movement, while not overtly dismissing women's participation in the workforce, subtly encourages a reversion to more traditional roles, particularly emphasizing motherhood and the importance of male authority within the family.
Neopatriarchy represents a response to perceived threats from liberal individualism, promoting a vision of society where the state supports and incentivizes traditional gender dynamics as a cornerstone of social stability.
Sharabi described this phenomenon as a form of "distorted" modernity, where the appearance of progress in areas such as education and urbanization was accompanied by the entrenchment of traditional gender roles within new social and institutional frameworks.
[2] Sharabi's work remains a seminal reference for understanding how patriarchal systems can adapt to and persist within modern contexts, especially in societies with strong cultural or religious ties to traditional gender norm.
[4] In Western societies, the concept of neopatriarchy has gained attention in the analysis of certain political and cultural movements that advocate for a return to traditional family values and gender roles.
These justifications are typically rooted in long-standing beliefs about the nature and purpose of men and women, often drawing on religious texts, cultural traditions, and historical precedents.
For example, in many neopatriarchal societies, religious institutions play a key role in shaping and maintaining gender norms by promoting ideologies that support male dominance and the subordination of women.
Proponents of neopatriarchy argue that feminism has disrupted the natural order of society by encouraging women to pursue careers and independence at the expense of family and community cohesion.
The maintenance of these traditional roles serves to perpetuate gender inequalities by limiting women's opportunities for advancement and reinforcing the notion that their primary value lies in their domestic contributions.
Proponents of neopatriarchy argue that the feminist emphasis on gender equality and women's independence has led to a breakdown in family structures and a decline in moral values.
[16] This paradox is evident in many rapidly developing societies, where the benefits of modernization, such as increased wealth and technological advancement, do not translate into greater social or political power for women.
This resurgence is largely driven by prominent figures who advocate for a return to traditional gender roles and family structures, viewing these as essential for societal stability.
Vance's views are part of a broader conservative effort to reassert traditional gender roles in a modern context, a stance that has been both lauded by some as a necessary corrective and criticized by others as a regression.
Senator Josh Hawley, for instance, has called for a revival of "manhood" in America, urging men to embrace traditional masculine virtues such as strength, stoicism, and leadership.
Kevin Roberts, the foundation's president, has argued against contraceptive technologies, claiming that they disrupt the "basic functioning elements of civilization" by enabling consequence-free sexual activity.
[21] Neopatriarchy also finds a significant parallel within the ideologies of Neo-Nazism and the broader alt-right, where traditional gender roles are exalted as essential to maintaining social order and racial purity.
[23] Joscelyn Godwin's Arktos: The Polar Myth in Science, Symbolism, and Nazi Survival examines how these gender roles are intertwined with esoteric beliefs within Neo-Nazism.
Matthew Lyons, in Insurgent Supremacists: The U.S. Far Right's Challenge to State and Empire, explores how the alt-right uses these neopatriarchal ideals to appeal to a broader audience, linking gender roles to their wider objectives of racial purity and societal stability.
The "tradwife" movement, which has gained traction on TikTok and other social media sites, promotes the idea that women should embrace traditional domestic roles, prioritizing homemaking and child-rearing over careers.
In Christianity, the Roman Catholic Church formally stated in Ordinatio Sacerdotalis (1994) that it lacks the authority to ordain women, a position rooted in longstanding theological interpretations.
[28] Similarly, many evangelical groups, such as the Southern Baptist Convention, reject women's ordination based on scriptural passages like 1 Timothy 2:12, which states, "I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man.
"[29] Evangelical opposition often aligns with complementarian theology, which argues for distinct, God-given roles for men and women, as promoted by organizations like the Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.
[30] In Islam, some traditions preclude women from serving as imams in mixed-gender congregations, citing Quranic verses and Hadiths that reinforce gender-segregated roles in religious leadership.
[31] These positions reflect a broader neopatriarchal agenda to uphold established social hierarchies, often justified through cultural and religious narratives that emphasize traditional roles.