Bell Hooks Feminist Theory

Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center

The book ‘Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center’ was written by a feminist author named Bell Hooks. It was published in 1984 and was later edited in 2000. This is Hooks’ second book after Ain't I a Woman?: Black Women and Feminism. Readers have found the theory provocative and relevant. In this book, Hooks gives hope that feminists around the world can create a mass feminist movement. She addresses the issues affecting the feminist movement: its goals, men’s role in it, pacifism, solidarity and the nature of the revolution. She became one of the most influential voices in feminism, through this book.

Short Description

All through this book, Hooks criticizes different phases of the American culture and

As a result most of their theories lack wholeness. It’s the lack of such a feminist theory (one that addresses margin and center together) that led her to write this book.

In her book, Hooks uses intersectionality to do her analysis. She criticizes how the feminist movement at the time defined feminism. She sites that it had a lot of racism and classicism in it. Hooks sites that second-wave feminism deflated attention from what the current masses of women was concerned about; which was economic survival and discrimination. Hooks points out that what can make interaction possible in a multi-ethnic society between women is leaning and respecting one another’s culture.

Hooks also emphasizes on men being part of the feminist movement. She criticizes the second-wave feminism for excluding the men. She sites that by doing so, they brought conflict between sexes as it implied that women empowerment would be possible at the expense of the male sex. For that reason, many women of color are alienated from the feminist movement, while those who do are anti-intellectual. She states that women alone cannot realize the goals of feminism. Since men are the main supporters of sexism, they should be included to transform themselves and the society at