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Essays on global feminism
Feminist theory in international relations
Feminist theory in international relations
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The contribution of the feminist standpoint in IR theory definitely sparks discussion and debate bringing forth new perspectives which demand to be heard and considered from the more ‘orthodox’ IR theories, previously privileged assumptions and preconceived ideas. This grand entry for the feminists was towards the denouement of the Cold War in the 1980’s , Kirkpatrick; influential US ambassador of the UN during that period was noted to have said that she felt like a “mouse in a man’s world”. Is this still the case with women worldwide and particularly in the West? Tickner’s groundbreaking work set the foundation and key to early feminist IR. Whilst simultaneously interrogating the core issues in mainstream IR, particularly in peace and security, contingent on feminist bases for gendered grasp of issues that have defined it. In this essay we will firstly try to identify and comment on the emergence of feminism within IR in the 80’s. Secondly, we will pin-point and analyze which contributions were of the greatest importance, predominantly via Tickner and Keohane. Finally we will look at the impact and importance of the different types of feminist theories and whether or not they have achieved at enriching our understanding of IR theory.
In many ways, 1980’s feminist theories started to peel back the masculinist surface of world politics to address and bring to the surface these intricate gendered and racialized dynamics. Caprioli amongst many, not only asks that there be room for Tickner’s appeal for dialogue with feminist and IR scholars, but demands this to be necessary. Why is it essential for dialogue between these perspectives? Before answering that, we should first try to understand why it is that international politics was...
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Press (New York, 1992).
TICKNER, Anne, Gendering a Discipline: Some Feminist Methodological Contributions to International Relations, Signs, Vol.
30, No. 4, New Feminist Approaches to Social Science Methodologies, Special Issue Editors, Sandra Harding and Kathryn
Norberg (Summer 2005), pp. 2173-2188.
SYLVESTER, Christine, The Emperor's Theories and Transformations: Looking at the Field Through Feminist Lenses', in
Dennis Pirages and Christine Sylvester (eds.), Transformations in the Global Political Economy (London: Macmillan, 1989).
WALTZ, Kenneth, Theory of International Politics (Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley, 1979).
YOUNGS, Gillian, ‘Feminist International Relations: A Contradiction in Terms? Or: Why Women and Gender are Essential to
Understanding the World ‘We’ Live in’, International Affairs, Vol. 80, No. I, (2004) pp. 75-87.
Clayton-Dye, Amanda. “The Political Economy of Gender.” Lectures at University of Washington, Seattle, 8 April, 2014.
Edkins, Jenny, and Maja Zehfuss. Global Politics: A New Introduction. 2nd ed. London: Routledge, 2009. Print.
As the feminist movement has progressed through several generations it has shifted quite a bit in its general approach and theory. Contemporary writers such as Baumgardner and Richards, and Henry have illustrated a generational shift away from structurally aimed actions, and towards individual acts of subversion and small political actions (Baumgardner and Richards 126-202). This current course is very similar to the direction of other highly organic movements such as sustained dialogue. Feminism though, is particularly well documented, justified, and understood. Thus by comparing the feminist movement’s present tack to that of sustained dialogue, it will be possible to gain insight into the direction these movements should take, and this comparison will highlight the essential and effective foundations as well as the crucial divergences of these movements. Finally I will use the idea of objectivity as a justification for social action to create a new model of social action and conflict resolution.
Feminism has tackled gender inequality in the workforce, within politics, education and various institutes. Within the 20th century some of these issues faced in western culture have been completely reformed due to certain feminist movements that have encouraged women to fight for equal rights. (Crofton: 2011: 272-273) The first and second waves of feminism have proven to be successful by increasing equal rights between men and women. (Kaplan: 1992: 7) Despite these successes which include allowing there is still the fact of the matter remains that women are still objectified by their gender. ()The generalization of gender roles, have proven to be challenging within the feminist movement, this is often due to the objectification of women in the media. Also as feminism, is an ideology it has various schools of which have conflicting ideas of the ‘empowerment of women’ making it difficult to clarify on what is not acceptable in establishing women’s rights. (Fraser: 2014)
Holland, Catherine A. “After Antigone: Women, the Past, and the Future of Feminist Political Thought.” American Journal of Political Science, Vol. 42, No. 4. October 1998. JSTOR. http://links.jstor.org/s. 8 Dec 2004.
Lugones, Maria C. and Elizabeth V. Spelman. Have We Got a Theory for You! Feminist Theory, Cultural Imperialism and the Demand for “The Woman’s Voice.” Women and Values: Readings in Recent Feminist Philosophy. Edited by Marilyn Pearsall. Wadsworth Publishing Company: California. 1986. 19-31.
Frieden, Jeffry A., David A. Lake, and Kenneth A. Schultz. World Politics. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2013. Print.
The study of gender and its historical analysis has, itself, evolved. Linda Kerber in her essay Seperate Spheres, Female Worlds, Woman’s Place: The Rhetoric of Women’s History argues that the metaphor of a separate women’s sphere which she traces back to the Victorian era and to de Tocqueville’s analysis of America—and which may, indeed, have been useful at one point, i...
This journal article, “Cultural Relativist and Feminist Critiques of International Human Rights - Friends or Foes?” by Oonagh Reitman seeks to rouse discussion about the similarities between two critiques of universal human rights: cultural relativists and feminists, despite the antagonistic position both groups tend to take against each other. In the beginning, he lays out the basis of critique of international human rights by each camp. Cultural relativists argue that the universal human rights which are earned simply ‘by virtue of being human’ (Donnelly in Reitman 1997, 100) are insensitive to the diversity of culture. Feminists, on the other hand, criticize that universal human rights guarantee only men’s rights and that ‘gender equality and freedom from discrimination for women is given a low priority in the international arena’ (Reitman 1997, 100).
This essay will aim to discuss the relationship between Western Feminisms and International Feminisms as explored by various non-Western Feminists. It will aim to investigate the origins of this 'relationship ', the complexities/complications within it, evaluate how effective both paradigms are in the third wave and ultimately what is still needed to be done to create a transnational, intersectional feminist movement irrespective of the backgrounds of all women.
The 20th century has been an unusual one for British women. During its first three decades, they struggled to obtain the vote and in 1928, finally won this key right of citizenship on the same terms as men. During the last three decades of that century, Margaret Thatcher became the leader of the Conservative Party and later in 1979, the first female Prime Minster of the United Kingdom. This dramatic shift from lacking the vote to holding the highest executive office is indicative of profound changes having occurred in women¡¯s position and status, where few could possibly deny the key role feminism has played. Much material has, however, revealed the other side of the story. Under the glorious veil, women, the feminists included, remain subordinate in many spheres of the real life, the predicament of which has thus attracted the interest of many to become a battleground of rival views and interpretations. There is the widespread one that vigorously maintains as the cause the fundamental differences between men and women while acknowledging the equal human value or individual worth of them. It is, however, essentially based on the biological interpretation of gender roles while adopting a m...
...action with others… especially men. This supplies final substantiation of the authors' argument, that women continue to be oppressed by their male-dominated societies. It is a bold undertaking for women to ally and promote a world movement to abandon sexist traditions. Although I have never lived in a third world or non-Westernized country, I have studied the conditions women suffer as "inferior" to men. In National Geographic and various courses I have taken, these terrible conditions are depicted in full color. Gender inequality is a terrible trait of our global society, and unfortunately, a trait that might not be ready to change. In America we see gender bias towards women in voters' unwillingness to elect more females into high office, and while this is not nearly as severe as the rest of the world, it indicates the lingering practice of gender inequality.
McLaughlin, J. (2003). Feminist social and political theory: Contemporary debates and dialogues. Hampshire, Great Britain: Palgrave Macmillan.
Feminism encompasses diverse perspectives that are liberal, radical, and postmodern versions. Feminism is placed as a separate critique or even the understanding of conventional international relations theory that offers an alternative perspective and starting point for both theory and also practice (Viotti & Kauppi 2011).
A review of the available literature provides a wealth of examples of authors advocating women movement or feminism essential for defending the rights of women in a vast array of society across the globe. Feminism reflects “a world view that values women and that confronts systematic injustices based on gender” (Chinn & Wheeler, 1985, p. 74). The oppression of women had existed a long time ago and is still evident today and it is not a new issue in today’s society. Radical feminism attributes the oppression of women to men. Male power must be analyzed and understood and not reduced to other explanations, such as labor relations. Cultural feminism has been critiqued, because it provides moral grounding for men to make claims that they cannot help being oppressive. This logic takes a further turn, in that it is then likewise natural for women to be submissive (Ferguson, 1996). Through the perspectives of a radical feminist the issue is we should see individuals, family, society or an organisation with close reference to their sociological, political, economical, race and cultural background and not based on their gender since women are considered as passive in comparison to men. The different interpretations made on the purpose of radical feminism might just be the case of this issue because radical feminist might interpret it as equality in terms of having the same freedom and opportunities as men but men are patriarchal in belief and dominance is inevitable. According to Theorizing Patriarchy (1990), Sylvia Walby suggests that patriarchy is ‘a system of social structures and practices in which men dominate, oppress and exploit women’ (1990:20). The dominance of men over women in many aspect of capi...