Feminist Social and Political Theory: Contemporary Debates and Dialogues

223 Pages·2003·13.085 MB·English

by  Janice McLaughlin (auth.)

Feminist Social and Political Theory
Feminist Social and
Political Theory
Contemporary Debates and Dialogues
Janice McLaughlin
© Janice McLaughlin 2003
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First published 2003 by
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PALGRAVE MACMILLAN is the global academic imprint of the Palgrave
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ISBN 978-0-333-96810-9 hardback
ISBN 978-0-333-96811-6 ISBN 978-0-230-62956-1 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-0-230-62956-1
This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully
managed and sustained forest sources.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
McLaughlin,Janice,1968–
Feminist social and political theory :contemporary debates and
dialogues / Janice McLaughlin.
p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-333-96810-9—ISBN 978-0-333-96811-6 (pbk.)
1.Feminist theory.2.Feminist criticism.I.Title.
HQ1190 .M388 2003
305 .42(cid:2)01—dc21 2003049820
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03
To Katie Ash
(just as well)
Contents
Acknowledgements ix
INTRODUCTION 1
Current contexts 3
Dilemmas in difference and recognition 11
Current health of feminist theory 16
Structure of the book 22
CHAPTER 1 Equal Rights 25
Outline of the key perspective 25
Feminist critiques 28
Feminist incorporations 32
Political uses 41
Conclusion 45
CHAPTER 2 Standpoint Theories 47
Outline of the key perspective 47
Feminist critiques 50
Feminist incorporations 54
Political uses 64
Conclusion 67
CHAPTER 3 The Ethics of Care 70
Outline of the key perspective 70
Feminist critiques 74
Feminist incorporations 76
Political uses 85
Conclusion 89
vii
viii Contents
CHAPTER 4 Postmodernism 91
Outline of the key perspective 91
Feminist critiques 96
Feminist incorporations 101
Political uses 109
Conclusion 113
CHAPTER 5 Moving On from Foucault 115
Outline of the key perspective 116
Feminist critiques 120
Feminist incorporations 124
Political uses 130
Conclusion 135
CHAPTER 6 Queer Theory 137
Outline of the key perspective 138
Feminist critiques 143
Feminist incorporations 147
Political uses 153
Conclusion 158
CHAPTER 7 Social Studies of Technology 160
Outline of the key perspective 160
Feminist critiques 164
Feminist incorporations 167
Political uses 176
Conclusion 180
CHAPTER 8 Conclusion 182
Bibliography 187
Index 211
Acknowledgements
In some ways this text has been a relatively lonely affair, in other ways
a variety of people, often without their knowing, became part of the produc-
tion of the end product; of course without having responsibility for the ideas
found within. Overall, producing the book has been an enjoyable exercise,
partly because I must confess it has been a solitary affair (maybe it is my
age), but also because it has been a reasonable excuse to spend some time
reading ideas. I still can’t figure out why I feel guilty about spending some of
my work-time reading, but explaining it is leading to a book always seems to
calm those concerned (friends and colleagues alike).
The last stages of the book coincided with a period of personal and aca-
demic turmoil, so my acknowledgements focus on those who helped through
that difficult time. I begin by providing the reader with two important tips
about what not to do when just about to submit the final manuscript:
1 Do not move house, particularly if the builders will be moving in with you;
2 Do not take on a major new administrative role, particularly if your
university is going through a period of restructuring.
My biggest thanks go to the people who dealt with the consequences of me
not following these two straightforward suggestions. To the builders who fin-
ished on time and did just about everything we asked them. To my parents
and Helen who came to help with the house and stayed away when asked.
To the electrician who got our electricity back on, after a mere five hours of
ripping out newly reclaimed flooring. To the administrative support staff
(particularly Nicki, Sue and Brad) who helped with student induction and
put up with a fair degree of angst, even if they transferred to other areas not
long after. To Colin for providing musical gems that saw me through the last
few weeks. To students who obeyed the do not disturb sign on my door, to
staff who did not.
Apart from the immediate mechanics of the production of the text I would
like to thank Catherine Gray at Palgrave Macmillan for her understanding
about the slight fluidity in the final deadline and word limit. In addition,
both Catherine and the reviewers produced invaluable comments which
have been incorporated into the final text. Thank you for your careful atten-
tion and proposals. I would also like to thank colleagues at Newcastle and
ix
x Acknowledgements
my last department, Sociology and Social Policy, at the University of Leeds
for providing input and contexts for the ideas in the text.
Finally, Katie, thank you for lots more than your proof-reading expertise.
JANICEMCLAUGHLIN
Introduction
CONTENTS
Current contexts 3
Dilemmas in difference and recognition 11
Current health of feminist theory 16
Structure of the book 22
Feminist activism is often divided into two periods; the late nineteenth
century (known as the first wave) and the 1960s and 1970s (the second
wave). Both periods led to important changes in the levels of rights and free-
doms women now have (at least in some countries), and in how issues of
gender are understood in different societies. The first wave was a political
movement aimed at challenging the lack of rights for women in the public
sphere. The right to vote, own property and obtain an education were vital
demands of the first feminist movement. The campaigns of this period
were based on important feminist theoretical texts, which captured the
incompatibility of modern democracy with the confinement of women into
the private sphere. Second-wave feminism, in different ways, connected the
continued gaps in the rights and opportunities women suffered in the pub-
lic realm to the roles they played in the private sphere. The focus on the pri-
vate sphere brought a new range of issues into activism and the development
of feminist ideas. The new areas included sexuality, reproduction, domestic
labour and domestic violence. Again, during the second wave a rich body of
feminist theoretical ideas developed, closely linked to the activities of the
Women’s Liberation Movement.
Both periods led to an increased presence for the ‘woman question’ in
wider social and political thought (Jackson, 1998; Okin, 1992). An important
target in each wave was highlighting the inability of established social and
political thought to respond to the oppression of women. Feminist thought
has always sought to engage with and reinterpret the foundations of the
theoretical frameworks it coexists with and at times draws from. First-wave
feminists challenged women’s apparent failure to display the values associ-
ated with human nature; the excuse used at the time to justify the lack of
rights women had in areas such as property and suffrage. Second-wave fem-
inists went on to challenge the masculine values embedded in how social
1