Feminist Debates: Issues of Theory and Political Practice

Feminist Debates: Issues of Theory and Political Practice

by Valerie Bryson
Feminist Debates: Issues of Theory and Political Practice

Feminist Debates: Issues of Theory and Political Practice

by Valerie Bryson

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Overview

Are women still oppressed? Is paid employment the key to liberation? Should pornography be banned? Do women have an absolute right to abortion? Can women in government really make a difference?
In this comprehensive study, Valerie Bryson draws on a wide range of theoretical, empirical and comparative material to provide a lucid account of feminist debates and the ways in which political disagreements stem from underlying theoretical assumptions. By disentangling questions of style and strategy from more profound disagreements, Bryson points the way to more effective forms of feminist political practice.
Feminist Debates provides analysis of the situation of women in western societies, and examines women's participation in the workplace, the changing structure of the family, the extent of male violence against women, the development of reproductive technology, the political representation of women, and the role of the law in maintaining and challenging gender inequalities.
Clear and balanced in its assessment of various problems and perspectives, Feminist Debates: Issues of Theory and Political Practice offers an essential guide to contemporary feminist thinking and practice.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780814713471
Publisher: New York University Press
Publication date: 09/01/1999
Pages: 272
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 9.00(d)

About the Author

Valerie Bryson is Senior Lecturer in Politics at Huddersfield Universityand author of Feminist Political Theory: An Introduction.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgementsix
A note on terminologyx
1Feminism and the Situation of Women Today1
Women today: the balance-sheet of change2
Feminist debates5
2Feminist Theories Today8
Equal rights: the 'common sense' liberal approach9
Capitalism and socialism: the oppression and liberation of women?16
'Radical', women-centred approaches25
Black feminism: from margin to centre?32
The impact of post-modernism36
Conclusions: feminist theory and political practice today43
3Gender, Race and Class45
The language of 'gender', 'race' and 'class'45
Feminism: a racist, class-based movement?59
Who is the most oppressed?: from hierarchical to interdependent oppressions61
Where do we go from here?66
4Feminism and the Law72
A male-dominated profession72
Equality with men: employment law74
Equality with men: the criminal law78
Gender and justice: women's 'different voice'81
Law in a patriarchal society82
Strategies for change84
Conclusions89
5Politics and the State90
Feminist theory and political concepts90
Recent political experience in Britain, the United States and Scandinavia101
Feminism and the political representation of women112
Conclusions: feminist political strategies today121
6The Family and Paid Employment123
The family123
Paid employment135
Conclusions: towards a better balance in the interests of all145
7Reproduction148
The situation today149
Competing perspectives on 'a woman's right to choose'155
Beyond rights: abortion and feminist debates161
Conclusions: feminism and the politics of reproduction170
8Pornography172
Background173
Feminists, pornography and the law: an overview of the debates176
What is pornography?180
Pornography, harm and the oppression of women184
Conclusions: debates and strategies for the 21st century192
9The Problem of Men195
Theoretical starting-points196
Men and feminist theory today203
What is a nice man to do?210
Conclusions213
10Conclusions217
Further reading223
Bibliography228
Index256
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