Feminist understanding of International Relations (IR)
Feminism is a movement that started in the 1960’s to bring equality between the status of men and women in all spheres. In this paper I will write about the feminist contentions in the sphere of international relations and it relations with the other theories of International Relations.
Feminist theory of international relations can never be treated as a single body since the different theories are based on very different suppositions. However what unites the feminist understanding of international relations is the basic underlying argument that the structure of IR has been formed taking in account the male perspective of world. Feminists argue that the supposedly “grand theories” of
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They believe in anarchy and the fact that states are the main actors in IR. They assume that the states behave rationally. Now much of the feminist theories are actually the critique of the realist theory of IR. The feminists argue that the state should not and does not have a very big role in IR. They talk about how the state itself excludes so many views despite being so properly structured. The views reflected in their policies are not the views of the entire state. E.g.- In many Middle East countries, women do not have the same powers as the men. They are continuously oppressed and not deemed smart enough to make decisions related to the countries domestic policies let alone foreign policies . The feminist theory rejects realism as it is against the anarchic structure of the state. Feminists believe that since there is a gender bias and women opinion is not taken, the IR policies focus on compelling and not …show more content…
The theory of liberalism of IR focuses more on individual rights and not on the state. Hobbes argued that the world needed a “Leviathan”. The core of liberalism is the limitation of state power. They stress on world consensus and promote tools like free education and institution building for individual development of citizens. Feminists argue that women as individuals are not treated equally. They are economically backwards with less than one percent property of the entire world. Not only is there income low but also majority of them are not well educated which make their prospects in IR even less. The economic structure of the states is a patriarchal in nature which oppresses women as most of their work is unrecognized and unpaid for. Though the international institutions are working towards empowering women, their structure too is a patriarchal one keeping women at a
The article by Laura McEnaney titled Gender Analysis and Foreign Relations is an interesting article focused on a relatively new type of analysis that offers another angle in the world of policymaking. The diplomatic historians who use gender analysis use it in addition to the customary methodologies of the historian to enhance the historian’s studies. Gender analysis has inspired new investigations in the history of men and women and diplomacy, giving way to a new type of understanding of power in a historical context; however gender analysis “enters diplomatic history only through the aegis of culture.”
Lugones, María C. and Elizabeth V. Spelman (1983) “Have We Got a Theory for You! Feminist Theory, Cultural Imperialism and the Demand for ‘The Woman’s Voice’.” Women’s Studies International Forum, 6 (6): 573-581..
Feminism is the advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes. In simple terms, it is the ideology of women being equal to men and it is often misinterpreted as the belief of women being above them. Feminists believe in diminishing patriarchy which is a system of society and or government in which men are considered more powerful than women. When people are against feminism they are supporting sexism which is why it is important to educate ourselves on the matter and to understand why we need it.
As a result of this norm, more feminists who recognize the “systematic disadvantage” (Cahill 206) that women face daily in other countries is the reason why many feminists believe governments should oppose typical gender roles and gender stereotypes by protecting the rights of women. However, culture is always subject to change thus, leading developing countries who have neglected the rights of women to improve due to the global influence of other countries who have gender equality. This, in turn, leads countries to be “forced” to accept feminist agendas who “hold[ing] these patterns… to change them, and thus to change the realities that they produce” (Cahill 208). Not only does gender affect social issues but it also has progressed onto the economic sector for business as well, making gender a multifaceted topic for any
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.
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.
Feminism is a perspective that views gender as one of the most important bases of the structure and organization of the social world. Feminists argue that in most known societies this structure has granted women lower status and value, more limited access to valuable resources, and less autonomy and opportunity to make choices over their lives than it has granted men. (Sapiro 441)
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.
Where Marxists are focused on production and the wage gap, Feminists are focused on gender inequality. Marxists see society as operating solely to make a profit for the bourgeoisie, with the proletariat forced to conform to the needs of a ruling class who benefit the most from using a capitalist economic system. On the other hand feminists see society as operating to meet the needs and wishes of men. Patriarchal societies are created in order to meet the desires and needs of men through institutions like the family and the education system. On this basis feminists say women become second-class citizens. According to Gayle Rubin, “there is no theory which accounts for the oppression of women- in its endless variety and monotonous similarity, cross-culturally and throughout history- with anything like the explanatory power of the Marxists theory.”(Rubin
Feminist theory looks beyond the common male based perspectives and focuses on women’s perspectives and their roles within society. The feminist theory is still relevant in today’s society. In fact, feminism and the feminist theory will be relevant for as long as there is inequality in this world. For example, according to the United States Department of Labor, women still make 78 cents for every dollar men make, on average, in every career field. Additionally, violence against women is still a prevalent problem today. For instance, one in three women are victims of physical and sexual violence often committed by intimate partners. These statistics are higher in countries where women are treated and seen as property of their husbands. Lastly, reproductive rights are an important step to creating equality. Laws need to protect the rights of women to have freedom over their bodies in the way that men have control over
...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.
... for granted. Therefore, it is without a doubt that the incorporation of gender would enrich international relations theory. Tickner, in her critique of Morgenthau has attempted to depict the gender-bias prevalent within the field. By building on Morgenthau’s founding principles in political realism and of international politics, Tickner makes an insightful contribution to the field of international relations by challenging pre-existing paradigms. She is open to Morgenthau’s masculine-embedded principles, and does not refute them but ultimately contends that for complete comprehension of international politics, masculine and feminine contributions must be equally represented. Without a feminist perspective, an incomplete picture of international politics is painted. Feminist perspectives improve our analysis, knowledge and understanding of international politics.
Feminist political ideology focuses on understanding and changing political philosophies for the betterment of women. Studying how the philosophies are constructed and what makes them unjust, this field constantly generates new ideas on how these philosophies need to be fundamentally reconstructed. Liberal feminism, for example, was built around promoting economic and political equality for women. By arguing the older concepts of the split between public and private realms as a way to politically protect male domination of women as “natural”, and ideas about a women’s place in the household, came evidence that supported legal cases leading “to the criminalization in the United States of spousal rape” (qtd. in McAfee). Another completely different approach is radical feminism, which advocates a separation from the whole system, perceiving that the sexual relations between male and female as the basis of gender inequality and female subordination (qtd. in McAfee). Democratic femin...
Feminist epistemology involves the study the theory of knowledge i.e. epistemology from q feminist standpoint; the disadvantage faced by women through knowledge and justification. It is usually said to be concerned with how our knowledge is influenced by gender through justification and inquiry. Feminist’s epistemology is ideally based on the fact that by the perspective of a certain theory is affected upon by the knowledge pertaining the theory. The themes which characterize feminist epistemology are not unique it on only, since the themes are also found in the filed science studies and social epistemology. However, feminist epistemology is distinct from both science studies and social epistemology in that, for reconstructing and analysis, gender is characterize used. However, feminists have always argued gender rather than being determined
Feminism is the belief in social, economic, and political equality between men and women. For many years women have strived for equality with men, and feminism is helping women to achieve that mark. The issue of feminism has been a part of the culture since the American Revolution, which will be discussed. Feminism is helping the world to expand its growth by providing equal opportunities to both men and women. There has been a drastic change due to feminist approaches to problems faced by women in the social, economic, and political world. So the progress of women from ‘homemakers’ to ‘breadwinners’ is an answer to gender inequality, which indeed existed in society but is now being slowly demolished by feminist approaches.