Suchergebnisse

The emergence of postcolonial feminism in the late 20th century ushered in new debates surrounding the theory of agency and women in non-Western countries. In feminist discourse, agency can be defined as a woman's capacity for individualized choice and action, free from the invasive influence or coercion of any other individual.

Arguing that the sexist content of economic theory with holds ideological weapons from women's struggles, this paper offers a set of lessons for undergraduate courses that speak to women's experience. Using Marxist methods, the lessons address the household as an econ omic institution, structure change under capitalism, consumer theory, market analysis and marginal productivity and income distribution theory. Examples attack neoclassical arguments such as "legalization will produce more and better prostitutes." The paper concludes with political suggestions for extending feminist teaching and bringing political econ omy to women.

Call for papers: Feminist Theory is a new international interdisciplinary journal published by Sage publications in April 2000. The journal is being launched to provide a forum for critical analysis and constructive debate within feminist theory.

How can women's studies, and feminist theory and methodologies best serve the Arab world?2 The region is now home to quite a few research centers devoted to gender studies and programs of instruction that were based on the relevance of feminist theory developed in and for the Arab world.3 In addition, many "gender specialists" are now employed by the numerous NGOs in the region. Still, all of these new areas of study or employment face complex challenges, especially if education is to lead to women's empowerment.

Primitive societies and barbarous societies and the historical societies of Europe and the East exhibit almost every conceivable variety of institutions, but in all of them, regardless of the form of social structure, men are always in the ascendancy, and this is perhaps the more evident the higher the civilization … so far as I can see, it is a plain matter of fact that it is so. Feminists have indeed said that this is because women have always been denied the opportunity of taking the lead; but we would still have to ask how it is that they have allowed the opportunity to be denied them …

A number of radical teachers have attempted to restructure classroom education to encourage subjectivity & to meet therapeutic aims. The top priority in this approach is completing emotional business to make room for natural learning. This approach, however, is in fact covertly authoritarian, relying on manipulative methods of getting things done. Classes are conducted in series of small group activities. Yet this approach, which tries to make learning painless, is incapable of presenting critical theory, which is a painfully difficult subject. The model human mind on which this is based is essentially that of utilitarian liberalism, leading to a preoccupation with individual experience capable of justifying reactionary institutions. While this approach is often favored by feminists, it in fact enmeshes women more deeply in the limits of the mode of awareness imposed on them by present society. What is needed is a persuasive advocacy of a critical stance. In particular, overly simplified feminist positions must be criticized & rejected, not embraced as having the right aim underneath their errors, for feminists to achieve anything. W. W. Stoddard

TOOLEY'S PRINCIPLE OF MORAL SYMMETRY WITH RESPECT TO ACTION AND INACTION IS DISCUSSED IN LIGHT OF ITS JUSTIFICATION OF ABORTION AND INFANTICIDE. QUALIFICATIONS AND SCOPE INDICATORS INCLUDING MOTIVATION, MINIMUM EFFORT, INTENTIONALITY, AND THE PROBLEM OF NO POTENTIAL VALUE. MANY EXAMPLES ARE GIVEN WHICH REGATE TO THE TAKING OR SAVING OF ANOTHER PERSON'S LIFE.