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6 - Feminism

from Part 1 - Theories of international relations

Katrina Lee-Koo
Affiliation:
Lecturer in International Relations in the School of Social Sciences, Australian National University
Richard Devetak
Affiliation:
University of Queensland
Anthony Burke
Affiliation:
University of New South Wales, Sydney
Jim George
Affiliation:
Australian National University, Canberra
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Summary

Introduction

This chapter examines the different feminist approaches to the study and practice of international relations. It highlights the similarities between approaches, but also the differences. It does this first by tracing the interventions made by feminists into international relations and the creation of a distinctly feminist agenda. Second, it uses the ‘gender lens’ to demonstrate how experiences and understandings in international relations can be gendered and analyses the consequences of this gendering. Finally it explains and critiques the different feminist approaches to international relations.

International relations meets feminism

Like international relations generally, feminist international relations is a broad and diverse field of study. It is a field that is rich with debate, controversy, cutting-edge research, and challenging new methodological approaches. Feminist international relations scholars are often necessarily interdisciplinary, synthesising international relations with gender, cultural, post-colonial and even environmental studies while also drawing heavily from more traditional disciplines. Feminist scholars have made important contributions to international relations theory, security studies, international political economy, development studies, international law, and questions of global governance, among other fields.

While feminist international relations encompasses numerous feminisms which are based on distinct theoretical approaches, feminist international relations scholars have a common commitment to highlighting and addressing the disadvantage that many women suffer in international politics. This disadvantage covers, first, the lack of access that women have to political and decision-making power and to economic resources.

Type
Chapter
Information
An Introduction to International Relations
Australian Perspectives
, pp. 75 - 85
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2007

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References

Enloe, Cythia 1990, Bananas, beaches and bases: making feminist sense of international politics, Berkeley: University of California Press. Modern classic that answers the question, ‘where are the women in international relations?’Google Scholar
Pettman, Jan Jindy 1996, Worlding women: a feminist international politics, Sydney: Allen & Unwin. Important feminist analysis written by an Australian scholar.Google Scholar
Steans, Jill 2006, Gender and international relations: issues, debates and future directions, second edition, Cambridge: Polity Press. Excellent introductory study of the various dimensions of gender in international relations.Google Scholar

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  • Feminism
    • By Katrina Lee-Koo, Lecturer in International Relations in the School of Social Sciences, Australian National University
  • Edited by Richard Devetak, University of Queensland, Anthony Burke, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Jim George, Australian National University, Canberra
  • Book: An Introduction to International Relations
  • Online publication: 05 June 2012
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139168557.008
Available formats
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  • Feminism
    • By Katrina Lee-Koo, Lecturer in International Relations in the School of Social Sciences, Australian National University
  • Edited by Richard Devetak, University of Queensland, Anthony Burke, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Jim George, Australian National University, Canberra
  • Book: An Introduction to International Relations
  • Online publication: 05 June 2012
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139168557.008
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Feminism
    • By Katrina Lee-Koo, Lecturer in International Relations in the School of Social Sciences, Australian National University
  • Edited by Richard Devetak, University of Queensland, Anthony Burke, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Jim George, Australian National University, Canberra
  • Book: An Introduction to International Relations
  • Online publication: 05 June 2012
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139168557.008
Available formats
×