Synopses & Reviews
Doing Feminist Theory critically examines feminist thought from the late 18th century to the present. Organized historically and by theoretical perspectives, it highlights the relationship between feminist theory and practice, as well as the diversity of feminist visions and voices by race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and global location. The history of feminist thought is interwoven with the history of the U.S. women's movement to ground theory in its socio-historical context and to illuminate paradigm shifts toward an increasing focus on difference, deconstruction and decentering in postmodernity. Links between the local and global are emphasized in theory application sections devoted to global and environmental issues. Oriented toward upper-level undergraduate students and master's-level graduate students, the distinguishing features of this text include:
- a critical approach that highlights how theories can empower or silence
- a diversity approach that focuses on the multiplicity of feminist voices by race, class,
- an historical approach that grounds feminist theories in the social, economic, and
- a dynamic approach that highlights paradigm shifts in feminist thought from
- an interdisciplinary approach that interweaves the social sciences and the
- a praxis-oriented approach with theory applications devoted to global and
Review
"[The writing] is a real strength. . . . Mann teaches well in the book. She offers an impressive, wide-ranging overview of the history of feminist theory."--Deirdre M. Condit, Virginia Commonwealth
"Mann does an excellent job of mapping the thematic development of the theories shaping U.S. feminism. The author's ability to 'connect the dots' is impressive and instructive."--Hawley Fogg-Davis, Temple University
Synopsis
Doing Feminist Theory: From Modernity to Postmodernity critically examines feminist thought from the late eighteenth century to the present. Organized historically and by theoretical perspectives, author Susan Archer Mann:
* Highlights the relationship between feminist theory and political practice and examines the diversity of feminist visions and voices by race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and global location
* Interweaves the history of feminist thought with the history of the U.S. women's movement to ground feminist perspectives in their socio-historical contexts
* Bridges the local and global using theory application sections devoted to feminist analyses of colonialism, imperialism, and globalization
* Offers a critical and dynamic approach to theory that is interdisciplinary and inclusive of alternative forms of theory construction, such as poetry, music, and zines
* Illuminates how transformations in contemporary feminist thought reflect paradigm shifts from modernity to postmodernity
About the Author
Susan Archer Mann is a Professor and Associate Chair of the Department of Sociology at the University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA. She received her Ph.D in Sociology from the University of Toronto in 1982. Her areas of specialization are sociological theory and feminist theory. She was awarded her university's highest award for excellence in teaching, as well as the Spark Award for her scholarly and professional contributions at the Race, Gender and Class 4th annual conference. She was a founder and the first Director of the UNO Women and Gender Studies program and a former Chair of the Race, Gender and Class Section of the American Sociological Association. Currently she is working on an anthology to accompany Doing Feminist Theory: Paradigm Shifts from Modernity to Postmodernity for Oxford University Press.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Using this Text to Navigate Feminist Thought
Chapter 1: Doing Feminist Theory
Introduction: Deconstructing the "F-word": What is Feminism?
Boxed Inserts
Box 1.1 What is Feminism?
Box 1.2 Minimalist Definitions of Feminism
Box 1.3 The Unforgiveable Transgression of Being Caster Semenya
Box 1.4 "Poetry is Not a Luxury"
SECTION I: MODERN FEMINIST THOUGHT
Chapter 2: Liberal Feminisms
Introduction
Box 2.1 The Adams' Letters
Box 2.2 The Municipal Housekeeping Movement
Chapter 3: Radical Feminisms
Introduction
Box 3.2 "Redstockings Manifesto"
Chapter 4: Marxist, Socialist and Anarchist Feminisms
Introduction
Marxist, Socialist and Anarchist Feminisms in Early Modernity
Women's Work in the Home
Love, Marriage and Sexual Practices
Precursors to Ecofeminism in Early Modernity
Existential Socialist Feminism
Women's Work in Late Modernity
New Directions in Feminist Thought Inspired by the Old and New Left
Queer Anti-Capitalism
Socialist Feminist Standpoint Approaches
Boxed Inserts:
Box 4.2 Lenin on "Sex-Love"
Box 4.3 A Comparison of Family-Friendly Policies in the U.S. and Scandinavia
Box 4.4. "To My White Working-Class Sisters"
Chapter 5: Intersectionality Theories
Introduction
Precursors to Intersectional Analyses in Early Modernity
SECTION II: FEMINIST THOUGHT AFTER TAKING THE POSTMODERN TURN
Chapter 6: Postmodernism, Poststructuralism, Queer and Transgender Theories
Introduction
Historically Grounding Postmodernism and Poststructuralism
Major Assumptions of Feminist Postmodernisms and Poststructuralisms
Epistemological Assumptions
Queer Ecofeminisms
Chapter 7: Third Wave Feminisms
Introduction
Conclusion: The "Unhappy Marriage" of the Modern and Postmodern
SECTION III: THEORY APPLICATIONS
Bridging the Local and the Global: Feminist Discourses on Colonialism, Imperialism and Globalization
Introduction
Conceptualizing Imperialism and Colonialism
Chapter 8: Feminism and Imperialism in Early Modernity
Introduction
Rosa Luxemburg on Imperialism
Boxed Inserts
Chapter 9: Feminism and Imperialism in Late Modernity
Introduction
Modernization Theory and Dependency Theory
Socialist Feminist World-Systems Theories
Radical Feminist Global Analyses
Global Feminist Analyses Inspired by Luxemburg's Work
Chapter 10: Feminism and Imperialism in Postmodernity
Introduction
Postcolonial and Transnational Feminisms
Can the Subaltern Speak?
The Cultural Logics of Transnationality
Boxed Inserts
Conclusion: Paradigm Shifts in Feminist Thought
Glossary
Bibliography/References
Credits/Permissions
Name Index
Subject Index