Synopses & Reviews
Praise for Previous Editions
No other work gives one such a sense of the scope and substance of the major traditions of feminist theory. This richly transformed new edition of Feminist Thought is an indispensable resource for those who want to understand the theoretical origins and complexities of contemporary feminist debates. Tongs comprehensive understanding of feminist theory enabled her to craft an indispensable overview that clearly illustrates the challenges as well as the promises of the range of approaches, perspectives, and frameworks that comprise feminist efforts to identify sources of oppression and transform womens status as the second sex.” —Nancy Tuana, Pennsylvania State University
Feminist Thought is an invaluable guide to all scholars and students of feminist theories. It provides a comprehensive overview of the richly diverse set of perspectives that guide feminist theory and action. It is an essential resource for anyone seeking to engage with feminist theory.” —Susan Sherwin, Dalhousie University
Feminist Thought is a clear, comprehensive, and incisive introduction to the major traditions of feminist theory, from liberal feminism, radical feminism, and Marxist and socialist feminism to care-focused feminism, psychoanalytic feminism, women of color feminisms, and ecofeminism.
The fourth edition has been thoroughly revised and expanded. The chapter on multiculturalism was renamed Women of Color Feminisms and significantly updated, expanded and revised by Tina Fernandes Botts of the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. The revisions also include a new section on existentialism as it relates to postmodern feminism and a new conclusion that contemplates third-wave feminism and the future directions of feminist theory. Learning tools such as the new end-of-chapter discussion questions and the bibliography, organized by topics within chapters, make Feminist Thought an essential resource for students and thinkers who want to understand the theoretical origins and complexities of contemporary feminist debates.
Rosemarie Tong is distinguished professor of healthcare ethics in the department of philosophy and director of the Center for Professional Applied Ethics at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. Internationally recognized for her contributions to feminist thought and bioethics, Dr. Tong is past coordinator of the International Network on Feminist Approaches to Bioethics, recent past Chair of the Committee on the Status of Women for the American Philosophical Association, and executive board member of the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics.
Review
Praise for the third edition:Winner of a Choice Outstanding Academic Titles(OAT) award for 2009
No other work gives one such a sense of the scope and substance of the major traditions of feminist theory. This richly transformed new edition of Feminist Thought is an indispensable resource for those who want to understand the theoretical origins and complexities of contemporary feminist debates. Tongs comprehensive understanding of feminist theory enabled her to craft an indispensable overview that clearly illustrates the challenges as well as the promises of the range of approaches, perspectives, and frameworks that comprise feminist efforts to identify sources of oppression and transform womens status as the second sex.”
Nancy Tuana, Penn State University
The third edition of Feminist Thought is an invaluable guide to all scholars and students of feminist theories. It provides a comprehensive overview of the richly diverse set of perspectives that guide feminist theory and action. Rosemarie Tong is generous, respectful, and even-handed in her clear and eloquent presentation of the strengths of each perspective, while providing fair but challenging criticism of its limitations. This edition improves on its excellent predecessors by being more comprehensive, more persuasive in its categorization of several theorists, and more helpful in understanding the relations among multicultural, global, and postcolonial feminist approaches. It is an essential resource for anyone seeking to engage with feminist theory.”
Susan Sherwin, University Research Professor, Philosophy and Gender and Women's Studies, Dalhousie University
The best introduction to feminist theory is now even better! Rewritten with substantially new chapters on multicultural, global, and postcolonial feminism, care-focused feminist thought, psychoanalytic feminism, and contemporary socialist feminist theory, this new edition of Feminist Thought provides an updated account of the rich traditions of feminist thought and brings them more fully into dialogue on behalf of future possibilities. Current, crystal clear, comprehensive, and critical: It is indispensable for both beginning students and more advanced readers.”
John J. Stuhr, Emory University
"As in previous editions, Rosemarie Tong helps us understand better what we thought we knew, provides us with an easy entry into new perspectives we would like to know more about, and weaves it all together into a beautiful quilt she calls Feminist Thought. Just what is needed for teachers and students!"
James P. Sterba, co-author of Does Feminism Discriminate Against Men?
Praise for the second edition:
provide[s] meaningful examples of how feminist theory can contribute to reconciling the needs for diversity and difference with those for integration and unity, precisely identifying and recognizing those differences as important ones.”
Gender, Technology, and Development
”The first edition of Feminist Thought published in 1989 was at the time regarded as one of the most invaluable guides through a wide diversity of complex, feminist thought. This second, more comprehensive edition shares all the virtues of the first. Rosemarie Putman Tong has that rare gift of being able to critically grapple with, yet fully respect, the substance of widely differing feminist critical approaches. In turn the reader is guided to think critically, respectfully and sympathetically.”
Womens Philosophy Review
Tong has done it again! This eagerly awaited new edition of Feminist Thought provides an up-to-date, critical introduction of the major traditions in feminist theory. New chapters on ecofeminism and multicultural and global feminism make this book an indispensable introduction to the diversity of feminist thought. Providing a clear and comprehensive examination of emerging perspectives in feminist theorizing, Feminist Thought is an essential resource for students and thinkers who want to understand the theoretical origins and complexities of contemporary feminist debates.”
Nancy Tuana, University of Oregon
I have looked at the revised edition of Rosemarie Tongs Feminist Thought, and like it very much. My students loved the original for its clarity and comprehensiveness; they will appreciate the new, updated one still more. I recommend it highly!”
Laura Purdy, University of Toronto and Wells College
An illuminating, up-to-date discussion of the many varieties of feminism. Invaluable for scholars and students alike. Tong has surpassed herself.”
James P. Sterba, University of Notre Dame
Praise for the first edition:
Nicely balanced, eminently readable.
As an overview of the immense variety and richness of activist, literary, and philosophical feminist thought, this is a very good book. It should find its niche in womens studies programs.
It is a book that feminist sociologists should read.”
Contemporary Sociology
Simply a splendid survey of all the major ways of theorizing about women in contemporary society.
This is an ideal book for introducing students and nonstudents alike to the strengths and the richness of our feminist intellectual traditions.”
Sandra Bartky, University of IllinoisChicago
More than a survey; an original, critical analysis that pushes the frontiers of political thought as thought by feminists.”
Jean Bethke Elshtain, Vanderbilt University
This is an excellent bookbeautifully written, clear, philosophically probing, and insightfuljust what I would expect from Rosemarie Tong. I especially appreciate having the discussions of psychoanalytic, existentialist, and postmodern feminism, which give the book more breadth than other overviews of feminist theory.”
Susan Wendell, Simon Fraser University
Synopsis
Now a classic and written by a prominent, authoritative, philosopher, this authored text surveys the major schools of feminist thought.
Synopsis
Feminist Thought is a clear, comprehensive, and incisive introduction to the major traditions of feminist theory, from liberal feminism, radical feminism, and Marxist and socialist feminism to care-focused feminism, psychoanalytic feminism, women of color feminisms, and ecofeminism. The fourth edition has been thoroughly revised and expanded. The chapter on multiculturalism was renamed Women of Color Feminisms and significantly updated, revised, and expanded by Tina Fernandes Botts of the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. The revisions also include a new section on existentialism as it relates to postmodern feminism, and a new conclusion that contemplates third-wave feminism and the future directions of feminist theory. Learning tools such as the new end-of-chapter discussion questions, and the bibliography, organized by topics within chapters, make Feminist Thought an essential resource for students and thinkers who want to understand the theoretical origins and complexities of contemporary feminist debates.
About the Author
Rosemarie Tong is distinguished professor of healthcare ethics in the department of philosophy and director of the Center for Professional Applied Ethics at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. Internationally recognized for her contributions to feminist thought and bioethics, Dr. Tong is past coordinator of the International Network on Feminist Approaches to Bioethics, recent past Chair of the Committee on the Status of Women for the American Philosophical Association, and executive board member of the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics.
Table of Contents
PrefaceAcknowledgments
Introduction: The Diversity of Feminist Thinking
1 Liberal Feminism
Conceptual Roots of Liberal Feminist Thought and Action
Eighteenth-Century Thought: Equal Education
Nineteenth-Century Thought: Equal Liberty
Nineteenth-Century Action: The Suffrage
Twentieth-Century Action: Equal Rights
Twentieth-Century Thought: Sameness Versus Difference
Contemporary Directions in Liberal Feminism
Critiques of Liberal Feminism
Conclusion
Questions for Discussion
2 Radical Feminism: Libertarian and Cultural Perspectives
Libertarian and Cultural Views on the Sex/Gender System
Some Libertarian Views on Gender
Some Cultural Views on Gender
Sexuality, Male Domination, and Female Subordination
The Pornography Debate
The Lesbianism Controversy
Reproduction, Men, and Women
Radical-Libertarian and Radical-Cultural Views on Mothering
Critiques of Radical-Libertarian and Radical-Cultural Feminism:
Beyond Polarization
Conclusion
Questions for Discussion
3 Marxist and Socialist Feminism: Classical and Contemporary
Some Marxist Concepts and Theories
Classical Marxist Feminism: General Reflections
Contemporary Socialist Feminism: General Reflections
Womens Labor Issues
Critiques of Marxist and Socialist Feminism
Conclusion
Questions for Discussion
4 Psychoanalytic and Care-Focused Feminism
Psychoanalytic Feminism: Focus on Freud
Feminist Critiques and Appropriations of Freud
Psychoanalytic Feminism: Focus on Lacan
Bridges Between Psychoanalytic and Care-Focused Feminists
The Roots of Care-Focused Feminism: Carol Gilligan and
Nel Noddings
Maternal Ethics and the Ethics of Care
Conclusion
Questions for Discussion
5 Existentialist and Postmodern Feminism
Sartres Being and Nothingness: A Backdrop to The Second Sex
Simone de Beauvoirs Existentialism for Women
Critiques of Existentialist Feminism: A Communitarian
Critique of Existentialist Feminism
Postmodern Feminism
Postmodernism/Postmodern Feminism: Keynotes
Critiques of Postmodern Feminism
Conclusion
Questions for Discussion
6 Women of Color Feminisms
From Multiculturalism to Intersectionality
Women of Color Feminisms in the United States
Women of Color Feminisms on the World Stage: Global, Postcolonial, and Transnational Feminisms
Critiques of Women of Color Feminisms
Conclusion
Questions for Discussion
7 Ecofeminism
Some Roots of Ecofeminism
Ecofeminism: New Philosophy or Ancient Wisdom?
Tensions in Nature: Ecofeminist Thought
Spiritual Ecofeminism
Transformative Ecofeminism
Global Ecofeminism
Vegetarian Ecofeminism
Critiques of Ecofeminism
Conclusion
Questions for Discussion
Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
Index