(In)quest of feminisms: A critical comparison of texts on liberal, radical, and socialist feminisms

Loretta Marie Kensinger, Purdue University

Abstract

Most discussions of feminist political theories are encoded in categorization that emerged in the early years of second wave feminist activism. The most influential discussion of these branches is found in Alison Jaggar's Feminist Politics and Human Nature. Vital in helping make sense of a vast array of feminist activism, as well as reflective of terminology in vogue among activists of the period, these theoretical categories remain commonly used signifiers for understanding distinctions in feminist theory. Despite Jaggar's discussion of the partial and contextual nature of her work, these categories continue to have wide currency and use. Various authors have expanded and updated Jaggar's schema since the publication of her work. However, little critical comparison has looked across authors' conceptualizations of these categories. Thus, in this dissertation I critically compare the treatment of liberal, radical, and socialist feminist theory within texts that seek to overview a larger schematic of feminist political theory in terms similar to Alison Jaggar. I am interested also in viewing the adaptability of these frameworks to new areas of feminist thought. I am particularly concerned with how these categories shape and view controversial areas of feminist thought. Thus, I look in this dissertation at the discussion of feminist debates on pornography in terms of these categories of feminism.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

Weiss, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Political science|Womens studies

COinS