Syllabus: Contemporary Feminist Political Theory
Roanoke College
Prof. Claudia Leeb
Office: West Hall 121
Email: leeb@roanoke.edu
Office Hours: Wednesday, 1.30-3.30 pm
Course goals:
In this seminar we engage with central themes and approaches of contemporary feminist political theory. We examine the US and European feminist political theory traditions. We assess how feminist political theorists rethink key concepts at the center of contemporary debates in political theory—including power, justice, subjectivity, agency, freedom, resistance, democracy, and political transformation. This focus will allow us to critically assess the commonalities (and differences) of the thinkers and the two theory traditions we discuss. After a general introduction to the topic, we start out with Iris Marion Young, Drucilla Cornell, and bell hooks (American feminist political theory), followed by Simone De Beauvoir, Luce Irigaray, and Adriana Cavarero (European feminist political thought).
This study of the texts will improve students’ ability (both orally and in writing) 1) to obtain an overview of the feminist political theory traditions; 2) to understand and articulate key concepts in political theory as developed by feminist political thinkers; 3) to critically evaluate and further develop these conceptual frameworks.
Required Texts: (Available at the College Book Store)
1. Iris Marion Young, Justice and the Politics of Difference (1990, Princeton University Press)
2. Drucilla Cornell, At the Heart of Freedom: Feminism, Sex. & Equality (1998, Princeton University Press)
3. bell hooks, Feminist Theory From Margin to Center (1984, South End Press).
4. Simone De Beauvoir, The Second Sex, Constance Borde, and Sheila Malovany-Chevallier (2010, Knopf Publisher)
5. Luce Irigaray, The Sex Which Is Not One, (1985, Cornell University Press)
6. Adriana Cavarero, Horrorism (2009 Columbia University Press)
Assigned Texts are available on blackboard:
1. Sally Scholz, “What is Feminism?” and “Schools of Feminist Thought,” in her Feminism: A Beginner’s Guide (2010, Oneworld Publications), pp. 1- 36
2. Vlasta Jalusic and Mojca Pajnik, “When I Think about Myself as Politically Engaged, I Think of Myself as a Citizen: Interview with Iris Marion Young,” in Dancing with Iris: The Philosophy of Iris Marion Young, Ann Ferguson & Mechthild Nagel (eds) (2009, Oxford University Press), pp. 21-32
3. Ibipo Johnston-Anumonwo, “Women’s Work Trips and Multifaceted Oppression,” in Dancing with Iris: The Philosophy of Iris Marion Young, pp. 229-242
4. Adam Thurschwell, “Radical Feminist Liberalism,” in Imagining Law: On Drucilla Cornell (2008, State University of New York Press), pp. 31-59
5. Elizabeth Grosz, “Drucilla Cornell, Identity and the Evolution of Politics,” in Imagining Law: On Drucilla Cornell, pp. 213-230
6. Valdivia, Angharad. “bell hooks: Ethics From the Margins” Qualitative Inquiry, Volume: 8 Issue: 4 (2002-08-01), pp. 429-447.
5. Susan Brison, “Beauvoir and feminism: interview and reflections,” in Claudia Card (ed.) The Cambridge Companion to Simone De Beauvoir, (2003, Cambridge University Press) pp. 189-207
6. Debra Bergoffen, “Recounting the sexual difference,” in Claudia Card (ed.) The Cambridge Companion to Simone De Beauvoir, pp. 248-265
7. Gail Schwab, “Reading Irigaray (and Her Readers) in the Twenty-First Century, in Maria C. Cimitile and Elaine P. Miller (eds.), Returning to Irigaray: Feminist Philosophy, Politics and the Question of Unity (2007, State University of New York Press), pp. 25-50
8. Emily Zakin, “Between Two: Civil Identity and the Sexed Subject of Democracy,” in Maria C. Cimitile and Elaine P. Miller (eds.), Returning to Irigaray: Feminist Philosophy, Politics and the Question of Unity, pp. 173-205
9. Lisa Guenther Lisa, “Being-from-others: Reading Heidegger after Cavarero,” Hypatia, Vol. 23: Issue 1 (Winter 2008).
Course Content:
Week 1, Feminist Political Theory: General Introduction
January 18, Tue, Introduction to course
January 20, Thu, Sally Scholz, “What is Feminism?,” “Schools of Feminist Thought,” in Feminism: A Beginner’s Guide, pp.1-36
Week 2, American Feminist Political Theory 1: Iris Marion Young I
January 25, Tue, Young, Justice and the Politics of Difference, Chapters 1 and 2, pp.15-65
January 27, Thu, Young, Justice and the Politics of Difference, Chapters 3 and 4, pp.66-121
Week 3, American Feminist Political Theory 2: Iris Marion Young II
February 1, Tue, Young, Justice and the Politics of Difference, Chapters 5 and 6, pp.122-191
February 3, Thu, Debates on Young:Vlasta Jalusic and Mojca Pajnik, “When I Think about Myself as Politically Engaged, I Think of Myself as a Citizen: Interview with Iris Marion Young,” in Dancing with Iris, pp.21-32
Ibipo Johnston-Anumonwo, “Women’s Work Trips and Multifaceted Oppression,” in Dancing with Iris, pp.229-42
Week 4, American Feminist Political Theory 3: Drucilla Cornell I
February 8, Tue, Cornell, At the Heart of Freedom, Chapters 1 and 2, pp.3-65
February 10, Thu, Cornell, At the Heart of Freedom, Chapters 3 and 4, pp. 66-130
You receive topics for First Paper
Week 5, American Feminist Political Theory 4: Drucilla Cornell II
February 15, Tue, Cornell, At the Heart of Freedom, Chapters 5 to 7, pp.131-86
February 17, Thu, Debates on Cornell:Adam Thurschwell, “Radical Feminist Liberalism,” in Imagining Law: On Drucilla Cornell, pp. 31-59
Elizabeth Grosz, “Drucilla Cornell, Identity and the Evolution of Politics,” in Imagining Law, pp. 213-30
Week 6, American Feminist Political Theory 5: bell hooks I
February 22, Tue, hooks, From Margin to Center, Chapters 1 to 3, pp. 1-41
February 24, Thu, hooks, From Margin to Center, Chapters 4 to 6, pp. 43-93
First Paper is due; paper presentations
Week 7, American Feminist Political Theory 6: bell hooks II
March 1, Tue, hooks, From Margin to Center, Chapter 7 to 9, pp. 95-131
March 3, Thu, hooks, From Margin to Center, Chapters 10 to 12, pp. 133-63
Debates on hooks: Valdivia, Angharad. “bell hooks: Ethics From the Margins,” pp. 429-47
Week 8, Spring Break: March 4 until March 11
Week 9, European Feminist Political Theory 1: Simone De Beauvoir I
March 15, Tue, De Beauvoir, The Second Sex, Introduction and Part I, Chapter 1, pp. 3-48
Guest Lecture on De Beauvoir: Professor Monica Vilhauer, Department of Philosophy
March 17, Thu, De Beauvoir, The Second Sex, Part I Chapter 2, pp. 49-61, Volume 2, Part 1, Chapter 2, pp. 341-82
Week 10, European Feminist Political Theory 2: Simone De Beauvoir II
March 22, Tue, De Beauvoir, The Second Sex, Volume 2, Part 4, Chapter 14 and Conclusion, pp.721-67
March 24, Thu, Debates on De Beauvoir: Susan Brison, “Beauvoir and feminism: interview and reflections,” in The Cambridge Companion to Simone De Beauvoir, pp.189-207
Debra Bergoffen, “Recounting the sexual difference,” in The Cambridge Companion to Simone De Beauvoir, pp.248-65
Week 11, European Feminist Political Theory 3: Luce Irigaray I
March 29, Tue, Irigaray, The Sex Which is not One, Chapters 1 to 3, pp.9-68
March 31, Thu, Irigaray, The Sex Which is not One, Chapters 4 to 6, pp.68-119
You receive topics for second paper
Week 12, European Feminist Political Theory 4: Luce Irigaray II
April 5, Tue, Irigaray, The Sex Which is not One, Chapters 8 to 11, pp.170-219
April 7, Thu, Debates on Irigaray: Gail Schwab, “Reading Irigaray (and Her Readers) in the Twenty-First Century, in Returning to Irigaray, pp.25-50
Emily Zakin, “Between Two: Civil Identity and the Sexed Subject of Democracy,” in Returning to Irigaray, pp.173-205
Week 13, European Feminist Political Theory 5: Adriana Cavarero I
April 12, Tue, Cavarero, Horrorism, Introdcution Chapters 1 to 4, pp.1-19
April 14, Thu, Cavarero, Horrorism, Chapters 5 to 9, pp.20-46
Second paper is due, Presentations
Week 14, European Feminist Political Theory 6: Adriana Cavarero II
April 19, Tue, Cavarero, Horrorism, Chapters 10 to 14, pp.47-88
April 21, Thu, Cavarero, Horrorism, Chapters 15 to 17, pp.89-124
Debates on Cavarero: Lisa Guenther Lisa, “Being-from-others: Reading Heidegger after Cavarero,” Hypatia, Vol. 23: Issue 1 (Winter 2008), pp. 99-118
Exam: Wednesday, April 27, 8.30 am to 11.30 am