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Feminist Theory: The Intellectual Traditions
This first major study of feminist theory, which is revised and completely reset, now takes the reader into the twentieth century. It chronicles a renaissance of feminist theory through the so-called third wave of the present day, which follows significant "waves" of earlier periods: the fifteenth through early eighteenth centuries as well as the more widely recognized nineteenth century; and the 1960s through the 80s.
304 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
57 people are currently reading
627 people want to read
About the author
Josephine Donovan
39 books20 followersJosephine Donovan is the author of twelve books of nonfiction and the editor of four. A complete list of her publications is available on her web site:
http://english.umaine.edu/people/jose.... Her fields of specialization include animal ethics, feminist criticism and theory, American women’s literature (especially nineteenth-century), and early modern women’s literature. Her work has been translated into seven languages (Japanese, French, Turkish, Swedish, Greek, German, and Chinese).
Her most recent books are: Animals, Mind, and Matter: The Inside Story (2022); The Lexington Six: Lesbian and Gay Resistance in 1970s America (2020), a finalist for the Lambda Literary Aware; and The Aesthetics of Care: On the Literary Treatment of Animals. (New York: Bloomsbury, 2016). Recently published: a second, revised edition of Women and the Rise of the Novel (New York: Palgrave Macmillan 2013) St. Martin’s, 1999; paperback, 2000). It was termed “a work of extraordinary significance” by the Choice reviewer, who wrote, “Donovan has defined the field clearly, forthrightly, often brilliantly. All future discussion of the subject begins here” (October 2000). Also recently published was European Local-Color Literature: National Tales, Dorfgeschichten, Romans Champêtres (Bloomsbury, 2010), a work in comparative literature.
Donovan’s best-known book, Feminist Theory: The Intellectual Traditions, first published in 1985, is now in its fourth edition (New York: Bloomsbury, 2012) Amazon.com notes, “this book has established itself as the classic survey and analysis of the roots and development of feminist theory.” A selection of other reviews of Donovan’s books may be found on her web site.
Two of her books, Sarah Orne Jewett and Uncle Tom’s Cabin: Evil, Affliction, and Redemptive Love have recently been reprinted in revised editions on-line and in “print-on-demand” form by Cybereditions.
Born in Manila in 1941, Donovan was evacuated from the Philippines with her mother a few months before Pearl Harbor. Her father, a Captain in the U. S. Army, remained in the Philippines where he was captured by the Japanese in 1942, remaining a P.O.W. for the duration. His memoirs, edited by his daughter, were recently published as P.O.W. in the Pacific: Memoirs of an American Doctor in World War II.
She graduated, cum laude, from Bryn Mawr College in 1962 with a major in history, after spending her Junior Year in Europe. After graduation she worked as a Copy Desk clerk at The Washington Post and Time Magazine and as a general assignment reporter on a small newspaper in upstate New York. During this period she completed a course in Creative Writing at Columbia University.
She received her M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in comparative literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1967 and 1971, respectively. She has held academic positions at several universities and worked for a time as a Copy Editor for G. K. Hall in Boston. She is Emerita Professor of English at the University of Maine.
http://english.umaine.edu/people/jose.... Her fields of specialization include animal ethics, feminist criticism and theory, American women’s literature (especially nineteenth-century), and early modern women’s literature. Her work has been translated into seven languages (Japanese, French, Turkish, Swedish, Greek, German, and Chinese).
Her most recent books are: Animals, Mind, and Matter: The Inside Story (2022); The Lexington Six: Lesbian and Gay Resistance in 1970s America (2020), a finalist for the Lambda Literary Aware; and The Aesthetics of Care: On the Literary Treatment of Animals. (New York: Bloomsbury, 2016). Recently published: a second, revised edition of Women and the Rise of the Novel (New York: Palgrave Macmillan 2013) St. Martin’s, 1999; paperback, 2000). It was termed “a work of extraordinary significance” by the Choice reviewer, who wrote, “Donovan has defined the field clearly, forthrightly, often brilliantly. All future discussion of the subject begins here” (October 2000). Also recently published was European Local-Color Literature: National Tales, Dorfgeschichten, Romans Champêtres (Bloomsbury, 2010), a work in comparative literature.
Donovan’s best-known book, Feminist Theory: The Intellectual Traditions, first published in 1985, is now in its fourth edition (New York: Bloomsbury, 2012) Amazon.com notes, “this book has established itself as the classic survey and analysis of the roots and development of feminist theory.” A selection of other reviews of Donovan’s books may be found on her web site.
Two of her books, Sarah Orne Jewett and Uncle Tom’s Cabin: Evil, Affliction, and Redemptive Love have recently been reprinted in revised editions on-line and in “print-on-demand” form by Cybereditions.
Born in Manila in 1941, Donovan was evacuated from the Philippines with her mother a few months before Pearl Harbor. Her father, a Captain in the U. S. Army, remained in the Philippines where he was captured by the Japanese in 1942, remaining a P.O.W. for the duration. His memoirs, edited by his daughter, were recently published as P.O.W. in the Pacific: Memoirs of an American Doctor in World War II.
She graduated, cum laude, from Bryn Mawr College in 1962 with a major in history, after spending her Junior Year in Europe. After graduation she worked as a Copy Desk clerk at The Washington Post and Time Magazine and as a general assignment reporter on a small newspaper in upstate New York. During this period she completed a course in Creative Writing at Columbia University.
She received her M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in comparative literature from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1967 and 1971, respectively. She has held academic positions at several universities and worked for a time as a Copy Editor for G. K. Hall in Boston. She is Emerita Professor of English at the University of Maine.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 25, 2024
برای شکل گرفتن پایهای از تکثر نظریات فمنیستی و شناخت حدودی از یه عالمه فمنیست و نظریات مختلف، ضروریه و انتخاب خوبیه.
تجربه گروهی خوندنش با «پریدنتا» هم خیلی پربار و شگفتانگیز بود و دوماه روش موندیم و ته و توش رو درآوردیم
تجربه گروهی خوندنش با «پریدنتا» هم خیلی پربار و شگفتانگیز بود و دوماه روش موندیم و ته و توش رو درآوردیم
April 17, 2025
بالاخره و پس از ماهها ممارست این کتاب تموم شد.
چندان طولانی نبود ولی من همراه با جمعی این کتاب رو مطالعه کردم و جذاب هم نبود که بخوام خودم جلو جلو بخونم.
تو این دسته و زمانی که این کتاب نوشته شده من همچنان کتاب رزمری تانگ رو ترجیح میدم که نشر نی چاپ کرده.
چندان طولانی نبود ولی من همراه با جمعی این کتاب رو مطالعه کردم و جذاب هم نبود که بخوام خودم جلو جلو بخونم.
تو این دسته و زمانی که این کتاب نوشته شده من همچنان کتاب رزمری تانگ رو ترجیح میدم که نشر نی چاپ کرده.
February 14, 2023
The work of Josephine Donovan, which was prepared as a manifesto of liberal feminism. On the one hand, while dealing with feminist movements in anglo-saxon societies based in America, on the other hand, Mary Wollston, our author has told us about liberal feminism by including the perspectives of thinkers such as Caraft, John Stuart Mill and Harriet Taylor.
While there are quite nice analyses and approaches on common problems, I would say that there are some contrasts in the more subjective sections where she deals with liberal feminism. I can easily say that these contrasts are not caused by the author, but actually by the philosophy of liberal feminism. For example, the feminist struggle in America is also treated in this work as a confession that liberal feminists do not defend the rights of african-American women in exchange for the support of african-American men in the feminist struggle and leave them alone.
In addition, despite such a value as Wollstonecaraft, the fact that liberal feminist theory has a view that we can define as accepting the patriarchy, which is the biggest mistake, and rising within its system, has been one of the glaring mistakes.
Another missing aspect is that he rejects femininity. The liberal feminist theory, which predicts that biological differences should also be abandoned, stands as a current that has melted away in the patriarchal hegemony when we take into account the fact that women do not give up their femininity with the majority of them.
Donovan's association of liberal feminism with the second wave feminism of continental Europe and his mention that this is the philosophy of liberal feminism also stands out as another incomplete interpretation. Also, the second wave feminist movement, which contains existentialist feminist philosophy at its core, is partially close to the radical feminist movement in content, but more so to socialist feminist thought.
When we consider this book with a deconstructionist approach, quite theoretical contrasts can be brought to the surface. However, in terms of its general content, this book can serve as a good starting point for the 'general' sections where liberal feminism, the pioneering theory of women's struggle of the period, deals with its view of women, which must and must be read. Liberal feminism has never been an arrival, it never has been. However, it is a very good tool to achieve arrival. It allows you to see the balance. Even with their contrasts..
While there are quite nice analyses and approaches on common problems, I would say that there are some contrasts in the more subjective sections where she deals with liberal feminism. I can easily say that these contrasts are not caused by the author, but actually by the philosophy of liberal feminism. For example, the feminist struggle in America is also treated in this work as a confession that liberal feminists do not defend the rights of african-American women in exchange for the support of african-American men in the feminist struggle and leave them alone.
In addition, despite such a value as Wollstonecaraft, the fact that liberal feminist theory has a view that we can define as accepting the patriarchy, which is the biggest mistake, and rising within its system, has been one of the glaring mistakes.
Another missing aspect is that he rejects femininity. The liberal feminist theory, which predicts that biological differences should also be abandoned, stands as a current that has melted away in the patriarchal hegemony when we take into account the fact that women do not give up their femininity with the majority of them.
Donovan's association of liberal feminism with the second wave feminism of continental Europe and his mention that this is the philosophy of liberal feminism also stands out as another incomplete interpretation. Also, the second wave feminist movement, which contains existentialist feminist philosophy at its core, is partially close to the radical feminist movement in content, but more so to socialist feminist thought.
When we consider this book with a deconstructionist approach, quite theoretical contrasts can be brought to the surface. However, in terms of its general content, this book can serve as a good starting point for the 'general' sections where liberal feminism, the pioneering theory of women's struggle of the period, deals with its view of women, which must and must be read. Liberal feminism has never been an arrival, it never has been. However, it is a very good tool to achieve arrival. It allows you to see the balance. Even with their contrasts..
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July 19, 2019Rıhtım okurlarının karşısına çıkmak için bu kez kurgu dışı bir kitap seçtik. Biliyoruz ki bilimkurgu ve fantastik alanında okuduğumuz kitapların büyük bir kısmı erkek yazarlar tarafından kaleme alınmış. Ancak sayıca az da olsa kadın yazarların da yazdığı ve türün kilometre taşlarını oluşturan eserler de yer almakta. Bu, erkeklerin bütün bunlar için çok daha yetenekli olduğu anlamına mı gelir peki? Eskiden bu ihtimale dair güçlü inançlar beslense de artık bu konunun çok daha karmaşık ve derin olduğu biliyoruz.
Peki neden bu kurgu kitapların kadın yazarlarını anarken genelde onları nitelemek için kullandıklarımızdan biri oluyor feminist mefhumu? Fantastik, bilimkurgu, genel olarak kurgu alanının önemli eserlerini yaratmış olan Ursula K. Le Guin, Virginia Woolf, Charlotte Brontë, Octavia E. Butler, Margaret Atwood, Mary Shelley, James Tiptree Jr. ve Doris Lessing gibi yazarların hem bu camiada kendilerine yer edinmek için ne gibi zorluklarla karşılaştıklarına hem de yarattıkları dünyalarda yeniden kurguladıkları cinsiyet ilişkilerinde neye dayandıklarını daha iyi anlayabilmek ve onları belki de daha iyi okuyabilmek için kulak vermemiz gereken hareketlerden biri kuşkusuz ki feminizm hareketi.
Seray Soysal
İncelemenin tamamı: https://kayiprihtim.com/inceleme/jose...
Peki neden bu kurgu kitapların kadın yazarlarını anarken genelde onları nitelemek için kullandıklarımızdan biri oluyor feminist mefhumu? Fantastik, bilimkurgu, genel olarak kurgu alanının önemli eserlerini yaratmış olan Ursula K. Le Guin, Virginia Woolf, Charlotte Brontë, Octavia E. Butler, Margaret Atwood, Mary Shelley, James Tiptree Jr. ve Doris Lessing gibi yazarların hem bu camiada kendilerine yer edinmek için ne gibi zorluklarla karşılaştıklarına hem de yarattıkları dünyalarda yeniden kurguladıkları cinsiyet ilişkilerinde neye dayandıklarını daha iyi anlayabilmek ve onları belki de daha iyi okuyabilmek için kulak vermemiz gereken hareketlerden biri kuşkusuz ki feminizm hareketi.
Seray Soysal
İncelemenin tamamı: https://kayiprihtim.com/inceleme/jose...
May 30, 2013
An excellent compilation of different feminist movements throughout history that is neither dry nor falsely exciting. Dononvan does a fair job of evenly presenting opposing views and criticisms within each movement regardless of contemporary society's views. She quotes other thinkers well. She clearly and concisely presents individual viewpoints while providing an incredible starting point to delve further. It's a rather incendiary historical book, sure to provoke strong reactions.
November 29, 2023
Çok yanlış bir zamana denk geldiği için elimde süründü bu kitap. Dili bir parça zor olsa da giriş için iyi bir kaynak, özellikle Amerikan feminizm sürecini farklı taraflardan kapsamlı olarak özetlemiş. Birçok feminist düşünür ve eserlerinden bahsettiği için de sağlam bir okuma listesi oluşturmak mümkün. Altını çizdiğim, not aldığım sayfalar dolusu yer var ama şunu eklemeyi uygun buldum:
"Erkeklerin fizyolojisi çoğu sporu tanımlar, onların sağlık gereksinimleri sigorta kapsamını belirler, onların toplumsal olarak çizilmiş biyografileri işyeri beklentilerini ve başarılı kariyer kalıplarını belirler, onların bakış açıları ve ilgileri bursların niteliğini belirler, onların deneyim ve takıntıları faziletleri belirler, onların askerlik hizmeti yurttaşlığı belirler, onların varlıkları aileyi belirler, onların bir araya gelmedeki yeteneksizlikleri -ve antlaşmalar- tarihi belirler, onların imgesi Tanrı'yı belirler, onların genital organları cinselliği belirler. Bunlar, cinsiyet açısından tarafsız olarak sunulan standartlardır."
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March 31, 2021اگه بخوایم عقاید فمینیست هارو شسته رفته به دور از مغلطه و فنون تطمیع مخاطب بخونیم، کسی میدونه چه کتابی خوبه؟
August 30, 2024
کتاب بسیار مفیدی بود و بخش مفصل یادداشتها هم خیلی پربار بود.
August 14, 2016
Cok kapsamli bir calisma, 18. yuzyilin sonundan gunumuze kadar feminist hareketi analiz ediyor. Biraz agir ilerliyor bu kadar kapsamli oldugu icin ama gene de tavsiye ederim. Okuyun, okutun.
January 3, 2018
After all these years, this is still my favorite book on feminist theories; it has a chapter on each theory and about the theorists and their diverse and often conflicting viewpoints, but my favorite things about the book are: 1. the footnotes, and 2. the works cited. Amazing resource!
January 14, 2020
توضیحات خوبی دارد ولی به صورت تعمدی و کاملاً جانبدارانه، لیبرال فمینیسم را در حاشیه قرار داده است و سعی میکند آن را به عنوان یک جریان قدیمی شکستخورده نمایش بدهد.
در کل برای آشنایی با گروههای مختلفی که خودشان را فمینیست مینامند کتاب خوبی است.
در کل برای آشنایی با گروههای مختلفی که خودشان را فمینیست مینامند کتاب خوبی است.
January 28, 2019
کتاب بسیار اموزنده با فصل بندی و طبقه بندی خوب. ترجمه فرزانه راجی. نشر چشمه.
February 3, 2020
Feminizm konusunda okuma yapmak için iyi bir başlangıç.
February 20, 2020
Çeviri ile ilgili bir sıkıntı vardı. Feminizm ve varoluşçuluk kısmını tekrar okumam gerekiyor
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June 25, 2020brief explanation of the woman's struggles and how different ideologies approach to this.
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November 25, 2023feminizmin başlangı hakkında bilgi almak için iyi bir kitap ancak anlatımı yorduğu için yarım bıraktım.
May 25, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
July 4, 2016
Took me a while to read this book, but it gives a great overview of the movements and concepts (Enlightment, Abolitionism, Protestant individualism, Freudianism, Marxism, Liberation Theology, Ecology/Animal Rights, etc.) that were woven together to create the American feminist movement. It's chock-full of information and insights. Most interesting to me were the parts describing the intersection of different rights movements related to race, gender, sexuality, and class. It also confirmed my general dislike of Freud (women are only capable of narcissistic love and have a weaker moral compass because we don't experience castration anxiety, really??), although the neo-Freudian feminists who adapted his theories had some interesting things to say. Definitely a worthwhile read.
June 21, 2008
In my desire to understand the women's movement, I liked this book for its simplicity of describing the various historical approaches and agendas put forth. It's helpful to see less of a slant and more of the facts. (Of course the author always has a slant, but this is less irritating.)
January 24, 2011
This is an excellent starting point for anyone wondering 'what is feminism?' You will most likely be surprised at what you find. Donovon's book shows us that not all feminists agree about what a feminist world would look like.
March 2, 2011
Typical read in a college course...don't even get me started on the radical feminist chapter...i think they are all nuts and need some Prozac!
July 26, 2016
Very informative. Professors on Goodreads: please don't assign this as a book to read in one week!
October 27, 2013
Very informative and comprehensive, but dense and dry. Also I thought a bit overly focused on white ladies.
April 23, 2014
thought 'existentialism and feminism' was interesting
October 25, 2014
A perfect guide to understand the development and basics of feminism. Besides, a perfect source for clues for further reading on feminism.
February 23, 2016
Read this for a course I was taking at New Paltz. If I remember correctly, it read like a text book.
March 2, 2008
Great Summation of Feminist Theory
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews