Feminist Contentions: A Philosophical Exchange

Thinking Gender

by Nancy Fraser

This unique volume presents a debate between four of the top feminist theorists in the US today, discussing the key questions facing contemporary feminist theory, responding to each other, and distinguishing their views from others.

Genres: Feminism, Philosophy, Theory, Nonfiction, Feminist Theory, Gender, Gender and Sexuality

182 pages, Paperback

First published December 14, 1994

About the author

Nancy Fraser is an American critical theorist, currently the Henry A. and Louise Loeb Professor of Political and Social Science and professor of philosophy at The New School in New York City. Fraser earned her PhD in philosophy from the CUNY Graduate Center and taught in the philosophy department at Northwestern University for many years before moving to the New School.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database.

See also: Romance author Nancy Fraser

Reviews

[Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting structure where four theorists give papers on the overlap between feminism and postmodernism, then respond to one another through criticism and adaptation of theories. Some excellent presentation on the difficulties of retaining a 'female' perspective in a society where identity is individualistic; competing opinions from psychology (Cornell) to philosophy (Butler) to social theory (Benhabib) that come together in the chapters of criticism. Difficult to read (some jargon, and some heavy theory) but worth the time.

[Hilo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Geht generell darum, was kann der Feminismus mit der Postmoderne anfangen. Aber mehr als ,,Kritik braucht feste Kriterien"(Benhabib), ,,Wir müssen die Kriterien der Kritik selber hinterfragen"(Butler) ,,Phallusse!" (Cornell) und ,,Wir müssen das alles pragmatisch angehen"(Fraser) konnte ich nicht daraus mitnehmen. Die Texte sind unglaublich schwer lesbar, nahezu rätselhaft, v.a. von Cornell.

[Kadri]

dnf'isin kuskil kolmandiku peal. ma ei suuda uskuda, et ma seda praegu ütlen, aga minu maitse jaoks liiga palju filosoofiat ja liiga vähe päris elu. filosoofiline mõttevahetus on tore, aga selle võiks kuidagi reaalse olukorraga ka ikka siduda

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this again recently. Great example of the debate among contemporary feminist theorists as to whether feminism can accept postmodern/poststructuralist notions of the self and politics.
Judith Butler owns it in this one. Such a fun read.

[Ingeborg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Serious and important!

I especially like the question Nancy Fraser poses: "Can we construct practices, institutions and forms of life in which the empowerment of some does not entail the disempowerment of others? If not, what is the point of feminist struggle?"