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What is Rape? Social Theory and Conceptual Analysis
What exactly is rape? And how is it embedded in society?
Hilkje Charlotte Hänel offers a philosophical exploration of the often misrepresented concept of rape in everyday life, systematically mapping out and elucidating this atrocious phenomenon. Hänel proposes a theory of rape as a social practice facilitated by ubiquitous sexist ideologies. Arguing for a normative cluster model for the concept of rape, this timely intervention improves our understanding of lived experiences of sexual violence and social relations within sexist ideologies.
Hilkje Charlotte Hänel offers a philosophical exploration of the often misrepresented concept of rape in everyday life, systematically mapping out and elucidating this atrocious phenomenon. Hänel proposes a theory of rape as a social practice facilitated by ubiquitous sexist ideologies. Arguing for a normative cluster model for the concept of rape, this timely intervention improves our understanding of lived experiences of sexual violence and social relations within sexist ideologies.
282 pages, Hardcover
First published August 17, 2018
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May 9, 2019
I'd give this book 4.5 stars if I could, but I'll round up because I truly appreciate what Hänel is up to. Here is an excerpt from a longer book review I wrote for the APA Newsletter on Feminism and Philosophy:
With What is Rape?, Hilkje Hänel enters the philosophical debate from a refreshingly new angle, leveraging contemporary critical theory and social ontology to analyze how the phenomenon of rape is conceptualized, upstream from the normative and definitional concerns of moral and legal theory. She expands the project of feminist structural critique to look beyond rape’s causes and effects to the question of how the conceptualization of “rape” is itself shaped by power relations and socially available epistemic resources. Her careful analysis produces a convincing social theory of how rape fits into sexist ideology and a rigorous, constructive account of how rape ought to be conceptualized—not only to reflect the complexity of the phenomenon but also to account for “rape” as a concept susceptible to ideological distortion.
Hänel’s arguments throughout What is Rape? are characterized by fine-grained distinctions and careful attention to how concepts are produced and used in social reality. Her writing is paced for clarity and marked by abundant signposting. Perhaps the most widely accessible contribution for a general audience will be Hänel’s insightful account of the nature and function of rape myths. However, specialists in social philosophy will also benefit from her methodological innovation for analyzing ambiguous and complex social phenomena. The nuance and flexibility of her approach to the topic of rape is welcome, and its importance will only increase as popular intuitions about rape continue to shift and as societies continue to grapple with sexual values and practices.
With What is Rape?, Hilkje Hänel enters the philosophical debate from a refreshingly new angle, leveraging contemporary critical theory and social ontology to analyze how the phenomenon of rape is conceptualized, upstream from the normative and definitional concerns of moral and legal theory. She expands the project of feminist structural critique to look beyond rape’s causes and effects to the question of how the conceptualization of “rape” is itself shaped by power relations and socially available epistemic resources. Her careful analysis produces a convincing social theory of how rape fits into sexist ideology and a rigorous, constructive account of how rape ought to be conceptualized—not only to reflect the complexity of the phenomenon but also to account for “rape” as a concept susceptible to ideological distortion.
Hänel’s arguments throughout What is Rape? are characterized by fine-grained distinctions and careful attention to how concepts are produced and used in social reality. Her writing is paced for clarity and marked by abundant signposting. Perhaps the most widely accessible contribution for a general audience will be Hänel’s insightful account of the nature and function of rape myths. However, specialists in social philosophy will also benefit from her methodological innovation for analyzing ambiguous and complex social phenomena. The nuance and flexibility of her approach to the topic of rape is welcome, and its importance will only increase as popular intuitions about rape continue to shift and as societies continue to grapple with sexual values and practices.
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