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Gender and Culture
The idea that respect for cultural diversity conflicts with gender equality is now a staple of both public and academic debate. Yet discussion of these tensions is marred by exaggerated talk of cultural difference, leading to ethnic reductionism, cultural stereotyping, and a hierarchy of traditional and modern. In this volume, Anne Phillips firmly rejects the notion that ‘culture’ might justify the oppression of women, but also queries the stereotypical binaries that have represented people from ethnocultural minorities as peculiarly resistant to gender equality.
The questions addressed include the relationship between universalism and cultural relativism, how to distinguish valid generalisation from either gender or cultural essentialism, and how to recognise women as agents rather than captives of culture. The discussions are illuminated by reference to legal cases and policy interventions, with a particular focus on forced marriage and cultural defence.
The questions addressed include the relationship between universalism and cultural relativism, how to distinguish valid generalisation from either gender or cultural essentialism, and how to recognise women as agents rather than captives of culture. The discussions are illuminated by reference to legal cases and policy interventions, with a particular focus on forced marriage and cultural defence.
192 pages, Paperback
First published May 21, 2010
About the author
Anne Phillips
60 books16 followersAnne Phillips is a professor in the department of government at London School of Economics and Political Science. Her areas of research include gender, democracy, culture, and economics.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 29, 2011
This is an academic work addressing how to deal with the promotion of gender equality and the accommodation of cultural diversity. However, it is fairly accessible to anyone who is interested in reading up on multiculturalism and women's rights. Anne Phillips writes in clear and understandable language.
It's a brilliant work that does a great job of aiming to find a balance between these two initiatives. She recognizes that both are important to tackling the inequalities in our society and thus moves forward by arguing for how we can work with both.
The book is a compilation of various works that have been published in academic journals, these have been edited and there is cohesion to the text. Having read a number of these articles previously, I can say I appreciate having it in the book format. I do wish that instead of endnotes, there were footnotes as it is annoying to move back and forth - that being said, it is easier to read for someone who is not using this for academic purposes.
This is a particularly significant piece as the issue of women's rights and multiculturalism is particularly coming to the fore in recent political decisions (see the burkha ban in France for example). Moreover, she does a good job of incorporating the academic debates as the issues have been in discussion since Okin's controversial piece 'Is multiculturalism bad for women?' Unlike Okin, Phillips is less polemical and very reasonable. I'm struck by how practical and sensible her solutions are.
Here's a list of the table of contents:
1 - Introduction
2 - Multiculturalism, universalism and the claims of democracy
3 - Dilemmas of gender and culture: the judge, the democrat and the political activist
4 - What is 'culture'?
5 - What's wrong with essentialism?
6 - When culture means gender: issues of cultural defence in the English courts
7 - Free to decide for oneself
8 - Consent, autonomy and coercion: forced marriage, public policy and the courts
While much of her case studies are focused on the UK, they hold relevance for other Western countries that have seen influxes of migration from non-European countries thus presenting a seeming 'clash of cultures'.
The way she goes about this text is to first discuss general concepts regarding the two issues and how they interact and in doing so establishing an approach to address both, then discussing cultural defences, finally a lengthy examination of forced marriage (an absolute must-read).
It's a brilliant work that does a great job of aiming to find a balance between these two initiatives. She recognizes that both are important to tackling the inequalities in our society and thus moves forward by arguing for how we can work with both.
The book is a compilation of various works that have been published in academic journals, these have been edited and there is cohesion to the text. Having read a number of these articles previously, I can say I appreciate having it in the book format. I do wish that instead of endnotes, there were footnotes as it is annoying to move back and forth - that being said, it is easier to read for someone who is not using this for academic purposes.
This is a particularly significant piece as the issue of women's rights and multiculturalism is particularly coming to the fore in recent political decisions (see the burkha ban in France for example). Moreover, she does a good job of incorporating the academic debates as the issues have been in discussion since Okin's controversial piece 'Is multiculturalism bad for women?' Unlike Okin, Phillips is less polemical and very reasonable. I'm struck by how practical and sensible her solutions are.
Here's a list of the table of contents:
1 - Introduction
2 - Multiculturalism, universalism and the claims of democracy
3 - Dilemmas of gender and culture: the judge, the democrat and the political activist
4 - What is 'culture'?
5 - What's wrong with essentialism?
6 - When culture means gender: issues of cultural defence in the English courts
7 - Free to decide for oneself
8 - Consent, autonomy and coercion: forced marriage, public policy and the courts
While much of her case studies are focused on the UK, they hold relevance for other Western countries that have seen influxes of migration from non-European countries thus presenting a seeming 'clash of cultures'.
The way she goes about this text is to first discuss general concepts regarding the two issues and how they interact and in doing so establishing an approach to address both, then discussing cultural defences, finally a lengthy examination of forced marriage (an absolute must-read).
Displaying 1 of 1 review