The Concept of Feminism: A Philosophical Study

Authors: Samir Ali

Country: india

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Abstract: This article examines the evolution of feminist philosophy, exploring its key contributions to epistemology, ethics, and political theory. It traces the development of feminist thought through three waves, beginning with the first wave’s focus on legal and political rights, as exemplified by Mary Wollstonecraft’s call for women’s equality based on Enlightenment ideals. The second wave deepened the analysis, critiquing the social construction of gender roles and the structural oppression of women, with thinkers like Simone de Beauvoir and Catharine MacKinnon exploring how patriarchal power dynamics pervade institutions and culture. The third wave introduced intersectionality, a crucial concept developed by Kimberlé Crenshaw, which emphasizes the overlapping forms of oppression that women face based on race, class, sexuality, and other identities. This period also saw the influence of poststructuralism and postmodernism, with Judith Butler challenging binary understandings of gender through her theory of performativity.
The article also discusses the feminist critique of objectivity in traditional epistemology, proposing standpoint theory and situated knowledges to account for the role of power in shaping knowledge. Feminist ethics, with its focus on care and relationality, critiques individualistic moral theories and highlights the importance of empathy and human interdependence. In political theory, feminist philosophers have expanded the concept of justice to include participatory parity and address structural forms of oppression.
In conclusion, feminist philosophy not only deconstructs patriarchal assumptions but also provides innovative frameworks for understanding identity, power, and justice in contemporary thought.

Keywords: women, patriarchy, feminism, intersectionality, standpoint theory, social justice.

Paper Id: 231183

Published On: 2021-09-16

Published In: Volume 9, Issue 5, September-October 2021

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