Why Feminism?: Gender, Psychology, Politics

by Lynne Segal

Book Overview

Three decades after the remarkable resurgence of feminism, gender issues have become ubiquitous in public debate. For some, feminism is the favorite scapegoat for multiple social ills; for others, the greatest success story of the closing century. The Janus face of feminism in the media reflects the competing images of women's lives today. Feminists themselves hold sharply opposing views on the success or failures of three decades of women's activism...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0231119658
• ISBN13: 9780231119658
• Release Date: March 2000
• Publisher: Columbia University Press
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.0" x 9.0"
• Age Range: 22 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Excellent critique of postmodernists, etc.

Reading this brought me up to date with contemporary trends in feminist thinking. Ms. Segal is a socialist feminist, and her critique is correspondingly focused upon the relationship of abstractions to the real-life material issues of work, survival, and future prospects shared by most people. While fully conversant with the current cant of postmodernist academia, she thankfully is still able (and willing) to portray his arguments and concerns in pretty accessible garb. I for one am appreciative that she takes feminism off of the fully relativistic pedestal of "only text" and returns it to the realm of embodiment--the one where we must eat, sleep, and make our way in sensible and sensory avenues of life. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to be brought current with feminist thinking via a clearly expressed critique.