POS 576 Feminist Theory

This course is intended to provide an historical overview of the development of feminist theory. With this foundation then, the remainder of the course will be devoted to understanding and critically interrogating some of the central questions within feminist theory. Those questions revolve around varying conceptions of knowledge, identity, power and democracy. More specifically, once we have ascertained how particular theorists conceive of each of these, what are the implications that flow from each? Are there multiple and powerful avenues for change, or do particular conceptions close off some opportunities for certain kinds of change or only allow for change that benefits certain groups? Students should come away with a firm grasp of the development of feminist theory, some of the critical questions that feminist theorists seek to address, and, ultimately, why theory is essential for producing meaningful answers to these queries and why it is a necessary component of the practice of politics - particularly the politics of transformation.

Credits

3