Lecture 3: The Feminist Perspective

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Lecture 3 The Feminist Perspective

• These are perspectives that claim that gender
  matters to our understanding of international
  relations.
• Two broad schools of thought
• The difference perspective
• The liberal perspective
• The difference perspective
• There are objective and ineluctable differences
  between male and female standpoints on world
  affairs.
• Because international relations are conducted by
  men, the world is a worse place than otherwise it
  would be.
• There are two major reasons for the M/F
  difference
• Traditions of child rearing.
• Social roles traditionally assigned to M/F.

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• The difference perspective has a long history
  (e.g., Aristophanes Lysistrata).
• The liberal perspective
• There are no essential M/F differences with
  regard to politics. But we assume that there
  are. Depending on the school of thought, this may
  have two kinds of consequences
• International relations would not be conducted
  according to essentially different principles if
  women played a part. They would just be conducted
  more competently.
• If we believe M/F have essentially different
  standpoints, and if we place greater value on the
  male characteristics, we create a world order
  that reflects these characteristics. It is a more
  war-prone world.