Different Feminist Theories and the New Feminism Wave
Transilvania University of Brașov
Faculty of Letters
MA Study Programme
Anglo – American Culture and Discourse
Different feminist theories and the “new feminism ” wave
MA student: Marc Adriana 2 nd year – R.F. 2014 – 2015
In the last decades of the 20th century, the Western world became more and more concerned with issues of ethnic, social, political and gender equality. This was also the time when the politicization of race and ethnicity became an effect of the increased political consciousness and activism of those who found themselves marginalized and discriminated against on the basis of their race, sexual orientation, gender or ethnicity.
Women’s writing and feminism have always been closely related because women’s writing’ is a critical category – a product of discourse about the texts women have written – and not the intention of the writers themselves. Women’s writing is a critical, not an authorial, category. There are some exceptions (an increasing number) in the late twentieth century, but it is safe to say that not all female writers are feminist and this is especially true of pre-nineteenth century writers.
These sensitive issues triggered “self-declared progressive movements” (Ang 2001: 177), such as the labour movement, the homosexual pride movement, the feminist movement, et al., which were united by the sole wish to struggle against oppression and discrimination.1 The feminist movement, which was definitely one of the largest and most influential social movements of the time, took place in late 60s and 70s and encouraged women all around the world to finally stand up and speak up for social, political and economic gender equality.
Feminist theory therefore defines the object of study (women’s writing) but the relationship between the two goes deeper than this. Many texts by women express the same concerns
Faculty of Letters
MA Study Programme
Anglo – American Culture and Discourse
Different feminist theories and the “new feminism ” wave
MA student: Marc Adriana 2 nd year – R.F. 2014 – 2015
In the last decades of the 20th century, the Western world became more and more concerned with issues of ethnic, social, political and gender equality. This was also the time when the politicization of race and ethnicity became an effect of the increased political consciousness and activism of those who found themselves marginalized and discriminated against on the basis of their race, sexual orientation, gender or ethnicity.
Women’s writing and feminism have always been closely related because women’s writing’ is a critical category – a product of discourse about the texts women have written – and not the intention of the writers themselves. Women’s writing is a critical, not an authorial, category. There are some exceptions (an increasing number) in the late twentieth century, but it is safe to say that not all female writers are feminist and this is especially true of pre-nineteenth century writers.
These sensitive issues triggered “self-declared progressive movements” (Ang 2001: 177), such as the labour movement, the homosexual pride movement, the feminist movement, et al., which were united by the sole wish to struggle against oppression and discrimination.1 The feminist movement, which was definitely one of the largest and most influential social movements of the time, took place in late 60s and 70s and encouraged women all around the world to finally stand up and speak up for social, political and economic gender equality.
Feminist theory therefore defines the object of study (women’s writing) but the relationship between the two goes deeper than this. Many texts by women express the same concerns
References: Ang, Ien (2001) On Not Speaking Chinese: Living Between Asia and the West. Routledge: London. Beauvoir, Simone (1971). The Second Sex. Alfred A. Knopf. Bradley, David (1984) ‘Novelist Alice Walker Telling the Black Woman’s Story’ The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/10/04/specials/walker-story.html (visited on 13 February 2015). Hartsock, Nancy (1983). Money, sex, and power: toward a feminist historical materialism. New York: Longman. Madsen, Deborah L.(2000) Feminist Theory and Literary Practice, Pluto Press. Sigmund Freud, On Sexuality (London 1991) p. 375 Ward, Robyn R., Herndl, Diane Price (1997) ‘Ethnicity’ Feminisms Williams, Delores S. (1987) ‘Womanist Theology: Black Women 's Voices’ Christianity and Crisis, http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=445 (visited 13 February 2015) Web sites