LIBERAL FEMINISM: NUSSBAUM, WOLF & OTHERS Liberal Feminism is one of the strongest Modernist Feminist approaches and

it share some of the features with other modernist viewpoints (Radical Feminism, Liberal Feminism, Marxist, Socialist feminism etc) and simultaneously differs from them in other points. COMMON FEATURES FOR ALL LIBERAL FEMINISM APPROACHES: 1. Reason as the foundation of the Universal Human 2. Focus on the womens status relative to mens as a measure of the society 3. The immediate importance of practical social reform.

Liberal Feminism is a BROAD CHURCH include different approaches, but it is NOT HOMOGENOUS. Its historical perspective is founded on THREE WAVES that need not to be considered chronological, as they coexist, overlap and interact one with another.

1ST WAVE OF LIBERAL FEMNINISM BEGINNING Arose as a critical response to the development of LIBERALISM a XVIIIth century theory where the individual (full, adult citizen) should be left to decide without any interference from governments or external authorities. The fact that in those Liberalist universal metanarratives (huge-size theories) neither women nor some men (slaves) were included, and consequently lacked the freedom and status of FULL & ADULT CITIZEN. Full citizenship for women and the possibility of an active participation in public life that was denied to them for ages Right to vote, civil rights, individual development Wollstonecraft ?

DID NOT LIKE

CLAIMED FOR BY MEANS OF REPRESENTED BY

2nd WAVE OF LIBERAL FEMNINISM BEGINNING DID NOT LIKE CLAIMED FOR Followed the 1st wave, very active in the 1960s 1970s due to all the Civil Rights revolts and Feminist activism. The discrimination of WOMEN AS A GROUP by men AS A GROUP, criticizing the excessive individualism of the 1st wave Creation of a collective identity, hoping that by more collective political method individual coals can be achieved Very welfarist, as well as concentrated on LEGAL, POLITICAL, INSTITUCIONAL REFORMS and social justice for WOMEN AS A GROUP. Women to be like men Social reforms and political projects Gloria Steinem, Beatrice Faust

BY MEANS OF REPRESENTED BY

3rd WAVE OF LIBERAL FEMNINISM BEGINNING DID NOT LIKE XXth century mainly 2nd waves collectivist approach and its focus on obstacles that women have to overcome in order to become full citizens. They claim it reinforce the status of victims and the identity of powerlessness that is not what women should seek. Individual responsibility for womens lives and status Empowering individuals and seizing the power conceived more as a matter of will, attitude and ambition /POWER FEMINISM/ Achieving any collective result by empowering personal changes Introducing feminism into the capitalist marketing structure, turning it into a well-selling product Naomi Wolf, primarily concerned with women like herself: white, middle-class, educated etc. Not too much of attention is paid to REI (common feature for all Modernist approaches)

CLAIMED FOR

BY MEANS OF REPRESENTED BY

WOLLSTONECRAFT (1792) REJECTION OF THE DIVINE RIGHT OF KINGS AND HEREDITARY POWER REINTERPRETATION OF CLASSIC LIBERAL ARGUMENTS FORMED BY JOHN LOCKE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MEN & WOMEN DO NOT EXCLUDE THE LATER FROM REASON OR RIGHTS WOMEN ARE INCLUDED IN THE NOTION OF AN UNIVERSALISED REASONING HUMAN BEING AND THE ETHERNAL RULE OVER THEM IS REJECTED FIGHT AGAINST DOUBLE STANDARTS APPLIED TO WOMEN IN ENLIGHTMENT AND LIBERAL THOUGHT MEN & WOMEN SHARE THE UNIVERSAL HUMAN CAPABILITY OF REASON, SO THEY SHOULD HAVE THE SAME RIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES REASON = UNIVERSAL HUMAN ESSENCE, LINKED TO POLITICAL EQUALITY REASON= A MEAN TO RIGHT, JUSTICE AND SOCIAL FAIRNESS WOMENS CASE IS A LACMUS TRIAL FOR ANY SOCIETY. IF YOU HAVE A LOOK ON THE SITUATION OF WOMEN IN A SOCIETY IT WILL INFORM YOU ABOUT THE SOCIETY YOU ARE OBSERVING. REFORMS: It is for mens sake to give womens rights. They are the main responsible for the training and nourishing of the young citizens. If the trainers (mothers) are not empowered to exercise reason (by having rights, take choices etc) they can not give a valid example and therefore the entire society will be affected.

NUSSBAUM AGAINST CONVENTION AND FOR REASON REASON= OVERCOMES THE EXISTING FORMS OF POWER AND THEREFORE IS AN ALLY FOR WOMEN REASON= CAN PERSUADE PEOPLE TO ACT AGAINST THEIR OWN INTERESTS, TO GIVE UP POWER REASON= IS BEYOND SOCIAL CONTEXT, BEYOND SELF-INTEREST ANTAGONIST TO THE POSTMODERN OUTLOOK THAT WOULD REJECT ANY OBJECTIVE POSITION OUTSIDE THE SOCIAL CONTEXT WOMENS CASE: Gender equality must precede multiculturalism. Strongly Modernist in its belief that there has to be a universal truth, model that can be put into practice. Consider that Postmodern writers are not involved enough in the fight for an universal citizenship with its universal point of view, neutral perspective, beyond loyalties and power or any particular time or culture REFORM: Rather critical towards what can be achieved by the meaning of reforms. Considers that the fruit of the reform improve opportunities of middle class, white, educated women but do not really challenge any real social injustice or inequality in Western Societies.