Feminist Theories of International Relations

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Feminist theories of international relations denote a current within international relations (IB) that specifically directs feminist perspectives on phenomena of international politics. In feminist IB theory, on the one hand, the real effects of international politics on women and, on the other hand, the relevance of existing gender relations and inequality structures are examined, with the aim of reformulating the theory and practice of IB in a feminist way.

Feminist IB theory has dealt with various theoretical paradigms of international relations, such as realism and neorealism , international political economy, constructivism and post-structuralism . In addition, feminist IB theory refers to the conceptualization of typical terms of international relations and deals, for example, with common notions of actors and actor actions or the concept of security. At the empirical level, feminist IB theory asks to what extent certain empirical objects are systematically neglected in other IB theories due to an implicitly or explicitly heteronormative, masculinist perspective. Epistemologically, findings from feminist science criticism - for example from the work of Sandra Harding or Donna Haraway - are incorporated. Methodologically, feminist IB theory asks to what extent methods of international relations have led to the exclusion of feminist perspectives, for example with regard to the creation of interview samples, in the questioning technique or through evaluation practices. Finally, on a discipline-specific basis, feminist authors deal with the phenomena of discrimination against women in the academic world, especially since the IB is a sub-discipline of political science that is particularly strongly influenced by male dominance.

In the historical course, as in other IB theories, certain 'conjunctures' emerge, which in this case are closely linked to the formation of theories in feminist studies . Works that v. a. pointed out the empirical fading out of a women's perspective, marked the beginning of feminist theory formation in the IB in the 1980s. The epistemological examination of the basic assumptions of realism and neorealism - particularly visible in the Morgenthau-Tickner controversy - represents a further central building block. Since then - especially in the course of the Third Debate - the field has become very differentiated and has become, in particular, constructivist, post-structuralist and Z. T. postcolonial work enriched. Important representatives are Cynthia Enloe , J. Ann Tickner , Christine Sylvester; within the German-speaking international relations Uta Ruppert .

Early Feminist Perspectives on the IB

The early representatives of feminist IB were primarily concerned with making women's perspectives on international politics visible and overcoming the empirical fading out of such perspectives. A central work of this phase is "Bananas, Beaches and Bases" (1990) by Cynthia Enloe. Enloe examines which role (s) women play in international politics - be it as sex workers on military bases or as the wives of diplomats - and how these roles contribute to the stabilization of power relations. Feminist criticism of realism / neorealism dealt with the basic assumptions and central concepts of realistic or neorealist IB theory. For example, Ann Tickner analyzed Morgenthau 's realism to what extent the categories and basic assumptions developed there, above all the one that realistic IB theory is scientifically objective and neutral, and that actors are in competition with one another, to a male bias in the assumed one analytical perspective on the international system . Tickner notes that in the basic assumptions of the rational actor and the competition- oriented actor behavior, a rationality is established that excludes other worlds of life and that conveys an understanding of competition, struggle, dispute, virtue and honor, which tends to have male connotations. In speaking about 'human nature', Morgenthau ultimately reproduces a 'male nature'; thus his concept of actor is not neutral, but reductionist. With reference to Hannah Arendt, Tickner reformulates organizational principles of international relations based on cooperation . Ultimately, she ascribes essential potential to feminist perspectives in order to initiate a more epistemologically richer theory formation.

Liberal Feminist Perspectives

Liberal-feminist perspectives follow the early feminist works in their interest in knowledge by v. a. aim at the equal representation of the gender category in empirical and theoretical IB. Accordingly, representatives of this current concern themselves with z. For example, from an institutionalist or regime-theoretical point of view, the role women play as actors in international organizations or inter / transnational political processes, how they influence and shape international politics , which practices of discrimination exist and how these can be eliminated. Empirical research examines, for example, the UN system , the UN Decade of Women , individual policy areas of the IB or the role and successes of international women's NGOs such as WEDO. On a more categorical level, liberal-feminist perspectives ask how classic IB terms can be formulated more inclusive, for example in view of the security concept , which is understood as the mere 'absence of physical threat', but also positively formulated under the keyword of 'human security '' also includes, for example, the opportunity to work, raise children, move around freely or be protected from sexual violence.

Third debate and post-structuralist perspectives

The IB's 'Third Debate' took place between representatives of positivist and post-positivist IB theories and made a key contribution to the formation of theories of constructivist and poststructuralist (or radical constructivist) approaches. Feminist IB theory has also positioned itself here and made work from the field of deconstructivist feminist philosophy fruitful for the IB.

Institutionalization and reception

As part of the International Studies Association, the Women's Caucus deals with the representation of women in the IB. The German-language magazine ' Femina Politica ' deals with feminist political science perspectives; the IB sub-discipline is also included. In the Anglo-American research landscape, the International Feminist Journal of Politics deals with feminist IB.

criticism

Within the IB, feminist approaches were and still are exposed to various points of criticism. A 'sympathetic' direction of criticism consists in viewing feminist perspectives only as a temporary necessary intervention, which, however, has already made itself obsolete due to its success. Another direction of criticism doubts feminist approaches as a whole because of the positivism critique. From a post-colonial-feminist perspective, the criticism is expressed that feminist international relations are strongly influenced by western, liberal-individualist feminism or by queer-feminist and deconstructivist perspectives. According to Chandra Talpade Mohanty , the view of the 'third world woman' is characterized by victimization and (stereotypical) essentialization , from which the perspectives of affected women are not only incomprehensible, but rather obscured.

literature

Feminist IB Theory in Introductory Works of IB

  • Barbara Finke: Feminist Approaches. In: Siegfried Schieder, Manuela Spindler (ed.): Theories of International Relations. Budrich, Wiesbaden 2013, ISBN 978-3-8252-2315-1 , pp. 521-550.
  • Jennifer Sterling-Folker: Feminism. In: Jennifer Sterling-Folker (Ed.): Making Sense of International Relations Theory. Lynne Rienner Press, Boulder 2013, ISBN 978-1-58826-354-4 , pp. 263-298.
  • J. Ann Tickner, Laura Sjoberg: Feminism. In: Tim Dunne, Milja Kurki, Steve Smith (Eds.): International Relations Theories, Discipline and Diversity. Oxford University Press, Oxford 2009, ISBN 978-0-19-870756-1 , pp. 195-212.
  • Cynthia Weber: Gender: is gender a variable? In: Cynthia Weber: International Relations Theories - A Critical Introduction. Routledge, London 2010, ISBN 978-0-415-34208-7 , pp. 83-105.

Books

  • Cynthia Enloe: Bananas, Beaches, and Bases. University of California Press, Los Angeles 1990, ISBN 0-520-27999-9 .
  • Uta Ruppert: Moving locally, negotiating globally: International politics and gender. Campus, Frankfurt / New York 1998, ISBN 3-593-36132-9 .
  • Laura J. Sheperd: Gender Matters in Global Politics: A Feminist Introduction to International Relations. Routledge, New York and London 2010, ISBN 978-0-415-71521-8 .
  • Christine Sylvester: Feminist international relations: an unfinished journey. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2002, ISBN 0-521-79627-X .
  • J. Ann Tickner: Gendering World Politics. Columbia University Press, New York 2001, ISBN 0-231-11367-6 .

Magazine articles

  • Anna M. Agathangelou, LHM Ling: The House of IR: From Family Power Politics to the Poisies of Worldism. In: International Studies Review. Volume 6, No. 4, 2004, pp. 21-49.
  • Heike Brabandt, Birgit Locher, Elisabeth Prügl: Norms, Gender and Political Change - International Relations from the Gender Perspective. In: WeltTrends. No. 36, 2002, pp. 11-26.
  • Ann J. Tickner: Hans Morgenthau's Principles of Political Realism: A Feminist Reformulation. In: Millennium: Journal of International Studies. Volume 17, No. 3, 429-440, 1988.
  • Georgina Waylen: You Still Don't Understand: Why Troubled Engagements Continue between Feminists and (Critical) IPE. In: Review of International Studies. Volume 32, No. 1, 2006, pp. 145-64.
  • Cynthia Weber: Queer International Relations: From Queer to Queer IR. In: International Studies Review. Volume 16, 2014, pp. 596-622.

criticism

  • Robert O. Keohane: Beyond dichotomy: Conversations between international relations and feminist theory. In: International Studies Quarterly. Volume 42, No. 1, 1988, pp. 193-197.
  • Francis Fukuyama: Women and the evolution of world politics. In: Foreign Affairs. Volume 77, No. 5, 1998, pp. 24-40.
  • Chandra Talpade Mohanty: Under Western Eyes. Feminist Scholarship and Colonial Discourses. In: Boundary. 2, Vol. 12, No. 3-Vol. 13, No. 1, 1986, pp. 333-358.
  • Chandra Talpade Mohanty: “Under Western Eyes” Revisited. Feminist Solidarity through Anticapitalist Struggles (PDF). In: Signs. Journal of Women in Culture and Society. Volume 28, No. 2, pp. 499-535. ISSN  0097-9740

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The Science Question in Feminism, 1986 (German: Feministische Wissenschaftstheorie. On the relationship between science and social gender), Argument Verlag 1990.
  2. ^ Situated Knowledges: The Science Question in Feminism and the Privilege of Partial Perspectives. In: Feminist Studies. 1988, pp. 575-599.
  3. ^ RBJ Walker: Gender and Critique in the Theory of International Relations. In: V. Spike Peterson (Ed.): Gendered States. Feminist (Re) Visions of International Relations Theory. Boulder / London 1992, p. 179.
  4. ↑ Anna M. Agathangelou, LHM Ling: The House of IR: From Family Power Politics to the Poisies of Worldism. In: International Studies Review. Vol. 6, No. 4, 2004, 21-49.
  5. ↑ Cynthia Enloe: Bananas, Beaches and Bases Making Feminist Sense of International Politics. University of California Press, 1990.
  6. ^ J. Ann Tickner: Hans Morgenthau's Principles of Political Realism: A Feminist Reformulation. In: Millennium. Journal of International Studies. vol. 17, 1988, pp. 3, 429-440, 438.
  7. ^ Women's Environment and Development Organization
  8. ^ Heinrich Böll Foundation: Peace, Security, Gender Relations, Feminist Positions and Perspectives on Women and Gender Politics. Volume 6, Berlin 2011, pp. 9-62.
  9. ^ Carlo Masala: Assessment and outlook from the perspective of theories of international relations. (No longer available online.) In: gender-peace-security.de. Archived from the original on October 17, 2016 ; Retrieved October 18, 2016 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.gender-peace-security.de
  10. ^ RO Keohane: Beyond dichotomy: Conversations between international relations and feminist theory. In: International Studies Quarterly. 42 (1), 1998, pp. 193-197; Francis Fukuyama: Women and the evolution of world politics. In: Foreign Affairs. 77 (5), 1998, pp. 24-40, (OCLC 79357925)
  11. ↑ Chandra Talpade Mohanty: Under Western Eyes: Feminist Scholarship and Colonial Discourses. In: Boundary. 2. 12: 3-13: 1, 1984, pp. 333-358; Chandra Talpade Mohanty: "Under Western Eyes" Revisited: Feminist Solidarity through Anticapitalist Struggles. In: Signs. Journal of Women in Culture and Society. 28 (2), 2003, pp. 499-535. doi: 10.1086 / 342914 .
  12. ↑ "The ethnocentric universalism is concretized above all in the use of analytical categories that Western feminists derived from their personal and collectively reflected experiences of oppression. On this basis, gender relations would be analyzed as an expression of male dominance and a monolithic patriarchy that prevailed worldwide. This goes hand in hand with the assumption of global oppression of women, which is based on a context-independent and therefore problematic understanding of women as a homogeneous social group. Women in the south with their complex living conditions would be colonized in this way. Power is exercised through this process of discursive homogenization and systematisation (cf. ibid. 54). According to Mohanty, context-specific analyzes are necessary in order to avoid these effects of power, which can be guided by several analysis grids at the same time and which do not generalize categories developed in other contexts. Against this background, Mohanty criticizes the model of global sisterhood , which assumes a cross-cultural correlation of experiences and the interests, perspectives and political goals of women derived from them. She considers this model to be a problematic reduction; women's experiences are characterized by more components than just femininity and are often discontinuous and fragmented due to the interplay of different influences and affiliations (cf. Mohanty 1992: 88). Because of this fragmentation, she regards the derivation of feminist goals from female experiences of oppression alone as insufficient for the creation of a global feminist project that, moreover, cannot be limited to anti-patriarchal struggles. ”(Ina Kerner: Empowerment through gender planning? Postcolonial criticism of the gender approach. In: Malestreaming gender? Gender relations in development policy. (PDF), 2004, p. 10).