Gender and Political Theory

 As a branch of political theory, feminist political theory has developed new ideals, concepts, and justifications for how social norms and political institutions should be reconstructed. This course introduces students to diverse feminist perspectives in political theory and helps them understand how these perspectives have contributed to and transformed the field. The course is structured around two broad themes:

(1) The feminist critique of (male) philosophy, which examines feminist arguments that the foundational normative arguments of modern and contemporary political theories are gendered and, therefore, have excluded the experiences and perspectives of women and other gendered subjects.

(2) Diversity among women, which explores intersectional, post-colonial, and poststructuralist views on the definition of women and women’s agency. It critically examines the meaning of women’s freedom in two ways: (a) whether we can develop a satisfactory definition of women, and (b) whether we can establish a universal definition of freedom.

By exploring these themes, the course aims to encourage students to develop their own views on how political theory should address normative and practical problems of gender