Feminist Debates: Issues of Theory and Political Practice

Are women still oppressed? Is paid employment the key to liberation? Should pornography be banned? Do women have an absolute right to abortion? Can women in government really make a difference? In this comprehensive study, Valerie Bryson draws on a wide range of theoretical, empirical and comparative material to provide a lucid account of feminist debates and the ways in which political disagreements stem from underlying theoretical assumptions. By disentangling questions of style and strategy from more profound disagreements, Bryson points the way to more effective forms of feminist political practice. Feminist Debates provides analysis of the situation of women in western societies, and examines women’s participation in the workplace, the changing structure of the family, the extent of male violence against women, the development of reproductive technology, the political representation of women, and the role of the law in maintaining and challenging gender inequalities. Clear and balanced in its assessment of various problems and perspectives, Feminist Debates: Issues of Theory and Political Practice offers an essential guide to contemporary feminist thinking and practice.