There is no original or primary gender a drag imitates, but gender is a kind of. Catharine alice mackinnon born october 7, 1946 is an american radical feminist legal scholar, activist, and author. A reply to catharine mackinnon yale law school legal. Toward a feminist theory of the state pdf free download. The writing of catharine mackinnon is the most thorough and conclusive explanations of male domination in our society that i have had the pleasure of exploring.
She holds a ba from smith college, a jd from yale law school, and a phd in political science from yale. The difference between the judges and sir isaac newton. Introduction to symposium on toward a feminist theory of the state. Using the debate over marxism and feminism as a point of departure, mackinnon develops a theory of. Mackinnon harvard university press cambridge, massachusetts london, england. Long professor of law at the university of michigan and the james barr ames visiting professor of law at harvard law school longterm. Long professor of law at michigan law and the longterm james barr ames visiting professor of law at harvard law school. It refutes many other feminist theories and then gives a solid base for her own explanation of feminism.
Discourses on life and law is a book by feminist academic catharine mackinnon. Of all published articles, the following were the most read within the past 12 months. Radical feminism represents one of the types of the feminist theory, foundedon the attitude that the society is based on the patriarchal grounds, becauseof which women are marginalized and. The result is an informed and compelling critique of inequality and a. Angela harris, race and essentialism in feminist legal theory, 42 stan. Mar 19, 2018 mackinnons approach was rooted in the theory that sexual harassment realized and reiterated womens inequality, that it locked women into a kind of dependence and failure. I highlight the ways in which mackinnon makes use of several fundamental liberal tenets, such as the primacy of individual choice, and then consider how her work contributes to an ongoing discussion about the relevance of liberal theory to contemporary feminist concerns. Catharine mackinnons latest book, is a compel ling attempt to create a feminist theory of male dominance and sexual. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Sojourner truth black feminists speak as women because we are women. Toward a feminist theory of the state presents catharine mackinnon s powerful analysis of politics, sexuality, and the law from the perspective of women. One of her books is entitled towards a feminist theory of the state.
This book presents mackinnon s powerful analysis of politics, sexuality, and the law from the perspective of women. Using the debate over marxism and feminism as a point of departure, mackinnon develops a theory of gender centered on sexual subordination and applies it. Cambridge, mass harvard university press, 1989, 330 pp. Mackinnon, american feminist and professor of law, an influential if controversial legal theorist whose work primarily took aim at sexual abuse in the context of inequality.
She is widely published in journals, the popular press, and many languages. A critique of catharine mackinnons sexbased theory of rape by meagan malone under the direction of christie hartley, phd abstract in a critique of sexbased theories of rape, aletta brenner suggests that feminists such as. From 2008 to 2012, she was the special gender adviser to the prosecutor of the. This chapter is provided online, under principles of fair use for educational purposes, in order to provide the context for passages cited in online publications and scholarly works. Judith baer writes that toward a feminist theory of the state establishes mackinnon as the preeminent figure within the scholarly subfield of feminist jurisprudence, although she takes issue with mackinnon s assertion that the first amendment protects pornography that teaches men to degrade and dehumanize women. Its a pleasure and an honor to comment on and celebrate catharine mackinnon s toward a feminist theory of the state tfts. Download pdf toward a feminist theory of the state free. Pdf toward a feminist theory of the state download full. Catharine a mackinnon presents the authors analysis of politics, sexuality and the law from the perspective of women.
A critique of catharine mackinnons sexbased theory of rape. Central to feminist theory and feminist method, as. Toward a feminist theory of the state by catharine a. Through these engaged works on issues such as rape, abortion, athletics, sexual harassment, and pornography, mackinnon seeks feminism on its own terms. Mackinnon is a lawyer, teacher, writer, activist, and expert on sex equality. Toward a feminist theory of the state presents catharine mackinnons powerful analysis of politics, sexuality, and the law from the perspective of women. Considered by many to be the central figure in modern feminist legal theory, mackinnon broke new ground in the late 1970s by arguing that the sexual harassment of. Looking at the female and male halves of the world equally transforms everything. Aug 22, 2019 catharine mackinnon feminism unmodified pdf feminism unmodified. Toward a feminist theory of the state is a 1989 book about feminist political theory by the legal scholar catharine mackinnon. Catherine mackinnon, perhaps the dominant voice of north american feminist legal theory over the last two decades. Mackinnon pioneered the legal claim for sexual harassment and, with andrea dworkin, created ordinances recognizing pornography as a civil rights violation and the swedish model for abolishing prostitution. Mackinnon, feminism, heidegger, continental philosophy, sexual violence.
A critical appraisal emily jackson law, it could be argued, is peculiarly resistant to novel critical perspectives. By exposing and correcting the patriarchal values underlying nationalism and justice, catharine mackinnon causes an earthquake of thinking that rearranges every part of our intellectual landscape. By exposing and correcting the patriarchal values underlying nationalism and justice, catharine mackinnon causes an earthquake of thinking that rearranges every part. In the absence of answers, feminist practice has oscillated between a liberal theory of the state on the one hand and a left theory of the state on the other. I highly recomend this writing to anyone interested in feminism or political theory. Toward a feminist theory of the state by mackinnon, catharine a.
Catharine mackinnon is the most prominent and persistent ad vocate for the dominance strand of feminist theory. As it became clear that this was not the case in the way i had thought, the project shifted from locating and explicating such a theory to creating one by distilling feminist practice, from attempting to connect feminism and marxism on equal terms to attempting to create a feminist theory that could. This book presents mackinnons powerful analysis of politics, sexuality, and the law from the perspective of women. Long professor of law at the university of michigan law school, where she has been tenured since 1990, and the james barr ames visiting professor of law at harvard law school. Mackinnon and first published by harvard university press in 1989, and is held under by catharine mackinnon.
In this course, we will read feminist theory, queer theory, and other critical theory in order to examine constructions of. Pdf radical feminism as a discourse in the theory of. Using the debate over marxism and feminism as a point of departure, mackinnon develops a theory of gender centered on sexual subordination and applies it to the state. Denise schaeffer college of the holy cross uch of contemporary feminist theory presents itself as radically opposed to liberalism. I begin with mackinnons theoretical writings rather than the more recent only words, which is a particular. Catherine mackinnon, perhaps the dominant voice of north american feminist legal theory over the last two decades, developed her feminist theory of law through an extended metaphor with marxism. It is commonly taken to include both what philosophers call positive and normative claims. See feminist theory it generally refers to theories of womens experience and of the subordination of women by men. Mackinnon harvard university press cambridge, massachusetts londo. Pdf radical feminism as a discourse in the theory of conflict. Comments on toward a feminist theory of the statetwentyfive years later. Mackinnon, a 37yearold feminist scholar had been asked by the minneapolis zoning commission to testify on. Liberal legal theory dominates, and one of its fundamental tenets, the doctrine of precedent, inculcates respect for past principles as an article of faith.
Abstract atharine mackinnons feminist work on sexual abuse and violence has had a. Mackinnons approach was rooted in the theory that sexual harassment realized and reiterated womens inequality, that it locked women into a kind of dependence and failure. Toward a feminist theory of the state fair use repository. Toward a feminist theory of the state 1989, feminism unmodified 1987, and sexual harassment of working women 1979, as well as her most recent book, butterfly politics 2017 and 2018. Long professor of law at the university of michigan and. Publication date 1989 topics womens rights, feminism, women, women and socialism publisher. Catharine mackinnon, feminism, and continental philosophy. Catharine mackinnon feminism unmodified pdf feminism unmodified. Copyright 0 1993 by the yale journal of law and feminism.
Feminist legal theory spring 2016 professor laura rosenbury. Key concepts hegemonic masculinity patriarchal dividend. This chapter is provided online, under principles of fair use for educational purposes, in order to provide the context for passages cited in online publications. The promise and perils of marxism for feminist legal theory kate sutherland abstract. They have benefited greatly from the critical attention and acumen of anne simon, sheila kuehl, susanne baer, karen e. Mackinnon, like her mother and grandmother, attended smith college in northampton, mass. Feminist theory is a similarly broad and contested term. Toward a fe minist theory of the state i catharine a. Catharine mackinnon, professor of law at the university of michigan, is currently the most influential advocate of equality. Toward a feminist theory of the state was written by catharine a. From practice to theory, or what is a white woman anyway. Feminism, i believe, has gone through four stages in its very young life. Key concepts queer theory heterosexual matrix performativity.