Feminism and the Abyss of Freedom by Linda M G Zerilli

Feminism and the Abyss of Freedom by Linda M G Zerilli

In contemporary feminist theory, the problem of feminine subjectivity persistently appears and reappears as the site that grounds all discussion of feminism. In "Feminism and the Abyss of Freedom," Linda M. G. Zerilli argues that the persistence of this subject-centered frame severely limits feminists' capacity to think imaginatively about the central problem of feminist theory and practice: a politics concerned with freedom. Offering both a discussion of feminism in its postmodern context and a critique of contemporary theory, Zerilli here challenges feminists to move away from a theory-based approach, which focuses on securing or contesting "women" as an analytic category of feminism, to one rooted in political action and judgment. She revisits the democratic problem of exclusion from participation in common affairs and elaborates a freedom-centered feminism as the political practice of beginning anew, world-building, and judging. In a series of case studies, Zerilli draws on the political thought of Hannah Arendt to articulate a nonsovereign conception of political freedom and to explore a variety of feminist understandings of freedom in the twentieth century, including ones proposed by Judith Butler, Monique Wittig, and the Milan Women's Bookstore Collective. In so doing, Zerilli hopes to retrieve what Arendt called feminism's lost treasure; the original and radical claim to political freedom.

"This is an exciting and exhilarating book, clearly destined to have a lasting influence in feminist theoryHere, Zerilli makes a serious effort to go beyond the terrain of identity politics and its critics. The emphasis is put, on the contrary, on political judgment as the basis for forming political communities and on practices of freedom." - Ernesto Laclau, University of Essex"

Linda M. G. Zerilli is professor of political science at Northwestern University. She is the author of Signifying Women: Culture and Chaos in Rousseau, Burke, and Mill.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780226981345
ISBN 10	0226981347
Title	Feminism and the Abyss of Freedom
Author	Linda M G Zerilli
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	The University of Chicago Press
Year published	2005-10-03
Number of pages	272
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.