Feministic Theory for Intellectual and Political Controversies

Question: Discuss about theFeministic Theory for Intellectual and Political Controversies. Answer: The concept of feminism is a recent innovation and has been designed specifically to incorporate the changing power dynamics in the present day society. In the opinion of Judith Butler articulated in her famous work Gender Trouble, Gender is a just a social construct which was designed with the objective to maintain the power balance in the society between the male and the female gender (Butler 1990). However, it is significant to note that in the present times this particular status quo has undergone much transformation and the changing roles which the women are playing in the society is a reflection of this particular fact. This essay will try to find the relevance of the Feministic Standpoint Theory in the field of the modern cannon of feministic theories. The Feministic Standpoint Theory is one of the most famous theories of the feministic genre and was developed due to the efforts and the researches of Dorothy Smith, a follower of Karl Marx. According to this particular theory, feminist social science should be practiced from the standpoint of women or particular groups of women, as some scholars (e.g. Patricia Hill Collins and Dorothy Smith) say that they are better equipped to understand some aspects of the world (Harding 2004). The primary strength of this particular theory is the fact that it articulates for the need of the active participation of the women in the formulation of the theory and as the need to formulate the various feminist social science from the standpoint of the women. The weakness of this theory can be said to be fat that this particular theory takes into consideration only the sphere of the social science and not the other spheres. Narayan, U., 2004. The project of feminist epistemology: Perspectives from a nonwestern feminist.The feminist standpoint theory reader: Intellectual and political controversies, pp.213-224. The article The project of feminist epistemology: perspectives from a nonwestern feminist by the authors McCann and Seung-Kyung gives an overview of the concept of feminist epistemology and its various related aspects. The major focus of the article is on the nonwestern feministic perspectives and the role which they play in the genre of feminist epistemology. In the opinion of the authors, the concept of feminist epistemology has gained a considerable amount of significance in the recent times with the rise of the various theories related to the genre of feminism (Narayan 2004) Crowley, H. and Himmelweit, S., 1992. Knowing Women Feminism and Knowledge.. The article What is feminist theory? by the authors Crowley and Himmelweit discusses about the various modern theories related to the genre of feminism. The major focus of the authors in this particular article is on finding out the key features of the various feminist theories and the role which men play in the same process (Crowley and Himmelweit 1992). Furthermore, the authors are of the opinion that since the traditional times the men have subverted the various theories related to the genre of feminism and have presented it in a form which is totally anti-feministic in its outline. Harding, S., 2004. Introduction: Standpoint theory as a site of political, philosophic, and scientific debate. The author Sandra Harding in the article Introduction: Standpoint theory as a site of political, philosophic, and scientific debate gives a pertinent account of the Standpoint Theory related to the genre of feminism and also the various precepts of this particular theory. The author in this particular theory tries to introduce the readers to the basic precepts of this theory and also the contemporary political, philosophic, and scientific debate which surrounds this particular theory of feminism (Harding 2004). Tyagi, R., 2014. Understanding postcolonial feminism in relation with postcolonial and feminist theories.International Journal of Language and Linguistics,1(2), pp.45-50. The author Dr. Ritu Tyagi in the article Understanding Postcolonial Feminism in relation with Postcolonial and Feminist Theories gives an overview of the postcolonial interpretations of the various feministic theories. In the recent times the various theories related to the genre of post colonialism has gained significance and it is a reflection of this that the various theories of feminism are being analyzed thorough the lens of this particular field of study (Tyagi 2014). Sandberg, L., 2013. Affirmative old age-the ageing body and feminist theories on difference.International Journal of Ageing and Later Life,8(1), pp.11-40. The article Affirmative old age the ageing body and feminist theories on difference by the author Linn Sandberg discusses about the various feministic discourses related to the old age and ageing among the women. The major focus of this particular article is on the feministic interpretation of the various discourses related to the concepts of the old and ageing among the women in terms of the feministic theories (Sandberg 2013). To conclude, the genre of feminism has undergone a significant transformation in the recent times. This is a reflection of the formulation as well as the development of the various theories related to the genre of feminism and its related precincts. It is significant to note that in the traditional times the various theories related to the genre of feminism were interpreted in anti-feministic terms and it is only recently with the emergence of the various opinions as well as theories related to the concept of feminism that this particular genre has attained significance. References Butler, J., 1990. Gender trouble and the subversion of identity.New York and London: Routledge. Crowley, H. and Himmelweit, S., 1992. Knowing Women Feminism and Knowledge. ISBN- 0745609759 Harding, S., 2004. Introduction: Standpoint theory as a site of political, philosophic, and scientific debate. ISBN- 0415945003 Narayan, U., 2004. The project of feminist epistemology: Perspectives from a nonwestern feminist.The feminist standpoint theory reader: Intellectual and political controversies, pp.213-224. Sandberg, L., 2013. Affirmative old age-the ageing body and feminist theories on difference.International Journal of Ageing and Later Life,8(1), pp.11-40. Tyagi, R., 2014. Understanding postcolonial feminism in relation with postcolonial and feminist theories.International Journal of Language and Linguistics,1(2), pp.45-50.