In this article by Ann Tickner, we see a new way of framing world politics: feminism. Feminist thought has trickled down from sociology into political science and international relations. Tickner regards it as very important because it serves as a balancing act for the large scale exclusion of women, who make up half the world's population, from world politics.
International relations is also a domain which had a dearth of feminist views in recent years. International politics is regarded as a brawny, bellicose environment and hence the views of women and their influence has been left out of wars and power struggles. I remember back in primary school, that our history chapter on WWII was filled with detailed descriptions of struggles between powerful armies and famous statesmen. The only memory I have of women's involvement is three lines on the suffragette movement. Considering how I have seen a whole History Channel special on women in WWII, it is ridiculous how little attention they have received. But it is not entirely the fault of the kind people at Oxford University Press either. Women are generally excluded from power politics.
Ann Tickner's argument that wars are not fought to protect women and children is also not true. Strategic rape is a despicable yet common war crime, practiced on large scales by the Nazis, Soviets, Hutus, Serbs and even the Pakistan army. Women have thus been socialized into a position of inferiority and perhaps one of the biggest power structures that should receive more attention and analysis in international relations is the patriarchy. Tickner's article ushers in the new era of international relations with issues and perspectives such as feminism and environmentalism being brought into the mainstream.
International relations is also a domain which had a dearth of feminist views in recent years. International politics is regarded as a brawny, bellicose environment and hence the views of women and their influence has been left out of wars and power struggles. I remember back in primary school, that our history chapter on WWII was filled with detailed descriptions of struggles between powerful armies and famous statesmen. The only memory I have of women's involvement is three lines on the suffragette movement. Considering how I have seen a whole History Channel special on women in WWII, it is ridiculous how little attention they have received. But it is not entirely the fault of the kind people at Oxford University Press either. Women are generally excluded from power politics.
Ann Tickner's argument that wars are not fought to protect women and children is also not true. Strategic rape is a despicable yet common war crime, practiced on large scales by the Nazis, Soviets, Hutus, Serbs and even the Pakistan army. Women have thus been socialized into a position of inferiority and perhaps one of the biggest power structures that should receive more attention and analysis in international relations is the patriarchy. Tickner's article ushers in the new era of international relations with issues and perspectives such as feminism and environmentalism being brought into the mainstream.
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