The Feminist Theory Essay

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Feminist Theory
The present paper focuses on radical feminism as a significant step in the development of feministic theories. In order to understand the specific ideology of radical feminism, its history is traced as a basis for the peculiar character of this type of feminism. Further on, the key notions of radical feminism are reviewed, and comments are made on the efficiency and drawbacks of the teaching. Overall, the paper maintains a thesis that radical feminism, springing from the left-wing tendencies in the post-war America, positioned itself as a movement for exclusion from the general mainstream and termination of the governing patriarchal principles.
The following works have been used for research purposes:
Dickerson, Mark O., Thomas Flanagan, and Brenda O'Neill. An Introduction to Government and Politics: A Conceptual Approach (8th ed.). Toronto: Nelson Education Ltd., 2009. Print.
Dedicating a whole chapter of the book to feminism, the authors trace its history and development through the time, as well as provide insights in the peculiarities of each of feminist ideologies.
Echols, Alice. Daring to Be Bad: Radical Feminism in America, 1967-1975. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 1989. Print.
Focusing on radical feminism as a short yet powerful movement, the author provides a thrilling and detailed account of its rise and fall basing the story on a varied selection of facts and documents.
Evans, Richard J. “Moderates and Radicals.” The Feminists: Women's Emancipation Movements in Europe, America and Australasia, 1840-1920. Croom Helm: Barnes & Noble Books, 1977. 44-143. Print.
Though radical feminism is traditionally viewed as the feministic movement that was launched in the second half of the twentieth century, Evans’ book allows tracing its roots far into the nineteenth century. That makes the book a valuable historical source providing an unconventional look at the history of radical feminism.
Flick, Rachel. “The Failure of Radical Feminism.” The Moral Foundations of Civil Rights. Eds. Robert K. Fullinwider, and Claudia Mills. Totowa, NJ: Rowman & Littlefield, 1986. 159-166. Print.
Using Catharine MacKinnon’s essays as a foundation, the author criticizes the little understanding of life diversity by radical feminists and considers it as a major reason for the failure of the movement.
Keetley, Dawn Elizabeth. Public Women, Public Words: A Documentary History of American Feminism. Vol. 3. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Inc., 2005. Print.
The volume focuses on the major feministic trends in the second half of the twentieth century and explains the deviations occurred from the “mainstream” feminism as resulting from the interaction with overall contemporary social movements.
Madsen, Deborah L. “Gender and Sexuality: Radical Feminism and Adrienne Rich.” Feminist Theory and Literary Practice. Sterling, VA: Pluto Press, 2000. 152-183. Print.
Surveying the key writings of radical feminism theorists, the chapter focuses on key theoretical concepts of the movement, as well as provides the analysis of Adrienne Rich’s poetry from the standpoint of radical feminism.
Murphy, Lindsay, and Jonathan Livingstone. “Racism and the Limits of Radical Feminism.” Understanding Curriculum as Racial Text: Representations of Identity and Difference in Education. Eds. Louis A. Castenell, Jr., and William F. Pinar. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1993. 179-190. Print.
The authors emphasize a lack of connection between radical feminism and racism as such and point out that a more comprehensive struggle for female rights is possible under condition of mutual support of the two trends.
Rhodes, Jacqueline. Radical Feminism, Writing, and Critical Agency: From Manifesto to Modem. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2005. Print.
Basing her study on textual research, Rhodes accomplishes a complex task of analyzing radical feminism through the writings produced by the members of the
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