Gender In International Relations

-- Political Science Quarterly

This book provides a critique of the discipline of international relations from a feminist perspective. The critique is developed, first theoretically. Then the author examines both feminist theories and theories of international relations with a view to developing an approach to world politics which incorporates an analysis of gender, and gender relations. The critique is secondly developed through the application of the notion of gender to the activities of two international institutions, the International Parenthood Federation and the International Labour Organisation.

Explaining gender as both an asymmetrical binary and a hierarchy, the book shows how masculinization works via 'nested hierarchies' of domination and subordination and explores masculinities within nation-state and power politics.

Until relatively recently, little had been written about gender issues in international relations despite the increased importance of the study of gender in other areas of the social sciences. Gender and International Relations fills that gap, providing a clear and accessible guide to the study of gender issues, feminist theories, and international relations. Steans illustrates how gender is central to nationalisms and political identity, the state, citizenship and conceptions of political community, security, and global political economy and development. Drawing on feminist scholarship from across the social sciences, she demonstrates the uses of feminism as critique. She also introduces readers to contemporary theoretical debates in international relations using concrete concerns and easily understandable issues to ground the discussion. The book does not construct a single feminist theory of international relations nor does it advance a particular perspective of how gender can best be understood in an international or global context. Rather, the book argues that feminist theories have collectively produced insights crucial to the study of international relations and that these insights can be used to challenge conventional approaches to the discipline.

Offering a comprehensive overview of feminist contributions to the study of international relations, this title includes chapters on gender and development and womens' human rights, plus an exploration of possible research trajectories and theoretical lines of enquiry.

The third edition of Jill Steans’ popular and highly respected text offers a comprehensive and up to date introduction to gender in international relations today. Its nine chapters have been fully revised and expanded to cover key issues, developments and debates in the field including: the state and citizenship gender, sexuality and human rights conflict, peace and security narratives and representational practices in international politics global political economy development and gender in global governance Guiding students competently through complex theoretical and conceptual issues, the book is careful to ground its discussions in contemporary concerns, such as the War on Terror and its legacy, the ‘securitisation’ of human rights, the Arab Spring, the global financial crisis, contemporary challenges to global institutions, and ethical dilemmas that arise in negotiating gender issues and politics in a culturally diverse world. Each chapter features questions for reflection, seminar activities, further reading and web links to highlight key points and provide contemporary illustrations. A glossary of key terms is also included for easy reference. Gender and International Relations will be essential reading for students and scholars of gender, international relations, global politics and related courses.

The experiences and political perspectives of women have, until recently, been excluded from the study of international relations. This volume brings together selections from the new field of study which takes as its approach analysis based on gender.

Gender Matters in Global Politics is a comprehensive textbook for advanced undergraduates studying feminism & international relations, gender and global politics and similar courses. It provides students with an accessible but in-depth account of the most significant theories, methodologies, debates and issues. This textbook is written by an international line-up of established and emerging scholars from a range of theoretical perspectives, providing students with provocative and cutting-edge insights into the study and practices of (how) gender matters in global politics. Key features and benefits of the book: Introduces students to the wide variety of feminist and gender theory and explains the relevance to contemporary global politics. Explains the insights of feminist theory for a range of other disciplines including international relations, international political economy and security studies. Addresses a large number of key contemporary issues such as human rights, trafficking, rape as a tool of war, peacekeeping and state-building, terrorism and environmental politics. Features extensive pedagogy to facilitate learning – seminar exercises, text boxes, photographs, suggestions for further reading, web resources and a glossary of key terms. In this innovative and groundbreaking textbook gender is represented as a noun, a verb and a logic, allowing both students and lecturers to develop a sophisticated understanding of the crucial role that gender plays in the theories, policies and practices of global politics.