A Concise Companion to Feminist Theory

The Concise Companion to Feminist Theory introduces readers to the broad scope of feminist theory over the last 35 years.

• Introduces readers to the broad scope of feminist theory over the past 35 years.
• Guides students along the cutting edge of current feminist theory.
• Suitable for students and scholars of all fields touched by feminist thought.
• Covers an exceptionally broad range of disciplines, discourses and feminist positions.
• Organised around concepts rather than schools of feminism.

Notes on Contributors vii

Acknowledgements xi

Introduction 1
Mary Eagleton

1 Place and Space 11
Linda McDowell

2 Time 32
Krista Cowman and Louise A. Jackson

3 Class 53
Rosemary Hennessy

4 ‘Race’ 73
Kum-Kum Bhavnani and Meg Coulson

5 Sexuality 93
Rey Chow

6 Subjects 111
Chris Weedon

7 Language 133
Sara Mills

8 Literature 153
Mary Eagleton

9 The Visual 173
Griselda Pollock

10 Feminist Philosophies 195
Rosi Braidotti

11 Cyberculture 215
Jenny Wolmark

12 Feminist Futures 236
Sara Ahmed

Select Bibliography 255

Index 257

"A Consise Companion to Feminist Theory is essential reading for researchers engaged in the diverse fields of feminist studies ... Even non-specialist readers with a view to getting started in feminist theory and practice will find the book quite interesting and thought provoking. A book with such a wide sweep of readership is no mean achievement."
Discourse & Society Mary Eagleton is Reader in the School of Cultural Studies at Leeds Metropolitan University. She is the author of Feminist Literary Theory: A Reader (Blackwell Publishing, Second Edition, 1996), and its accompanying Working with Feminist Criticism (Blackwell Publishing, 1996). A Concise Companion to Feminist Theory introduces readers to the broad scope of feminist theory over the past 35 years. Comprising twelve original chapters, written by authors with extensive experience of both the theory and practice of feminism, it treats feminism as both a political project and an intellectual discourse.

The Companion represents an exceptionally broad range of disciplines, discourses and feminist positions, particularly showcasing those on the cutting edge of feminist scholarship. It provides not only a concise survey of the relevant fields and their histories, but also an insight into the unresolved issues that form feminism’s future. The material is organised around topics, rather than schools of feminism, encouraging readers to synthesise different approaches. A select bibliography acts as an initial introduction to the field, while longer bibliographies relating to each chapter provide guidance for further study.