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PHL2230

Feminist Philosophers ( 6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL)

Undergraduate
(ARTS)

Leader: Karen Green

Offered:
Not offered in 2005.

Synopsis: The unit focuses on the work of various feminist philosophers writing within very different philosophical traditions, from Christine de Pizan (1365-1430), Margaret Cavendish (1623-73) and Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) to Simone de Beauvoir (1908-1986) and Luce Irigaray (1930- ). The relationship of their philosophies to those of their male contemporaries will be discussed, as will the implications of their views for contemporary debates within feminism. www.arts.monash.edu.au/phil/undergraduate/

Objectives: Students should achieve a knowledge of the texts and arguments of a range of feminist philosophers whose writings date from the fifteenth century to the present. They should gain a knowledge of the historical development of feminist thought. They should also appreciate the relevance of these texts and arguments for contemporary debates over the role of women and the family in the state, the relationship between feminism and deconstruction and feminist critiques of liberalism.

Assessment: Two essays (1750 words): 70% + Examination (1 hour): 30% + One essay may optionally be replaced by a one-hour examination.

Contact Hours: 2 hours per week

Prerequisites: A first-year philosophy sequence or a 6 point Women's Studies unit.