Feminism wrote Marie Shear in 1986, is the radical notion that women are people. But, simple and powerful though this definition is, feminism is not a single, clear narrative. It doesnt begin with a specific event at a particular moment in time, it cant be identified with any one political organization or movement, and it isnt defined by the contributions of a handful of great thinkers.
Here, Professor Deborah Cameron unpicks the various strands that constitute one of historys most important intellectual and political movements. In her clear and incisive account, she discusses oppression, sexuality, violence, academic theory and practical activism, shows how feminism can be a way of viewing the world and provides an overview of its history. In an era of #metoo, pay gap scandals and online harrassment, its impossible to deny that gender inequality is a fact of life.
And as long as that continues to be true, we will need to understand and engage with the ideas and history of the feminist movement.