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Feminism and Liberalism Reconsidered: The Case of Catharine MacKinnon

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 January 2002

Denise Schaeffer
Denise Schaeffer*
Affiliation:
College of the Holy Cross
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Abstract

Much of contemporary feminist theory presents itself as radically opposed to liberalism. Certain claims made by Catharine MacKinnon have contributed significantly to this view. In this article, however, I argue that certain fundamental aspects of MacKinnon's work must be understood within a liberal framework, even as she challenges the epistemological assumptions that tend to inform liberal political theories. I highlight the ways in which MacKinnon makes use of several fundamental liberal tenets, such as the primacy of individual choice, and then consider how her work contributes to an ongoing discussion about the relevance of liberal theory to contemporary feminist concerns.

Type
Research Article
Information
American Political Science Review , Volume 95 , Issue 3 , September 2001 , pp. 699 - 708
Copyright
Copyright © American Political Science Association 2001

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